Wing Doors

When it comes to sports luxury cars, appearance is as important as performance. Appearance is the frontline of market viability of a particular model. The customer first impression is a primary determining factor of the market success of a new car model. It is not surprising why car manufacturers invest fortunes on the aesthetic designs of their products. Given two car models with similar performance, the one with better aesthetic sense is the one that is most likely to be popular among customers. Some of the most popular sports cars are those that feature wing doors. They are almost synonymous with sports car designs.

As the name implies, wing doors resemble wings when they are fully opened. They are different from standard doors primarily because of their orientations. Unlike standard car doors, their hinges rotate in vertical direction. The doors open vertically or upward instead off swinging outward. On the other hand, the location of the hinges determines the particular type of wing door. If the hinges are located on the roof of the automobile, the wing doors are called seagull wing doors. If the hinges are located on the side framework, near the engine compartment, the wing doors are called angel wing doors.

When fully opened, seagull wing doors resemble the wings of a gliding seagull. Their hinges are located on the roof framework of the automobile. In most designs, they even double as the roof of the car. Meanwhile, angel wing doors resemble a pair of erect angel wings when fully opened. This type of wing doors is the most popular type. It is also the one that is easiest to install. Even doors of ordinary sedans can be converted to angel wing doors. The door hinges simply has to be replaced. If you want to make your sedan appear more sporty and expensive, you can convert the doors into wing doors.

Sound Deadeners

Automobile sounds or noises are inevitable. The process of combustion is too explosive to be silent. On the other hand, vehicular vibrations due to road unevenness are also inevitable. These vibrations also directly cause noises. The vibrating automobile panels and frames result to impacts, which sometimes lead to creaking and clanking sounds. Automobile noises are only acceptable within certain range. If they become too irritating or too load, they can already be considered as symptoms that your vehicle is already deteriorating. As your automobile grows old, the components tend to become either loose or too tight. Corrosion, bumps, and misalignment of components will make your car seem to fall apart as it runs. Sound deadeners prevent this scenario from happening.

As the name implies, sound deadeners minimize the noise being produced by your car. They accomplish this in three ways, namely, through sound absorption, sound cancellation, and vibration dissipation. Hence, there are three basic types of sound deadeners that may be found in your automobile. These include the rubber pads, the sound chambers, and dampers. The rubber pads are the simplest but the most common form of sound deadeners. They are found in different strategic locations between the automobile body panels and framework. They minimize sounds by simply absorbing the sound waves.

The second and third types of sound deadeners are more sophisticated. Unlike the rubbers pads, they indirectly treat sound waves. The sound chambers are precision-constructed structures that work by using the principle of destructive interference. They act as echo chambers, much in a similar manner that the muffler works. Mirror-image echoes are created, thereby canceling the original sound waves. Instead of reverberating or further transmitted the sound waves are neutralized. The third type of sound deadener is the damper. Dampers may refer to hydraulic dampers or composite bushings. Instead of directly treating sound waves, the vibrations of the automobile body panels and framework are arrested. Vibration energy is cushioned and dissipated.

Brief History of Automobiles

Unlike other inventions, the automobile was not invented by a single person. Many inventors, scientists, engineers, and corporations contributed to its development. It is a product of centuries of research and development. It is a product of the imagination of visionaries and the result of countless trials and errors. Its many components have their own histories. These components can be grouped into systems that include the engine, the cooling system, the suspension system, the brake system, the steering system, and the transmission system. The evolution of the automobile is the result of a worldwide collective effort. An estimated 100,000 patents led to the creation of the modern automobile that we now take for granted.

Although no single date or person can be wholly credited for the invention of the automobile, there are many key events and individuals that can be noted. Like many other great inventions and technologies, scientific theoretical frameworks serve as the foundation. The development of the automobile began with the idea of creating a vehicle that is self-powered. During ancient times, beasts of burden such as horses are used to pull carriages or chariots. The idea of self-driven chariots can be found in myths, legends, and even in the bible. However, the practical idea about self-propelled vehicles can be traced to the theoretical plans of Leoardo Da Vinci and Isaac Newton. They were the ones who first conceptualized motor-driven cars.

On the other hand, the first real automobile prototype was developed by French engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot, in 1769. It was a military tractor powered by a steam engine. It was commissioned by the French Army in hauling artillery. During that time, it was the most powerful and fastest steam-powered road vehicle with the speed of 2.5 miles per hour. It ran only in three wheels and was very difficult to operate. Every 10 to 15 minutes, the said vehicle had to be stopped to buildup enough steam pressure. The steam boiler and the engine were separate units and located in front of the vehicle.

