The Art of Custom Car and Motorcycle Maintenance

New Comments Thread on The Art of Custom Car and Motorcycle Maintenance!

2012-09-02T14:55:00.003-04:00

We Have Added "Disqus" to Our Blog

Please Let Us Know If You Like It!

We have added the "Disqus" commenting thread app to both of our blogs. Please give it a try and see how you like it! We are trying to keep up with the times and were told that using a better "Comment" box application would make it easier for our readers and for us to keep track of our comments.

If anyone has commented and did not receive a reply, we apologize for that. We had a few glitches to overcome when we upgraded, but, everything should be working now......we hope!

Thank you to all our readers for your patience....we're looking forward to some great stuff starting this week! Check back Tuesday for a list of all our changes and new features!

If you have any questions or suggestions, please let us know! We're always open to suggestions.

Stay tuned for some great new articles this week! September is the start of our new format (see LDJ Auto Body's Car, Truck, and Motorcycle News for complete details).

We've got lots of great things in store here too!

Talk to y'all on Tuesday!

Have a safe and happy Labor Day Holiday.

Happy Motoring!

Larry and Dee Blackman

LDJ Auto Body & Mechanical

www.ldjautobody.com

Car Or Motorcycle? The Dodge Tomahawk Concept Vehicle

2012-08-25T00:32:00.000-04:00

We Love Concept Vehicles and This One Is Definitely For Our Motorcycle Fanatics!

Dodge Tomahawk Concept Has A Viper Power Plant

Creating a concept vehicle has just got to be a lot of fun! Seriously, some of us are obsessed with drawing pictures of really cool vehicles. Vehicles that look awesome, but, for the most part, would never become a reality. Imagine working for a real car or motorcycle company and having the ability to make some of those cool pics become a reality.....now, that's a job I would just die for!

The Dodge Tomahawk Concept is an awesome vehicle. I use the word vehicle because I think it's still up for grabs as to whether it should be considered a car or a motorcycle! According to Allpar.com, “For the Tomahawk to have been sold in the U.S. for road use, it would have had to pass all of the automobile safety standards. Had the engineers replaced one of the tire pairs (either front or back) with a single tire (for a total of three), it would have been a motorcycle, although I think the lights might have been in violation of the regulations.” According to Allpar.com, a motorcycle can have no more than 3 wheels on the ground at one time. It (The Tomahawk) has four wheels, looks like motorcycle, and actually, I don't personally care what they call it....I just want to ride it!

Powered by an 8.3L, 10 cyclinder, 90 degree V-type, liquid cooled, 505 cubic inch, Viper motor that, through a manual, foot-shifted, aluminum-cased two-speed, sequential racing-style with dog ring, straight-cut gears, could propel this beast from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of somewhere around 300 mph, this vehicle is just raw adrenalin looking for a driver or rider!

The block is a 356-T6 aluminum alloy block with cast-iron liners, aluminum alloy cylinder heads. The Bore x Stroke: 4.03 inches x 3.96 inches (102.4 x 100.6), two pushrod-actuated overhead valves per cylinder, roller-type hydraulic lifters, sequential fuel injection with individual runners. With a compression Ratio: 9.6:1, and a Max Engine Speed: 6000 rpm fueled by 93-octane unleaded gasoline, a dry sump oil system that takes 8 quarts of oil and requires twin aluminum radiators mounted atop engine intake manifolds, force-fed from front-mounted, belt-driven turbine fans. The cooling systems actually requires 11 quarts of antifreeze! You can find a full article on the Tomahawk at Allpar, a great site with lots of great articles on everything automotive.

This is just one badass bike, or car, or whatever you prefer to call it! Now I know you're asking yourself, why is she talking about this awesome concept bike, when, in reality, none of us can own or ride it! It is just that, a concept!

Well, we can all dream, right? Actually, the reasoning behind this story is that with a little ingenuity, you can turn any bike into your own concept vehicle! Accessorizing your bike can turn a plain Jane into a head-turning, break tapping, talk of the water-cooler ride!

And, accessorizing doesn't have to be expensive. You can add chrome to just about any part of a bike for pennies on the dollar. Chrome accessories are great for adding flash and you can get almost any part in chrome! Check out the great chrome parts from CruiserCustomizing. Their chrome accessories page has "bling" for your bike from the tinyest parts to some great Kuryakyn Eagle Front Fender Ornaments and Show Chrome Accessories (big bike parts) Chrome Edge Guards for Tanks, etc. You'll love your bike's new flashy look and there are chrome peices to fit any budget.

Check out their American Motorcycles Accessories page too, for some great ideas for your American made bike! There are simply too many neat accessories to mention here, so go shop to your hearts content at CruiserCustomizing.

Looking for some "high tech" accessories to bring your bike up-to-date and maybe even into the future? BikeBandit.com has your toys! Check out their motorcycle communication page for some great "high tech" toys to customize your ride! From the Garmin zumo® 220 Motorcycle GPS to the GoPro Motorsport Hero2 HD Digital Camera, you'll find all kinds of great accessories and upgrades to bring your ride into the 20th Century at prices that won't "break your bank"! One of my personal favorites is the MotoComm DSR-1003G Digital Recorder & Camera System. You can ride and record all your favorite rides and upload them to U-Tube or share them on Facebook! The camera mounts wherever you'd like and can create a "driver's vantage point" view that will really make the viewer feel like they were there.

Adding some accessories to your ride can really make your bike look and feel new again without spending a huge amount of money! You might not have a Tomahawk, but, you'll have your own "concept" bike, customized by you!

Happy Motoring!

-Larry and Dee Blackman

LDJ Auto Body & Custom Shop, Gibsonton, FL

www.ldjautobody.com

The Art of Custom Car & Motorcycle Maintenance Has a Great NEW Look!

2012-07-30T11:21:00.000-04:00

Welcome to "The Art of Custom Car and Motorcycle"' blog's new look. We are always looking for ways to bring the best and most insteresting content to our readers. We have reconfigured our blog page to make it easier for our readers to navigate and we've added some neat things too.

It has always been our desire and goal to bring our blog subscribers the best products at the lowest prices. After careful consideration and lots of price comparisons, we've come up with a list of the best car, truck, and motorcycle parts and accessory suppliers anywhere on the World Wide Web!

LDJ Auto Body and Mechanical's staff of professional technicians has put together the most comprehensive list of parts and accessories that are second to none. These are the parts that the pros use. And, they know how to pick them.

From full body kits, ground effects, spoilers, lambo doors and more, LDJ Auto Body's technicians do them all. "Nothing is worse than trying to fit parts on a vehicle that are poorly made and not up to spec", said Larry Blackman, owner of LDJ. "Add-on accessories can make or break the look you are going for, not to mention breaking the bank for unnecessary technician time in trying to fit a poorly manufactured part. Going the extra nine yards to ensure that you purchase high quality parts will actually save you money in the long run. They fit better, they paint better, and ultimately, they look better."

"Motorcycle parts are no different than car and truck parts", Blackman went on to say. "Quality is everything when you're accessorizing any type of vehicle."

That's why we have gone to great lengths to promote the suppliers that the professionals prefer. Check out the links in the side-bar for some great deals from the best suppliers in the business.

We'll also make sure that we keep you informed of any sales or promotions that are going on. We do the homework so you don't have to. Enjoy your shopping experience here at "The Art of Custom Car and Motorcycle Maintenance" knowing that you're getting the best.....for less.

Happy Motoring!
Larry and Dee Blackman
LDJ Auto Body and Custom Shop
www.ldjautobody.com

http://test.skimlinks.com

1970 Volkswagon Baywindow Bus Arrives for Make-Over at LDJ Auto Body, Riverview, FL

2012-07-15T10:49:00.000-04:00

Our newest project arrived today at LDJ Auto Body and Mechanical in Gibsonton, FL. We are doing a custom "make-over" on a 1970 VW Baywindow Bus. Our "babyboomer" friends will relate to this one!

What a great vehicle! The nostalgia in this one runs deep and I'm sure our "VW loving" readers will agree. The bus is actually in really great shape. The owner plans to use the vehicle as a "rolling billboard" for Hawks Electric Tatoos, his tatoo shop in Tampa, FL.

We're excited about this one and hope our readers will be too. We will be featuring the bus in an upcomming article next week when it is ready to go back to Joe to have him and his partner cover the sides of the vehicle with original artwork! The vehicle will then come back to us for a clear coat and finishing.

Register now for updates so you don't miss this one!

Happy Motoring!

Larry and Dee Blackman
LDJ Auto Body and Mechanical
Gibsonton, FL

Total 2000 Mustang GT Make-Over....A Father & Son Make Perfect Team!

2012-07-14T15:05:00.000-04:00

Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie, and Chevrolet....or, in this case, Ford! Either way, what could make a better story for the 4th of July than a great father and son Mustang make-over!

We do all kinds of custom work here at LDJ Auto Body. From the installation of accessories to full blown custom modified projects. One thing we love seeing here, though, is family members working together. And car projects are just custom made for that! It's fun and, most of all, it's rewarding!

This 4th of July, I want to show you a great father - son project car that came to us for a carbon fiber hood installation and complete paint job. This 2000 Mustang GT is Eric's first car and he and his dad, Howard, have spent countless hours working together on this project. They have done some awesome things to the car and I think you'll agree, all their "sweat equity" was well worth the time and effort.

The car came to us as an original 2000 Mustang GT in great condition. A few minor dings and some parking lot damage was the only "body work" necessary.

The make-over consisted of fitting and installing a cowl inducted, carbon fiber hood and a complete paint job including a painted "Lemans" stripe package. A great combination for this car.

The car was scuffed and prepped for paint and some the minor body work taken care of. DuPont was the product of choice and DuPont supplied everything from the filler to the paint and clear coat. We work almost exclusively with DuPont here at LDJ and find their products work great for us and our customers in terms of durability and cost.

After repairing the minor body damage, the new carbon fiber hood was installed and fitted. The hood really made a difference in the look of this car. Adding a rounded effect to the entire front end and also adding 3 1/2 inches to the overall height of the hood. The cowl inducted hood changed the entire look and definitely brought out the "muscle car" look in this Mustang.

After completing the prep work, the car made it to the paint booth where Larry Blackman, owner of LDJ Auto Body, works his magic. Larry has been doing custom paint work for almost 40 years and his expertise shows in all of his work. You can see more of his work at our website, www.ldjautobody.com.

