Eastern Counties Vintage Tractor & Heritage Spectacular 2013

Now in it's second year the Eastern Counties Vintage Tractor & Heritage Spectacular is certainly living up to it's name. I enjoyed myself so much last year that there was no question as to whether or not I was going to make the 500 odd mile round trip again. My main reason for liking this event so much is the sheer concentration of veteran (pre 1930s) tractors on display, I haven't seen this sort of display any where else in the country and this year certainly didn't disappoint.

Twin City 40

(ink & watercolour)

Last year I had a few conversations with people about this monster tractor and I was extremely happy to see it in attendance this year. The Twin City 40 is powered by a 27 litre straight 6 engine making each pot over 6 litres!

1960  Mk3 Vickers Vigor

(ink & watercolour)

Vickers started making crawlers after the war using the tank running gear they used for their tanks. The Vigor was intended as a cheaper alternative to the expensive Caterpillars from the states. This example is the later Mk3 model which was the most refined but unfortunately Vickers couldn't compete with the likes of the well established Caterpillar.

1922 Holt t35

(ink)

This early crawler by Holt bears the Caterpillar branding which Holt patented before they merged with Best to become Caterpillar

John Deere Model BN Rowcrop

(ink & watercolour)

Here is the Twin City 40 alongside a more average size machine

Front View of the Vigor, it certainly has a great face.

Closeup of the Model B twin pot engine.

Here's the main lineup of John Deere Tractors

This years theme was Crawler Tractors, with a whole shed full of crawlers there certainly was a huge turnout of these unique machines:

Allis Chalmers Crawler

 International Harvester Crawler

1930 Caterpillar Ten

Owned by the West family who also own the Holt I sketched.

A new section of vintage cars was added this year. There was a great turnout of early fords and other machinery.

Two Model T Pickups

 1927 Model T Coupe

1897 Leon Bollie

Here are some more highlights of the event

1951 Lanz Bulldog D8156

 1943 - 1944 Fordson with Rotary Hoes Drainer

Two Fordson Rowcrops I sketched the Orange one last year and ran out of time to sketch the 1936 N Water Washer on the left...

 

Here it is leaving the shed.

1941 Minneapolis Moline GT

Allis Chalmers line up

 Fordson atop a Bedford

Next sketching outing is this coming weekend at Stafford Bike Show with Vintage and Veteran, more info here:

www.classicbikeshows.com

Tips To Find The Best Auto Insurance Companies

There are many auto insurance companies in the market which promote themselves as the best auto insurance companies, but actually they are not. To find the best car insurance companies car drivers have to follow these tips.

Tips To Find The Best Auto Insurance Companies

3 Tips To Find The Best Auto Insurance Companies

If you are a new driver you can get advice from the people in the industry. There are many parties like car agents, car dealers, mechanics and car sellers those who are dealing with the companies in regular basis can give you concrete information about choosing auto insurance companies.

Having strong financial stability is the indicator of the best auto insurance companies because if the company doesn't have enough assets, it cannot provide compensation for its clients. Check which insurance company has greater financial position.

You should seek the reputation of insurance companies in the market because cost is not the only factor you should always consider. An auto insurance company with high market reputation handles the customers' claims in a better way than others.

Which Are The Top Rated Auto Insurance Companies?

Another way to find the best auto insurance companies is to justify which auto insurance companies have higher ratings from both customers and independent rating organizations. Independent rating organization like A. M. Best and J. D. Power analysis the auto insurance companies and rate these companies. From their report you will get additional ideas which is the best auto insurance companies.

Getting insured means getting protection not just paying premiums and getting claims. The best auto insurance companies sell not only just the insurance policy but also the protection, value, service and care. Best car insurance companies will be the one that offers the best insurance quote and the best customer service.

How To Choose Best Auto Insurance Companies

Choosing the best auto insurance companies from hundreds of available auto insurance companies is really tough, because when you are searching you will find that all auto insurance companies claim they are the best auto insurance companies in the market. 

You will easily get confused if you go to their website because every car insurance company claims that they have the best quality customer services, the cheapest auto insurance rates, the highest discount programs and the best auto insurance policy which will be fit within your budget. 

Customers fall into the trap of numerous glamorous advertisements of auto insurance companies which often leads them to the wrong auto insurance companies. If you face these problems then how can you choose the best auto insurance companies within your budget?

To find the best auto insurance companies you have to compare car insurance companies, consider some facts about them and follow few simple tips.

