Sunday, September 14, 2008

Most of the matter here is relevant to convertible sports car. This was the main intention of writing on convertible sports car, to propagate its value and meaning.

A Featured convertible sports car Article
Sports Car Innovators To Remember



The history of American sports cars is the story not only of machines, but also of the men who made and drove them. There have been many key players in the development of the modern sports car, but some stand out as truly significant figures.


Among those innovators to remember are Alexander Winton, Zora Arkus-Duntov, and John DeLorean. Each made a lasting impression on the sports car scene.


Alexander Winton


Alexander Winton was the first truly successful automotive magnate in the United States. His cars participated and excelled in virtually every major racing and touring event of the late 1890s and early 1900s. Winton cars were perceived as the model of American automotive engineering.


Winton's success and belief in his vehicles led him to accept a challenge from an upstart from Detroit named Henry Ford. In a much-ballyhooed 1901 contest, Ford and Winton squared off in one-on-one race.


Winton's Sweepstakes racecar suffered from mechanical problems during the contest and his two-cylinder, 28 horsepower racer finished a distant second to Ford, who found his career revitalized after the publicized victory.


Despite often being remembered as the man who lost to Ford, Alexander Winton was a true American sports car pioneer and laid the groundwork for many manufacturers who followed in his footsteps.


Zora Arkus-Duntov


After World War II, American manufacturers began to produce readily available sports cars, in contrast to the limited production, high-dollar versions from earlier in history. After Ford made a splash with the Thunderbird sports car, Chevrolet sought to capture its share of the growing market with the 1955 introduction of the Corvette.


The Corvette, whose distinctive appearance was brought to light be famous designer Harley Earl, was a beautiful package containing a ho-hum gift. The car had a two-speed automatic transmission and a standard Chevy 6 cylinder engine. Sales stagnated.


A Russian ?migr? and Chevrolet designer named Zora Arkus-Duntov took the reigns of the Corvette project after its second lackluster year. He redesigned the new Chevy V8 to fit in the Corvette and replaced the automatic transmission with a sportier 3-speed manual tranny. His design changes vaulted the Corvette to fame and admiration.


Arkus-Duntov continued his affiliation with Corvette, ushering it into its heyday as the most respected and admired American sports car.


John DeLorean


A brash young auto executive at Pontiac named John DeLorean had an idea. He could take the under performing Pontiac Tempest, make a few minor exterior alterations, outfit it with a big and powerful V8 engine and upgrade some of the other components. His revitalization effort turned the lowly Tempest into the Pontiac GTO--the car that sparked the muscle car era in America.


DeLorean's efforts to build better and more interesting sports cars continued as he opened his own auto company. He introduced the stainless steel DMC-12 sports car later popularized in the Back to the Future movies. The innovative vehicle was never a hot-seller but was an inspiration for countless future designs from other automakers.


The controversial DeLorean was plotting an economy-priced plastic sports car that was never released. He passed away while the vehicle idea was still in its infancy.


Sports car enthusiasts remember cars. They can tell you the specs of many significant sports cars and can trace the history of many sports car lines. It's important to remember these cars did not materialize from thin air. There were men behind the cars who brought them to the limelight. Three of the great innovators--Winton, Arkus-Dontav, and DeLorean deserve to be as remembered as any sports car to ever hit the road.

About the Author


Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. To keep your car looking great, get car care products from http://www.stopwaxing.com

Featured convertible sports car Items
Delphi SkyFi3 XM Satellite Radio w/ Car Kit & Mail-in Headset Offer