The vermilion red base coat with a light metal flake and very light pearl really brightened up the look of the car. The Lemans stripe is done in a "gun-metal blue-gray pearl" which brought out the blue in the metal flake and just looked fantastic. The stripe package really put the finishing touches on this awesome looking 2000 Mustang GT!

This full make-over also included a vast amount of engine and suspension work that was done by Howard and Eric themselves. I wish you could hear it run! This cars sounds great and runs even better. I asked them to give me a list of what they had done and I'll let Howard tell you in his own words what modifications were done to the car, "We started with brakes and suspension. We replaced the brakes, shocks, struts, ball joints, and lowering springs. We also installed 4.10 gears and a cold air intake and installed Comp 270 cams, long-tube headers, and catless X-pipe. Inside we installed racing seats and a short throw shifter and finally we purchased a 3 1/2 inch cowl hood. Then we started searching for a painter and decided to go with LDJ Auto Body and Mechanical. We're very happy with the outcome of the paint and the hood installation!

Howard and Eric did an outstanding job on the motor and suspension work. Here's a shot of "under the hood"! You can see the time spent under her hood is significant and the car runs great. Awesome job guys!

All in all the car looks and runs fantastic. The addition of the cowl inducted hood really put the finishing touches on the overall look of the car.

LDJ Auto Body & Mechanical is located in Gibsonton, FL, just off of I-75 and Gibsonton Dr. If you would like further information regarding custom paint or custom modification work for your project, please feel free to give us a call at (813) 644-4497. You can send pictures of your project for a free estimate to estimates@ldjautobody.com. Don't forget to stop by our facebook page at www.facebook.com/ldjautobody and "like" our page!

We love happy endings! A big "thank you" to Howard and Eric McCorkle for bringing us this great 2000 Mustang GT for a make-over. We wish you all the best and hope you enjoy this great car.

Happy Motoring to all our readers!

Larry and Dee Blackman
LDJ Auto Body & Mechanical
Gibsonton, FL
(813) 644-4497

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The Hows and Whys of Custom Ordering A Car - Is It Really Worth The Hassle?

2012-07-14T14:08:00.001-04:00

Most buyers get their hands on a new car in the same way. That is, they drive down to their dealership of choice, choose the car they want, go through the purchase process and then drive away in their new ride. Of course, it’s not always this simple.Some would-be owners find that they just can’t seem to locate the car they want anywhere, on any dealer lot. Automaker websites show a variety of unique colors and package options that might not be available in your area. What are you to do? Custom ordering is the answer, but is it really worth it?

What Is Custom Ordering?

Custom ordering a car is exactly what it sounds like. And, contrary to what you might have been told, it is possible, and it’s available from virtually all automakers. However, it’s not as cut and dried as just sending in an order form and then driving off in your new vehicle when it gets delivered to the dealership. Also, don’t believe the hype that custom ordering costs more – you can get the same pricing on a custom ordered car as one the dealer has on the lot (you might sacrifice some negotiating power, though). There are a few things you need to know.

Some Dealerships Balk

First, you’ll find that while the automaker might be happy to supply you with a custom ordered automobile, the dealership you choose might not be so happy about it. There’s a good reason for this. If you don’t like the car when it arrives and cancel the order, then they’re stuck with a car that was tailored for you and will have very little chance of selling to someone else. However, custom ordering is possible, so if this is what you want to do, stick to your guns and find a dealer willing to help. Be prepared to put down a significant deposit, though.

Is It Right for You?

While some folks might be fine driving whatever they find available or what’s most popular on the market, some drivers aren’t willing to compromise. Perhaps you want a specific color or trim option. Maybe you want a unique set of wheels coupled with a different interior choice. Regardless – custom ordering is the way to go.

Of course, you’ll need to exercise patience here. Custom ordering takes time – usually a pretty good chunk. Most automakers require 8-12 weeks to deliver a custom order, and that time can be increased depending on a variety of factors. So, if you’re hoping to put in your order and have your car in a week or two, it’s time to rethink that stance. If you can wait that long, then go ahead and order, but if the thought of waiting a minimum of two months doesn’t work for you, it might be time to reconsider compromising on what you want.

A Few Notes

While placing an order with a willing dealer is really all there is to the process, there are a few things you need to bear in mind. First, make sure you’re working with a good dealership. They’re going to be integral here, and you want a company you’re happy to work with. Second, make sure that the deposit the dealer requires is refundable – this protects you in the case that you change your mind about the purchase. Finally, make sure you get everything in writing from the dealer, from the options and paint to the promise of your deposit being refundable. Without proof in writing, it’s just your word if something goes wrong so take the time to ensure that you’re protected.

Custom ordering a car can be a very good thing for buyers willing to exercise patience, but it’s certainly not a process that’s ideal for everyone.

Don Elfrink is the owner and operator of AutoMatStore, an auto flooring company based out Columbia, Missouri. Before AutoMatStore Elfrink was the operator of a automotive production site. AutoMatStore focuses on all-weather, logo, carpeted and molded car mats.

Summer Automotive Care - Tips for Taking Care of Your Car

2012-07-02T09:08:00.000-04:00

Summer is a time of lazy days, warm nights and family vacations. For many people, it means cookouts and spending time with family members. However, summer brings with it more than just an excuse to head to the beach – it’s one of the harshest seasons for your car. In order to make sure that your vehicle stands the test of time, you need to know a few things about summertime-specific maintenance. Here are a few simple, effective tips for maintaining your vehicle through the dog days and beyond.

Trip Check

Summer is the season for travel, more so than any other time of year. However, while taking a vacation or embarking on a road trip can be exciting and a great way to spend more time with your family, it can be a recipe for disaster if you don’t take the proper steps before heading out. One of the most important things to do is inspect your car to make sure it’s roadworthy and won’t cause headaches later on. You’ll want to check the following:

• Charging System: You’ll definitely want to have a charging system check done before you go anywhere. Make sure your mechanic checks your battery, the starter and the alternator. Summer heat can be a killer on these components.

• Tire Condition and Pressure: Give some attention to your car’s tires. Is there a good amount of tread left? Is there any uneven wear? Do you need a rotation? Is there damage from your car being out of alignment? Is the tire pressure set properly? A good set of properly maintained tires can mean the difference between a safe trip and a serious accident.

• Brakes: Your braking system is one of the most important on your vehicle. Make sure that you check brake pad thickness before heading out, and if you feel a pulsation in the pedal or seat when applying the brakes, you might consider having your rotors turned.

• Wipers: Summertime is infamous for producing heavy thunderstorms. Your road trip might pit you against torrential rain, hail and high winds. Make sure that your windshield wipers are up to the challenge. Ideally, you should change your wiper blades roughly every six months or so. Make sure your wipers keep the windshield clear and look for any signs of damage or wear on the blades.

• Fluids: Many of your car’s systems are hydraulic, and require specific fluids to operate. Make sure you check and top off any fluids under the hood, including transmission fluid, power steering fluid and brake fluid.

• Coolant: To stay within its operating temperature and avoid overheating, your car relies on coolant circulating through the radiator and assorted pipes and hoses. Make sure you check the coolant level in your car (when the engine is cool). You should also visibly inspect all the hoses for signs of damage, wear and leaks.

• Belts: The high heat of summer can mean death for your engine belts, particularly if they’re old and worn already. Make sure you check all the belts under the hood. Depending on your make and model, you might have a single serpentine belt, or several smaller belts. Give them a good eyeball to make sure they’re not cracked and about to break.

Checking all of these systems can be time consuming and difficult if you’re not familiar with automotive technology. If you’re not comfortable inspecting any of these areas, take your car to a trusted mechanic and ask for a trip check before you head off. It can make a real difference in your safety and in your enjoyment of the summer months.

Don Elfrink is the owner and operator of AutoMatStore, an auto flooring company based out Columbia, Missouri. Before AutoMatStore Elfrink was the operator of a automotive production site. AutoMatStore focuses on all-weather, logo, carpeted and molded car mats.

A Blast From Our Past! 1966 Nova Painted by Larry Blackman Turns the 1/4 in 7 Seconds!

2012-06-02T10:38:00.000-04:00

There are some jobs we like to keep the "braggin rights" to and this is definitely one of them! A great friend and great driver, Hollis Jones, shown below turning the quarter mile in 7 seconds!

Larry Blackman painted this beautiful 1966 Nova years ago and she still looks great today! Shown in the video with the original motor, she has since gone through some major engine upgrades. But, this was the motor that took Hollis to the top and ensured his success in the drag lanes! The new motor is shown here in the pic to the left! Some major upgrades there!

Hollis Jones, owner of City Suburban Auto Parts in Joliet, IL, "has loved the sport of drag racing since we met", said Larry Blackman. "This guy just loves going fast and I love watching him do it!"

Hollis and Larry have been friends for over 40 years and that's a comraderie that won't ever quit. Larry painted the car for Hollis back in the '90's and again in 2008. "He just loves white, and as hard as we tried to get him to add some color to that car, he just wouldn't budge on that", Larry said of the now 70 year old drag car driver. "Even his wife couldn't talk him in to putting even a stripe on the pure white car".

We've since found out that Hollis sold his auto parts empire and is now driving that beautiful car full time! We wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor.

Drive safe, Hollis! You're the best!

Protect Your Vehicle's Finish From the Summer Sun and Heat

2012-06-02T09:59:00.000-04:00

Summer is my favorite season. Fun in the sun, vacations, and all kinds of great things to do. Now, we all know that protecting ourselves from the Sun has become a very important issue for our Summer activities. Depending on where you live, the Sun can really do some damage if you're not careful! Here in Florida, the Sunshine State, everyone knows the advantages of sunscreen. Without it, you can turn a fun day in the Sun into a very painful evening!

You car, truck, or motorcycle has the same problem. You vehicle's paint is subject to extremely intense heat and the same UV rays that we protect ourselves from during the Summer months. Those UV rays and heat can really do some damage without proper protection. Although most "clear coat" finishes do have some protection from UV rays built in, during the intense heat of the Summer, it's just not enough.

Protecting your vehicle's finish from the Sun and it's damaging effects is easy to do and very affordable. Definitely more affordable than re-painting your car! We've all seen what can happen to a finish when left in the Sun's heat. Peeling clear coats and dull finishes are not at all pretty. And, they can be easily avoided.

Using a wax on your finish that offers UV protection is one way to combat the Sun's damaging effects. There are many waxes and finish protection products on the market today that offer great protection from the UV rays of the Sun. Wax will also condition the finish and keep it looking great all year round!

