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RockAuto.com
is my absolute go-to place for
car
parts. Any kind of car part, from
the '63 Buick to the Porsche 928.
They've got them all, priced
less than anyone else, and ship
super quickly.
I particularly
like that they can tell you which
locations
parts ship from, so you can order
accordingly.
Customer testimonial
from an independent, third-party
survey. |
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Upcoming
Events
If
you
would
like
your
event
featured
here, email us
with
details. |
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22nd
Annual Automotive Swap Meet
2/1/2009
Hollsopple, PA
e-mail
6th Annual "Silver
Magic" Car & Bike Show
2/28/2009-2/28/2009
Port Charlotte,
FL
e-mail |
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New Catalog Filter |
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The
RockAuto
catalog is now even more convenient
to use! You can filter the vehicles
displayed by checking or unchecking
the various boxes at the top of the
catalog.
By default all the
boxes are checked, and all vehicles
are shown. You can
uncheck the boxes of the countries
you do not want to display. For example
if you want to display only US Market
vehicles in the catalog, you would
uncheck the European Union and Canadian
boxes. To show only vehicles manufactured
after 1989, uncheck this box. |
Forum of the Month |
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In
1988 a small group of enthusiasts
decided that
it was time Pontiac
owners had their own club in the
UK. And on January 1st 1989 the
Pontiac
Owners´ Club (UK) was
formed, the primary purpose of
which was to allow Pontiac owners
to meet on a regular basis and
to pool their knowledge and experience
in running these cars. They have
a regular club magazine, called "Wide
Track News", that is published
quarterly and has dates of monthly
meetings and events, together with
informative articles about the
Club and Pontiac cars in general.
So, whether you
drive a Chieftain, Star Chief, Bonneville,
Catalina, GTO, Tempest, Le Mans,
Firebird, Trans Am, Fiero, Grand
Prix, or even a Phoenix, the Pontiac
Owners´ Club (UK) has a lot
to offer.
All are welcome!
If you are
the administrator or member of
a forum and you would like to
see your website featured in
an upcoming newsletter and receive
a discount code to share with
your members, contact jessa@rockauto.com. |
Repair Mistakes & Blunders |
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One
winter when I was a younger man I
took my father’s car to the
do it yourself car wash for a much
needed power wash. Midway through
the job I noticed that the accumulated
ice and slush
had built up over the wide floor
drain and water was building up and
making things difficult. I sized
up the situation and pulled out the
grating over the drain trough so
the water and ice could flow into
it.
I spent the next
15 minutes giving the Duster a thorough
cleaning and
when I was done, jumped in and
drove off, directly
into the drain. Both rear tires dropped
in perfectly right up into the axle.
I lost what little composure a 17-year-old
has and jumped out of the car to
investigate – and locked
the door behind me with the 318 idling
away.
There I was, car
hopelessly settled in the drain,
idling away,
keys in the car, and locked out
in the cold. No cell phones in those
days; it was a cold walk to the nearby
drug store to call a friend with
a jack. We did get one side of
the car jacked up, but not both.
We ended up putting
wood pallets under one side and then
worked the grate under the other.
Scott in Illinois
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Cash for Clunkers |
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Are
US government agents coming to seize
my great granddad’s double-barreled,
Parker shotgun from where it hangs
above the fireplace? No, according
to the Automotive Aftermarket Industry
Association (AAIA), the government
might first be coming after my ’89
Ford Country Squire!
The latest economic stimulus plan
being considered by the US Congress
could include money to pay owners
of older cars to exchange their vehicles
for vouchers that would be used to
obtain newer, more fuel efficient
vehicles. The old cars would be crushed.
California and other individual
states have dabbled in vehicle retirement
programs for the last twenty years.
Get older, higher polluting, gas
guzzling vehicles off the road by
paying the owners something like
$1000. The idea sounds appealing
to some politicians’ constituents,
but the programs usually fizzle out
or are never implemented because
they are too costly and unmanageable.
AAIA members are concerned because
repairable cars and rebuildable parts
would be destroyed. I think it is
always a huge waste of natural and
financial resources to turn a functioning
vehicle into a compressed cube of
junk.
It is also a myth that older, “clunker” cars
are inherently bad because they pollute
and guzzle gas. I paid $1200 for
my ’89 Ford Country Squire
seven years ago. It seats eight,
gets over 20 miles per gallon (20
mpg) on the highway and weighs 1000
lbs. less than some new mini-vans.
It does not leak a drop of anything
and has a catalytic converter, oxygen
sensor and plenty of other emissions
parts. My wife’s little ’87
Mazda has a 1.6L engine and gets
over 30 mpg! Crushing these cars
and building new cars from scratch
using today’s technology would
not help the environment nor reduce
gasoline consumption.
The impact would also be far-reaching
and difficult to predict. There would
be fewer inexpensive used cars for
the low-income people many politicians
claim to protect. Exports of used
cars might decrease and the US trade
deficit would increase. Even smash-up
derby teams would have trouble finding
cars to race!
If the government wants to subsidize
new vehicle sales, then it should
do it without hiding behind the false
fig leaf that crushing older cars
is wise and good. If you are feeling
politically active, the AAIA has
a neat web site for sending letters
on this topic to senators and congressional
representatives: http://capwiz.com/aftermarket/home/.
Just to be safe, I am going to dig
a hole
in the backyard big enough
to hide my old Ford. But I might
leave my wife’s Mazda 323 out
in the open if it gets me a voucher
I can exchange for a new Dodge Challenger
6.1L Hemi!
Tom Taylor,
RockAuto.com
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1952
Cadillac Fleetwood "Daisy" |
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I
bought this car at auction in 2004
from an older
gentleman in Idaho. He had owned "Daisy",
a 1952 Cadillac Series 60 Fleetwood,
since 1987 and had done a full restoration.
She
was originally registered in California
(I have the original
black plates).
I shipped "Daisy"
via the port of Los Angeles to Bremerhaven,
Germany. Then by
car transport 800 miles south
to Munich.
Two days before Christmas 2004 she
arrived at my home, and I tell you,
this was the prettiest Christmas
gift I ever got.
The motor purrs like a kitten and
the 4-speed Hydramatic shifts smoothly.
I do plan on finishing the
restoration in 2009, including restoring
the original type of paint. I recently
bought four shock absorbers for her
at RockAuto.
Christoph
in Germany |
Share Your
Hard Work
Do you purchase
parts from RockAuto? If so, RockAuto
would like to feature you and your
car or truck in our monthly newsletter.
Please email flamur@rockauto.com with
details.
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LLC - Madison, Wisconsin USA. RockAuto
name and logo are registered trademarks
of RockAuto, LLC. Manufacturer names
and logos in the RockAuto catalog
are trademarks of their respective
companies and are used only to identify
their products. All rights reserved.
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