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Galvanized Light Gauge Steel Vs Red-Oxide Primed

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Bare steel will rust in a couple days when expose to the elements. To prevent this, the surface of bare steel needs to be coated. The majority of steel building manufacturers use red-oxide primer on all structural steel components. There are some that use galvanized light gauge secondary steel as their standard material while leaving the heavy rigid frames with a red-oxide primer. So what is the difference between the two and are there any advantages to galvanized secondary steel?

For most applications red-oxide primer is better suited than a galvanized finish. This is why red-oxide is used in most commercial and agricultural construction from backyard sheds to the tallest skyscrapers. Of course there are some instances where galvanizing is recommended. Galvanizing can be useful in corrosive environments such as chemical plants or coastal roof systems. There are different grades of galvanizing with varying associated costs. Good quality galvanizing is expensive, and it turns a versatile material into a very unforgiving material. Galvanized steel can not be painted, bent without cracking the finish, or welded without producing toxic fumes. Since a galvanized part can not be painted, any alterations can not be covered up. It is also extremely abrasive and must be handled carefully with gloves at all times. Galvanized steel is not resistant to oxidation when exposed to moisture. Typically galvanized steel will develop white rust which can be unsightly. Red-oxide primed steel can also develop surface rust when exposed to moist environments for extended time periods, but the color of the primer will hide any rust color.

Red-oxide primer is a water based paint and safe for the environment. Once applied to all the structural steel components of a steel building, surface rust is inhibited. The primer is very durable and can withstand the abuse of loading and unloading from a truck as well as all field handling while being erected. Primed steel will also hold up to the weather before the metal building is completed erected. With a primer finish, you have the option to paint the steel any color to match the interior of the building if needed.

Overall, red-oxide primed steel is the way to go for most every steel building application. Greater flexibly, lower cost and esthetically superior to galvanized steel, primed steel is chosen by most builders worldwide.

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Source by Ian Strompf

Coin Pusher Machines Could Be Your Key to Retirement

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With a relatively small investment of less than $50,000 you can develop a quarter pusher route that provides you with a good retirement income month after month and for years to come. Many people are already doing it and you can, too. Here is how.

Quarter pushers cost about $1300 each for the best quality machines. It is important that you only buy high quality new machines so that you do not experience outages or repairs. If you purchase thirty machines they will cost you about $40,000 with shipping. You will also need coin counters and equipment for counting and bagging the coins for deposit, which will cost you about another $1,000. Industry averages show that a quarter pusher machine will generate about $200 a week in profits, with some operators even earning as much as $1,000 a week in a good location. To be conservative I will estimate on the low side and say that your thirty machines will average $100 a week which will be split 50/50 with the location owner. This will leave you with a net profit of $50 a week per machine, so multiplied by your 30 machines, this will give you $1,500 per week or $78,000 a year. Remember that this is a “low end” estimate, so you could easily do much better than that.

Finding locations for your thirty machines is not as difficult as you might think. All a shop owner needs is about 10 square feet of empty space in which to place the quarter pusher, which can then lead to earning a cash profit every week with no investment. The best locations are laundromats, convenience stores, truck stops, diners, liquor stores, tobacco shops, pizza shops or any other places where people gather. You simply offer to install a machine on a trial basis with no obligation and once the profits start rolling in, the location owner will be happy to let the machine stay. There are professional locator services available to secure locations for you (for a fee) if you are not comfortable finding them yourself.

Once the machines are placed, all you need to do is visit each location weekly and split the quarters in the machine’s catch bucket with the location owner. The catch bucket is a large plastic tub in the bottom of the machine that catches your profits as they drop from the movable tray. Thirty machines is a manageable route and collections will take about 2 days a week, depending on the size of the geographic area. It is a great retirement income for a small investment in time and money.

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Source by Bruce C Mitchell

Wealthy Affiliate – Pyramid to Riches

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If you’ve clicked on this review you’re one of the thousands considering becoming a Wealthy Affiliate affiliate. It is also known by the none too presumptuous title of the Wealthy Affiliate University or simply, WA.