Cugnot’s steam-powered automobile was an ultimate failure. After he encountered the first ever motor vehicle accident in 1771, strings of bad luck followed. Cugnot lost his patrons and his road experiments eventually ended. Since Cugnot’s car was hard to maneuver and very inefficient, the military lost its interest on it. Although it was an economic and technical failure, historians now agree that it was the real beginning of automobile evolution. It took about a century later before the next crucial developments about the automobile took place.

Steam engines were eventually replaced by internal combustion engines powered by fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. This was the beginning of the development of the modern automobile. It was in 1862 that the German inventor, Nicolaus Otto, pioneered the design of an indirect-acting free-piston engine that was compression-less. It enjoyed a modest market success. It was used as stationary engines for pumping purposes. However, it was only in 1876 that Nikolaus Otto, Gottlieb Daimler, and Wilhelm Maybach developed the first working model of a four-stroke cycle engine. This became the basis of the modern automobile engine. In honor of its primary inventor, the four-stroke engine cycle was also named as the Otto Cycle.

The development of practical and compact internal combustion engines led to the market viability of cars. It was during the later part of the 1890’s and early part of the 1900’s that cars were mass-produced. The economic success of cars can be credited to Henry Ford. He was the one who developed and implemented the concept of assembly lines. The manufacture of cars became more efficient and cheap. Until today, the “assembly line” concept is still being used.

Grille

When it comes to the marketability of an automobile, aesthetics is as important as performance. Sometimes the success of a car model is dependent on its physical attractiveness. Most buyers tend to be impressed by the external appearance. Hence, it is not surprising why car manufacturers invest on the aesthetics. The appearance of a new car model may break or make its economic viability. People will always choose the more beautiful car model over an ordinary-looking vehicle – provided that the two car models have the same level of performance. Aesthetic is a marketing factor that determines the market success of an automobile. The grille, for instance, is an important component that contributes to the overall appeal of an automobile.

Grilles are standard decorative components of automobiles. They are some of the readily identifiable features of cars. Some new car models are even categorized based on their grilles. Superficial as they are, grilles cannot be eliminated without radically changing the overall aesthetics of cars. The front areas of cars will look ridiculously bare without grilles. They are comparable to facial features that identify a person. On the other hand, you can personalize your car by simply customizing the grille. You can choose the shape, size, design, and finish motif of your car.

The grille is a simple structure found on the front area of the engine compartment of your car. It serves the dual roles of being a decorative component and a protective structure. As a decorative component, it accentuates and complements the overall finish of your car. In most cases, grilles are chrome-plated structures. Chrome is a classic finish that is not conspicuous but also not too subdued. As protective component, on the other hand, the grille protects the internal structures against road grits and projectiles. It also serves as access for exchange of airflow. Hot air exits through the spaces of the grille while fresher, cooler air is drawn in.

Radio Frequency Interference

Modern automobiles are not only mere mechanical contraptions. Their operations are also regulated by electrical and electronic components. The process of combustion is initiated, sustained and regulated by electrical and electronic components. Most important of these components is the ECU or engine control system. As the name suggests, it is the built-in computer that controls the operation of the engine. It automates the process of combustion so that it can be more precise and efficient. It is the system that regulates the air intake rate, the spark plug timing rate, and the fuel injection rate. It automatically responds to the mechanical demands of the engine. However, it is susceptible to the radio frequency interference produced by the spark plugs.

Radio frequency interference is the result of the high-voltage electrical discharges of the spark plugs. Although the ECU controls the ignition system, including the spark plugs, it can adversely be affected by radio frequency interference. It can malfunction, leading to engine breakdown and fuel inefficiency. As an electronic system, the ECU can easily be disrupted by radio frequency waves. It can misinterpret data and can inaccurately send signals to the ignition components. If the interpretation of data is inaccurate, the response of the ECU will also be inaccurate.

Radio frequency interference is the direct result of the oscillation of the magnetic field and electrical field. The high-voltage current flowing in the spark plugs and the ignition wires produces magnetic and electrical fields. These fields are perpendicular to each other. When these fields oscillate, radio waves are propagated. Since the distributor rotor alternately distributes the current, it results to current oscillations that also lead to field oscillations. The oscillations create weak radio frequency waves. To prevent these waves from interrupting the operation of the ECU, the ignition system have special, multi-layered insulations. In this manner, the precision and efficiency of the engine is preserved.