Delphi SkyFi3 XM Satellite Radio w/ Car Kit & Mail-in Headset Offer
DELPHI SA10271-11B1 SKYFI3(TM) RECEIVER WITH CAR KIT and SA10252 2.8" LARGE SCREEN WITH HORIZONTAL OR VERTICLE MOUNT;30-MIN PAUSE and REPLAY FEATURES; STORES UP TO 10 HOURS OF XM PROGRAMMING WITH BUILT-IN MEMORY;STORES UP TO 500 SONGS WITH OPTIONAL MICRO SECURE DIGITAL CARD(TM);PLUG-IN-PLAY;INTEGRATED TUNER; PORTABLE PLAYBACK MODE WITH INTERNAL 5-HOUR RECHARGEABLE BATTERY; BOOK MARK and PURCHASE SONGS WITH XM and NAPSTER(TM); ARTIST and TUNE SELECT;XM SPORTS and STOCK TICKER; INCLUDES XM RECEIVER, CAR KIT, REMOTE, EARBUDS and USB CABLE and SA10252 SKYFI3(TM) RECEIVER WITH CAR KIT and SA10252

Customer Review: Horrible

The basic problem with this is, if it locks up, you have to wait for the battery to die before you can get it working again. Not a problem if it didn't lock up a lot, but it locks up A LOT. Why not provide a reset button or a removable battery? No wonder XM has trouble. Great service is not going to work if you sell the customer junk.

Customer Review: feature packed but inconsistant

I bought this product right when it came out. I took the risk because it had every feature I was looking for and more. The Skyfi3 is easy to use in the home and on the road, and up to snuff as a portable device with the added accessories. The problem is...well there are many. The device often freezes when trying to boot up. The internal memory that stores your recorded XM content becomes corrupted on a regular basis. Sometimes the device doesn't know how to recognize the car dock and freezes up. Sometimes the screen doesn't even display any information even though sound is being pumped to your speakers. Too bad.



PAC SWIPS Unv Steering Whl Contr



PAC SWIPS Unv Steering Whl Contr
PAC SWI-PS PIONEER and SONY UNIVERSAL STEERING WHEEL RADIO INTERFACE INFRARED LEARNING REMOTE CAN VIRTUALLY LEARN ALL AFTERMARKET RADIOS WIRELESS INFRARED REMOTE SIGNALS; CONVERTS THE SIGNALS GENERATED BY THE FACTORY REMOTE LOCATION CONTROLS INTO INFRARED SIGNALS; RETAINS THE STEERING WHEEL HEATER and AIR CONTROL BUTTONS ON ALL GM VEHICLES ; SIMPLE 3-WIRE HOOK-UP;STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAMMING WITH LED CONFIRMATION;NON-VOLATILE MEMORY WILL NOT LOSE PROGRAMMING EVEN WHEN POWER IS DISCONNECTED; PIONEER and SONY UNIVERSAL STEERING WHEEL RADIO INTERFACE

Customer Review: steering wheel control adapter

THis product was very easy to use. THe directions it came with were very difficult to understand; however, the online directions made it much easier. Great Product!

Customer Review: Works like a charm! A MUST if you have steering wheel ctrls

I would've been really disappointed if I lost my steering wheel audio controls because of the Pioneer unit I installed. Luckily I stumbled across this product, and although the button press registration is a bit slow, it always works. Fantastic!



Saitek Eclipse II Keyboard ( PK02AU)



Saitek Eclipse II Keyboard ( PK02AU)
The Eclipse II keyboard gives you a choice of purple, red and blue backlighting colors, which are adjustable via a dimmer mechanism. Key characters and keypad illuminate making the Eclipse II ideal for use in any lighting environment. Solidly constructed from high quality materials and stylish silver casing (included), the Eclipse II's weighted base and large area rubber feet keep it firmly planted to the desk while cushioned. Silent keys mean hours of fatigue-free use.

Customer Review: Some small nitpicks

Overall, this is a very good keyboard (for gaming and otherwise), but I have some fairly minor nitpicks:

- As others have said, the blue is noticeably less bright than the other colors. Slightly disappointing, but not terrible.

- I like the key backlighting, but the "ground effects" on the side are less desirable, IMHO. I'd rather have more even light distribution across all the keys, since it's a little bit uneven now.

- It doesn't remember your color setting when you power down - this is fairly annoying for me.