Let me start by saying you will find no link in this review. I am not selling WA nor am I selling one of its competitors. I am merely here to tell you of my experiences within the gilded walls of WA. Yes, I was a member and went through the bulk of the training they provide on Internet marketing. I am no longer a Wealthy Affiliate affiliate and decided to write a review of their services for those of you that want a first hand account; no strings attached.

By now you’ve seen the ads that promise a large income from working in the comfort of your home. As a marketing strategy, its genius. But what does WA actually supply to their affiliates? And do the skills they provide really make money for their members?

The Wealthy Affiliate “university” centers around an 8 week course for beginners in which each new set of lessons is doled out; one per week. The site may have a slick look to it, but wears more like a cheap suit with poor navigation, confusing lesson formats and enough typos to make a member wonder why they didn’t pop for a copy editor.

Kyle and Carson, the WA creators, have built a wonderful money making machine, for themselves. Under the guise of helping people make lots of money through Internet marketing, they are really just fueling their own empire by creating Wealthy Affiliate affiliates.

It starts with how the new members can promote WA. And they have made it very easy for the newbies to do just that with ready made ads and websites that promote WA and its host of peripheral products.

WA provides a taste of what is needed to make a living with Internet marketing and a big push to go round up more newbies for the cult of Wealthy Affiliate affiliates. Some might say that WA is starting to sound like a pyramid scheme, but its probably closer to multi level marketing.

The sad and rarely mentioned truth behind Internet marketing in general is that the failure rate is close to 95%. This failure rate has more to do with the unrealistic hopes of the people signing up, all WA does is fan the fire. Regardless of what you have read in ads promoting Internet marketing there is NOTHING EASY about it.

Making money online is hard work, often times requiring more hours per week than a full time job. But that kind of information wouldn’t read well in a pay per click ad. The truth often times has little to do with good salesmanship. Internet marketers are selling a dream.

So what of joining WA? On the pro side, they do offer some helpful information and resources for their $30+/month membership fee. On the con side, be prepared to be hit with a barrage of self serving promotions. They make them seem very enticing and an easy way to start off in Internet marketing. WAs turnover rate must be high as witnessed by their constant push for new members to recruit new members.

And as for giving you “the secrets” to making money online, well don’t expect anything more than general information about IM. Do you honestly expect them to give up the secrets that REALLY make them money? Of course not, that’s how they make their living, why would they?

According to WA records, their active membership is hovering around 12,000 as of this writing. I did an informal survey of 3000 of those so called members and found that nearly 46% of them had never posted to the WA forum once. All of these members have been with WA for at least 6 months and some as long as two years.

For a website that prides itself on its “supportive” forum and encourages new members to use it, doesn’t it seem a bit odd that so many Wealthy Affiliate affiliates would have never used it, not even one time?

Many pocketed groups of these non posting members also joined within several minutes of each other as attested to by WAs own system of recording members join up times. I would be curious to hear Kyle and Carson explain this phenomenon.

What WA provides to its Wealthy Affiliate affiliates is a basic primer to IM, some resources that, regardless of their hype, can be found elsewhere on the internet, often for free and a forum with little tolerance of anyone questioning the status quo and the smell of hype everywhere.

Let’s face it, Internet marketers are salesman above all and those who run sites like WA are super salesman. Kyle and Carson discovered what PT Barnum knew long ago, there’s a Wealthy Affiliate affiliate born every minute. All these two boys figured out was how to leverage them on a regular and ongoing basis. If anyone was wondering where the used car salesmen of old have gone, they are right here on the internet and doing FINE.

WA and its army of Wealthy Affiliate affiliates is just one of the many, many Internet marketing creations that promise to “show you the secrets” of making money online. Its a promise that fails to mention that to become a truly successful Internet marketer takes years of hard work. The expression, “don’t believe the hype” comes to mind.

So should you spend the money becoming a Wealthy Affiliate affiliate? Well if you’ve got around $100 (more if you plan to use PPC campaigns) and a few months then there are worse ways to go. You can learn some of the basics of Internet marketing being a WA member. Just go through the 8 week program and don’t get sucked into all the products/services they will try to sell you along the way.

At the same time you must realize that becoming a member opens you to the often unsavory world of IM where ROI (return on investment) is king, not the customer. This is not WAs fault, they’re just milking the cow. To really compete in this business, be it as a Wealthy Affiliate affiliate or not, it’s best to check a healthy chuck of your ethics at the door.

