Repairing or Replacing Your Automotive Headliner

As far as automotive interiors, there is nothing more annoying or potentially dangerous than a sagging or separating automotive headliner. If you are not having this problem in your car, you have probably seen a car drive by with the headliner falling down into the back seat. If this problem is not repaired, eventually it could become a safety hazard by falling into the driver's field of vision.

What can be done?

There have been some temporary solutions offered in the past, such as those "twist in pins", but they are at best a temporary solution and will actually damage the headliner board, and cause more problems when it comes time for a more permanent fix.

The best solution is to completely replace the fabric of your headliner. You could have that done professionally, although that would be a rather expensive solution. A much more affordable solution would be a "do-it-yourself kit" that make this project something that anyone can do.

At stockinteriors.com we also offer a complete replacement for the entire board, which comes pre-covered with the fabric color of your choice. This option is only avaialble for a very small selection of vehicles.

What is a "Headliner"?

Most cars after the mid 70's have what is called a fabric covered headliner board. This board is usually made from a pressed material, much like cardboard. That headliner board is then covered with a foam backed headliner fabric, which is glued directly to the board. In most cases, the sagging or separation occurs when the fabric separates from the foam.

What should I buy?

When looking for a do-it-yourself kit, look for several things. First of all, make sure you are buying a quality material. Most fabric comes with either 1/8 inch thick foam, or 1/4 inch thick foam. It is usually best to go with the 1/4 inch thick foam.

Make sure that wherever you buy, you can get the exact color that you want

source:
http://www.articlecity.com /articles/auto_and_trucks/article_1595.shtml

Replacing Your Automotive Carpet

Nothing is more miserable or disgusting in a car than dirty and smelly carpet. Have you ever spilled soda, milk, motor oil or even bleach on your vehicle's carpet and thought to yourself that it would be nice to just replace the whole thing instead of trying to clean it? Well, it's actually possible to do just that, and the job isn't as difficult as you would think. Many people find it more cost efficient to replace their auto carpet, instead of trying to clean the dirt or smell from a soiled auto carpet.

What to buy?

Auto carpet can be purchased pre-molded to fit the form of your vehicle's floor pan. So, you do not need to buy flat automotive carpet and try to fit it to the bumps and ridges of your car's floor, but rather you can simply pull out the old carpet and drop in the new, pre-formed auto carpet. Buying this form of automotive carpet will make the job much easier and will eliminate most of the work. Sometimes, if you have a newer model of car, you can still buy carpet from the manufacturer, but in most cases the original OEM carpet will be 4 or 5 times more expensive than aftermarket auto carpet, and the quality of the carpet fibers can be inferior to the aftermarket carpet.

It is important to note that there are 2 types of automotive carpet backing. Most new cars, from the 90s and newer, have a type of backing/padding called Massback. It is a heavy foamlike rubber that is usually black. This type if backing is added to improve heat and sound insulation as well as some padding under the carpet. Most aftermarket auto carpet is made with a thin, plastic backing that doesn't add much in the way of padding or heat/sound insulation so most aftermarket auto carpet manufacturers will add a 1/2 inch thick jute padding to this type of carpet backing to add some padding. Some aftermarket carpet retail stores will sell you the same carpet with either type of backing.

The first thing you will need to do when replacing your auto carpet, is to purchase a carpet kit for your particular vehicle. It is important to point out that now would also be a good time to buy a matching set of floor mats from the same retail store where you buy your carpet. Most manufacturers cut your molded carpet and floor mats from the same roll of carpet and to ensure that you get the same exact die lot; you should order both at the same time.

Where to start?

Be sure to pull the new auto carpet out of the box as soon as it arrives, since it will be rolled up and crammed into the box. The carpet will need about 24-48 hours to "relax" and regain it's shape. Sometimes, letting it sit in a warm room, or direct sunlight will help speed up this process.

Once the carpet has relaxed, you can begin the job of installing the new auto carpet. The first step will be to remove the existing carpet from the vehicle. You may need to remove the sill plates by the doors, the seats and seat tracks if they are holding down the auto carpet and the center console. Basically, anything that is holding down the carpet will need to be removed in order to get the carpet out. Be careful not to destroy the existing carpet, and certainly do not throw the carpet away or discard it, as you will need to use it in a few minutes. Just set the carpet aside for the time being.

