Thursday, November 26, 2009

How to Do Your Own Auto Glass Chip Repair

car insurance tuningA repair that is often overlooked until too late is auto glass
chip repair. While a chip in the windshield may not seem like much environmental waste pollution and the stress of temperature changes can cause it to grow over time, resulting in cracks and repairs more expensive. However, it has to come to this. With this article, and a do-it-yourself glass repair kit cars, you can fix a chip in the windshield before it gets worse.

Inspecting the damage

The first step in any repair process to inspect the damage. You can do it yourself or even take your car to a professional if necessary. A general rule is that if windshield damage is limited to a minor chip or Knick, you must repair. Often, small spider cracks can be repaired as well, but the cracks with long veins present a major problem and usually are not repairable. If in doubt, consult a professional for their opinion.

Select the repair kit

If you determine that your chip is actually glass repair, a trip to your local auto parts store will offer different options for repair. Although offered by different companies, most do-it-yourself kits windshield work the same way and have similar elements. The kits typically include a stabilizer or a base that resembles a suction cup, a nozzle or applicator, a tube of resin and a curing adhesive film.

Perform the repair

Before diving into the repair, be sure to read carefully the detailed instructions with the kit. Once done, the first step is to clean the chip and the area around it as best as possible with glass cleaner. Wipe dry with a clean towel afterwards. If there is any debris on the chip, a safety pin or similar item can be used to remove it.

When the area is clean, the stabilizer or base shall be affixed to the windshield, usually with an adhesive. Make sure it is carefully positioned and that the seal between it and the glass is tight. The next step usually involves placing the applicator nozzle or the stabilizer. Generally, the air is extracted from between the stabilizer and the windscreen, while injecting the resin. The vacuum thus created helps to draw the resin into the crack and to protect it from pollutants in the air.

Once the resin has cured for the time specified in the instructions, applicator and the stabilizer are removed. The next step usually involves placing a drop of resin on the repair and then placing the cured film thereof. When making the film, make sure to remove any air bubbles that may be present. Again, the curing of the resin in the amount of time specified in the instructions.

Once the film is removed, if any part of the repair is not uniform, usually can be solved with a razor blade. Any excess resin or adhesive residue can be cleaned with glass cleaner. If completed correctly, the repair should be kept fairly quiet at this point.

While a chip in the windshield may seem insignificant, it is important to take care as soon as possible before it becomes worse. With the information provided in this article, you will find it a simple job that can save you big money in the long term.
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/how-to-do-your-own-auto-glass-chip-repair-1507480.html

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

2011 McLaren MP4-12C Super Sports Concept Car pure McLaren, Powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.8 litre, V8 Engine


2011 McLaren MP4-12C

The independent car division based at the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, England,the McLaren MP4-12C is revealed as the first in a range of high-performance sports cars from McLaren Automotive.The 12C, and future models within the range, will challenge the world's best sports cars, benefiting from the expertise and virtuosity of the McLaren Group.
Through a rich modern history, McLaren's automotive division has already built the world's most critically acclaimed supercar, the McLaren F1 (1993-1998) and the world's best-selling luxury supercar, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren (2003-2009). McLaren Automotive now looks to the future with a new range of revolutionary sports cars.
At its heart, the McLaren MP4-12C features a revolutionary carbon fibre chassis structure, the Carbon MonoCell: the first time a car in this market segment is based around such a strong and lightweight racing car engineering solution and the first time any car has ever featured a one-piece carbon fibre structure.
2011 McLaren MP4-12C

Martin Whitmarsh : "McLaren has for years offered a potent mix of race car and road car technologies. This combination of McLaren's performance heritage, and future demands on what is expected of high performance sports cars in the 21st century, gave us a head-start when we embarked on this project. The 12C, and future variants, draws on the spirit of Formula 1 and delivers real-world technological advances."
The first car from the new company, the McLaren MP4-12C, is a high performance two-seat mid-engine model in the 'core' sports car market segment for cars costing between £125,000 and £175,000.It goes on sale through a dedicated, worldwide retailer network in early 2011.
All the parts of the McLaren MP4-12C are bespoke and unique to this car. Everything from the engine right down to the tailor-made switches and buttons is pure McLaren: nothing has come from another manufacturer's parts bin.
The 12C is powered by a bespoke McLaren 'M838T' 3.8 litre, V8 twin-turbo engine producing around 600bhp, driving through a McLaren seven speed Seamless Shift dual clutch gearbox (SSG). It is targeting not only new standards for power and performance in its sector, but also class-leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions; supported by McLaren's experience of active aerodynamics to aid cooling, grip, handling and road holding.

2011 McLaren MP4-12C

"The 12C is all about performance," said Sheriff. "And in McLaren, we have a very broad definition of performance. We don't just look at the traditional one-dimensional parameters like top speed, we focus equally on useable measures such as in-gear acceleration times, braking performance in all conditions, and efficiency of power delivery combined with the lowest possible fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Sure, 12C is very fast, but it is also the most efficient, most driveable high-performance sports car in the world.
Thorough engineering and market research led to concept development and a clear decision in favour of a mid-engined two door high performance sports car. Intensive work was carried out in the wind tunnel and the driving simulator to ensure that the new car would inherently have superb dynamic qualities.
The McLaren MP4-12C design follows similar principles to McLaren's Formula 1 cars, and the legendary McLaren F1, where everything is for a reason and all lines, surfaces, and details are designed with a job in mind as much as styled. This ensures that the 12C communicates its engineering through its styling and will remain timeless as a piece of automotive design.
"By the time the 12C is launched in 2011 we expect the economic conditions to be much improved. We have already seen significant interest in the car and the supply of the 12C will be relatively scarce; in its first year we plan to produce just 1,000 cars which represents only 3.5 per cent of the 'core' market," explained Antony Sheriff.
2011 McLaren MP4-12C

The McLaren MP4-12C is powered by a twin-turbocharged, 3.8 litre 90° V8 engine - the 'M838T'. This marks the start of a new era in 'core' segment sports cars - smaller capacity, lighter weight, higher efficiency and more economical power units. The engine has the highest specific power output in its segment which, when allied to its low weight carbon composite chassis, delivers exemplary power- and torque-to-weight ratios.The McLaren engine revs to 8,500rpm, has quick transient throttle response and delivers its abundant torque throughout the rev range. A staggering 80 per cent of torque is available at below 2,000rpm, ensuring great driveability and no need to floor the throttle to deliver performance.
The McLaren MP4-12C has been designed around a demanding mechanical package that puts emphasis on aerodynamics, compact dimensions, performance and efficiency, practicality and comfort. Although the design of the 12C was driven by aerodynamics, it aims to remain contemporary and elegant throughout its lifetime as well as distinctive among its peers.
"The 12C design was therefore led by aerodynamics. At McLaren we have been able to use the Formula 1 techniques and the huge expertise that the company has amassed at the pinnacle of the sport," explained Stephenson.
2011 McLaren MP4-12C

Aerodynamic efficiency drove the 12C's design. High downforce helps maintain traction, cornering ability and stability while low drag aids top speed and acceleration. It has a completely flat underbody and smooth upper body surfaces to yield a highly effective drag coefficient and generate very high levels of balanced downforce at high speed.