Here at LDJ Auto Body, we recommend using a high quality carnuba based wax like Meguiar's to keep you finish looking great for years. These products come in many forms and are easy to apply. It's definitely time well spent when it comes to keeping your vehicle's paint looking new.

When applying wax to your vehicle, start with a clean, dry, finish. Wash the finish first to remove any road residue, bugs, tar, and dust from the finish. Dry the vehicle with a shammy. Be sure to move the car to a place that is out of the Sun. Depending on what product you choose, apply the product according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Some finish protectants are a one-step process where you simply wipe the product on and rub till it's absorbed. And, some require that you wipe the product on, allow it to dry, and then wipe it off. In either case, be sure to use a very soft cloth or pad that is recommended for the product that you're using. Make sure that there is no dust or particles in the cloth or pad that will scratch the finish.

It's just that simple! Now your car, truck, or motorcycle is ready to take you to all those fun destinations the Summer Season has to offer! Check out our "Finish Care Products" page to find some great deals on all kinds of products to keep your vehicle's finish looking great.

Happy Motoring!

Larry and Dee Blackman
LDJ Auto Body & Custom Shop
Gibsonton, FL

New Motorcycle or New Motorcycle Accessories? Ways to Cure the Craving For A New Bike!

2012-05-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

In today's economy, we sometimes can't just run out and buy all the great things we want..... I know, I sound like your mother! But, sometimes, even your mother had some really good ideas, right?

When we get a new toy, the main interest is in the fact that it's NEW. A new car, a new bike, a new 'whatever'.... Ever notice your kids when they get something new? Yup, you guessed it. They unwrap the present, play with it like mad for a couple hours, days, sometimes, even months, but, the eventual end is that the 'newness' wears off and it becomes yet another mundane item in our neverending list of 'things". Well, here's an idea for you!

For motorcyclists, this should be a 'no brainer'! Even if you've been riding the same old bike for a couple years, there are lots of things you can do to make it 'feel' like new.... For instance, take a look at the paint. Motorcycles are not big, huge items, like a car. So, you can take your motorcycle to your local paint shop and have the 'entire' bike painted for a mere fraction of what a new one would cost. Now, I'm not talking about doing a complete, custom graphic, multi-zero's in the cost, paint job. I'm talking about changing the color, or adding a graphic, or even adding a pin stripe or two. All of those things will make 'ol faithful look different and therefore, make you feel different about your bike.
If you've been toying with the idea of a new motorcycle, think about "renewing" your existing motorcycle first. Motorcycles are one of the most "accessorizable" vehicles out there. You can literally create a whole new bike just by using accessories! The best way to do this is to take a look at your existing bike. What are you trying to do? If you're considering selling your bike for a bigger one, what's the reason for going bigger? Are you looking for more power? Or, are you looking for something a bit more comfy with some storage capability, like a cruiser? If you are wanting that smaller bike to be a bit more comfortable and offer you some more storage, and even if you're just looking to get that feel of a big, comfy, cruiser, there are lot's of things you can try before you go out and spend the money on a new bike.

If your existing motorcycle is a smaller bike like an H-D Sportster, you're in luck. Sporty's are one of the most customizable bikes out there. So, if you're wanting the "luxury" feel of a big, comfy, cruiser or bagger, let's start with the seat. Seats come in every imaginable configuration out there. For starters, you're probably going to want the ability to bring your wife, girlfriend, or someone else with you.....so, solo seating is out. Let's take a look at what seating options will make that sporty feel more like a Deluxe or Fat Boy.

Let's look at some examples.... We recommend a good accessory dealer for starters, so J&P Cycles - Motorcycle Seats has some great seating arrangements for H-D here too. Now, please don't think I'm only speaking about H-D here, I only chose the Sporty because it's an easy bike to customze. You can customize ANY bike and I promise I'll cover those a little later. Back to the seating arrangement, start by considering what other items you want to add to your Sporty and make sure that your seat will work with those items. I recommend looking at something very comfortable for both you and your passenger. Back rests are important if you're going to be doing any long distance riding, so be sure to consider that, and there are many seats that have removable backrests that take only seconds to put on and take off. I would consider one of those simply because of the veratility. The example below is taken from Motorcycle Superstore
They have some great choices too! The seat below is a touring seat that can be had for almost any bike and offers you the ability to have a removable driver backrest and is comfy for both the driver and passenger giving you lots of versatility. Add a passenger backrest with a small luggage carrier and you're in business!

Once you've picked out your new seat, let's take a look at adding some other "creature comforts" like storage. Adding some really great saddle bags to your Sporty does two things. Of course, the obvious is that you'll gain some serious storage space. But, adding bags to your bike will give your Sporty that "bigger" cruiser look, which, if you remember is what we're looking for too! I personally prefer soft bags for a Sporty because they have a different, softer look and you can get bigger bags that will expand when you need the room, but, also won't look out of place on your Sporty when they're flattened out and not filled to capacity. Also, if you're looking to get that "new" look on a budget, soft bags will save you money because they don't need to be painted. Hard bags usually need to be painted to match the bike and paint costs money. Going with soft bags will save you the cost of painting and you can use that money to add some additional accessories to help maximize the new "cruiser" look you're going for. J&P Cycles - Motorcycle Saddlebags and Luggage has some great ideas here and this is just the start. Don't forget, bags come in all styles and shapes. If you're the kind of person that changes their mind often, you might want to go with a "rear bag" that is removable. That way you can have your storage when you need it and lose the baggage when you're just out riding.

There's lots of other things too. Take a look at some of the other accessories available for motorcycles nowadays! There are literally thousands of things to add to your bike to give it and yourself a little lift. Do you like chrome? Even little bits of chrome added here and there can give a bike a 'new' look. Chrome gas caps, fuel shut off knobs, handle bar grip inserts, are just few of the chrome adders that will help dress up an older bike.

Take a look at handle bars too! Handle bars can change the entire look of your bike without a whole lot of work. Make sure that whatever you choose is comfortable to you. With all the different configurations out there, you are sure to be able to find one that fits your body style, the look you're going for, and last, but not least, your budget.

So there you have it! You can take your existing ride and turn it into a whole new experience without having to go through selling it and buying new. Of course, there will come a time when you just want to replace your ride, and that's always an option. But, in these economic times, sometimes just making a few changes can satisfy the craving for something new. And, remember, any options you add to your ride will also add to it's value, so, when it does become time to trade it in or sell it, you can get a return on your investment too!

Happy Motoring!

Larry and Dee

Prepping For A Show Quality Finish - How The Pros Do It

2012-04-22T13:52:00.001-04:00

Ahhh, the satisfaction of the "do-it-yourself" project. It's a great feeling to finish a big project and see the return on your "sweat equity" investment! Working on a classic or custom vehicle project that you've done yourself certainly ranks high on the list of "do-it-yourself" accomplishments. While going thru my list of blogs that I follow, I came across a great article for the "do-it-yourself" car enthusiast that was really well done. It's definitely an 8 or better on the rating scale for covering some great information and so I'd like to share it with you here. It's a great place to start for anyone wanting to take on the job of putting an excellent paint job on your custom or classic project.

1970 Convertible GTO from blog post at AutoMedia.com

The folks at Automedia.com have put together and article entitled "Paint Secrets" that is one of the best I've seen in awhile. It is in-depth enough to get you headed in the right direction when getting ready to do a quality paint job. The article is written by Jim McGowan of Automedia.com and he has done a superb job in our opinion. Jim's advice here is excellent and following the instruction he has put together will definitely head you in the right direction for a beautiful finished product and as you can see from the final picture, this GTO looks great.

Jim touched base on a very important point when he said to check with your shop to find out what type or brand of paint system they are planning to use when spraying the final finish. We can't stress this enough. Paint systems are all different and they don't mix well! Always stay with the same manufacturer throughout the project AND if you have any questions regarding which products to use durring the prep work, ask those questions before you start. There is no shame in not understanding what products to use. There is a seemingly endless list of products available for different uses and even products by the same manufacturer can cause problems depending on what system you are using. It's always better to clarify those questions prior to using any product in the paint prepping stages as an error here will not only require extra work, but, can be extremely costly depending on what needs to be done to correct the error. Ask first and be happy later!

If you are going to be spraying the primer yourself, there are a few suggestions I might add to make the difference between a good and a great paint job. If the vehicle has had a significant amount of body work done, using a high build primer will give you the advantage of making sure those little spots don't blemish the final finish. High build primers are thicker and will help first timers get a little better coverage on hard to see and feel low spots. It's a little harder to sand, but, also more forgiving to the amateur when sanding and blocking the primer. The primer is final finish before the color and how you prep that will determine what your final finish is going to look like. The better the primer finish, the better the paint job.

Scan down the sides of the vehicle.
Look for any highs or lows.

Looking down the sides of the vehicle is key at this point. Use different lighting to ensure that there are no ripples, high spots or low spots. Check the body lines for any indentations that occurred during sanding. Feel the finish using the "flat" of your fingers and palm of your hand. Close your eyes and follow the finish with your hand. If you can "feel" it, you'll definitely be able to "see" it and now is the time to "fix" it!

When it's time to apply the color, the first thing to do is to "wash" the finish with a high quality wax and grease remover. Don't skimp on quality here. We recommend Prep Solvent-70 by 3M, but, any good prep solvent will work. Use two rags when performing this process. Wet the first rag with the solvent and wipe it onto the surface and then immediately use the second, dry rag, to wipe it off. Do NOT allow the solvent to air dry on the surface. This defeats the purpose and allows the grease and grime to stay where it was. This process is key to a good final finish in that it removes any substances that might cause blemishes or "fish-eye" in the final product. Do this process in small areas and ensure that you don't miss any areas. Don't forget to get into the small groves and areas that aren't as easy to get at as those areas are the very ones that will allow moisture and corrosion later on and give those things a starting place. Use this process to inspect the entire car for any items that need to be fixed, like edges where the primer might have been broken through. This is the perfect time to do your final inspection as you do have to go over the entire vehicle. Also, do this step right before you are ready to apply the paint. Don't wait for a long period after as airborne chemicals will have time to settle on the finish if you don't do it right away.

When you are satisfied that you're ready to go ahead with the color, follow the instructions exactly as the manufacturer recommends. Measure twice, mix once is the attitude to have here!