Now you should do a little prep work on the floor of your car to get ready to install the new carpet. At this time you can remove the old carpet padding, if any was left behind, but be sure not to remove any body insulation from the floor. You can install heat or sound insulation such as Dynamat at this time and patch or repair any holes in the floor of the vehicle. And it should go without saying, but sweep and clean up and dirt or loose matter from the floor of the vehicle.

How to Install

Most aftermarket auto carpet kits will come slightly oversized and without the pre-cut holes. So, there will be a little work to get the new carpet into the car. There are 2 methods of cutting and trimming your carpet to get it into the vehicle; you can choose which will work best for you. Your first option is to place the new auto carpet over your old carpet, trim the edges and cut the holes. If you chose this option, you will need to be very careful not to over cut the holes or cut too much from the edges, since you are using the old carpet instead of the vehicle itself. The 2nd option is to work the new carpet into the contours of the vehicle floor and trim the carpet as you go. This method will give you more accurate results, but may be a little more difficult. Either way, it is important not to cut and trim too much with any one cut. It is best to work slowly, making small cuts and double check that the carpet has not shifted after each cut.

A little secret for making the small holes for things such as the seat bolts is to make a small "X" cut with a knife blade where the hole was in the original auto carpet. You can then simply push the bolt through the carpet. There is usually no need to try to cut a complete hole in your new carpet.

Occasionally you will find that a small section of the auto carpet wants to lift up off the floor, or tries to create a small wrinkle. This can easily be fixed with a small shot of spray adhesive. It is not recommended to spray the entire floor of the car, since the molded carpet should be held in place with the seats and trim pieces that were holding the original carpet in place.

Once the auto carpet is in place, and trimmed to fit, now you can begin to replace the pieces that were holding the original carpet in place. If you removed the seats, sill plates and trim pieces, then all of these pieces will need to go back into the vehicle.

Once all of pieces are back in place, your job is complete. You will be amazed at how much difference a little work can make to the appearance of your vehicle, not to mention removing that horrible smell that some things like milk can leave behind!

source:
http://www.articlecity.com /articles/auto_and_trucks/article_1729.shtml

Automotive Batteries

Think of the battery as the heart of your car. You need a battery you can count on to get your motor running and keep it pumping all day long.

The car battery is an essential element of the intricate network that makes your car start and keeps the engine running. The battery powers most of the car's electrical components and accessory structures, such as the headlights, turn signals, fans, etc. While the alternator provides most of the electrical needs of the entire car system, the battery can keep them going in the event of an alternator malfunction.

There are many batteries available at automotive supply stores, and it's important to know exactly which model is the right choice for your car. The wrong battery won't work in your car, and it may even cause damage to the vehicle. Knowing which battery is right for your particular vehicle is extremely important, and it can also help to learn about the various battery manufacturers and automotive supply companies. You should only have to buy a battery every few years, so make sure you're buying the right one.

* Size Matters: Buying a battery for your car is like choosing a pair of shoes for you. One size does not fit all. The size of the battery itself is important, as it needs to fit snugly into the space allotted under the engine's hood. If the battery is too small there is the risk of it becoming dismantled and causing vibrations or damage. Further, the battery will either be a top post or side post model, which will determine how it fits and operates.

* Power Up: You need to know your car's specific power requirements before purchasing a car battery. Some cars need an 8-volt battery, while others require a 12-volt. There are a number of considerations to take into account, such as the size of the car and the number of accessories that must be powered. A huge sound system, for example, can easily suck the life out of an average car battery. A 12-volt battery should be able to maintain at least 7.2 volts when the vehicle is starting and while it is operational.

* Chill Out: If you live in a cold-climate area, it's important to check the Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) before you buy. CCA is a measurement used to determine a battery's ability to start an engine at 0° Fahrenheit, within a 30 second period. A higher CCA rating means the battery will start your vehicle faster and more effectively in freezing weather.

* Get it in Writing: No matter how well known the manufacturer is, you need to get a written manufacturers warranty with your battery. Make sure that the battery is in original condition, and is not a recharged model. The quality and dependability of the battery you choose should be indicative of the warranty you're offered. Make sure that battery is guaranteed for the duration of the battery's life (ie: if you plan on using the battery for five years, look for a five-year warranty).