Ignition Coil: Multiplying Electrical Power

The electrical current from the battery of your car is too weak to provide direct power for the automobile lights. It is far too weak to provide power for the ignition system, much so, to sustain it. However, the electrical power that is used during start ignition is derived from the car battery. It is the same electricity that allows the spark plugs to discharge high-voltage electrical sparks. This is made possible by the ignition coil. It is the built-in transformer of your automobile. It is a step-up transformer that multiplies the weak voltage from the batteries before being distributed to the rest of the ignition system.

As a step-up transformer, the ignition coil increases the electrical power output at least one-thousand fold. It achieves this through the process known as electromagnetic induction. It is a process whereby an electromagnet or a permanent magnet induces the production of voltage. An ignition coil is comprised of two sets of coils, namely, the input coils and the output coil. These coils are wound around a multi-layered toroid iron core. The input coil has greater number of windings compared to the output coil. This makes the input coil produce a stronger magnetic field that is transmitted by the toroid core.

The electromagnetic field of the input coil induces high-voltage current to the output coil. In turn, the output coil sends high-voltage current to the other components of the ignition system. Every time the ignition key is turned, low voltage current flows from the car battery to the ignition coil. The ignition coil is responsible for multiplying the weak voltage of the battery. In so doing, the starter motor and spark plugs will have enough power to start and sustain fuel combustion. When fuel combustion is already sustainable, the burden of supplying electricity shifts from the battery to the alternator.

The Evolution of Cars

Since Henry Ford pioneered automobile mass-production, the car has undergone radical changes. From horseless-buggy-inspired designs, cars today are now virtually unrecognizable from their ancestors. The bike wheels are gone, replaced by robust but stylish wheels. The steering lever is gone, replaced by a rotary steering wheel. Walls, roof, windows, windshield are now added. Although there are convertible versions, most automobiles have sealed interiors. This allows them to have precisely-regulated internal climate systems. Modern automobile interiors are isolated environments on their own. The automobile has become more than mere transportation vehicle. It is now an extension of our home. Even our personality can be expressed through our cars. Cars changed from a mere practical contraption to something that is personalized.

The evolution of cars has been impressive, given the short span of time. Fuel efficiency, ride comfort, maneuverability, and safety have all been improved. The automobile has become more powerful and much faster. It has become more ergonomic and automated. Most important operations of the car are now automated. Most important of these automated operations is fuel injection. Fuel injection rate is controlled by the onboard computer of a modern automobile. It is dependent on various factors that are also continually being monitored by the computer. In this manner, fuel is consumed more efficiently and the mechanical output of the engine is optimized.

The present trend of automobile development is now towards fuel efficiency. Fuel-efficient cars are cheaper to maintain and they go farther. They have greater mileage. They can travel longer distance given certain amount of fuel. They also produce smaller amount of pollution. Hence, they are eco-friendly cars. When it comes to environment-friendly cars, “hybrid” is now the buzzword of the auto manufacturing industry. A hybrid car takes advantage of both fossil fuels and batteries. You can expect that the role of fossil fuel will gradually become obsolete as its supply dwindles.

Combustion

Combustion is more sophisticated than it seems. It is more than the mere burning of fuel. Combustion is a precise process that requires proper timing and coordination. It involves many components that either work in synchrony or in succession. When you turn the ignition key of your automobile, you are initiating combustion. High-voltage current from the ignition coil flows to the spark plugs. The metallic gaps of the spark plugs discharge electrical sparks that are very similar to lightning. However, this is not as simple as switching-on the spark plug circuits. The distribution of current to the spar plugs are regulated by the rotary switch known as the distributor.

The rotation rate of the distributor rotor is determined by the rotation rate of the crankshaft. Since the crankshaft merely translates the linear reciprocating motions of the pistons, the firing timing of the spark plugs corresponds to the motions of the pistons. Specific spark plugs only fire when the corresponding pistons are in certain position. They only fire when the pistons are in power stroke position. Hence, the firing sequence of the spark plugs mimics the reciprocating or alternating motions of the pistons. If the spark plug timing is premature or delayed, the engine might breakdown.

Aside from the spark plug timing, combustion timing is also regulated by the closing and opening of the valves. In a typical gasoline engine, the process of combustion undergoes four stages. These stages are also collectively known as the four-stroke cycle or Otto cycle. This cycle involves the opening and closing of the air intake valves and exhaust valves. The four stages of the cycle are the intake stroke, compression stroke, power stroke, and the exhaust stroke.