The best auto insurance company is an approximate term because it can be either cheap auto insurance or the right auto insurance within your budget. Some drivers think cheap car insurance companies are the best car insurance companies, but cheap car insurance policy can be a frustrating if your claims do not get approved. Also auto insurance with high premiums cannot be always the best because you may pay for unnecessary coverage. 

The best auto insurance companies could be such companies which provide cheap car insurance within your budget without any hassle, have quality customer service and have a strong financial position. These are the main criteria to choose the best auto insurance companies.

Compare Auto Insurance Quotes Online

It is the best and easiest way to check which auto insurance companies are best. Go to individual auto insurance companies’ websites and collect the quotes by giving your personal information, driving records and vehicle information. Compare car insurance quotes and choose which insurance company offers cheaper auto insurance rates than others.

Which Auto Insurance Companies Have High Quality Services and Greater Customer Satisfaction

Though every auto insurance company advertises that their services are high quality, you have to check by following these steps.

Step 1. Review Customers Testimonial Page: every auto insurance company has a testimonial page where customers write reviews about the services of this company and how satisfy they are. Search as many companies testimonial page as you can and you will get the basic idea about service quality and how is the customer satisfaction.

Step 2. Ask, ask and Ask: ask people around you who have insurance policy already from different auto insurance companies and you will get the real situation about the service quality. Insurance companies may publish only positive reviews because of reputation, but getting information by asking car drivers cannot be deceptive.

Step 3. Get Information from Forums and Community Blog: in a forum you can ask question about which is the best auto insurance companies in your state or country and the forum members will answer and discuss the question. You will get more information from the real insurance policy holders.

No matter how cheap the auto insurance are and how much discount you get from, you will recognize the auto insurance companies as the best which stand beside you when the accident happens and if you feel there is someone on the other side to support you and process your claim as soon as possible.

The Dreaded Exhaust Back Pressure

I remember the first time I saw a tuner's huge tailpipe. I'm pretty sure it was on a Civic and was at least large enough to fit a small cantaloupe inside of it. It was intriguing and almost laughable at the same time. I quickly learned from someone that the idea behind having a huge exhaust system on a car is to allow for the freer flow of the exhaust gases from the engine block with the aim of increasing power output. 


Anyone who has ever been to a racetrack knows that race cars have extremely loud exhausts. Why? They lack any restrictions in them. Your street legal exhaust system comes with sound dampeners as well as a catalytic converter to help reduce emissions and in turn air pollution. If you take all of that away, you remove the things that are slowing down the flow of gases.

Since you cannot legally remove your catalytic converter, and in most areas it is illegal to remove all of the sound dampening devices from your car's exhaust if you drive on the road at all, some car tuners have tried to work around this by slapping on dramatically larger exhaust systems. A fair amount of large pickup trucks do the same thing. 

Anything that restricts the flow of exhausts from the engine to the muffler tip is called back pressure. Back pressure can be caused by a number of obstructions, including a clog in the catalytic converter or a collapsed section of a car's double walled exhaust pipe. Too much back pressure kills power output, fuel mileage and can even cause a car's engine to overheat. In cases of extremely high back pressure, a car's engine might stall out.

But there is such a thing as going too large, despite what some tuners think. Exhaust back pressure is a double-edged sword. Too much and it can rob performance, but too little and it can rob performance. Your exhaust system works with suction to remove the exhaust gases from the engine and move them out through the tailpipe. If you relieve all of the back pressure the exhaust gases could be sucked back into the cylinders through the exhaust valves. So outfitting a car with a 1.6-liter four cylinder engine with an exhaust the size of a semi truck's is probably a bad idea.

Measuring your exhaust's pressure is the only way to accurately determine back pressure. The easiest way to do this is with a low pressure gauge. You have to tap into the exhaust system to measure back pressure, which is best done by disconnecting the air pump check valve. For the best accuracy, the check valve needs to connect to the exhaust system before the catalytic converter.

Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes In Arizona- How To Pay Less Premium

Looking for  cheap auto insurance quotes in Arizona? Paying a high auto premium? How to pay less premium? How to find the cheapest car insurance rates in Arizona?

After reading this post you will find the answers to these questions and you will be able to find cheap auto insurance in Arizona with lower price. Getting cheap auto insurance is a dream to many car drivers, but you will be surprised to know that there are yet many auto insurance companies USA which offer cheaper car insurance than others in the state of Arizona.