* Keep it Fresh: Whether you're buying bananas or batteries, you need to make sure they're fresh and damage-free. Just because it's a piece of car equipment, it's not OK for your battery to waste away on a stockroom shelf. Make sure that the battery you buy is produced by a known and respected manufacturer, and that it's fully charged and ready to start your car. If you're not careful, you can run the risk of purchasing a fake or recharged battery. Look on the side of a battery casing for a special label or decal. You'll find the month and year that the battery was shipped from the manufacturer's plant. The letters 'A' through 'M' represent months of the year. For example, 'A' is January and 'M' is December. The letter 'I' is not used. The numbers 1 through 9 denotes the year of manufacture. Therefore, if the sticker on your batter reads L4, you know that it was manufactured in November 2004.

A car battery provides starting power to your vehicle, so make sure it's dependable. Understand your car's requirements and know how to verify the quality of the battery before you make the final purchase.

source:
http://www.articlecity.com /articles/auto_and_trucks/article_1933.shtml

Weigl aims for Super Aguri deal

The Weigl Group, a German automotive industry company, is tipped to be bidding to save the Super Aguri F1 team. The bad news is that Weigl has been around for some months and Honda has shown no great interest in getting involved in a deal, as Weigl does not appear to have the kind of money that is needed to bankroll an F1 team.

Weigl, which has sales of $200m a year, goes back to the 1970s when 52-year-old Franz Josef Weigl raced motorcycles. He then began to manufacture parts for the motorcycle industry and then expanded into the automobile business. Weigl components are now used by many car companies, including General Motors, Daimler, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Porsche, Volvo and Jaguar.

The firm is based in Pottmes in Bavaria. The company has eight subdivisions at six different locations. It concentrates on metalworking, notably with transmissions and treatments for engine parts. It also owns a foundry and a prototyping subsidiary. It has been involved in F1 since the end of 2005 when a three-year technical partnership was agreed with MF1 Racing (now Force India). The company was to help MF1 with the design and construction of its gearbox.

While one can understand why Weigl would want to be involved in F1, it is not clear how the company would fund such a deal. However, if Honda is willing Weigl could take over the role of trying to save the team, while looking for backing in the months ahead.

source:
http://www.grandprix.com /ns/ns20302.html

Management at Ferrari

One of the great mysteries in Formula 1 at the moment is who is going to be doing what at Ferrari in 2008. The company has given details of its racing programmes with Stefano Domenicali named as the director of the racing department and the various managers reporting to him have been nominated.

What has not been explained at all is what role will be reserved for Jean Todt. What we do know from the Ferrari website is that Todt remains "General Director" of the business. He is also listed as Ferrari CEO. Things are confused by the fact that one finds Amedeo Felisa referred to both as "Director-General" and as "Vice General Manager" depending on where one looks.

One is led to ask what is the difference between a director-general and a general-director. While much of this confusion can probably be explained away by problems in translation there are still grey areas. It used to be that Todt ran the racing and Felisa ran the car company but when it came to promoting others in the racing team Todt was moved to be CEO to make space. Felisa was then his deputy. But what happens now that Ferrari chairman/president Luca Montezemolo is returning to Maranello after spending the last four years based in Rome as the head of Confindustria, the employers organisation? That role officially comes to an end in May but Montezemolo says he will be back in Maranello before then. Before he moved to Confindustria he was "President and Managing Director" of Ferrari SpA, so what will his role be when he returns - and where does that leave Todt?

"It will be different once I'm physically back to Maranello," Montezemolo says. "I am convinced that the development of the company is still very strong and has to be expressed in some way, especially outside of Europe and North America, the regions where Ferrari was represented most until now."

He cites new shops, the theme park in Abu Dhabi and expanding the activities of the firm on the Internet as examples of where changes can be made - and he is clearly not speaking as a man who is simply going to sit in the office and twiddle his thumbs.

It seems that Montezemolo will be an executive chairman. If this is the role that he is planning to take and Todt's role as head of the sporting division is no longer his, one has to question what the Frenchman is going to be doing.

source:
http://www.grandprix.com /ns/ns19964.html

Who is where in the F1 pecking order in 2008?

The Formula 1 teams were testing again over the weekend in Barcelona and although times are still an unreliable guide - the two Toro Rossos were fastest on Saturday - the Formula 1 teams are now beginning to get a clearer idea of who is where in terms of overall speed, as the engineers in the different team have had a chance to digest the data that was created at the tests to date.