I concur with the writer that the initial color coat should be kept just slightly lighter. This coat should be used to find any problems that are going to arise. Look for any anomalies in the finish. Sanding this coat with 1500 will assure good adhesion of the following coat and give you the ability to look for any problems while you're sanding. Make sure to go over the entire vehice with a "tac rag" to remove any traces of dust or debris from the sanding. Once the finish has been sanded, you're ready to lay the final coats of your color.

Jim's description of the spraying motion is very important here. Lay the paint evenly using your wrist with a snapping motion to avoid "lingering" in any spots. Slow and steady wins the race here. Start from the center of the hood, deck lid, and roof panels and work toward the edges. Watch the paint as it hits the surface and ensure that it is wet, but, not heavy enough to run. This is an art that you will perfect as you go and looking at the surface as you paint is the best indicator. Gravity fed guns do not require a lot of pressure, but, you must atomize the paint to ensure good adhesion and keep the solids, like metal flake or pearl from concentrating in one spot. Check for even color in between coats. Mentally make a note of anything you need to give attention to on the next coat.

When spraying base coat / clear coat systems, remember that the clear is going to protect the finish for a long time. This is not the place to save money. The clear is going to be the layer that is brought to a mirror-like gloss in the final process of your finish, but, some of it is going to be removed in that process! On "high-end" show cars, I have sprayed as many as 5 to 6 coats of clear, or more, and sanded them in-between. Depending on what you want the finished product to look like, I recommend at least 3-4 coats of clear on any show quality finish.

Lastly, I also concur with Jim McGowan on his last statement that "rubbing out" or buffing of the completed finish is best left to the pros until you have gained a good confidence in your abilities. On show paint, I wet-sand the entire vehilce "by hand" allowing me to see any imperfections that need attention. Tiny bugs, dust, or any other anomalies should be wet-sanded out. After wet-sanding the entire car, start the buffing process using a high quality machine buffing compound. Buffing compound is extremely abrasive. Be careful even when wiping the excess off with a rag as the compound will leave scratches where you wipe it! Keeping the buffing bonnet perfectly flat on the surface is the key here. Keep the bonnet clean! Remove any excess compound by running a screw driver or other sharp object against the bonnet as it spins. Watch for "caking" of the compound on the bonnet. I prefer a "foam" bonnet over the "wool". Wool was fine in the old days when foam wasn't available, however, it's much harder to burn the finish with foam than with wool, so it's a good idea to use foam, especially if you're just learning. I also prefer foam because it is a lot more flexible and offers better action on edges and "hard to get to" places.

After buffing the entire vehicle, the next step is to apply machine glaze. Machine glazing removes any swirls from the compound and brings out the "mirror-ike" finish in the clear. Once again, glaze is also an abrasive, so be careful when removing any glaze after you're done as it will scratch the beautiful finish you've worked so hard to achieve.

Take care in choosing the proper products to perform the final steps in buffing and protecting your finish. Meguir's is a leader in automotive finish care products and their products are formulated to give you the very best in finish care. You can find all the products you need at our "Onine Finish Care Store". The products listed here are the ones we recommend and the links here will get you the best prices as they are direct from Meguir's!

When the finish is complete, I like to give it a machine wax followed by hand rubbed wax for the final finish. Hand rubbing the final wax coat gives you a good basis for getting all the residual compounds out of the small crevises and corners and leaves a thicker coat of wax to protect that finish.

1970 Cutlass 442 Convertible painted by Larry Blackman
Notice the mirror like finish down the sides of a completely straight quarter.
Viewing the vehicle from this angle shows all imperfections.
See more paint work by Larry at www.ldjautobody.com

OK, now, stand back and observe the beautiful, new finish on your vehicle!

Happy Motoring!

Larry and Dee

Wheely Contest Videos - Great Videos of Our Friends Havin Fun!

2012-04-21T10:26:00.000-04:00

Summer fun from where we came from in Illinois always includes racing and the drags are my personal favorite! I've been a drag racing fan ever since I was a little girl. Growing up on the South Side of the great City of Chicago, the infamous "Chi-Town Hustler" was being built in a garage just down the block from me. I can remember the sound of the enormous motor revving up on Saturday mornings as they worked endlessly tuning her up for Sunday's drags.

Although I was only 11 or 12 years old at the time, I somehow knew that that sound and that smell of burning rubber and Nitro Methane would stick with me forever. At that time, ChiTown Hustler was in her infancy. Who would have known that it would become a legend in drag racing history. And Austin Coil, of Team John Force, would become my hero!

As time passed and I met my husband, I had no idea that we would someday be working with cars like these and watching our friends on the same tracks that I remembered from my much younger years.

Here are a few videos of friends and customers having fun in the quarter mile!

Hollis Jones wins the Byron Wheel Stand Contest in Byron, IL!

Send us your videos and share your stories with us!

Happy Motoring!

The Truth About Car Repair Costs, How Much Should You Be Paying?

2012-04-16T09:18:00.001-04:00

Repairing your car, truck, suv, or van, is a necessity. And, unfortunately, things break. So, the bottom line is at some point in time, unless you are a mechanic or body man, you are going to have to pay to have your vehicle repaired.

There are some things you can do to keep those costs down. For starters, when it comes to mechanical items, the obvious thing is to keep your vehicle maintained. I can't preach enough about how important it is to keep you car in good mechanical health. Things like changing the oil, maintaining your brakes and keeping the engine tuned up are just no brainers in this economy.

Let's look at brakes for starters. Brake pads wear out. They are manufactured to do this. They are also necessary. Ask anyone who has abruptly met the owner of the vehicle in front of them because they didn't pay attention to the "squeak" that was coming from the brake pads. A change of those pads might very well have saved them the cost of the accident, the cost of the ticket, the cost of a lawyer, if one was necessary, and the list goes on and on. AFTER the accident is too late! Brake pads are not expensive. In fact, if you change them regularly, you can purchase a set of good brake pads from a parts supplier like Advance Auto Parts, that has a "lifetime warranty"! Yup, simply put, you can buy ONE SET OF BRAKE PADS and NEVER PAY FOR ANOTHER SET AGAIN! EVER! Now, you will have to pay for the labor to install them, but, the next thing we're going to talk about here is how to save on that cost too.

Many people wait till their vehicle is down and then start searching the Internet for places to fix it. They make 20 phone calls, tell their story 20 times and come up with the best price and then drive to the "winning" shop and get the repair work done. I suppose this might work for some people, but, why go thru all that work when you can save yourself the phone time AND have your vehicle repaired cost effectively by choosing a shop BEFORE you need the work done.

When you are putting together your preventive maintenance items is the time to choose your shop. NOT when your vehicle is down on the side of the road and you're in a panic to find someone to fix it. Having a car repair shop phone number ready to call is the way to go. Most shops welcome your maintenance business. If you consistently go to the same shop to have your work done, you'll build a relationship with the shop. They cherish your business and will go the extra nine yards to make sure they take care of their "regular" customers. Many shops will even give a discount to those that are regulars. When you're on the side of the road and your car is broken down or in an accident, it's comforting to know that the repair guy knows you and will go out of his way to ensure that you are taken care of right away.

So, let's get back to how to build that relationship. Start by checking out the shops closest to you. Talk to the owner. Find out if they have a preventive maintenance plan that you can purchase. If not, put together a list of the items you want to have completed and see if you can get a "deal" on having all the services provided at the same time. Most shops will work with you on this. Find the best price at a shop you are comfortable with and stay with them. After going there a few times and showing your loyalty, the rest will follow.

Putting together your list of maintenance items really depends on the type of vehicle you're dealing with. Check your owner's manual for manufacturer's suggested time frames on the usual items like changing your oil, tuning up the vehicle, belt replacement, and so on. If your manual doesn't list these items, call a dealer and find out the recommended times.

If your vehicle hasn't been maintained for some time, you'll want to start with the obvious. Change the oil. If you want to save yourself some gas money, add a tune up to the list. Changing the plugs and wires will gain you some added mileage and ensure that your engine is running smoothly and efficiently. Most cars will go a year on a tune up with no problem. The next thing to put on the list is brakes. Have them checked at first. Have the mechanic tell you what kind of mileage he thinks are left on your pads and make a decision as to whether you should change them now or wait. Keeping these items together is important too, so, if the pads are worn at all, it's a good idea to have them done the first time to get everything done at one time and start your maintenance routine properly. Choose a good quality brake pad with a lifetime warranty and keep the receipt. When the pads wear down, go back to your supplier and simply get a new set. It's a one time fee that will save you a ton of money over the course of your vehicle's lifetime.

Have your mechanic check the belts. Belts are one thing that will definitely put your vehicle on the side of the road if they break, so keeping them in good condition is one of the most important aspects of a good preventive maintenance plan. If you have a serpentine belt, and most newer vehicle's do, it is well worth the cost of the belt to replace it. That one belt controls many items in your vehicle including the water pump and power steering pump. To get a good start on your maintenance program, include replacing this belt.

Lastly, have your hoses and any pulleys checked for wear. Replace any worn hoses or noisy bearings and pulleys.

The first time you have your preventive maintenance work done should include everything possible. This way, you can insure that you have covered all of the things that could come up and give you a good starting point to schedule the rest of your maintenance on. All of the items we have mentioned here include items surrounding or included with the systems that they are associated with. For instance, when changing the brake pads, your technician will get a good look at your suspension and alert you to anything you should be aware of there. When changing the serpentine, many of the components associated with that system will be checked at the same time, like the water pump and power steering pump and so on.

Now that you've gotten your vehicle maintained, the key is to keep it that way. You will have accomplished two things here. You can drive your vehicle worry free, knowing that the usual suspects are new and ready to keep your vehicle running. And 2., you have established a relationship with a shop that will serve you well for a long time to come.

Create a maintenance schedule and stick with it. The result will be worry free driving for you and your family and a vehicle that will run well and be worth more when it comes time to sell it. Both of which are well worth the cost of maintaining the second largest investment most of us own, second to our homes.

Happy motoring!

Larry and Dee Blackman
LDJ Auto Body
ldjautobody@yahoo.com
(813) 644-4497

When Purchasing a Used Vehicle, Do Your Homework or Have Someone Else Do It For You!

2012-04-15T23:40:00.006-04:00

Purchasing a vehicle is these economic times can be rough. Money is tight and we all need to spend wisely. When thinking about purchasing a veheicle, the first thing to determine is whether to buy new or used. Purchasing a new vehicle allows you to take advantage of all the great buying deals that the dealers have to offer right now and there are many great new vehicle deals available. Always research those deals to find the best price and deal before signiong the dotted line. However, this article is dedicated to purchasing used vehicles.