Basic liability policy is must get auto insurance policy that you have to pay the least amount to insure. This basic liability policy that is termed as 15/30/10 liability and according to the law of Arizona, you have to pay this premium. Under this policy, the individual injured in an accident with your car will be given by the liability policy at maximum $15,000 as medical bill's coverage and the people who is injured in the other car during the accident will be given the maximum $30,000 by the policy as medical coverage. The policy will  also pay $10,000 as property damage because of your vehicle during the accident.

Basic liability policy is cheaper than other car insurance and more or less safe to drive that the police won’t stop you and if the police stop, you can show your insurance policy as proof. But having this type of policy there are few risks involve with this insurance. This policy won’t pay anything for the repair of your vehicle after the accident and for the passengers in your vehicle injured the accident. If the medical bills are far greater than your policy, you have to pay the difference from your pocket.

How To Reduce Auto Insurance Premium In Arizona Because Of The Profession

Many car drivers may not know that their auto insurance may be the subject of discount because of their professions. If you do not follow these auto insurance companies which have scope of discount on the basis of professions, you will lose money and will be getting higher Arizona auto insurance.

Arizona auto insurance can be cheaper for the people who have stress free professions, because lower stress has enormous impact on the car accident which we all know. Professionals have the knowledge about minimum safety training because these are the part of success and they follow the safety features even in the transport because of corporate habits. Following these crucial factors lower the chance of accidents and even a person who is not involved with any profession may have the chance to get cheap auto insurance quotes if he or she adopt with these rules.Simply what the Arizona auto insurance companies check is that you have a lower chance of accident and you have the enough knowledge about driving safety features.

Simply what the Arizona auto insurance companies check is that you have a lower chance of accident and you have the enough knowledge about driving safety features.

How To Find The Best Auto Insurance Companies In Arizona

To find the cheapest auto insurance companies in Arizona you will have to request as many car insurance rates as possible from auto insurance companies available in Arizona. Remember that the top auto insurance companies in the USA may not provide insurance services in all states, so better check what are auto insurance companies are available and active in Arizona. You have to provide few personal information about you and your vehicle and after receiving details companies will give auto insurance quotes within few minutes. Compare all the auto insurance companies and their rates and choose the lower one which also cover your requirements.

  

Esurance: Pros And Cons

Esurance Inc. is one of the car insurance companies in United States. Esurance sells car insurance via the internet or phone, and the company has established presence in 30 states. The auto insurance provider is in the league of GEICO and Progressive. These are direct auto insurance writers, as well. Currently, the company has more than five hundred thousand policyholders. The company launched its website in 1999, and since then it has written personal car insurance in different states. Esurance was one of the pioneers of online car insurance, and its website is one of the first sites that show quotes of other leading insurers for purposes of comparison. Esurance may be relatively new to the industry compared to some of its big competitors. However, over the years the company has developed innovative practices. The company is also noted for being environmentally friendly. The green company has initiated efforts to reduce consumption of paper, support reforestation, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It has been said that such efforts are plus points for the auto insurance company. Esurance: The Good 1. Good website and fast service – Esurance reviews from most customers talk about the user-friendliness of the website. Customers agree that quotes can be obtained easily. The company also provides insurance to car owners within a short time. It is also quite easy to renew an auto policy. The website allows policyholders to view their policy information. Policyholders can also conveniently print temporary insurance ID cards. However, the company does mail you a real insurance card. 2. Low-cost policies – Premium rates are within the competitive range, although not necessarily the lowest in the market. Expectedly, the company provides great rates for drivers with good driving record. 3. Reliable online customer support – Majority of Esurance reviews say positive feedbacks about the company’s customer support. According to most customers, the company responds to emails and phone calls right away. Esurance: The Bad 1. Hidden charges – One thing that some disgusted customers complain about is unmentioned fees, which deter others from obtaining the company’s insurance products. The quote may not include small fees that add up to the original quote. Hence, premiums are actually a bit higher than what is indicated on the website. There are also customers that complain about charges incurred from paper billing. 2. Absence of local agents – Take note that Esurance car insurance does not have any local agent. The company works online and provides services online or over the phone. If you have concerns, there is no one from your state or city who will assist you in person. Instead, someone over the phone will ask about your concerns and try to assist you. This is all right for some, especially those who find purchasing car insurance on the internet convenient. However, some people still prefer the old-fashioned way of speaking with an agent face to face. 3. Troublesome cancelation – This is a commonly mentioned bad Esurance review from dissatisfied customers. It is common for insurers to penalize car owners or drivers who cancel their insurance policy, but the company is said to have worse penalties than any other insurer. Termination of policy may cause a policyholder to incur hundreds of dollars of loss. Policyholders may either have to stay under the policy or endure the financial drawbacks of cancelation.