A more important question is are you looking for something quick and easy by becoming a Wealthy Affiliate affiliate or something that requires dedication and hard work? If you answered “quick and easy” don’t waste your money joining WA, in fact don’t waste your money on Internet marketing at all.

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Source by Mark Sierra

How to Drive Under Poor Conditions

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Driving under poor conditions is more than just icy or wet roads. Some of the worst situations include dusk and night driving; rain, fog, snowstorms, and drifting snow; sunshine and shadows; and driving towards the sun. These problems are discussed separately in the following sections.

Dusk

During this period of half-light, the cone central vision is not as efficient as in daylight, but your eyes are not yet prepared for night vision either. Professional drivers try not to drive during this period if they can help it. Whenever practical, they will stop and take a meal or a rest to help their eyes adapt to the dark. If you must drive, it is imperative that you reduce speed and be particularly alert.

Night Driving

At night the eye sees persons or objects by contrast – light colored clothing or objects stand out against a darker background; or by outlining – dark clothing or objects are silhouetted against a lighter background. People, animals, and objects are more or less visible depending on the amount of light they reflect to the observer. It is well known that light colored clothing or objects reflect more that dark colored objects, and so will be seen from a greater distance. But a driver cannot count on other people or animals to make themselves more visible. A driver never knows when his headlights will reveal – too late – a darkly dressed pedestrian or a car parked without lights.

When driving at night, your reference point must be a little higher than the meeting point of the headlight and the pavement in the center of your lane.

Peripheral vision suffers less than central vision at night. It is very important that you train yourself to use your peripheral vision extensively when driving in daylight so that it becomes a firmly set habit that you simply carry on at night. Otherwise, you may use only your central vision in the narrow cone of light. This concentration of the eyes and attention reduces the efficiency of the peripheral vision. The eyes would not move as they should, and, because of that lack of movement, eye fatigue may set in. As we discussed before, double or one eyed vision may result.

Preparing Your Eyes for Night Vision

Your vision takes time to become efficient at night. It has been determined that it takes at least 30 minutes to get to 80 per cent of the efficiency, and at least one hour to reach 100 per cent. You can lose a good percentage of this adaptation to the dark by just looking at streetlights or the headlights of another car. When you drive at night, therefore, always keep the following points in mind:

1. When meeting a car, look to the right of the road, higher than the point where the light and pavement meet, using your peripheral vision to detect possible motion

2. Never drive at night when tired. Stop and rest.

3. Remember that distance judgment is much more difficult at night, because you may tend to overestimate the distance between you and other cars, and under estimate your speed. You must be especially alert when judging distances to red lights – this color presents special difficulties, so allow plenty of space when following another car, and more space to stop than would seem necessary at a red traffic light.

4. Traffic lights are difficult to locate in brightly lighted areas. A driver should rely a great deal on this peripheral vision; by trying to keep the wide picture of the scene in front, his field of vision will catch the movement of changing lights, which will help to locate them.

5. Some drivers like to follow another vehicle at night. This is a very good method of driving, especially on strange roads, because the car in front illuminates the way for a long distance, helps to locate dangers on the shoulders by outline, and in general, helps you to keep a steady pace. However, when you follow another car, you must keep more than what appears to be a safe distance; make sure you use your low beams only, and look on the shoulder of the road and not at the red rear lights of the car ahead – this practice has been known to put a following driver to sleep.

6. Avoid smoking when driving. Smoke will reduce visual acuity and leave a film of smog on the inside of the windshield if the car is not properly ventilated.

7. Have all the lights and the windshield (inside and out) cleaned. Visibility is reduced drastically by dirt or film on the glass.

8. Drive at a speed that will enable you to stop within the distance you can see clearly ahead.

Driving in Rain, Dust, Snow and Fog.

Three of these conditions present about the same problem: rain, snow, and fog all act as a mirror. In modern cars, in which the driver sits about in line with the light rays from the high beam of the headlights, the light strikes the drops of rain, droplets of fog, or the snowflakes, and is reflected back in the driver’s eyes. It the low beams are used, the light is reflected down towards the road to give more light. In these conditions, therefore, the low beams only should be used. Fog lights are also helpful because of their extra-low position on the vehicle, so that more light rays are reflected on the roadway.

