Chevrolet Parts: Guaranteed Quality

The General Motors Corporation-produced Chevrolet boasts of a wide range of quality products from trucks to cars to sport utility vehicles for its customers worldwide. Since 1911, the Chevrolet brand has continuously evolved, as seen through its modern vehicles available at present. What made these even more appealing are the quality Chevrolet parts which can either be replacement parts or special add-ons that are easily accessible in the market.

The American automaker’s largest brand, Chevrolet, takes pride in the automotive parts equipped in its famous line of vehicles. The famous Chevy is represented not only by compact cars, but also by light, medium, and heavy duty trucks. Thus it must be ensured that all the Chevrolet parts are more than superbly manufactured to meet and even exceed the demands of its vehicles.

One of the best-selling models of Chevrolet is the medium-sized pick-up truck called the “Chevrolet Silverado.” Since this vehicle has to perform heavy tasks, which can include hauling or towing, it needs powerful Chevrolet parts. Thus all the Chevrolet trucks are geared to be tough. They usually have a 5.3-liter V8 engine that can guarantee up to 300 to 315 horsepower. Vehicles with beefed-up engines have to be matched with equally powerful suspension, transmission, and wheel systems to make it easier for the operator to control the vehicle. As Chevy trucks’ spacious cabin makes it suitable for the use of big families, their exterior are equipped with Chevrolet parts like the headlights and taillights assemblies for better road visibility, thus ensuring the safety of the vehicle occupants. These principles do not only apply to trucks, but to other Chevy vehicles as well.

Aside from the basic Chevrolet parts, some models of this brand are also designed to exude an air of luxury. Special features like the backing sonar, power adjustable pedals, leather bucket seats, and satellite radio are just some of the innovations installed in Chevrolet vehicles. Customization of Chevrolet parts can also be done, but owners have to make sure that the quality of these parts is never compromised. The usability of the Chevrolet parts before the sleek and stylish look that they can provide should be prioritized.

A Closer Look at the Gm Hydrogen4

General Motors Corporation aims to showcase its fourth generation fuel cell technology in Europe with the launch of the HydroGen4 model, a revised version of Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell that is bound for the European market.

“Fuel cell propulsion with hydrogen as a fuel highlights General Motors’ commitment to take the car out of the environmental debate and reduce our dependency on oil. HydroGen4 is powered by GM’s most advanced fuel cell system and marks an important milestone on the road toward completely emission-free, competitive fuel cell technology in the automobile. The HydroGen4 features considerable progress in everyday usability, dynamics and system durability compared to its predecessor.” says Carl-Peter Forster, President of GM Europe.

Mr. Forster added:

“The Fuel Cell Activities (FCA) research division with over 600 employees is currently being integrated into regular series development, giving it key importance within the concern. We are thus preparing for the series production of fuel cell technology.”

The GM HydroGen4 is scheduled to be unveiled at the upcoming 2007 International Motor Show (IAA) in Frankfurt this September. HydroGen4 is equipped with a fuel cell stack that consists of 440 series-connected cells. Fuel cells convert chemical energy into electrical energy without combustion through the process of electro-chemical reaction, which combines hydrogen and oxygen to form water and produce electricity as well. This power line can produce 93 kW of electrical output, combined with the 73 kW/100 hp coming from an electric motor. This powertrain package allows the GM HydroGen4 to sprint from a stand still up to 62 miles per hour in about 12 seconds with an electronically limited maximum speed of approximately 100 mph.

In addition, the GM HydroGen4 also comes with 700-bar high-pressure tanks made from carbon fiber composite material. These tanks can hold up to 4.2 kg of compressed hydrogen fuel, providing the GM HydroGen4 with 199 miles (320 km) of driving range. GM has been working with two versions of this mode: one powered by liquid hydrogen and the other with compressed hydrogen. But GM is now only focusing on the compressed hydrogen version. Dr. Udo Winter, Director, GME Fuel Cell Activities explains: “The main reason for this is the unavoidable ‘boil off’ that occurs with liquid hydrogen. Even with optimum insulation, the tank’s contents warm up slowly, so that the liquid hydrogen vaporizes and the pressure in the tank increases. After a few days, gaseous hydrogen has to be released from the parked vehicle, leading to a loss in fuel. There are no such vapor losses (“boil off”) with compressed gas, however.”

Moreover, the new fuel cell propulsion system of the GM HydroGen4 comes with a nickel-metal-hydride buffer battery. This helps the entire powertrain system to gain more power output and enables regenerative braking. This feature allows the battery to be recharged using the energy produced when braking.

Other features of the GM HydroGen4 include driver and passenger frontal air bags, roof rail side-impact air bags, ABS, traction control, StabiliTrak (ESP), just to name the few. GM will reveal other features of this model at the IAA Frankfurt. GM will unveil other production and concept models in Frankfurt like the Saab Turbo X equipped with Saab clutch discs.