In these times, when money is tight, purchasing a used vehicle is often the only option to many people. Credit scores and a meriod of other variables may be the reason for that. However, one thing is certain, and, that is the fact that you can purchase a used vehicle and get more for your money in the way of options and in most cases, it's the only way some people can purchase the vehicle they really want.

The biggest problem most people face when purchasing a used vehicle is determining the value of the vehicle they're looking at. Most times, unless you're purchasing the vehicle from someone you know, the biggest obstacle is that you don't know how the vehicle was operated, how it was maintained, and, if there are any problems with the vehicle. If you purchase a used vehicle from a dealer, most dealers will give you some sort of warranty on the vehicle, but, depending on it's age and mileage, the warranty will be short lived compared to the length of time you will own the vehilce. If you purchase the vehicle from a private party, there will most likely be no warranty. So choosing a used vehicle should be done carefully.

One way to check on a vehicle's background when the owner may not have kept as good of records as you'd like, is to use an independent vehicle reporting service. We prefer AutoCheck. AutoCheck is an independent vehicle report backed by Experian, a finanancial leader in the automotive industry used by over 15,000 dealers nationwide. Check out the video below for some great information on AutoCheck.

Not onlyNot only will you get information like the number of reported owners, but, you can also do comparison shopping with a list of similar vehicles listed right there for you in the report. And, if that's not enough, AutoCheck will buy the vehicle back from you if it doesn't live up to the reports you were provided with! Yup, it doesn't get any better than that. AutoCheck's "Buy Back Program" does exactly that. They will purchase the vehilce back from you. Check out AutoCheck today, before you buy that special used vehicle you've been thinking about!

Now, we've determined that it is key that you check into the vehicle's background. If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is. Always ask for the vehicle's service record. I preach all the time about keeping a good service record on your vehicles and for good reason. When selling your vehicle, it becomes much easier to negotiate a good price when you are able to substantiate that the vehicle was maintained. This requires keep all service records including oil chang and tune-up receipts along with any parts changes that were made. If you replaced the transmission on your 2008 vehicle and you have the receipt to show that this was done, it shows that you are willing to share with the buyer everything that happened to the vehicle including the things that were wrong. Likewise, when purchasing a used vehicle, take note of what things were serviced. If you have all the records in front of you, you can determine the things that might possible be comming up that you'll have to spend money on and either use that as a bargaining chip or at least, insure that you have the money to replace those items that are comming due based on the vehicle's milage.

One way to save some real money when purchasing used is to go through an auction. Auctions are a great way to purchase when you use a well established auction house. Auction houses do the homework for you. Iron Planet Motors is a great, well established auction house that is great for first time auction buyers. They send someone out to physically inspect every item that is sold through them. A report is made on the vehicle which summarizes everything you need to know about the car, truck, suv, van, or even motorcycle that you're interested in. Buying at auction also increases the area in which you'll be able to buy from. Because you don't physically have to drive to the location where the vehicle is, you can purchase a car located in a state which might be hundreds of miles away. But, by increasing the area in which you're able to shop, you can also increase the number of vehicles you have to choose from.

When you sign up for information from an auction house like Iron Planet Motors, you will receive all the information you need to determine which vehicles you're interested in. You'll see pictures of the vehicle, have a report from an independent researcher who actually went to see the vehicle, drive it, and give it a rating based on Iron Planet Motors rating scales. What could be easier?

Now, not all auctions work the same. I suggest going with an auction house that has a very good overall rating. I recommend Iron Planet beause I have used them myself and they not only have the highest of ratings from users like ourselves, but they cater to first time auction buyers.

They will walk you through the buying process. You can participate in the auction online from the comfort of your own home. Yup, watch the whole thing unfold right there on your laptop. And, they'll even help you out with financing and transportation of your vehicle after you've made your purchase.

Auctioned vehicle pricing depends on the number of buyers. They have a starting price so you know what the lowest bids will be. And, you'll know ahead of time exactly what you're getting into. Things like transmission noises, rod knocks, sticking valves and anything else that was found in the inspection will be right there in front of you on your report. These reports are done by people that are experts in determining the value of a vehicle. They are experienced car buyers that KNOW what to look for and can usually spot things that the ameteur will overlook, so you already have the upper hand before you make the purchase. Many great deals have been had at auctions.

So before you go out and buy your next used vehicle, why not check out Iron Planet Motors. Use one of their links on this page to sign up and get some information. Signing up for the info is free and gives you all the information you need.

The only thing left to do after you look over the information in you welcome packet is to become a registered bidder at the auction. This does require giving some personal information which is another reason we recommend Iron Planet. These guys are legitimate and will treat your personal information with the utmost care. Something to be very careful of in these days of identity theft and fraudulent activity. Be very careful of the places you register to bid at. Make sure you check out their credentials and ensure that they are legitimate before giving up any of your personal information.

So, whether you're looking for a car, truck, suv, van, motorcycle, or other fun toys, check out he information on this page to find some alternatives to driving around and possibly making a huge finanacial mistake. Take the precautions to ensure you spend your money wisely by either getting a good vehicle history report......

Or get some information from one of the best auction houses around......

Till next time, have fun, and let us know what you bought and how you bought it. We love to hear your comments, auction stories, and any other great information we can share with our readers when it comes to buying cars, trucks, and motorcycles!

Larry and Dee
LDJ Auto Body and Mechanical
ldjautobody@yahoo.com

Lawrence Blackman likes

LDJ Auto Body and Custom Shop

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Great Car, Truck, and Motorcycle Sites We Love and Want to Share

2012-04-13T11:40:00.004-04:00

I love what I do! Yup, as a woman in the auto repair industry, I genuinely love writing about cars and trucks and neat stuff to help and inform our readers about stuff that is either interesting, helpful, or, informative about cars, trucks, motorcycles and just about anything else that rocks, rolls, stops or goes! In doing research, I have my favorite sites to check with and I thought it would be nice to pass along some of those sites to you, my Car and Motorcycle Maintenance readers!

Now, I have a bunch of favorite places on the net that I visit regularly and the list is huge, so I'm not going to try and list them all at one time. Instead, I thought I'd start a new regular feature here and bring them to you once a week. They are all great sites and each one has it's own special charm that keeps me comming back.

One such site is www.Jalopnik.com. The writers at Jalopnik offer great all around content. You'll never be disappointed here, whether you are looking for reviews of cars, trucks, motorcycles and what have you. Not only are the articles packed full of great information, but, you will always find funny and interesting things here that you won't find anywhere else. One of the features I love at Jalopnik.com is the "10 Best" series of articles found here regularly. A consistent list of the "10 Best" of whatever the flavor of the day might be! Yesterday's "10 Best" featured "Ten Things Every Non-Gearhead Needs To Know About Their Car". Here's a perfect example of the great writing you'll find at this site.

Now, those of you who know me are already laughing and thinking, yup, she would pick something that revolves around here favorite subject.....maintenance! OK, I know I do tend to preach a lot about my favorite topic, but, for the most part, I try and bring your attention to those things that might not be as much fun as you'd like, but, somebody has to do it, and, I've always been kind of the "motherly" type! This sites "10 Best", however, will not only keep you laughing, but, also has some realistic concepts and info that will teach you something too.

See the little arrow???

For instance, No. 10 on the list taught me that that little arrow on your fuel gauge points to the side that your fuel door is on! Now how handy is that little tidbit!? Something that, as a professional in this industry, I should have already known....but, learned here today.

There is also the lesson to be learned in No. 8. Knowing whether your vehicle is front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or, all-wheel-drive is key! How embarrasing would it be to be caught on video putting your snow chains on the wrong set of wheels? Of course, here in sunny Florida, we don't worry about things like that, and, when we do, we simply put one on the front and one on the rear to make sure.....(Yup, you might be a red-neck!) But, check out the video anyway, it's good for a chuckle or two! And, for all our "towing company" owner readers, that video was shot in Seattle, WA, where you just might want to open the new branch of your towing company!

If it weren't for the signage, I'd suspect this was done right here in Gibosnton!

No. 7 is a perfect example of why I preach over and over again about making sure you know exactly where your spare tire and jack are located..... Now, what I really want to know is how one of our good ol' southern boys made it all the way to Japan, (take note of the signage), to help this guy get that truck up on those "homemade, red-neck style" jack stands? Someone needs to let Jeff Foxworthy know about this one and I'll let him do the honors!

More than just a pretty cluster!

No. 6 is just good sense. Knowing what all the lights and doo-dads on your dash are for is necessary! They are there for a reason. But, as the writers at Jalopnik have dually noted, they can be confusing! So follow those great suggestions and get out the manual for your vehicle and learn what they mean. There will be a "pop-quiz" on Friday!

No. 5 makes me feel better about all my preaching about preventative maintenance and how important stuff like that is! Although I might have put it a little higher up on my list, jumper cables and how to use them is definitely something that we should be teaching our kids, right after we get done reading the "how to" instructions located....here! (Always a good idea to brush up on something before we go teaching someone else how to do it, right?)

No. 4 has me loving the great writers at Jalopnik even more! Here they go again with making me feel proud about my obsession with maintenance and learning things about keeping your car safe! See, I'm not the only one who knows that this stuff is important and will come in handy one day! We, as vehicle owners, need to know this stuff! So read this one and use the info to keep you and your family safe. By the way, this really is a good way to check the tread on your tires. Let's just thank our lucky starts that good 'ol Abe had a full head of hair when they decided to snap that picture that's made him so famous!

No. 3 here is related to No. 4 as it has to do with tires. And, yet again, I get to have that warm fuzzy feeling knowing that my PM info is thought to be useful by yet another author of vehicular knowledge! Making sure your tire pressure is accurate can save you money! And, now that I've got your attention by lighting up your sense of financial security....it's also necessary to keep you safe! Tire pressure has everything to do with keeping as much of the tire surface connected to the road which is what keeps you in control. So, take note of the info here and use it! You'll save money at the pump and ensure your vehicle has every bit of needed traction when you need it!

No. 2. is pretty self explanatory. But, remember the name of the article? Not everyone knows about this key to keeping your car running smoothly! So, follow the information here to check your oil regularly. You can thank me later for my preaching!

Schedule that maintenance appointment now! We miss ya!