- Aside from the lighting, it is fairly no-frills: I wish it had a gaming switch like Logitech's G15 that disabled the Windows key.

- Another feature I wish it had is a USB port or two.





Customer Review: Saitek Eclipse II Keyboard

Best lighted keyboard out there, outstanding quality. Three different colors to choose from. Saitek got a winner here. Highly recommend.



Johnny Miller's Golf Clinic: Fixing Your Swing



Johnny Miller's Golf Clinic: Fixing Your Swing
Fixing Your Swing:

  • Johnny provides simple easy-to-follow cures to common problems. You'll learn how to fix your slice, how to stop shanking, and how to add distance to your drives
  • You'll learn how a tennis racket, a sledge hammer and a hockey stick can improve your game
  • The bottom line: you will hit the ball longer and straighter than ever before!
  • Divided into chapters for easy reference:
    • Fundamentals
    • Slice Cure
    • Hook Cure
    • Fat And Thin
    • The Shank
    • Sway And Stay
    • Pushing And Pulling
    • Adding Distance
    • Hockey Stick Drill
    • Mini-Lesson
  • Like having your own pro: any time you have a problem, just pop in the tape and Johnny will get you straight
  • Approximately 50 minutes

    Customer Review: Solid Content

    I agree with Mike above in that the content of this video had a huge impact on my going from a 12 to a 2 handicap over the last two years. Each time I watch it I feel more connection with what I am feeling in my golf swing and the feelings that Johnny does such a good job of explaining on the video. I believe learning golf is more than trying to get into specific positions - it's learning the "feel" of a good golf swing. Johnny helped me understand what it should feel like and as a result, much of my swing mechanics are just a natural reaction to this feeling. I know that it may sound korny but if you're a 12 now then I can tell you that this is probably what you have to do to be a 2 someday - you must understand the relationship between the (path and clubface angles) and the resulting ball flight and then you have to learn what it feels like to hit a variety of different shots. This is exactly what Johnny covers in the video. I also highly recommend that you check out his other video, "tricks of the trade".



    Customer Review: Superb golf

    This with One "Move to Better Golf" are the best videos I have and I have many. The part about what to do at impact you won't find anywhere else.



    DeLonghi EW7707CM Oil-filled Radiator with ComforTemp Technology



    DeLonghi EW7707CM Oil-filled Radiator with ComforTemp Technology
    Comfortably heat any room in your home with ease using this portable radiator. DeLonghi's EW7707CM is solidly designed, with features focused on comfort, safety and value. At the center of its design are 7 oil-filled radiator fins, which create heavy-duty heating capacity to heat any room from medium-sized up to large. These fins contain thermal slots, which allow for maximum heat flow while maintaining a safe surface temperature. The innovative ComforTemp feature is an easy and energy-wise way to maintain a comfortable temperature in a room. One push of the ComforTemp green button and the radiator will automatically cycle on and off to maintain optimal room temperature, saving energy with minimal effort. Additional features make this radiator an economical, easy and safe way to heat any indoor space. Thermal cut-off, rust-resistant durable metal construction, fully enclosed heating elements and gently rounded design Dimensions - 13.8 x 9 x 25.2

    Customer Review: Used three times and Comfort temp switch broke

    The third time I used this heater the comfortemp button stuck and will not turn off. The design is such that you have to hold the unit to even push it and get burned. This is a poor design and I would not recommend this especially to homes with kids as it gets too hot to touch, even to operate the switches. It does heat a space but with a broken switch I don't think it is safe. I have to pay for return postage for service and so is not worth it since there is no service center near me and postage is a lot. I see how this company makes a profit by selling stuff that is too expensice to return for service. Don't buy this.

    Customer Review: Excellant Radiator



    I bought this for under my desk to keep me warm while working this winter, and it did a really great job. The thermostat lets you regulate the heat output really nicely, and it's well built.



    Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster



    Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
    When Jon Krakauer reached the summit of Mount Everest in the early afternoon of May 10, 1996, he hadn't slept in fifty-seven hours and was reeling from the brain-altering effects of oxygen depletion. As he turned to begin the perilous descent from 29,028 feet (roughly the cruising altitude of an Airbus jetliner), twenty other climbers were still pushing doggedly to the top, unaware that the sky had begun to roil with clouds.

    Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed Outside journalist and author of the bestselling Into the Wild. Taking the reader step-by-step from Katmandu to the mountain's deadly pinnacle, Krakauer has us shaking on the edge of our seat. Beyond the terrors of this account, however, he also peers deeply into the myth of the world's tallest mountain. What is it about Everest that has compelled so many people -- including himself -- to throw caution to the wind, ignore the concerns of loved ones, and willingly subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense?

    Written with emotional clarity and supported by unimpeachable reporting, Krakauer's eyewitness account of what happened on the roof of the world is a singular achievement.

    Customer Review: Fantastic Book!

    I recently became obsessed with reading about Everest and this book has been by far the best I have read. Jon Krakauer is a fantastic author and has put together arguably the best account of the tradgedy of 1996.

    Customer Review: Speaking My Language - Into Thin Air

    Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster I never dreamed of climbing Mt. Everest whether it was there or not, hell I get winded on the ski lift. Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air evokes intoxicating wonder in the endeavor, while tempering it with the stark reality of deadly conditions and daunting sacrifice.



    Krakauer writes in a way that is so pain-stakingly specific to the subject, yet somehow he leaves room for the reader's imagination to fill in the scene. A rudimentary map in the prologue pages colored by about a dozen black and white glossies mid-way through the book were all I needed to paint an intimate picture of the 1996 Mt. Everest Disaster.



    I'd never put much thought into what it would take to do something as monumental as climbing Mount Everest. Logistics aside, preparing oneself for such a quixotic adventure must include long hours staring into the mirror. I was captivated by the soul cleansing effect of pushing one's mind and body so far beyond the boundaries of safety and sanity. Krakauer's story enlightens this aspect as only someone writing from real experience can. The reality and tragedy of these events only begin in the text. The full force of the story gripped me far beyond words.



    Shivering through pre-dawn walks to the subway in Brooklyn while reading Into Thin Air, I tried to picture myself trudging across the frozen waste of the Western Cwm with a trusty Sherpa by my side. Fifty below zero, sixty mile per hour wind gusts, hundred foot crevasses, thirty percent oxygen levels, sheesh, count me out, I'll wait for the DVD.



    Now, I don't want to turn my blog into a book review site (how friggin' boring would that be?), but I love this guy! Into Thin Air is recommended reading.



    Vinny



    Cobra HH38WXST Hand Held CB 10 Channel Weather Radio



    Cobra HH38WXST Hand Held CB 10 Channel Weather Radio
    Whatever your outdoor activity, Cobra's compact handheld CB radios are a great way to stay in touch with friends, or the over 30 million other CB radios in use across the country. Plus complete access to 10 National Weather Channels (7 NOAA and 3 International) for the latest weather information. And there are no license or service fees!Cobra's HH 38 WX ST incorporates SoundTracker, a patent-pending technology that dramatically improves the sound quality of the transmission and reception of CB radio signals.

    Customer Review: Not too bad at all..

    It has good receive and limited range with the stock antenna. I bought the extension antenna for it and it does a little better. If you want to be heard farther than 1/2 mile you should go with a mag mount type antenna for your car. To be clear, I'm happy with this radio and i expected the range that it gets..

    I do have 1 NEGATIVE thing to say about this radio. The weather is hard to pull in on it. When my other weather radios are getting the weather channel clearly, this one just got static. It does get the weather if you're close enough to the tower but, a real weather radio does much better.

    Customer Review: Very Pleased

    I use this when I travel up north on I95. I hooked it up with a portable outside antenna and it worked great. I would suggest this setup for anyone that uses it traveling. You would need to buy an adaptor piece (Cobra HA-BNC BNC to Standard Connector for Hand-Held CB Antennas) that fits the antenna to the top of the scanner. I use the Little Wil antenna with this and it works terrific.



