American Muscle Monday- Eleanor

When you think about famous cars, does the beautiful 1971 Ford Mustang Sportsroof that was featured in the 1974 film, "Gone in 60 Seconds" ring a bell? Perhaps you're more familiar with the Jerry Bruckheimer remake of the film in 2000, starring Nicholas Cage and Angelina Jolie, which featured a customized 1967 Mustang fastback. Either way, our focus for this weeks American Muscle Monday is... Eleanor.

Original Eleanor. Image from JD Rucker at ford-life.com

There were two 1971 Mustang Sportroofs that were used in the 1974 version of the film. The first was saved as a beauty car, and was not modified for the film. However, the car was supposedly crushed after filming had finished. The reason for this is unknown. The second car was used as the stunt car. It took the crew 250 hours of labor to prepare it for filming. A laundry list of adjustments and modifications were made.

• All body panels were removed so that a roll cage could be installed throughout the cars stock uni-body.
• The transmission was chained in.
• An adjustable camera rig was mounted to the backseat to capture footage from the drivers' point of view.
• Heavy duty Simpson shoulder harness' was added
• Deadbolt door locks installed
• Aftermarket hood pins
• 24-volt electrical system
• On-board first-aid kit
• Electrical kill switches
• Individual locking rear brakes
• Fish planting of the undercarriage

1967 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500

Both of these precious vehicles represent an and of an era. Before we started to become more conservative with our vehicle design towards the end of the 1970's, companies like Ford were not afraid to share their idea of pure American muscle with the world.

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eleanor_(automobile)

Old Tires Tread On As New Sandals In Detroit

When a tire is too worn out to drive on, what purpose can it serve?

Executive Director Rev. Faith Fowler, and other good-doers at Cass Community Social Services (CCSS), have proven by example that a tires use does not have to end when it comes off of your vehicle.

The Detroit based organization has been aiding the joint effort to clean up the planet by removing and recycling illegally dumped tires from its own 139 square miles of roadways. The organization then uses the rubber to create a brand of sandals that are unique to The Motor City, "Detroit Treads".

Since 2007, CCSS has helped to clean up more than 35,000 tires to make mud mats and now, Detroit Treads sandals. Their effort has accomplished more than making the city of Detroit cleaner. CCSS now employs over 80 part time workers, and distributes a quality product at an affordable price.

If you want to contribute to a great cause, while also walking away on a pair of nifty sandals, visit CCSS online or call Sue Pethoud at (313) 883-2277 ext. 203 to order your Detroit Treads over the phone.

 If you've already got a pair of sandals but you're in need of new treads for your vehicle, look to Town Fair Tire for the best deals around!

Town Fair Tire Wants To Send You & A Friend To The Gathering Of The Vibes Festival At Seaside Park

TOWN FAIR TIRE IS GIVING AWAY TWO FREE TICKETS TO THE GATHERING OF THE VIBES FESTIVAL FOR SATURDAY AUGUST 2nd, 2014!

Click To Enter

You can count on meeting good people, eating good food, and listening to some truly great music, at this year's Gathering of the Vibes Festival at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT. The 19th annual music, arts, and camping festival will bring over 25,000 people together for a long weekend of celebration.

Musical artists such as John Fogerty, Ziggly Marley, Slightly Stoopid, and many, many more will take the stage from July 31st through August 3rd. There will also be a stage featuring young up-and-coming bands, group yoga, artisan crafts, games for kids, and plenty of opportunities to make great new memories with your friends and family.

Visit www.gatheringofthevibes.com for more information on this summer's big party!

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Visit www.townfairtire.com/rebate/tires/ for more savings opportunities from Town Fair Tire!

Life Is A Beach When You Have A Flat Tire

The sun is out and the water is warm. Today is the perfect day to bring the family to the beach. Everyone is packed into the car with beach toys, coolers and the giant umbrella that your mother-in-law insisted you bring. After waiting for the dog to pee twice, you're finally ready to hit the road.  