List Of Car Insurance Companies In USA

There is our list of car insurance companies in the USA. To find the best cheap car insurance, drivers have to shop around and compare car insurance quotes collected from different auto insurance companies.

Why Car Drivers Need The List Of Auto Insurance Companies

To check what auto insurance companies are available in their state, car drivers need to visit the websites or local offices of these insurance companies. Because drivers may find the selected car insurance companies is out of service or have no business in their states.

To get cheaper car insurance, auto drivers need the list because they cannot be sure that they are going to buy  the cheapest auto insurance if they select only one insurance company to shop. If drivers get car insurance rates from  as many companies as possible, they can compare car insurance companies and buy the best ones that are cheap.

To get the options, because if car drivers have any problem with their current auto insurance companies, they can switch to another one.

The List Of Car Insurance Companies In USA

                                     

  1. Progressive

Progressive auto insurance is one of the popular car insurance company in USA. People use to refer Pregressive because you can save money in various ways and they reward their loyal and potential customers. Their payment is flexible and the customers can choose and change the due date anytime.

  2. Liberty Mutual

Liberty Mutual auto insurance helps the drivers get back to road as soon as possible after the incident and has variety ranges of discount based on seniority, teen drivers and good driving records. Their coverage protect you in every aspect and ensure the safety.

  3. GEICO

GEICO auto insurance is one of the largest auto insurance companies in USA. They have variety kinds of auto insurance policies and also offers different kinds of discounts. You can get cheap car insurance and save money on your policy. GEICO have 21 million car drivers who are still with them and almost 150 local agents all over the country.

  4. Allstate

  5. Nationwide

  6. Esurance.com

  7. 21st Century

  8. Mercury

  9. Farmers

10. USAA

11. AmericanFamily

12. AmericanNational

13. Amica

14. AAA – American Automobile Association

15. Auto-Owners

16. Travelers

17. State Farm

18. The General – Auto Insurance

19. MetLife

20. Safe Auto Insurance

21. Conseco

22. Direct General

23. Eastwood

24. Encompass

25. Erie

26. Allianz

27. GMAC

28. Hanover

29. Hartford

30. Safeco

31. Sentry

32. Western Auto Insurance

Among these auto insurance companies there are the best five car insurance companies in USA. If you really want to buy the cheap car insurance and want to find which is the top rated car insurance company, search and go to these website and compare the insurance rates. 

5 Tips To Get Cheap Car Insurance For Young Drivers

Getting cheap car insurance for young drivers in not easy and many parents worry about it. Many parents buy expensive car insurance for young drivers because of proper knowledge. Apart from the riskiness of teen drivers, following these 5 tips you will be able to find cheap car insurance.

Tips To Get Cheap Car Insurance For Young Drivers

1. Installing Safety Features

Auto insurance companies may first check how safe the car the young driver is driving. Having many safety features in the car is considered to get car insurance that is cheap. Install anti-theft device in your car and try to install other safety device. This is the easiest way to reduce your insurance rates.

2. Having A Good Student Discount

Another way to find cheap car insurance for young drivers is having a good score in class. Auto insurance companies offer discounts for those who have an average B or above in class. Young drivers can get discount and save up to 15% by simply just maintaining good grades in school.

3. Attending Driver Safety Courses

If you don’t have any safety course certificate then attend motor vehicle accident prevention course. Also try to attend other safety courses approved in your state and provide the documents that you successfully complete the courses and you will get cheap auto insurance from the company.

4. Purchasing Low Cost Or Used Vehicles

High performance car usually carries high insurance rates, so avoid buying luxury, sports cars or light cars. If you are going to insure old or used car, car insurance companies may give you the insurance policy that re cheap.

5. Considering Higher Deductibles

If your insurance has a higher deductible, you can lower the insurance rates, but you may have to pay more expense after the accident.

Cheap Car Insurance Company For Young Drivers

Among the thousands auto insurance companies there are few car insurance companies which offer insurance package  specifically for young drivers. The best auto insurance company for young drivers is Nationwide. Young drivers have an accident and its simple to consider, but this will increase drivers’ insurance rates 25%-30%. If you insure your car with Nationwide, you can save money and don’t have to pay increased rates by it’s accident forgiveness package.