Intake stroke is the stage wherein air and fuel are drawn into the combustion chambers. The intake valves open while the injectors spray fuel into the combustion chambers. The fuel is sprayed as very fine droplets to maximize the surface area exposed to the air. This allows the fuel to be optimally combusted. During this stage, the fuel is mixed with the air. This stage is followed by the compression stroke. It is during this stage that the fuel/air mixture is thoroughly homogenized by compressing it. The pistons exert pressure on the mixture. It is during this stage that the fuel is being prepared for burning. During this stage, the valves are closed to maximized compression. The third stage of the combustion cycle is the power stroke. It is the most important stage of the cycle. It is during this stage that the chemical energy of the fuel is released. It is then converted into mechanical output. It is during this stage that the molecular bonds of the fuel molecules are broken as they combine with the oxygen in air. New molecular bonds are formed, namely, water molecule bonds and carbon dioxide bonds. Finally, the fourth stage of the combustion cycle is the exhaust stroke. It is during this stroke that the byproduct gases of combustion are released. Although these gases are predominantly carbon dioxide and water vapor, some residual traces of metals and pollutants are also present.

As the molecular bonds of the fuel molecules are broken, thermal energy is released. The release is almost instantaneous. This explosive release of heat creates a sudden buildup of pressure inside the combustion chambers. As the exhaust gases tries to escape, the pistons are pushed. However, not all pistons are simultaneously pushed. Some pistons are undergoing other stages of combustion. Hence, the pistons move in alternating or reciprocating manner. Collectively, these linear motions are converted to rotational motion by the crankshaft. Thus, the cycle begins again.

Running Boards and Nerf Bars

If you own a big utility vehicle, such as an SUV, you will notice that it features structures just below the door bases. These structures serve as extra steps, much similar to the function of the rungs of a ladder. These extra steps can either be Nerf bars or running boards. Nerf bars are tubular structures with rubber coating on the surface. On the other hand, running boards are flat metal boards that are reinforced by metal frames. In either case, a Nerf bar or a running board runs from the rear fender end of the front wheel to the front fender end of the rear wheel.

Nerf bars are simpler and more stable. They are also comparably easier to install because they do not feature too many supporting frames. The braces of Nerf bars can simply be bolted under the chassis of the automobile. However, stepping on them may require some balancing. By comparison, running boards are lighter and they provide broader stepping surface. If Nerf bars are made from chrome-plated stainless steel, running boards are commonly constructed from aluminum materials. Their structural rigidity is secured by the multiple frames that support them. Meanwhile, the structural integrity of Nerf bars is assured by their tubular shape.

Nerf bars and running boards provide extra convenience for passengers who are boarding or dismounting your utility vehicle. The height of a typical vehicle may post some problems to passengers. Since these extra steps provide wider stepping areas, the passengers’ feet will not immediately fall on the ground or on the floor of the vehicle. If their shoes are muddy or dirty, the Nerf bars or running boards can serve as foot wipers. You may also use these structures as the stepping structures when fixing roof cargoes of your SUV. You can have more secure footing when stepping on them.

Scion xB

Who ever said that the boxy automobile design is out of trend? Who ever said that it is a design that is now relegated to a bygone era? Well, I am not talking about a vintage car. The Scion xB is far from being a vintage car. It is neither a repackaged old model. Its 2008 version is a totally new concept that integrates all the basic modern amenities. The classic boxy design is retained not just as fashion statement but also for practical purposes. It offers wider interior space and more comfortable interior climate. It has added length to accommodate more passengers. The edges and angles, on the other hand, are less pronounced, making the vehicle more attractive. Nonetheless, the angular appearance is maintained to project the robust appearance.

It is a utility, all-terrain vehicle that is not only distinctive in its appearance but also distinctive in its functionality. Aside from the improved passenger capacity, the cargo space is also significantly improved. It now closely resembles the Honda Element. Its wider wheelbase makes it more stable. The wheel sizes also have been increased to accommodate larger brake discs. These reconfigured brake discs provide greater braking power and safety, especially during off-road drives.

One of the new features of the Scion xB is the electric power steering. This eliminated the use of belts, pulleys, and hydraulic fluids. The new electric power steering system is an innovation when it comes to convenience and simplicity. It makes the automobile more maneuverable and precise. You can have more confidence handling this vehicle regardless of the terrain on which you are driving. The superb suspension combined with the electric power steering makes this vehicle truly maneuverable and very comfortable to ride. Road bumps are barely felt. Its extra horsepower is also an added feature aside from the excellent steering.