End of the Line for the Pontiac Vibe

General Motors is planning to shut down its Pontiac brand, perhaps selling it off if the company has a change of plans. As of right now, the world’s former top selling automaker is struggling to survive and is being given a second lease on life thanks to bankruptcy restructuring. If all goes according to plan – and that is a big if – GM will emerge from bankruptcy with fewer brands, fewer models, but a more focused future, one that could help the century old car company survive perhaps thrive.
Say Good-Bye To Pontiac
Closing down Pontiac is probably the most curious decision made by GM over the past several months. Selling off Hummer makes sense – few people want these big SUVs anymore – and finding a buyer for Saab is ideal given that GM never did the Swedish brand right over the years. Even selling off Saturn is okay, especially since the company really needs to concentrate on bolstering Chevrolet, but killing Pontiac simply is a curious move.
Right now, Pontiac is the third best selling brand owned by GM. Most Pontiac models are sold under the same roof as Buick and GMC, two brands that the company plans to keep. Pontiac outsells Buick by nearly a 3 to 1 ratio too which means that Pontiac buyers will need to be steered to Buick or GMC, which isn’t likely to happen.
Just One Model Remains
GM says that Pontiac will be wound down by the end of 2010, but recent news is showing that either those plans are being accelerated or that Pontiac will offer no more than one model in the coming months.
Just this past week GM announced that the Pontiac Vibe, a compact crossover based on the Toyota Matrix and built with Toyota at a jointly owned facility called NUMMI in California, would be facing the ax. Not in 2010, not at the end of this year, but in August on the eve of the upcoming model year. This move means that GM will not have, at least temporarily, a stake in its joint venture with Toyota in the form of a model to sell. GM says that this will change as it explores its options going forward.
The Pontiac G6 Lives On
As far as the one Pontiac model that will on goes, that car will be the G6, a favorite of the rental car fleet. GM may no longer have any interest in serving the Pontiac consumer, but its fleet customers will still have access to the G6, at least for one more year.

Bowyer to Go Aboard Khi #2 Chevrolet Silverado

Clint Bowyer, the popular NASCAR driver will start his first race this season behind the steering wheel of the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado truck for Kevin Harvick Incorporated (KHI) at the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series that will take place at the Atlanta Motor Speedway in Georgia this weekend.

“I’m really excited to get back behind the wheel of a truck. I had a lot of fun last year in the Truck Series and I was really happy when Kevin and DeLana asked me to drive for them in a few races this season. It’s great that Camping World has come aboard as a sponsor. Hopefully we can bring them a lot of success.” says NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer.

“I’m looking forward to racing in Atlanta, especially since the track is similar to Texas, where I got my first Truck Series win last season. I’ll be pulling triple duty, so hopefully I can start the weekend off right with a good run in the Camping World Silverado.” he further explains.

In addition, this year’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be the stage for the racing debut of newcomer Cale Gale, joining KHI along with the team owner and driver, Kevin Harvick. So KHI should get a GM repair manual for their Chevrolet trucks.

Clint Bowyer’s driver skills at the 2006 NASCAR Truck Series made him to score a number one finish with 148/148 laps at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth aboard the Silverado truck owned by Davil Dollar. He also obtained a top 10 slot during a race in Martinsville Speedway and took the seventh spot. This 2007 season, Clint is back behind the steering wheel of the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado truck owned by co-driver Kevin Harvick and hopes to be the first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion.

Meanwhile, Charlie Wilson Crew Chief of Atlanta Motor Speedway commented:

“We have Clint Bowyer in the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado this weekend. He will drive the same truck (chassis No. 012) that Kevin raced at the California Speedway.”

“We are using the same set up in the No. 2 Camping World Silverado that the No. 33 AES Silverado has. Ron (Hornaday) has always run well in Atlanta and with the set up that we are using; Clint will run really well also.” he added.

Along with the No. 2 Camping World Chevrolet Silverado for KHI, Clint Bowyer is also the current driver Jack Daniel’s No. 7 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the NEXTEL Cup Series and the No. 2 BB&T Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Busch Series. The Richard Childress Racing owns both of these two trucks.

Top 5 American Muscle Cars

We have here come up with a list of muscle cars that ruled America during the spurge of the Muscle cars in America. Though these cars had very much of Americana in it, it surely did garner more fan-following in the rest of the world. Muscle car fans in India also have drooled over these cars thanks to their over exposure in the Hollywood movies. Here are the top 5 muscle cars that whole of the world drooled over in general and America in particular.

Ford Mustang

This car certainly has all the rights to stay on top of this list as this car was the pioneer of the muscle cars and this was the car which was the original Muscle car and Pony Car. It is Ford’s second oldest nameplate currently in production next to the F-Series pickup truck line. The Mustang was Ford’s most successful launch since the Model A. This car was the only car that allowed you to customize the car to your needs and it had a cheap price tag. It was available in hardtop and convertible versions and you had a choice of three V8 engine sizes up to 271 horsepower, four speed transmissions.

Chevrolet Camaro

This car with its meaner look surely became a rage when it hit the stands became a high seller. The most fascinating thing about this car was that customer had a choice of either a big block V8 or a smaller version of the same engine according to how much power the driver wanted in his car. This car was available as a 2-door, 2+2 seating, coupe or convertible.

Dodge Charger

This car became a extremely popular wanna-own car when the American TV show, the Dukes of Hazard was first aired. This again hit as a chart buster when the same version of the car was used in the movie of the same name. This beauty could seat 6 people and was powered by a big block of 426 in HEMI 2x4bbl RB V8 engine that was a rarity. Hollywood flick Bullit also featured a similar car.

Dodge Challenger

The Challenger is described in a book about 1960s American cars as Dodge’s “answer to the Mustang and Camaro.” With this car you could get a hardtop or a convertible version and either a road/track version or the luxury version. The typical engine was a slant 6, but you could upgrade to a V8 engine. The wheelbase, at 110 inches, was two inches longer than the Barracuda, and the Dodge differed substantially from the Plymouth in its outer sheetmetal, much as the Cougar differed from the shorter-wheelbase Ford Mustang.

Chevrolet Chevelle

Chevy Chevelle appeared to be a low key car with none of the fancy mark ups of that generation, but in actuality it was one of the fast cars on the road. In 1969 the SS option could be ordered on the 300 Deluxe 2-door Sport Coupe and 2-door sedan as well as the Malibu 2-door Sport Coupe, convertible, and El Camino. All ’69 Chevelles also got a new locking steering column and SS option included the 396/402 as the base engine keeping the option alive as a performance-oriented choice. V8 optional engines could also be ordered and became more of a dress-up option than a performance option.