No family trip to the beach would be complete without multiple bathroom pit stops, disputes over the selection of music, or (usually) empty threats to "turn the car around". You eventually overcome all of these obstacles and arrive at your destination, more than ready to kick back and relax. As you pull into the sand covered parking lot you feel it happen. You know in your gut that it isn't good, and as you anxiously jump out of the car to check the damage, you see it. You have a flat tire.

This is where we come in. There's no need to let a flat tire ruin a perfectly good beach day. There are Town Fair Tire stores conveniently located near most major beaches in New England. So if you don't see that piece of debris buried beneath the sand, don't sweat it. Town Fair Tire will help get your vehicle back on the road in time to beat the beach traffic home.

Below is a list of popular beaches in the New England area with links to, and distances from the nearest Town Fair Tire store.

Connecticut Beaches

• Calf Pasture Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Norwalk, CT (2.7 mi.)
• Hammonasset Beach State Park
• Town Fair Tire of Old Saybrook, CT (12.7 mi.)
• Sherwood Island Park
• Town Fair Tire of Southport, CT (3.6 mi.)

Maine Beaches

• Crescent Beach State Park
• Town Fair Tire of South Portland, ME (8.6 mi.)
• Old Orchard Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Biddeford, ME (9.5 mi)
• Scarborough Beach State Park
• Town Fair Tire of South Portland, ME (8.2 mi.)

Massachusetts Beaches

• Kalmus Beach Park
• Town Fair Tire of Hyannis, MA (3.3 mi.)
• Plymouth Long Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Plymouth, MA (4.0 mi.)
• Singing Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Danvers, MA (11.8 mi.)

New Hampshire Beaches

• Hampton Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Seabrook, NH (6.7 mi.)
• North Hampton State Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Seabrook, NH (8.2 mi.)
• Rye and Jenness Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Portsmouth, NH (10.2 mi.)

Rhode Island Beaches

• Eastons Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Middletown, RI (3.0 mi.)
• Misquamicut Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Warwick, RI (36.7 mi.)
• Narragansett Town Beach
• Town Fair Tire of Middletown, RI (16.0 mi.)

If the beach that you usually go to is not on our list please feel free to add it in the comments below. I will update the list as new requests come in.

Do You Know How Old Your Tires Are?

Have you ever asked yourself why the age of your tire matters when it goes on your car? Then you start to wonder, do tires have expiration dates? The answer is no, tires don’t officially have expiration dates. They do, however, have codes that can tell you when the tire was made.

Deciphering this code is easy if you have the key. There is a lot of information on a tire, and it's important that you know how to read it. Simply find the string of numbers beginning with the DOT located near the inner ring of your tire. Then follow that number until you get to the last four digits. The four digits are a date code. The first two numbers are the week of the year the tires were made, and the last two numbers are the year it was made. The number “5207” would tell you that they were made in the last week of December 2007. For tires manufactured in the year 2006 and earlier, the code may be on the inside of the tire rather than the outside where it is easily visible. This type of coding does not apply to tires produced prior to the year 2000. For the years prior to 2000, the last 3 digits tell you the week of the year and the year of the decade. However, there’s no one universal identification for the decade making it very difficult to know which decade the tires came from.

This tire was made in the last week of September in 2009

Want to know what the other numbers in the string mean? DOT means the tire passed the testing requirements set forth by the Department of Transportation. Then there is a two digit plant code, two digit tire size code, and a four digit manufacturer’s code.

Now that you know how old your tires are, you should keep in mind that you should be wary of any new tires that are more than two years old. The weather (especially heat) and ultraviolet light from the sun both break down rubber and cause it to deteriorate. This can cause the rubber to become brittle, and the tires to become less effective. Most car makers and tire companies suggest replacing tires somewhere between six to ten years from the date of manufacture, regardless of the wear. Since they are a crucial part of braking, turning, and accelerating, it’s in your best interest to make sure your tires are in the best possible shape. If you think that it's time for new tires, make an appointment at Town Fair Tire to see how much you can save on your new tires today.

Helpful links:

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2014/05/dangerous-tires-cracking-the-code-that-could-save-your-life/

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/news/auto-blog/how-old-are-your-tires-15441034

http://www.cars.com/go/advice/Story.jsp?section=maintenance&story=tires-101&subject=tires