Heavy vehicles with high cabs give better visibility yet because of the position of the driver. It is a good habit to follow these vehicles at a proper distance on such nights.

Sunshine and Shadows

Driving in a wooded area or on city streets at the time of day when the sun makes patches of shadow with the bordering trees or houses can be very dangerous. Tinted lenses or dust on the windshield may prevent you from seeing persons, animals, or objects on or close to the road or street. Reduce speed, and remove your sunglasses if you are wearing them. The same advice is also applicable when entering a tunnel.

Driving Towards the Sun

When driving towards a setting sun, always use the sun visors. A dusty windshield is particularly dangerous in this case.

When driving with the sun at your back, remember that the oncoming drivers have very poor visibility. It is advisable to turn your headlights on to warn drivers heading in the opposite direction not to move into your lane.

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Source by Kris Kolanko

Washing a Car – Simple Steps For a Touchless Car Wash

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There are things that every person needs to do sooner or later in their life: washing a car is one of them. Living in a modern country is impossible without having a car, unless you live and work in the downtown. Even though driving a dirty car is not a crime, your friends and family members will not be quite happy if you don’t wash yours every so often.

So, how do you go about washing a car?

First, you need to locate a nearest car wash – preferably touchless (automatic), but a manual car wash will do as well. If you found an automatic one and can spare a few bucks (normally 10-15 dollars – or its equivalent – depending on the country you’re living in) – great! Pay the required amount to the cashier and he’ll give you the receipt with a special number in it -hold on to it and make sure you don’t throw it away – you’ll need it later.

Go back to your car and drive to the car wash entrance. Enter the number from the receipt on to the electronic pad and press the big green button: the sign will light up showing you that it’s now safe to drive inside. Once inside the car wash, watch the electronic menu for the instructions such as ‘drive forward’, or ‘back up’, or ‘put your car in neutral’, or ‘reverse’ – those are the instructions you need to follow in order to get your car into the exact position needed for the most effective wash. Also, make sure your windows are rolled up – you don’t want to get all wet from the high-pressured water, do you!

It’s also a good idea to detach your antenna before you drive into the car wash, as it can get broken or bent in the process.

You’ll soon see the nozzles with high-pressured water, then foam, then water again, rotating around you. After a while, the electronic menu will light up green saying that it’s safe to drive forward. Do as it says, but slowly, as you’ll be now moving into another stage of the car wash: drying the remaining water from your car. You’ll see the numbers counting down on the exit menu: those are the seconds left. It makes perfect sense to drive forward very slowly, bit by bit, to make sure the hot air dries your car everywhere.

You’re done – enjoy your shiny car!

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Source by James Shrowb

License Plate Number Search – How To Do A License Plate Lookup Online

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In order to conduct a license plate number search or license plate lookup online you need what is called a reverse lookup directory. This is a database which contains license plate numbers for millions of drivers. It works like a search engine such as Google, Yahoo or MSN except that with a reverse lookup directory, you find records by entering license plate numbers.

Looking up license plate numbers online is very easy and quick. You first need to have a license plate number. Then go to a reverse lookup directory and enter the license number in the search box provided and click on the search button. If a match is found, the system will then display the records so that you can see the information that you’re looking for. The information returned usually includes the name of the registered vehicle owner and their address.

When looking for a website to conduct a license plate lookup, you may need to consider some of the following:

– How much do they charge? Do they charge per search fees or do they require you to join as a member before you can access the records database?

– Is the database kept up to date?

– Do they provide customer support?

– How big is their database? Does it cover every driver or only a fraction of them?

– How do they compare with other providers?

Membership-based lookup directories tend to be much cheaper than the large online private investigation services. For example, some larger private investigation services charge as much as $89 per search while some membership-based lookup services online charge a small one-time fee for unlimited searches. Membership-based lookup services give you access to the same resources and databases that are used by professional private investigators. Looking up a license plate online is one of the fastest ways to find out the registered owner of a vehicle.

Gone are the days when you had to hire a private investigator to find out the owner of a license plate number. These days you can do it online in minutes. Most people are not aware of this because online license plate number search is quite a recent development. The really good thing about looking up license plate numbers online is that it’s far much cheaper than hiring a private investigator. It also means that you can do it online wherever there’s an internet connection.

