Construction On The Super HighwayAutomotive enthusiasts and fabricators will be elated to hear Miller Electric Mfg. Co (www.MillerWelds.com) has rolled out a redesigned Motorsports Web site specifically for gearheads. Encompassing a sporty flavor for interaction, the site offers an extensive community forum and insight on welding topics and products across the motorsports industry, from NASCAR and street rods to choppers, off-road, and drag racing. Take part in the action by going to http://www.MillerWelds.com/Motorsports.
Enthusiasts are invited to browse topics such as "Who Uses Blue" and "In The News" for a behind-the-scenes look at motorsports luminaries who use Miller products. Learn welding techniques from the pros or share your own by participating on the popular Ask Andy Message Board. Here, Miller's motorsports expert Andy Weyenberg and other skilled members answer questions, provide welding tips, and share their knowledge of sport and machine. The Related Products section of the site offers a list of the most commonly used products by specific motorsports industries and skill levels.
"We want to represent a broadened view of the motorsports industry from the enthusiast perspective," says Miller manger of e-communications Suzanne Feldkamp. "Regardless of your level of interest, from weekend wrenchers to the pros, if you want to learn to weld, weld better, or share your knowledge with others, this is the site for you."
With headquarters in Appleton, Wisconsin, Miller Electric Mfg. Co. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller and Hobart-brand arc welding equipment and related systems for metalworking, construction, maintenance, and other applications. Miller Electric is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. in Glenview, Illinois, a diversified, multinational manufacturer of highly engineered components, assemblies, and systems.
Southern 408Welcome to Southern Motor Company. We just make trucks, and we make them like they were meant to be made: beautiful and stylish, with lots of power. Made in South Carolina, we are committed to making the most beautiful vehicles you can buy. Our vehicles are made quite different from everyone else. For starters, we will make no more than about 2,000 vehicles per year of any model. In addition, our materials are unique to the industry: triple chrome plating for the steel grille, polished stainless steel bumpers, epoxy-coated teak for the bed, and all-steel exterior parts with no plastic. Add a 385-horsepower engine with chromed accessories and you have yourself the most spectacular truck in the world. It's called the Southern 408.
You won't find all that cushy stuff that you will with many of today's vehicles, like heated steering wheels, programmable seats, individual climate controls, powered side mirrors, GPS systems, or digital clocks (is there something wrong with a real clock?). No, we offer trucks like they were meant to be. If you want to adjust the side mirror, stick your hand outside and adjust it. Want to lower the cab's temperature? Adjust the thingy to the left on the climate control. High beams? They are on the floor where they should be. We will provide the essentials: electric windows and seats, A/C, and a CD player. And yes, it has cup holders, too.
What color do you want? Brickyard Red over Sunset Red or Raspberry Pearl? How about any color you can imagine? In addition to the custom colors, we will paint your engine compartment area to match your exterior. All paints are done with a basecoat, clearcoat, polished process; nothing short of show quality. Finally, we give you chrome boosters, brackets, and pulleys to make the engine area a piece of art. But don't let those good looks fool you-this engine will meet all emission standards, even in California.
The vehicle will meet all national safety standards, including driver and passenger airbags. A full three-year, 36,000-mile bumper to bumper warranty is standard. All body panels are stamped steel, and almost every part is made in the U.S. Sure, we can get a cheap radiator from Taiwan and save $125, but ours are all aluminum and made by Griffin Radiator in South Carolina. We could have gotten our wheels from China and saved some money, and they would have looked great. Instead, we chose Cragar SS as our standard. However, we'll put any wheels you want on it. Selling price is $55,000. Production is estimated to begin in late 2008. We will only make 100 the first year, and approximately 600 in 2009.
If you would like more information about the vehicle, or want to inquire about getting your name on the waiting list, please feel free to contact us at feedback@southernmotorcompany.com. For pre-ordering information, check out http://www.southernmotorcompany.com/preorder.html.
Movin' On UpJim Meyer Racing Products has been building performance chassis and suspension products for over 30 years. In an effort to handle their rapid expansion, Jim Meyer Racing, a leader in bolt-in IFS technology, has moved just "up the street" into a new 12,500-square-foot facility in Lincoln City, Oregon. Located on three acres, they are not only expanding their facility's power, but they are also increasing the scope of their product line. The bigger building will allow them to boost production on their new Pro-Touring subframe product line for Second-Gen Camaros, and First-Gen Camaro subframes will be the next new product development for Jim Meyer.
We all appreciate our freedom in this country, and we are thankful every day for the servicemen who keep it that way. Jim Meyer would like to thank all the current Iraqi Theater servicemen and women by giving them 10 percent off any of their orders. From our Web site statistics, we can see there are a lot of car guys pulling the triggers, and when they're not, they are still cruising automotive Web pages for parts when they get back home. Catalogs and instructions are free: just call 800-824-1752, or download them from www.jimmeyerracing.com.
Here's Your Sign"Unattended Children Will be Given an Espresso and a Free Puppy" and "To Go Left, Make Three Right Turns" topped a survey by Hagerty to find America's funniest, craziest, and most outrageous road signs. Hagerty customers across the United States submitted more than 300 photos of road signs, local business signs, and homegrown signs over a period of two months to find the wackiest road sign.
Signs like "Beach Access-No Water" and "Bottomless Pit: 65-Feet Deep" also made the list of the wackiest road signs, just behind the real head-scratcher, "Entrance ONLY-Do Not Enter."
"Hagerty likes to periodically challenge our customers to find new ways to amuse and entertain themselves on road trips, which is why we do many fun surveys and contests," said Hagerty Collector Network CEO McKeel Hagerty. "We had a difficult time narrowing down the entertaining submissions, but we definitely learned a lot about what lines U.S. roads and the sense of humor that makes each city unique."
What Are America's Wackiest Road Signs?1. "Used Cows for Sale"2. "Unattended Children Will be Given an Espresso and a Free Puppy"3. "To Go Left, Make Three Right Turns"4. Entrance ONLY-Do Not Enter5. Duck Crossing (picturing a horse)6. Beach Access-No Water7. One Way (with arrows pointing in two directions)8. Bottomless Pit: 65-Feet Deep9. You'll Never Get to Work on Time10. Caution, This Sign Has Sharp Edges
The complete gallery of submissions can be reviewed by visiting the Hagerty Road Sign Rally Web site at http://www.hagerty.com/RoadSignRally/.