    Set Yourself on Fire



    Set Yourself on Fire
    The third LP for this Canadian band, following their amazing sophomore set, "Heart;" a critical smash. "Set Yourself on Fire" is a self-proclaimed Sex, Death, & Robots record, with rich and ornate depths. Produced by TONY HOFFER (Beck, Air, Grandaddy, Phoenix).

    Customer Review: Don't insult your fans Torquil...

    Hey there! Just saw you [Stars] perform at the Shibuya Club Quattro. I have to comment on the insult that was made tonight towards Americans. Torquil...I will refer to you as: "that old dude wearing the white/cream blazer" Yes! America is south of Canada, yes we have our issues, and some people might even be FAT... but how dare you insult your FANS???

    I am American, I live in Tokyo, not the United States.

    You just lost a fan! How can you openly insult your FANS? If it wasn't for us you would be where you are today. Next time, Before getting all pompous and full of yourself [Old dude in the white/cream blazer], think before you speak.

    Oh and BTW I'm american, I'm not fat, and I didn't vote for Bush...

    Customer Review: A rock record with poppiness

    In many ways, a band like Stars, Broken Social Scene or the New Pornographers somehow manage to make very accessible records without feeling like they were recorded solely because they knew it would sell. Sure songs on this record are quite hooky yet you can instantly tell the difference between these songs or ones from say Good Charlotte or a Simple Plan. Stars last release before it got the remix treatment, Set Yourself on Fire is a very likable record and easy to sing along with and love, that is if you want to.



    The album starts off with "Your Ex-Lover is Dead" with vocalists Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan trading verses before they come together at the end. This is an example of a song that gets in your head despite the lack of a proper "chorus" that repeats. "Ageless Beauty" was the big hit of the record and while musically it's quite basic, it's propelled largely by Millan's vocals which are quite ethereal in a way on the song. "Reunion" is another likable track largely sung by Campbell with Millan adding in some flavor. This is another one of those catchy tracks that will become a favorite over time. The rest of the songs are just as memorable although, some like "The First Five Times" aren't that stellar.



    My absolute favorite track on the record and probably of their career is the album closer, "Calendar Girl". When taken at face value, lyrically it's very honest in that "life sucks but I'm trying" message and musically it's really 3 chords but damn if Millan doesn't sing it beautifully. When she sings the line "I'm alive" at the end, you're almost not sure if she's celebrating this fact or she's just pointing out the irony considering the subject matter: living without nothing special about it.



    Like a lot of bands with duel vocalists, you tend to prefer one over the other (aside from everyone's fav Fab Four). In this case, Millan has one of the best female voices in rock today but Campbell, while no slouch in his own right, doesn't really have the emotive power Millan brings. Kind of reminds me of Oasis' Gallagher bros. with Noel being the more range-y singer but Liam being the most emotive. Granted, a lot of songs on here such as The Big Fight or Your Ex-Lover is Dead work for the trade-offs but when they're primarily Campbell-led, such as the aforementioned "First Five Times" or "He Lied About Death", despite Millan's additions, don't work as well.



    All in all, it's probably one of the best records they've done and one of the better "pop rock" releases lately.



    Headlines on convertible sports car
    Truly unruly to a fault - Vancouver Sun

    Fri, 12 Sep 2008 07:48:28 GMT

    Truly unruly to a fault
    Vancouver Sun, Canada - Sep 12, 2008
    It's also the perfect word to plaster on the back of a 21st-century Corvette, the iconic American sports car that has thrilled enthusiasts and defied ...


    GM racing through history

    Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:31:42 GMT
    For a century, General Motors has cast a huge shadow over American popular culture, its cars inspiring songs, movies, cartoons and TV shows.

    Boomers Drive Trends In Auto Industry

    Fri, 12 Sep 2008 18:29:53 GMT
    David Fraher loves his car. But only once in his more than 35 years of driving has he ever bought a new one.


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