What is emerging from this is that everyone agrees that while some teams can set good times with low fuel loads, there is no-one close to the pace of Ferrari when the cars are running with normal fuel loads. We hear that the advantage currently enjoyed by the Italian team is in the region of 0.4sec, which is a big gap in Formula 1 terms. This may change as teams bring on new developments in the weeks before Melbourne, but Ferrari may also have some new parts waiting in the wings.

The McLaren team seems to be in a solid position in second place but from what we are hearing BMW is no longer confident that it will be third with the new F1.08 proving to be rather more difficult to drive than its predecessor.

The new Renault seems to be at around the same pace as the new Williams but what is not clear at the moment is whether this is ahead or behind the BMWs and it is not yet clear where Red Bull, Toyota and Honda fit into the picture.

It may be a while before there are any further indications of relative performance as Ferrari did not take part in the Barcelona test and the team's major rivals are not going to Bahrain.

source:
http://www.grandprix.com /ns/ns20013.html

London back on the F1 agenda?

For the last eight years London has been run by Ken Livingstone. In that period Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone tried to convince Livingstone that it would be a good idea for a London Grand Prix. Livingstone seemed keen on the idea, believing that that it would bring hundreds of thousands of people to the city. In 2004, working with impresario Harvey Goldsmith, the Crown Estate and Westminster Council, Formula One ran a demonstration of eight cars on the streets in the West End. Around 500,000 people attended. Livingstone reckoned that the best place to hold a race would be Hyde Park, as this would minimise the disruption of city life. However, he felt that F1's financial demands were too high.

Last week Livingstone was defeated in the local elections by Conservative candidate Boris Johnson. It is anticipated that Ecclestone and Goldsmith will once again try to convince the city to look at F1, either on a parkland circuit in the city, or at the 500-acre Olympic Park in Stratford.

The Mayor's job is to run the transportation, policing and promotion of the 600 square miles of Greater London. He shares power with the local councils but has strategic control over the city. His annual budget is $18bn.

One of the divisions he controls is the London Development Agency (LDA), which is tasked with developing infrastructure and sustainable business and promoting London on the international stage. It has an budget of around $60m for promotion and $200m for infrastructure, although with the 2012 Olympic Games this is currently four times that.

The LDA is currently working to decide what happens to the Olympic Park after the 2012 Olympic Games. It is intended that five stadia will remain and will continue to host big sporting events and be used to train new champions. The Olympic Village will be turned into 4000 new homes and there are plans for the International Broadcast Centre to be transformed into offices for high-tech, creative and media companies. A team of planners is currently working on other details of what happens after the Olympics and how visitors will be attracted to the venue. Their findings will go through a discussion process but that task should be completed by the end of next year. F1 could be part of that package.

Hyde Park remains an option for F1. There is also potential at Crystal Palace, in the south of the city, where a racing circuit operated between 1927 and 1974. The 200-acre park is probably too small for a modern Grand Prix and is surrounded by suburbs, which would complicate matters. The LDA has an option to take over the whole park in 2009 and there are various proposals for the facility but as yet no clear path for the future.

source:
http://www.grandprix.com /ns/ns20316.html

Super Aguri: where do things stand?

The future of the Super Aguri F1 team remains in the balance at the moment with a meeting due to take place tomorrow in Tokyo between Honda personnel and Franz-Josef Weigl, the German industrialist who seems to think he can save the team. The Japanese appear to be far from convinced that Weigl AG is a big enough company to fund an F1 team. Until the meeting on Tuesday Super Aguri is not allowed into the F1 paddock in Istanbul because Honda has already informed Bernie Ecclestone that the team will not be racing. If Honda now accepts the Weigl bid the trucks could enter the paddock, if not there will be no obvious embarrassment for Honda as the trucks are not there to be removed.

In the meantime Honda has other things to worry about. The company is currently dealing with an accusation from the Tokyo Regional Taxation Bureau that the company failed to report $1.3bn in income in 2004-2005-2006 by moving profits into its Chinese joint ventures. Honda says that its accounting policies were intended to comply with the local laws in Japan and China. It has not been able to reach an agreement with the tax bureau on this issue. According to the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (known as US GAAP) Honda has allowed for this liability in its financial statements, pending a final decision. This is not unusual in corporate accounting where new ideas are often tried by companies and challenged by the authorities.

source:
http://www.grandprix.com /ns/ns20317.html

Montezemolo and Silvio Berlusconi

At the end of last week there was a story in Italy suggesting that Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo (60) has had a meeting with incoming Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi (71) to discuss what if any role he can play in Berlusconi's new government. According to the Agenzia Giornalistica Italia (AGI) report, Montezemolo has agreed to take on a role as a "global ambassador for Italian products".