Though getting cheap car insurance for young drivers is tough, but if you follow these tips then you will find the cheapest auto insurance for teen drivers.

Cheap Car Insurance For Teenagers

You could find it hard to locate cheap car insurance for teenagers  which are available for teens are higher in price and because of lacking of driving experience. But thing is if you know how to search then you will find the cheapest car insurance for teenagers.

Cheap Car Insurance For Teenagers

In this article I will discuss how to find the cheap car insurance for teenagers, what factors you should consider before buying auto insurance for teens, what types of cars teens should buy and several tips to get the lowest car insurance rates.

Is Cheap Car Insurance For Teenagers Possible?

We all know that getting cheap car insurance for teens is tricky for mainly lack of concentration while driving, lack of driving experience and young ages. That’s why the parents wait till the teenagers become grown ups and get experience to make sure to get car insurance cheaper. So it is possible to get car insurance for teenagers that are cheap. Responsible teenagers can get car insurance at a cheaper rate if they know what to search. There are many auto insurance companies which offer car insurance for teenagers at cheap rate and you even find multiple auto insurance quotes from one website of different companies.

What Factors Determine Auto Insurance Premiums?

The first factor is your son daughter has to be 16 years old. This is the biggest factor the car insurance companies consider to calculate the premium. Second factor is the car you are going to buy for your teenagers. The higher priced car has higher insurance premium.  A third factor is good driving record. Everyone knows that the driver who doesn't violate traffic signal and avoid collision can get the cheapest car insurance policy, but those who go to repair shop repeatedly because of collisions have no choice but to high premium. The fourth factor is having safety features in the car which you are going to buy for teen. The car insurance companies check the safety features first that if the car has features to keep safe the drivers and passengers. Having a good driving record carries the weight to lower the insurance rates. It is the fifth factor the auto insurance companies normally consider to give cheaper auto insurance quotes for teenagers.

Cheapest Cars To Insure For Teenagers

The parents could buy luxury cars or sports cars for their teens, but it is kind of funny expecting cheap auto insurance for such cars. There are several cars you could buy for teens to get the cheapest car insurance. Among the used Honda Civics, Accord and CRV, the Honda CRV is the cheapest to insure and than the Accord is cheaper than Civics.

Ways To Save Money On Cheap Car Insurance For Teenagers Car Insurance

If you know the techniques you could save money on teenager car insurance. These are the common 2 ways to save money on car insurance.

Buy the right car for teenagers. Teenagers already belong high risk driving class and purchasing luxury and high performance car will increase the insurance rates higher. Buy low priced and if possible used car for teens to get cheaper car insurance.

Car insurance discount on good score. There are many car insurance companies which offer cheaper rates to those have good grades in school. Get at least a B grade average and you will be qualified for discount and can reduce insurance price up to 15%.

Many car drivers think that there is no such cheap car insurance for teenagers. That from one sense is right because teens are riskier than age drivers, so the insurance price is skyrocketing. Parents who want to find cheap car insurance for teens could follow these ideas and get the best cheap insurance for teens.

Classic Bike Guide Illustrations

Mortons magazine Classic Bike Guide has just received a revamp with a new look and roster of writers. To jazz the inside up I was commissioned to produce 6 portraits to be used as headers for each writers column. I had great fun producing these and it has given me inspiration for some of my upcoming painting work. Here are the full illustrations:

Gary Pinchin

(ink & watercolour)

Gary Inman

(ink & watercolour)

Pauld' Orleans

(ink & watercolour)

George Cohen

(ink & watercolour) 

Frank Westworth

(ink & watercolour)

Sarah Bradley

(ink & watercolour)

For more information on Classic Bike Guide please go to their website: 

www.classicbikeguide.com

Wheels Day 2013

Well at least one event kept up their spirits for the Easter weekend, wheels day turned out to be a great day with tons of cars, bikes, vans and trucks turning up to enjoy Good Friday at Rushmore Arena near Aldershot. 

If you haven't been before I'd highly recommend it as a perfect first run out of the year as there is always guaranteed to be loads of machines to see and it's always on Good Friday so it's easy to remember. I of course went with sketchbook in hand and had a ball sketching the wide variety on display.

1935 Ford Pickup

(ink sketch)

Lambretta TV 175

(ink sketch)

1966 Morris London Ambulance

(ink sketch)

1933 Ford Coupe

(ink sketch)

Here are the ones that got away....

Cars

 

 

 Vans & Trucks

 

 

 Bikes