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Source by Sylvia Richards

How to Change a Wheel Safely on a Slope

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Changing a wheel safely on a slope requires a bit more attention than changing it on a straight road. There are more chances of the car slipping or even sliding without a wheel. Somebody could get hurt in the process. On a slope certain precautions have to be taken to avoid accidents.

First you have to see which tire needs changing, is it the front or the rear. The rears are easier than the fronts. When you are next to the curb and you have to change a rear tire then you steer the car into the curb, so it locks in position and cannot roll. That would be the front of the tire if you are going down or the rear of the front tire if you are going up.

Take the jack and its handle, the wooden blocks, the warning sign, the stepney and the wheel wrench out of the boot. Put the warning sign up for other motorists to see and the wooden blocks on the opposite side of the flat. This precaution further reinforces that you car will not move while you are changing the tire.

Open the wheel cover of the tire in question and loosen the nuts holding it. Then take the jack and attach it where the manufacturer says in the book. If you do not have the book the find a strong place so the jack will not penetrate the body of the car, like an axle. Raise the car up to where you can put the stepney in without problems.

Open the nuts fully and change the wheel to the stepney and hand tight the nuts in place, go criss cross when you do that to ensure the wheel is straight. Then lower the jack and tighten the wheel with a wrench again going criss cross. Remove the jack and put everything back into the dickey.

If a front tire has to be changed then obviously you cannot turn it to the curb, in which case you have to find some big stones to put behind the wheels on the other side. The wooden blocks may not take the weight of your car, and you don’t want it rolling at a vulnerable time. Accidents happen when people are in a hurry and they do not use common sense at the time.

If you have a flat and have to change your wheel always do things methodically and never in any rush. Think of the time you would lose if there is a mishap. Bad things happen and you have to cope with them. Always use the warning sign so others know that something is happening and they steer clear of your car.

Except for the basics there is a lot of common sense to be used in the entire process of changing a tire, putting the wooden blocks in for an example. See where the weight of your car is going to go and counter it accordingly with the blocks.

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Source by Binny Satin

Thinking of Buying an Austin Healey – Then You Should Hire One First?

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If you are planning to buy a big Austin Healey then you need to make absolutely sure you are buying the right model for your needs, before you even take one for a test drive. The owner is probably only going to let you out for a short test run of about 10 to 15 minutes. This may be long enough for you to decide if the car is in good enough condition to buy and that everything is working. But it isn’t long enough for you to decide whether it is the right model Healey for you or whether you can live with it or not. And if you are planning to spend over twenty thousand Pounds on an Austin Healey then you are in it for the long term. The best thing to do is hire a car of the model that you are planning to buy, to see if you really like it and can live with it.

First you need to understand the differences between the various Healey models and then some of the practicalities of owning and driving one. Having decided on the right car for you, you need to find one of that model and hire it for a day or weekend. Here I am talking about the cars that are generally called the “Big Healey” as opposed to the Austin Healey Sprite which by anyone’s definition would have been a very “Small Healey”. The Big Healey went through various evolutions, as most cars do, from the original Healey 100 of 1953 through to the final Healey 3000 MkIII which ceased production in 1968.

Healey 100/4

The Healey 100 was launched at the 1952 Motor Show with a body built by the Donald Healey Motor Company and the Austin engine that had been used in the A90 Atlantic and light trucks.

In what has become one of the stories of motoring legend, Leonard Lord of Austin was so impressed with the car that a deal was done and the car was instead launched as the Austin Healey 100. The four cylinder engine was a long stroke 2,660cc overhead valve (OHV) version which developed only 90 bhp but 150 lb ft of torque.  Early models now tend to be known as 100/4.

The original cars had a four speed gearbox fitted the engine produced so much torque that 1st gear was deemed unnecessary and was blanked off. A Laycock de Normanville overdrive was fitted which worked on 2nd and 3rd (now top) gears, effectively giving the car 5 gears. A Le Mans kit was offered giving 110 bhp which would turn your car into a 100M and a limited edition of 50 competition variants were sold as the 100S (Sebring) giving 132 bhp.

But there are a few downsides to the car.