No. 1! So, by this time, most of you have figured out that I've taken the time here to drive home, once again, the importance of keeping your car, truck, or motorcycle healthy! Yes, I snuck it in by disguising this as a fun, humor filled article to give you a couple laughs, and, drive home the point, once again, that a well maintained car is a healthy car! Follow these instructions and we probably won't be seeing much of each other! But, it's not that we don't want to see you, we love talking with our customers. It's just that we really do care and want to see you have fun with your vehicles and not be spending money for no reason! Parts need to be changed at one time or another just because they wear out! So, we'll be seeing each other regardless! I just like seeing our customers save money where possible.....take this last point to heart then. Schedule your maintenance when it's recommended. Those guys at the manufacturer's don't just write those manuals for fun, ike I do! There is a reason for them.

Well, here's a big THANK YOU to the writers at www.Jalopnik.com! To all our regualr readers, you need to subscribe to this great site! You'll love the articles, news, reviews and much more. It's one of my personal, regular reads and I want to share it with you. So sign up now, you won't be disappointed.

Now, whether you do your maintenance yourself, or, you come and see us, I want you to save as much money as possible while maintaining your car. Use the link here to find the absolute best prices on everything you'll need to keep your vehicle healthy! I've told you time and time again, I'll do the homework for you when it comes to finding the best prices on parts! Advance Auto Parts always has great deals to save you money when repairing or maintaining your car, truck, suv, van, or motorcycle! By going to our online parts directory, you'll fnd coupons, deals and more to help you get everything you need. Use the search box on our page to look up exactly what you need.

Don't forget, our local customers here at LDJ Auto can use our "labor only" specials and supply the parts yourself to save money on your maintenance and repairs. We love giving our customers the best deals we can and cutting out the middle man in the parts category is a great way to start saving.

Advance Auto Parts Still Has Lowest Prices On Auto Parts and Accessories!

2012-04-01T00:00:00.015-04:00

Advance Auto Parts

The One Day Sale is over, but, you can still take advantage of Advance Auto Parts low, low prices!

April is National Car Care Month!

To help you find everything you need to get your vehicles ready for Summer, LDJ's Online Store has put everthing you need in one convenient space, to make it easier than ever to do your vehicle parts, maintenance and accessory shopping.

Buy direct from Advance Auto Parts and save big money! As always, LDJ's Online Auto Parts Store offers you "direct to the supplier savings"! No mark-ups, no middle man. You get the great prices you deserve and we put it all right here, so you can shop in the comfort of knowing that LDJ Auto has found the absolute, lowest prices and the very best deals out there, to make sure you get the lowest prices on the Internet.

Click on a link to go directly to the Advance Auto Parts Store, or, we've even listed the entire store inventory right here, so you don't even have to leave the page! Use the promo codes listed and get the most unbelievalbe savings on everything automotive. Use the search box below to find your parts by name, brand, or category! It doesn't get any easier than this! AND, you can order your parts online, and, have them ready for pick-up at your local Advance Auto Parts, so you don't have to wait for them to ship! That's right! Order today! Pick up today! Install today!

Have questions about your parts or accessories? Mobile phone users, simply click on the link here to call and speak directly to one of Advance Auto's friendly AND knowledgeable staff to ensure you get exactly what you need! Then simply have them get it ready for you to pick up at one of Advance Auto's 3,400 convenient local stores!

So, what are you waiting for? Start shopping and start saving NOW!

Time To Maintain Your Brake System

2012-03-30T03:58:00.002-04:00

Timing is everything in determining when to replace your brake pads. The wrong time is after you have attempted to stop, but were aided by whatever it was that actually brought the vehicle to a complete stop!

Putting off servicing your braking system can increase your repair costs, or in the event of the above accident, can cost you collision repair cost on your vehicle and whatever it is you used as a backup brake. And, the good thing is, your brakes will tell you when they are wearing down!!

The first thing you will notice is an extremely high pitched squeal when you are coming to a stop. The manufacturers of brake pads include an indicator, which is a little piece of metal on the pad. When the pad wears down to less than 1/4” of material, the indicator touches the vehicle's rotor, making a noise that will make your teeth ache, much like when the class bully would run his fingernails on the chalkboard on his way out of the room with the teacher as she took him to the principle's office. What this is telling you is that you need to get the brakes serviced, preferably within the month, depending on your driving schedule. But regardless of how much you drive, the sooner, the safer.

Now, some bad news, sometimes many aftermarket and lower priced pads don't come with a wear indicator. But, an informed person can be watchful of other signs that it is time to replace those pads. One way, if it takes you longer than normal to stop, or if the brake pedal has more travel in it than before, it's a good bet that you need to inspect your pads. This can be achieved by removing the wheel and knowing what to look for.

Rotors can be a little harder, as they will last through two or three sets of brake pads. A wiggly steering when stopping is a good indication that the rotors are probably warped and it is time to replace.

Another option is 'turning' your rotors, which is an option in some cases. This is done at your mechanics, where they will shave off enough of the metal from the rotors to make them smooth. Most newer vehicles are equipped with thinner, lighter rotors to save on costs and increase fuel economy. If you find that you are replacing the rotors often, you might consider switching to a slotted version. While more expensive, the slots disperse heat better than the standard stock rotors. For most drivers, this added expense isn't necessary.

For you convenience, Advance Auto Parts lets you order your parts on line at home,
and then pick them up in your local store an hour later, how cool is that!

Another option for better performance is upgrading your brake pads to ceramic pads. The ceramic pads work just as well or better, than the stock pads. They produce much less dust and are generally quieter. And there are performance pads, but I don't recommend them for the average driver as they have a short life span and cause more wear on the rotors.

To paraphrase my father (and whoever he stole it from) “An ounce of preventive maintenance, is worth a pound of towing bills!”

April is “National Car Care Month”, so regardless if you are going to do it yourself, or take it to your trusted local mechanic, take a weekend in April to checkout your ride. Check those fluids, topping off the ones that need it. Don't forget the windshield fluid, radiator coolant (check your vehicle maintenance book to see what type of coolant your radiator uses), brake fluid, power steering fluid. Now is a good time to change your engine oil. Check those brake pads, inspect your tires for tread, wear and weather damage (dry rot). Lube the chassis. And it would not hurt to get inside that car and rub some type of protectant on your dash, console, side panels, etc.... the inside of the vehicle needs maintenance too you know. Take care of your ride, it will take you places that others can only get to in their minds....... (LOL).

Advance Auto Parts stocks everything you need to do your maintenance and repairs. They also offer the convenience of shopping on line and picking up an hour later at your local store, so you are in and out and on your way to completing your project that much faster, and by clicking below, and use the promotion code, you get a great discount to boot!!

Save $20 Off Purchases of $75 or more at AdvanceAutoParts.com with code BIG20!

Remember to check back to our blog often, as Dee, Larry and I will be posting more on vehicle maintenance and repairs. Leave us a comment on our posts, make suggestions for future stories, or tell us about your projects. And like us on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/LDJAutoBody

Til next time - Betty

The "HEART" of Custom Car Maintenance

2012-03-25T08:08:00.002-04:00

1964 1/2 Mustang Project...A "Labor" of Love

Every now and then, I come across a story, that not only warms my heart, but, also carries with it, a glimpse of not only "the way things were", but, the way things should still be....

A couple of weeks ago, we received a phone call from a man who told me he had 1964 1/2 mustang that he was restoring and had run into a few problems that needed Larry's attention. He had heard about us from a friend that we had done some work for, and wanted to get some prices on putting new quarter panels on the car. Now, he already had my full attention, as the "original" 1964 1/2 Mustang is one of my favorite classic vehicles! As all of our Ford Fans out there know, the era of the Mustang actually made it's debut that year. And, well, the rest is just classic car history.....

I told him he'd have to bring the car in, as we'd have to see it in order to quote him a price on replacing the quarters and the next weekend, the car arrived at the shop. As you can see from the pic, the car was in pretty good shape, considering it was manufactured in 1964! As with most vehicles of it's age, there was some weathering and some light rust, but, for the most part she was in great condition for a vehicle that was almost 50 years old! The majority of the rust damage was contained in the quarter panels which had several rust holes in the usual places. Primarily in the lower quarter and around the windows. Her owner had purchased new, aftermarket quarter panels to replace the originals and wanted a price on cutting off the original quarters and welding on the new ones, a job that my husband, Larry, has done many, many times in his almost 40 years of doing body work. The man then explained that he and his son were doing the restoration together and that the car, when finished, would become his son's 16th birthday gift. The owner is also a bodyman and painter and the project was a joint effort of him and his son's and they were trying to put this car together by August. He and his son have been working on this project, together, from the beginning. They had already completely redone the motor, which is a real thing of beauty I might add, and they had all the parts ready for the interior too! They had well over a year of locating parts, wrenching, wiring and, well, you all know the labor that goes into a restoration like this. The man, an excellent bodyman, and a great painter too based on the pics he sent us of some of the work he's done, only needed help with the quarter panels as that is a job that requires an expert welder and the expertise of someone who is experienced in doing that particular type of work. He also knew the job needed to be done properly to ensure the vehicle was safe. The quarter panel section is one of the hardest panels to replace and requires cutting into the integral structure pieces of the vehicle and there's not a lot of room for error, especially on a vintage vehicle like this one.

Larry began the job, cutting off and removing the original quarter on the driver's side of the vehicle. As with all 48 yr. old vehicle's, we found some hidden damage. The rust had eaten away the brackets that hold the window regulator and there was more damage to the wheel housing than expected. So he fabricated the bracket for the regulator and began the work of repairing the wheel housing, shown below.

The broken bracket needed repair.

The wheel housing was repaired.

After re-working the wheel housing and welding the new regulator bracket into place, undercoating was used to ensure the rust would be containted.

The next step was to fit the quarter panel to the vehicle and ensure proper alignment with the car's original lines. The early Mustang has a beautiful, well defined body line that gives the car it's signature design and also gives the beefy, muscle car that sleek, go fast look that made it one of the best selling vehicles of all time. Lining up an aftermarket quarter panel to match the lines of the original body requires engineering skill and expertise that comes only with years of experience. And, once again, Larry's skills paid off as the quarter panels were fitted flawlessly and welded into place.

The quarter is fitted and welded.

Undercoated and ready for the quarter.

Both sides of the vehicle required the same treatment and the driver's side quarter panel went on without a hitch! As a side note, the aftermarket quarter panels purchased by the owner were KAPA Certified and of very good quality.

You can find great deals on all your aftermarket parts needs at Andy's Auto Sport. Check out their great deals by clicking on one of the links in this blog. Andy's Auto Sport handles only the highest quality parts and accessories.

