Do-It-Yourself High Performance Car Mods

Do-It-Yourself High Performance Car Mods

by Matt Cramer
Released March 2013
Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill Education TAB
ISBN: 9780071804103

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Book description

A Step-by-Step Guide to Building Your Dream Hot Rod Inside and Out!

Get revved up! Everything you need to know about building your dream hot rod is inside this book. You now have at your disposal the basic automotive techniques and tools necessary to install any modification to your car. Here's the fastest and easiest way to get started!

Do-It-Yourself High-Performance Car Mods is designed to help you modify cars and light trucks for improved performance. While there are many books on individual systems on a car, this practical step-by-step guide provides you with a thorough working knowledge of ALL the systems in a single resource.

Automotive journalist and experienced engineer Matt Cramer has created an invaluable reference for readers regardless of age or experience. Whether you're a hobbyist new to the world of performance cars or a veteran car enthusiast looking to take the next step, you will become better equipped to drive off in the car of your dreams.

There's never been a simpler, more practical approach to modifying cars and light trucks, so you can do-it-yourself--and ultimately end up in the winner's circle!

Do-It-Yourself High-Performance Car Mods includes valuable information on:

  • How car systems work
  • Simple ways to improve performance
  • Getting more power out of your engine
  • How to find reliable sources
  • Separating marketing hype from reality
  • Adjusting the engine components and controls for best performance
  • How improving one area may impede another