Brakes were drums all round with no servo assistance and worked well but needed regular adjustment.  Steering was by cam and peg making it fairly heavy and slightly vague. The 16½ in diameter steering wheel, which was fitted to give sufficient leverage to lighten the steering, left little room in the cockpit for the driver’s legs.  The leather seats were very basic bucket ones, with no option to recline and were not very comfortable. Windows were clip on side screens and erecting the hood was a lengthy complex process akin to erecting a tent.  There was very little heat insulation built into the car with the result that much of the engine heat would bleed into the cockpit.  This and the fact that the passenger was sitting above the exhaust meant that a Healey passenger was never cold, but the cockpit could become extremely hot in summer in a warm country.

In 1955 the 3 speed gearbox was replaced with a better 4 speed one with overdrive on 3rd and 4th, giving it 6 gears.

Healey 100/6

The first major revision to the car came In 1956 with the 100-Six when the four cylinder engine was replaced by a 6 cylinder engine of 2,639cc.  This engine was smoother  but had less torque than the 100/4 and as the car was heavier the car was slower than its predecessor.  The interior was re-designed  and the wheelbase increased slightly to allow 2 small seats to be fitted, offering a 2+2 layout.   The cylinder head was changed in 1957 to increase the engine power. To keep the price down, some items which were standard on the 100/4 were now optional extras, including overdrive, wire wheels and even a heater!

Healey 3000 MkI

In 1959 the six cylinder engine was upgraded to 2,912 cc and the Healey 3000 was born. Power had increased to 124 bhp although adverts claimed 130 bhp.  Overdrive was still an optional extra and braking was improving with disks at the front.   The 2+2 variant continued to be offered and windows were still clip on side screens although now had a sliding panel instead of the earlier hinged window to allow for hand signals.

Healey 3000 MkII

In 1961 the MkII was launched with a triple carburettor engine increasing power slightly to 132 bhp and then in 1963 the Sports Convertible was announced, becoming the first Healey with wind up windows.  The hood was completely revised so that it folded down normally and could be erected in seconds with just one hand.  This is retrospectively referred to as the MkIIa.  The troublesome triple carbs were changed back to a pair of SUs but the car benefitted from having a brake servo as an optional extra, drastically improving the braking ability of the car.

Healey 3000 MkIII

The final incarnation , the MkIII ran from 1964 to the end of production in 1968 and is the most numerous of all the models built. The car finally became civilised with a more luxurious interior, polished walnut veneer dashboard with lockable glove box and provision for a radio and a single speaker.  The seats were improved and the rear seats folded down to form a flat luggage shelf to increase the otherwise poor luggage capacity of the car.

Healey Replicas

Official Healey production ceased in 1968 but a number of companies have offered replicas of Healeys with more modern running gear.  The chassis and body shell tends to be based on the 3000 MkIII and the engine is generally a V8, sometimes the 3.9 litre used in late model Rovers and the MG RV8.  The cars are variously described as either a Healey MkIV, Sebring, 3000 S etc.

The various Austin Healey models are normally described by enthusiasts, and therefore in classic car adverts by the first three characters of their chassis number:

BN1 Healey 100/4 

BN2 Healey 100/4 with 4 speed gearbox

BN4 Healey 100/6 two plus two

BN6 Healey 100/6 two seater

BN7 Healey 3000 MkI & II two seater

BT7 Healey 3000 MkI & II four seater

BJ7  Healey 3000 MkIIa four seater

BJ8  Healey 3000 MkIII

What are the practicalities of the different models?

The Big Healey is generally regarded as a ‘hairy chested’ sportscar being designed to be driven by men.  This is not a sexist comment as the car is genuinely heavy to drive.  The lack of power steering and no servos on the early cars mean that driving one is quite hard work and can be tiring on long journeys.  Overdrive was an optional extra on some models, but makes such a huge difference when cruising that I would regard this as essential when buying an Austin Healey.

All Healeys are very light on luggage space.  The boot is short and curves down and is therefore very small and not helped by the fact that the battery and spare wheel between them, take up about half the available space.