You can find more great deals at Advance Auto Parts! Advance Auto Parts has over 3,400 locations nationwide. You'll always find the best deals on replacement parts and accessories. Check out their entire inventory at our online store!

This job was a special job here at LDJ Auto Body & Custom Shop because it was special to the people that brought it here. We take pride in all of the work we do, but, we love to see families working together. The special bond that comes from helping our kids learn and experience the satisfaction of taking something into their own hands and making something that they will love and cherish for years to come is something that we'd love to see more people experience. The bond we create with our children and the things we teach them about life are more important now than ever before. This man and his son will cherish the time they spent together on this project and hopefully, someday, his son will take the time to pass that on. Today's world is a rough place and we only get one chance to motivate our kids to be the people we want them to grow up to be. Watching this family work together and seeing the proud look on this kid's face as he saw his dream car getting closer to being finished was priceless.

I can't wait to see the pictures of this car when it's completed and the owner has promised to send them to us. We wish them the best of luck and I'll be sure to share those pics with you when we get them!

Working on projects like this one are a great way to spend time with our kids. Whether you spend time fixing up their first car or just teach them the basics of how to maintain their own vehicle. The size of the project isn't important. It's the time spent with our kids that makes the differnce.

Remember, April is National Car Care Month! Check back soon for some great car care tips here and at our sister blog, LDJ Auto Body's Car, Truck, and Motorcycle News! And don't forget to check out the great deals and specials at our Parts and Accessories Store. You'll find the latest deals and coupons to save lots of money at Advance Auto Parts! You can check out the best accessories for your truck at our Truck Owner's Only page.

Till next time, happy motoring!

Larry and Dee Blackman

LDJ Auto Body and Custom Shop

ldjautobody@yahoo.com

The Art of Custom Car and Motorcycle Maintenance Welcomes Our Newest Writer!

2012-03-22T23:11:00.006-04:00

I am really excited to tell you all about our new, feature writer! I'd like to introduce you all to Betty Skidmore. Betty is our new feature writer and editor here at The Art of Custom Car and Motorcycle Maintenance AND LDJ Auto Body's Car, Truck, and Motorcycle News!

Betty, like the rest of us here, is a big custom car and motorcycle enthusiast. We're happy to have her shed some new light here! She's a great journalist and will be doing weekly articles at both of our blogs, so make sure to sign up for email updates so you don't miss any of her great humor and well researched articles. Our women readers will enjoy her advice on "do-it-yourself" projects that would make any of our men proud!

Betty's first article here on cleaning that awful oxydation off of headlights is a great example of some of the things you can look forward to. Toothpaste Betty?? Who would have ever thought!

Make sure to send your comments and suggestions! As always, we love to hear from our readers. Let us know what's on your mind and we'll do our best to accomodate any requests.

Don't forget to check out the latest article at our news blog, LDJ Auto Body's Car, Truck, and Motorcycle News for some great information on auctions. Spring is a great time to add to your collection of toys and auctions are a good way to find some unbelievable deals!

Also, don't forget to check out our new Parts and Accessories Store and our new Truck Owner's Only page! Here you'll find the best deals in auto parts, truck parts, and accessories. We do our homework so you don't have to! We'll post the latest, greatest offers and coupons to help you save on all your auto parts and accessory shopping!

Check back often for the latest news from Betty, Dee, Larry and the crew!

Removing Oxidation From Headlights

2012-03-22T04:28:00.007-04:00

This week's DIY project

Removing the oxidation (grime, yellowing) from headlights

Oh boy, the headlights on my 2003 Chevy Impala were looking pretty bad... and were dimming the candlepower that the headlamps were suppose to be projecting. I knew that they looked bad, but I did not realize just how much the lights were dimmed because of this pretty common problem on vehicles that sit in the sunlight the majority of the time. So, I decided to clean them myself. I Googled, I You-tubed and I Wikipediaed (yep, I made two of those words all by myself!). And I came up with lots of options for the Do-It-Yourself'er to use.

There were methods that used things you have at home (toothpaste, a clean cloth, and water), kits to buy at the auto parts store (3M and Turtlewax to name a few), Aluminum polish and sandpaper, all the way to $500.00 plus kits that include a high speed drill. You can find and purchase any of the headlight cleaning kits at our online Auto Parts and Accessories store. Simply go to the search bar and look up the products available by brand or just type in what you're looking for! You'll also find some unbelievable Spring specials there like the link below! At LDJ's Auto Parts and Accessories store you'll find this deal and many more ways to save money. These great deals won't last long, so shop early and save some big dollars on all your auto parts needs!

Find great deals like this and many more at LDJ's Auto Parts and Accessories Store!

So, I decided to try the toothpaste method. First, you want to use regular white toothpaste. Whitening or other pastes with additives such as mint or other flavors contain ingredients that can actually damage the polymer lens. Apply the toothpaste with a soft dry cloth in a small, circular patterns, cleaning about a 4-5 square inch area at a time, overlapping until you have the entire lens area grime (oxidation) free. Don't add a big glob of toothpaste to begin with. I began with a line about 3 inches long, then added about 1 inch ribbons to the cloth when I could feel that there was a drag to the cloth. When you think you have the lens clean (and you can feel the difference in the drag of the cloth, the oxidized lens will feel really rough), rinse thoroughly with water, and wipe with a damp cloth.

I could see a big difference immediately, but think I need to repeat this method one more time to get a 100% clear lens. I am an impatient person, and I had other things I wanted to do that morning, or I would have spent a bit more time on it so I would not have to repeat myself! It only took me 12 minutes to do the left lens. I left the right lens hazy, and that evening, I took the car for a drive down a back road with no streetlights. WOW – big difference between the light from the left and right lens! So tomorrow I am going to clean the right lens and redo the left one.

The information I got from the internet says that they will remain clear for 6 to 12 months, but since this was so cheap and easy, that is okay with me. I am going to do more research on applying a clear coat to the lens after cleaning, since this was mentioned in one of the other methods... more on this later.

Now on the other hand, if you don't want to do this yourself, call Larry or Dee at LDJ Auto Body and Custom Shop for an appointment to let the professionals take care of it for you. Their phone number is 813-644-4497 or email ldjautobody@yahoo.com They charge only $20 per headlight. I think that is a great deal and I would have had Larry polish mine, but then I would not have gotten to experience this and give you my “first hand” view!

Items needed: Small tube regular white toothpaste

Soft, clean dry cloth (I used an old wash cloth)

Water

Time: 10-20 minutes per headlight depending on the degree of oxidation

Cost: Less than $5.00

Results: PRICELESS (LOL)

Author: Betty Skidmore, Technical Writer/Editor/Custom Car and Motorcycle Fanatic!

Time For A New Car, Truck, or Motorcycle? Consider An Auction!

2012-03-21T12:20:00.002-04:00

Ahhh! Spring is in the air! You can feel it and even see it! And, Spring is the time for everything "new"! At least, that's my husband's excuse for new toys! LOL

But, on a more serious note, Spring can be a very good time to look for that new car, truck, or motorcycle! Most people use Spring as a time to clean out the garage and that can be a very good time to pick up on some great deals. However, buying directly from a seller can also be very tricky business. If you don't know what you're doing, you can end up with someone else's problem. And, most sellers are not going to guarantee anything, so, what you buy is what you get.

Auctions can be a great way to find some great deals too! I love a good auction. They're exciting and you can really save some money if you apply some good, common sense to your auction dealings. Also, buying at auction can be done online too, meaning you can get your hands on some great deals that aren't right there in your backyard!

Iron Planet Motors is a great auction house that is very reputable and offers a wonderful buying experience for even a first time buyer! Iron Planet sells anything that "rocks, rolls, stops and goes". From farm and earth moving equipment to cars, trucks, motorcycles, and motor sport and specialty vehicles, you'll find it here. AND, they go out of their way to make the buying procedure simple and easy.

All items auctioned at Iron Planet are inspected by them personally! They phyically go out to the vehicle and do a full inspection and report that you can view and, more importantly, trust. Knowing what you're getting when buying online is half the battle and Iron Planet has a flawless reputation for being one fo the best! They will even help buyers and sellers hook up after a sale with recommendations on transportation of vehicles and financing! It doesn't get any easier than that!

Sign up at Iron Planet today and get email updates on all their upcomming online auctions. You can preview items and even priority bid on them. On auction day, view the auction online. The highest bidder wins. What could be simpler than that?

So whether you're in the market for a new car

Or a new motorcycle,

Or anything else you can think of, you can rest assured that your online auction purchase is protected by one of the best auction houses around. Choose one of the links on this page to sign up or get more information on their service.

Now, it's Spring time....hmmmm, what new toy sounds good? We guarantee you'll find it there.....and.....you'll have a good time doing it!

Enjoy and have fun.

Larry and Dee Blackman
LDJ Auto Body & Custom Shop
ldjautobody@yahoo.com

Automobiles ARE Beautiful, BUT, Check Out These Photos of Some of the Most Beautiful Cars Made...AND the "Beautiful" People That Owned Them!

2012-02-18T10:37:00.000-05:00

Cars have always been a "thing of beauty"! But, the evolution of the automobile has been a wonderful thing to observe. Seems as though things just keep getting better and better. BUT, let's not forget about the beautiful vehicles of the past!

Enjoy these nostalgic photos of some of the most beautiful cars ever built AND the beautiful people that owned them!

Babe Ruth with his 1926 Auburn Roadster!

Here's Babe Ruth and a beautiful "gift"! (Must be nice!) A 1926 Auburn Roadster. What a beauty!

John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara in 1914 Stutz Bearcat

A wonderful picture of "The Duke", John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara taking a Sunday drive in a 1914 Stutz Bearcat. One of the "premier" sporty's of the era!

Fatty Arbuckle and 1919 Pierce Arrow

Who could forget "Fatty Arbuckle and Blackie, of "Little Rascals" fame! Shown here is Fatty and Blackie with his 1919 Pierce Arrow!

What a great vehicle!

Tyrone Power and his Jag

Jaguar has ALWAYS been one of the most beautiful vehicles ever made! Here's Tyrone Power showing off his Jaguar!

Ginger Rogers shows off her 1937 Dodge! These old vehicles just have sooooo much charisma and charm! You can almost "smell" the new interior and the wonderful smell of brand new rubber! We certainly weren't worried about gas prices then! These "huge" beauties spared no metal back in the day! Seems like the theme was "the bigger, the better". Room was NEVER a problem back then!