The agency said that Montezemolo was offered a ministerial position by Berlusconi, but declined the offer of any direct involvement. Berlusconi is due to name the members of his cabinet later this week with around 20 ministers due to be sworn in. It will be his third period in power, following a seven-month term of office in 1994, and then a longer term of office between 2001 and his defeat in the elections of 2006.

source:
http://www.grandprix.com /ns/ns20319.html

The end for Super Aguri F1

Aguri Suzuki has announced in Japan that he is ceasing operation of his Formula 1 team, Super Aguri F1. The outfit has been in existence for just two and a half years, having started out in 2006 using modified versions of the 2002 Arrows A23 chassis, which were acquired from Minardi boss Paul Stoddart. SAF1 signed up Takuma Sato and Yuji Ide to drive, but the latter quickly proved not to have sufficient experience and was replaced by Franck Montagny. He in turn gave way to pay-driver Sakon Yamamoto.

The team struggled through 2006 with an uncompetitive car, but for 2007 used a revised version of the successful 2006 Honda. Sponsorship was announced from a company called SS United, although nothing appears to have been paid.

Honda paid the bills.

With Sato partnered by Anthony Davidson the team was able to pick up points in both Spain and Canada, but the success led to legal action from the Spyker F1 team, which argued that Super Aguri had broken the terms of the Concorde Agreement. This year the two drivers remained the same and the car was little different, but Honda's willingness to continue with a second team waned, particularly after it was decided that teams have to build their own cars from 2010 onwards. Honda is keen to concentrate all of its efforts on the factory operation and has, in effect, agreed to swallow those losses, as there is precious little for the team to sell. The facilities from which SAF1 operates are leased from the American John Menard and much of the equipment belongs to Honda.

The news means that there is now a possibility of a settlement of the remaining arbitration fight between Force India and Scuderia Toro Rosso, and once that has been sorted out there is a strong likelihood that there can be a new Concorde Agreement, although the ongoing mess at the FIA may cause disruptions of a different kind, as Max Mosley is probably not in a position to do any deals until his status within the federation is sorted out. Once that is done and it is clear who is running the show, a new Concorde Agreement may become possible. There are, however, no guarantees that the future management of the federation will be willing to agree to the same terms that Mosley was happy with.

The disappearance of Super Aguri means that F1 is down to 10 teams and all are thus able to claim prize and travel money. There are, in theory, two available slots for new teams, but it is hard to imagine that anyone coming in to the sport will want to invest the kind of money needed to start a new operation and so the demise of Super Aguri will probably have the effect of pushing up the value of the remaining teams. Anyone wanting to get into F1 will now have to do it by buying an existing operation. It may be that when the budget-capping schemes under discussion become a reality there will be room for new teams again, but for the moment it makes little financial sense to start a team from scratch.

"Regretfully I must inform you that the team will be ceasing its racing activities as of today," said Suzuki. "The team has competed against the many car manufacturer backed teams and has succeeded in obtaining the first points after only the 22nd race, finishing in 9th place overall in the 2007 Constructors’ Championship. However, the breach of contract by the promised partner SS United Oil & Gas Company resulted in the loss of financial backing and immediately put the team into financial difficulties. Also, the change in direction of the environment surrounding the team, in terms of the use of customer chassis, has affected our ability to find partners.

"Meanwhile, with the help of Honda, we have somehow managed to keep the team going, but we find it difficult to establish a way to continue the activities in the future within the environment surrounding F1 and as a result, I have concluded to withdraw from the Championship.

"I would like to express my deepest thanks to Honda, Bridgestone, the sponsors, all the people who have given us advise during various situations over the past couple of years all the team staff who have kept their motivations high and always done their best, Anthony Davidson who has always pushed to the limit despite the very difficult conditions, Takuma Sato who has been with us from the very start and has always fought hard and led the team and lastly our fans from all over the world who have loyally supported the Super Aguri F1 team."

source:
http://www.grandprix.com /ns/ns20318.html