All Healeys are very low, with very little ground clearance and a low slung exhaust that runs under the rear axle.  If you are planning to take the car rallying then you are likely to have problems on rough roads.  The profusion of speed bumps everywhere from residential streets to pub car parks means that both the sump and exhaust are always at risk.  At The Open Road we fitted our BJ7 with a sump guard after one customer holed the sump on a rough road and have added an extra hanging bracket to one of the rear bumper irons to provide added support for the exhaust.

If you live in a country that suffers, or benefits, from inclement weather, then you really need to buy one of the later BJ7 or BJ8 cars with wind up windows and a good hood. BJ7 and BJ8s also benefit from being fitted with a brake servo making the car more drivable in modern traffic conditions.

All cars up to BJ7 had the indicators in with the side lights and brake lights. In modern traffic this means that the indicator is not very visible as it is a flashing brake light. The large amber indicators on the BJ8 are much more visible and arguably, safer.

Despite being referred to as the “Big Healey” these cars are very small inside.  They are only big in comparison with the Frogeye Sprite and are smaller than the other 2 seater sports cars of the same era, the MGB and Triumphs TR2, TR3 and TR4.  The cockpit is very narrow with short doors.  If you weigh more than 18 stone (250 lbs, 115 kilos) you are unlikely to fit. 

While some of the cars were built as 2+2 , recent European legislation states that small children (under 4ft 5in or 135cm in height) have to sit on a booster and this makes it completely impractical. I personally wouldn’t want a small child to be carried in the back of our own BJ7 and therefore as proprietor of The Open Road I tell all our classic car hire customers to treat our Austin Healey as a 2 seater.

Which is the best one to buy all depends on personal taste?

As with any model car there are a number of people that believe the original incarnation is the purist, in which case you have to decide between the 100/4 and 100/6.  You have to grapple with the early awkward gearbox and comfort is minimal from the bucket seats.  There was no provision made to install a radio, not that you’d be able to hear it.  If it rains you either keep driving or get wet while you fit the windows and erect the hood.

The Healey 3000 produced progressively more power and the interiors improved slightly with the MkI and MkII. But if you prefer reasonably civilised motoring then you need to opt for the MkIIa (BJ7) or MKIII (BJ8) with wind up windows and a proper hood.  The MkIIIs had space in the dashboard to fit a radio although you still may not be able to hear it above the noise of the engine, exhaust and the wind.

If you want further information on the Healey then Haynes publish an excellent book as part of their “Great Cars” series and this is available from Haynes direct, most specialist booksellers and The Open Road. 

Hiring an Austin Healey before you buy one

Having picked the right model Healey, you then need to hire one for a day, or even better a weekend’s touring. The early Healey 100s are very rare with only one available for hire in England and one for hire in Italy. Healey 3000s are more numerous with a choice of 10 available for hire in the UK and others available in Austria, Germany, South Africa and the USA.  Once you have decided which model Healey fits your needs, have a look through the Marques page on Classic Car Hire World.  Select Austin Healey and this will show you a list of all the Healeys of various models that are available for hire around the world. 

A weekend away may cost you anywhere from £500 to £1,000 for the car hire, a good hotel, a nice meal and all your petrol. But it is well worth it for two reasons:

1) You will have a great weekend away

2) Better to spend £1,000 or so and decide you can’t live with an Austin Healey, than find this out after you have parted with £20,000 to £30,000 or more of your hard earned cash.

Treat yourself and hire the right car for a day or so.  At best it will make sure you buy the right one, at worst it may cure you of the Austin Healey bug – but probably not!

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Source by Tony Merrygold

Examples of Defensive Driving

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This article outlines possible situations which could happen at any time, when least expected, during your driving career. The defense suggestions are merely recommendations for the situation. Each problem varies as to detail, so the defense must vary according to the situation. Below are some specific situations and specific solutions.

Safe Driving Spells Survival

Situation 1

You are driving down the highway at 60 miles per hour approaching a curve when another car approaching from the other direction at 70 miles per hour crosses the solid center line heading straight for you.

Defensive Driving Tactic 1

Do not steer to the left across the solid line. Brake, and steer out of the way onto the shoulder to the right. Sound horn. Do your best to avoid fence posts, trees, etc.

Situation 2

You are driving a vehicle down a slight grade on a main highway at 50 miles per hour. Suddenly the rear right tire blows without warning, and the vehicle swerves to the left and heads for the center white line. A car is coming the other way at 60 miles per hour.

