The least expensive and ill-equipped version of a car model. Often these have few power accessories, the smallest engine, and a manual transmission. They only constitute a small percentage of the cars sold. Sometimes called a Stripper. See Ad Car in “Razzmatazz.” Read More »
Bureau Of Land Management
< BLM trails are divided into four classes: Type I: Very easy, paved, all-weather. Family car OK. Type II: Not paved, but usually improved. May be rough or rutted. High-clearance 4WD vehicles desirable. Type III: Unimproved dirt, often with rocks, steep hills, and mud. 4WD required. Type IV: Trails for mountain bikes, dirt bikes, and ATVs. 2WD or 4WD rigs ... Read More »
Champ Car
As Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) heads into its 20th year, FedEx has joined the series as a co-sponsor. The series is now known as the FedEx Championship Series for the PPG Cup. The cars in this series, previously known as Indy Cars, will now be referred to as Champ Cars. Read More »
Cracker
An expression meaning it is a lot of fun. For example, the engine’s a cracker! Read More »
Damping
Controls the rebound force of the spring after it has been compressed. A certain amount of force compresses a spring — the spring wants to rebound to its original state with the same amount of force. Damping acts as an opposing force to slow the rebound movement. Read More »
Diesel Engine
An internal combustion engine in which air is compressed to a temperature sufficiently high to ignite fuel injected into the cylinder where the combustion actuates a piston. Read More »
Floor Pan
The metal structure on the bottom of the car. Almost all cars are unit body (or unibody) construction, and the floor pan provides the foundation for chassis stiffness. Your feet usually rest on a floor pan when you are in a car. Read More »
Global Positioning Satellite
The technology which allows vehicle tracking anywhere in the world with near-perfect accuracy. The Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) system was first used by the military, but has been adopted by companies such as General Motors for use with their OnStar communication system. Several after-market communication systems using GPS are also available. Read More »
Hydraulic Fluid
A fluid that is under pressure in a system. It activates a pump thus enhancing the performance of the specific braking or steering system. Hydraulic fluid systems replaced wire and rod systems to perform the same tasks more efficiently and with increased reliability. Read More »
Interior Payload
The capacity of the usable area in the vehicle’s interior. It is defined by cubic feet. This includes the seating area for passengers as well as the cargo space. Read More »