Who could forget "Laurel & Hardy"! Probably the most famous duo of the time, shown here with their 1930 Buick Series 30 Model 3045 Phaeton. Avehicle that "disappeared" after being discontinued shortly after this picture was shot!

Paulette Goddard is shown here getting into a Rolls Royce Phantom II belonging to her husband, Charlie Chaplin, one of the MOST FAMOUS faces in Moving Picture History.

Jean Harlow and her Cadillac. Cadillac was one of the most popular vehicles ever to grace the American pavement and remains so today! I bet Jean would have done backflips had she been able to view a Cadillac STS!

William Powell admiring Gary Cooper's Duesy

Ah, the good 'ol days! Kind of makes you want to turn back the hands of time! I wonder what these folks would have to say about today's gasoline prices! LOL

Hope you enjoyed today's time machine! I love looking at these great cars and just imagining their engineer creator's faces had they been able to view todays vehicles! I wonder if they had any idea of the traditions they started. With today's car manufacturer's rolling out replicas of the old muscle cars, I wonder if replicas of these greats might not be far behind!

Dee Blackman

LDJ Auto Body and Custom Shop

Gibsonton, FL 33534

ldjautobody@yahoo.com

LDJ Auto Body's The Art of Custom Car & Motorcycle Maintenance Survey! Help US Help YOU MORE!

2012-02-15T19:39:00.002-05:00

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Tips for Buying the Most Appropriate Car Insurance. Advice From the Experts!

2012-02-14T09:04:00.001-05:00

The following article was written for our blog by Brad Brennan, auto repair industry expert, blog author and founder of BKListings.com, 02/13/2012 All rights reserved. Brad is also author of the BK Listings Blog.

Finding the right car insurance is an exercise in patience. There are multiple factors you have to consider when searching. If you’re anything like my girlfriend you will be trying to weigh all factors and options before picking your perfect policy. If you’re anything like me you’ll spend about 20 minutes Googling and then wing it. If you’re reading this article I’m assuming you’re more like my lovely counterpart. What’s to follow are pointers and information to help you in the process of finding that perfect policy.

First, decide what coverage is necessary for your situation. As we have discussed in previous articles you have to weigh really only three factors – what is your budget, what is your probability of your vehicle being damaged, and how much peace of mind are you comfortable paying for. The first factor is really the most important of the three because if you’d don’t have the money for any more than PLPD then it doesn’t really matter if you have a high chance of incurring damage to your vehicle or if you are a worry wart. The second factor may seem arbitrary but you could put together a rough estimate by Googling crime rates in your area. The third factor is much more subjective – how covered do you want to feel and how much are you willing to value the time you would be wasting with hassles in the future. If you have the money and are living in an area with high accident or vandalism rates then consider looking for more complete coverage.

Next, consider what other insurance policies you have or need and look into bundling them. A common example is to bundle car, home, and life insurances. Bundling provides many advantages when you’re attempting to drive premiums and deductibles lower since the insurance companies have a broader base to take profits from you and therefore a reduced need to maximize profits on any one policy.

The most appropriate insurance is essentially one that fits your budget and caters to your needs. This ideal insurance policy takes into account the value of your car and protects it from the inside out. The most appropriate policy should give you peace of mind without costing your arm. In the end, insurance policy preferences are dependent upon your unique situation.

If you’re really into doing homework you can take this search one step further. Once you’ve decided on a few policy choices take the terms from each insurance company and drop it off at an agent of a different insurance company. If there are holes in the contract or if you can get a better deal then your best chance of figuring it out is to let competing companies find it for you. Or you can just Google for 20 minutes. Best of luck my friend.

Thanks again Brad for a well written piece! For those of you who need more information, check out Brad's blog, the BKListings Blog or email him directly bradleybrennan1@gmail.com . You can also leave your comments here and all questions and comments pertaining to the above article will be forwarded to Brad Brennan. Don't forget to check out Brad's site, www.BKListings.com, designed to help consumers find the right shop for them and assist in helping shop owners reach the consumer base they are looking for! See the original article at "Finding the Right Shop is Easier Than You Think!"

Thanks for stopping by! As always, we look forward to listening to our reader stories and suggestions! Let us know what you're looking for and we'll do our best to accomodate!

Dee Blackman
LDJ Auto Body & Mechanical
ldjautobody@yahoo.com

Finding the RIGHT Shop is Easier Than You Think! The Answer for Shop Owner's and Consumers Alike!

2012-02-14T07:29:00.009-05:00

Here at LDJ, we're always looking for new and exciting things to talk about and provide our readers with great new and helpful ideas in the auto repair industry. In our news blog, "LDJ Auto Body's Car, Truck and Motorcycle News", back in November, we ran an article called "Good Shop, Bad Shop! How Do You Tell The Difference!" Those of you who commented on that article will find this next one extremely interesting! A new site called BKListings.com makes finding the perfect shop a breeze for consumers and a real time and money saver for shop owners! We know this because we are also a member! Our guest writer today is Brad Brennan, an expert in the auto repair industry, having been involved in the business for over 20 years. Brad is the founder of BKListings.com, the "Angie's List", if you will, of the auto repair industry and author of The BKListings Blog. Brad was kind enough to prepare this letter specifically for us, explaining all there is to know about BKListings.com.

The following article was written for our blog by Brad Brennan, auto repair industry expert, blog author and founder of BKListings.com, 02/13/2012 All rights reserved.

A letter to shop owners

My name is Brad Brennan and I am the founder of BKListings.com. I started the website two years ago with the mission of bringing shops and customers together. I come from a family of mechanics and collision experts and have been involved in the business myself for over twenty years. What we do at our site is intersect the shop and the customer – we help the customers find quality shops in their area and we help the most active shops pull in the most customers from the online community as possible.

Our premise is simple and it has two parts. First is that customers are now opting to do their homework online. Compared to how it was done in the past, a significant portion of customers now go to sites like Google, Yelp, and Yellow Pages to pull in as much information as they can before making the decision on which shop to go to. Second is that most shops do not have the time, resources, or insight to drive the online community purposefully to their business.

You may disagree with that premise for a couple of different reasons. First could be that a large majority of your customers are referred either through a direct repair program, traditional media, or word of mouth. Consider though that over the last ten years time spent online has doubled from 7 hours a week to 14. Consider also the affect smart phones (like the iPhone or Androids) and tablets (like the iPad or Kindle Fire) will have on the way people do their research when looking for repairs. With the technology at our fingertips, it becomes more appealing for customers to Google “collision shops” and choose the shop with the highest rating. While the majority of your customers may be coming through traditional media, that doesn’t mean you’re pulling in all the customers you potentially can, and as time goes on the number of customers coming from the internet will surely increase. By not making your internet presence known may prove detrimental to your shop long term.

Second, you may say that your shop already has a website. But is your site SEO optimized? Do you know what SEO is? SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, and is the reason why certain websites show up higher on Google than others. Currently I’m attacking SEO hard, and it’s expensive. For you to be doing the same means you’re spending much more than you have to. As you may already know, a basic website build can run more than $10,000, and that doesn’t include the back end work of driving people to your site consistently through SEO. Wide Open West is running an SEO special for $600 a month. A spot on Yellow Pages will cost you about $200. We provide the content of a website and the SEO of Wide Open West for a fraction of the cost.

Why BK

BK has four distinct advantages over the competition. We are cheap, we are effective, we are specialized, and we work hard for you.

In terms of cost, an advanced spot on our website, which includes priority placement of your listing at the top of the search results for listings within 25 miles of your zip code and a detailed profile, typically goes for $49/month. However, sign up using the code LDJAuto and receive a discount bringing the price down to $29/month. The code won’t expire until next January so take your time checking out our site before making the decision.

In terms of how effective we are, currently I have a total of 5 backlinkers and 3 bloggers, and I’m looking to grow those numbers aggressively. What backlilnkers do is strategically place links to the site over the web to increase our presence, and I’ve got thousands of links being created every month. What bloggers do is to add content to the site, which brings more customers in to find your listing. These are things that drive SEO. These are the processes we put our time and resources into so you don’t have to.

In terms of specialization, we are purely automotive. What differentiates us from Google and Yellow Pages is that our profiles are specific to the industry you are in. If you are a collision shop you will be able to list collision-specific information like turnaround times, paint lines, extra services like detailing and loaner cars, and more. If you are a mechanical repair shop, you will be able to fill out your mechanic related information. What we did was create a simple to fill out template for you to leverage when creating your profile, and the template changes depending on the services you provide. However, there is also room to add extra information you feel is important.

Finally, we work our asses off, just like you do. We’re constantly working to make the site better. Over the next few months we will be rolling out our BKBuySell section, which is a place for individuals, shops, and dealerships to list cars for sale. Signing up for an advanced BKListings profile will mean that you list cars you have for sale for free once we get the site up. Other features we’ve added in the past that we think are useful include the Request An Estimate section on the home page. With this the customers can submit details about his/her job and shops with advanced profiles in that area can pull the customer’s submitted information and bid on the job, proactively driving business to your shop.

Wrapping Up

There’s a great chance your shop already has a basic listing on BK Listings (one including name, address, and phone number). All you have to do to confirm this is to go to bklistings.com, type in your zip code under the type of service you provide (collision, mechanical, etc), and make sure we have you on there. Basic listings are free so if you don’t see your shop please tell us so at admin@bklistings.com or you can email me directly at bradleybrennan1@gmail.com and I’ll add your shop asap.

We really appreciate LDJ allowing us to guest-post on their blog. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to help each other expand our reach into education for both customers and shop owners. I hope in the near future I have the honor of LDJ guest-posting to my blog at The BKListing Blog.

Unlike the seasoned professionals at LDJ Auto News, BK Listings is at the beginning of our mission to provide a medium for both shops and customers to be able to find useful and beneficial information. It’s a mission we will not give up on, a mission we will work incredibly hard to see through. I truly hope you’re there with us when we do.

Until then, take care.

Sincerely,

Brad Brennan

A huge thank you to Brad for spending some time with us this morning! If you have any questions or comments regarding this article, please feel free to comment here. All questions and comments pertaining to BK Listings will be forwarded directly to Brad Brennan. Also, fee free to contact Brad Brennan directly at the links listed in the above article. You can reach me personally at ldjautobody@yahoo.com. You can see other articles by Brad in our sister site, LDJ Auto Body's Car, Truck, and Motorcycle News!