Defensive Driving Tactic 2

Do not brake. Gain control of the steering and bring the car back on the correct side of the road. Let the car slow down without using the brake. Pump the brakes very gently at 10 or 15 miles per hour, and stop the car at the side of the road, off the pavement if possible.

Situation 3

You are driving down the highway in a 60 mile per hour zone when a car approaches from behind. This car tailgates but does not pass.

Defensive Driving Tactic 3

Slow down so that the vehicle may pass. If possible, merge into the lane to the right allowing the driver to pass. Get off the road if necessary.

Situation 4

Defensive drivers are always prepared for the unexpected. Imagine that you are driving down a main highway approaching an intersection with a secondary road which has a stop sign. Another car is approaching the intersection on your right at a high speed, and it appears as though the other driver will not be able to stop. What defensive action can you take?

Defensive Driving Tactic 4

Slow down. Put your right foot over the brake. Be prepared to make an emergency stop if necessary. This is why it is important to look far when driving in order to pick up potential hazards in your peripheral.

Situation 5

You are travelling down a highway at night when your car develops engine trouble and starts to lose power. The car speed reduces to 20 miles per hour and the engine stalls.

Defensive Driving Tactic 5

Pull completely off the road onto the shoulder, or onto a driveway or lot. Turn the emergency four way flashers on. Lift up the hood. Tie a white cloth to the antenna and use flares if you have them available.

Situation 6

You are driving down a highway when suddenly a car coming from the other direction pulls out to pass. It is apparent that he has not got sufficient room to complete the maneuver.

Defensive Driving Tactic 6

Brake immediately. Pull over to the right. Leave the pavement and go onto the shoulder if necessary. It may even be necessary to go into the ditch if the other driver does not return to his own lane in time.

Situation 7

You are driving alone at night through a mountainous area where there are no motels. You become very tired about 50 miles from your destination. Gradually your eyes start to close for lack of sleep and you feel that you can no longer drive safely.

Defensive Driving Tactic 7

Immediately stop the car in an area off the road. Shut off the engine. Get out of the car and take a short walk. Open the window part way down and lock the car. Sleep for an hour or two, providing that the temperature is not below freezing. When refreshed, drive on.

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Source by Kris Kolanko

How Will a Car Ionizer Help to Keep Air in My Car Fresh?

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Depending on where you live and what the air is like where you live will depend on whether or not you keep your car sealed when you are driving around. Most people will use their air conditioner during the summer and run the heat during the winter and therefore they do not want to keep their windows opened a small bit to allow specific elements that are in your car to escape. If you are a smoker and you drive your car around for a set amount of time then you will benefit from the use of a car ionizer. The car ionizer is made to remove the elements in your car that are caused from cigarette smoke as well as other elements.

The car exhaust can seep into your vehicle and can cause you and your loved one’s to get a headache and can ultimately make you sick from ingesting to much of the fumes that the exhaust puts out. This can be caused from a number of a factors. If your car has an exhaust leak then you might be getting fumes into your car from the leak. A car ionizer is designed to filter the air in which the ionizer is placed in. Depending on the size of your car will depend on what size of a ionizer you need as well as if you are going to need more than one. In some instances the car is to large and you will need to install more than just one ionizer in order for the air to clean properly. If you own a minivan then you might be interested in purchasing more than just one ionizer to have the people in the rear of the minivan receive the full benefit of the ionizer.

When you are interested in purchasing a air ionizer for your car then you might be interested in purchasing the one that has a long cord so that you can place the ionizer in the middle of the car which will eliminate the need of purchasing more than one ionizer. Otherwise there are small individual car ionizer’s that are plugged into your car’s cigarette lighter port and will take up just a small portion of your car. When the ionizer is plugged into the port of the lighter in your car, the filter inside of the ionizer is designed to filter any bad particles in your car’s air out of the air and then return the clean air into your car. These car ionizers are made to remove such articles of dust, fumes, smoke and so on from your air. The clean air is then distributed back into the air of your car for everyone to share. This is perfect for small cars or large cars. Driving with your windows closed makes a big difference on the air quality of your car as well as being able to keep the air quality on bad days outside out of your car.

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Source by Jason Taloner