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. Preface
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Unit Conversions
  8. About the Author
  9. 1 Planning: Getting a Clearer Vision of the Car of Your Dreams
    1. Looking for a Car
    2. How Old?
    3. Drivetrain Layout
    4. Trim Level
    5. Budgeting Money and Time
    6. Setting Goals
    7. Dealing with Dealerships, Laws, and Other Pesky Issues
    8. Ending a Project
    9. Car Events
    10. Drag Racing
    11. Autocross
    12. Track Days
    13. Wheel-to-Wheel Racing
    14. Car Shows
  10. 2 Researching: Separating Marketing Hype from Reality
    1. Seat of the Pants
    2. Dynamometers
    3. The Dragstrip
    4. Handling Measurements
    5. Smartphones and Testing
    6. Researching Mods
    7. Visiting Race Events
    8. Car Clubs
    9. Books
    10. Magazines
    11. The Internet
    12. Hired Gurus
    13. Spotting a Bogus Mod
    14. Sizing Up a Supplier
    15. Doing Your Homework to Ace the Tests
  11. 3 Wrenching: Tools You’ll Need and How to Use Them
    1. Jacks and Jackstands
    2. Wrenches
    3. Screwdrivers
    4. Other Basic Tools
    5. Containers and Organization
    6. When Bolts Stick
    7. Presses
    8. Electrical Basics
    9. Electrical Tools
    10. Connecting Electrical Parts
    11. Timing Lights
    12. Fabricating Tools
    13. Tube Tools
    14. Torches and Welding
    15. Suspension Tools
    16. And More
  12. 4 Engine—Intake and Exhaust: Simple Ways to Get More Power and Better Sound out of Your Engine
    1. Intake System
    2. Intake Modifcation
    3. Exhaust System
    4. Exhaust Modifcation
    5. Fuel System
    6. Supplying More Fuel
  13. 5 Engine—Internal Work: Getting Inside the Motor for Bigger Power Gains
    1. Cylinder Heads and Camshafts
    2. Aftermarket Camshafts and Valvetrains
    3. Cylinder Head Mods
    4. Engine Blocks
    5. Upgrading Pistons, Rods, and Crankshafts
    6. Ignition System
    7. A Better Spark
    8. Cooling System
    9. Cooling System Upgrades
    10. Oiling System
    11. Performance Oil Mods
    12. Wasting Less Power
    13. Words of Caution
    14. Engine Swaps
  14. 6 Ultimate Horsepower: Turbocharging, Supercharging, and Nitrous Oxide
    1. Superchargers
    2. Turbochargers
    3. Boost Controls
    4. Intercoolers
    5. Combining Forced Induction with Other Mods
    6. Nitrous Oxide
    7. Deciding Which One You Need
  15. 7 Engine Tuning: Adjusting the Engine Components and Controls for Best Performance
    1. Telling Which Adjustments the Engine Needs
    2. Tuning Computers
    3. Carburetor Tuning
    4. Spark Timing
  16. 8 Drivetrain: Putting as Much Power to the Road as Possible
    1. Gear Ratios
    2. Manual Transmissions
    3. Shifters
    4. Flywheels
    5. Clutches
    6. Automatic Transmissions
    7. The Mysterious Torque Converter
    8. Driveshafts and U-joints
    9. Gearing
    10. Differentials
    11. Axles and Halfshafts
    12. Engine Mounts
  17. 9 Suspension: Tuning It to Best Fit Your Driving Style
    1. Understeer and Oversteer
    2. Underdamping
    3. Bump Steer
    4. Just Plain Worn Out
    5. Other Handling Issues
    6. Suspension Tuning Basics
    7. Weight Transfer
    8. Body Roll and Traction
    9. Tire Basics
    10. Tire Sizes
    11. Tire Types
    12. Wheels
    13. Wheel Sizing
    14. Springs
    15. Shock Absorbers
    16. Coil-over Conversions
    17. Air Bag Suspensions
    18. Anti-roll Bars
    19. The Chassis and Chassis Braces
    20. Alignment
    21. Suspension Designs
    22. Traction Bars
    23. Bushings
    24. Drivetrains and Handling
    25. Lowering Done Right
    26. Tuning Suspensions
      1. Problem: Not Enough Grip
      2. Problem: Too Much Body Roll
      3. Problem: Understeer
      4. Problem: Oversteer
      5. Problem: Suspension Feels Vague, Bouncy, or Floaty
      6. Problem: Car Feels Unstable on Rough Pavement
      7. Problem: Car Feels Unstable, Even on Smooth Pavement
      8. Problem: Car Does Not Keep All Four Wheels on the Ground While Cornering
      9. Problem: Car Bottoms Out
      10. Problem: Not Enough Traction off the Line
    27. Driving Classes
  18. 10 Brakes: Optimizing Your Stopping Power
    1. Tires and Brakes
    2. Anatomy of a Braking System
    3. Brake Rotors
    4. Brake Pads
    5. Calipers
    6. Drum Brake Upgrades
    7. Swapping Drums for Discs
    8. Brake Fluid
    9. Brake Lines
    10. Proportioning Valves
    11. Line Locks
    12. Master Cylinders
    13. ABS Controls
    14. Cooling the Brakes
  19. 11 Interior: Safety, Function, and Style
    1. Rollover Protection
    2. Harnesses, Restraints, and Seat Belts
    3. Fire Extinguishers
    4. Gauges
    5. Seats and Upholstery
    6. Trim and Color
  20. 12 Exterior: Aerodynamics, Lighting, and Appearance
    1. Drag Racing
    2. Road Racing
    3. Top Speed Racing
    4. Rally Racing
    5. Importing Inspiration
    6. Mod Materials
      1. Metals
      2. Composites
      3. Plastics
    7. Aerodynamic Mods
    8. Wings
    9. Spoilers
    10. Front Bumpers, Airdams, and Splitters
    11. Ground Effects
    12. Truck Bed Covers
    13. Scoops
    14. Extractors and Louvers
    15. Fitting Oversized Wheels
    16. Paint
    17. Graphics and Decals
    18. Lighting
  21. Gearhead Glossary
  22. Further Reading
  23. Index

Product information

  • Title: Do-It-Yourself High Performance Car Mods
  • Author(s): Matt Cramer
  • Release date: March 2013
  • Publisher(s): McGraw-Hill Education TAB
  • ISBN: 9780071804103