What Is Value? p.06 Events Calendar p.10 Cars 4 Sale p.18 May 2011
After all...it’s a driven world
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF SUPERCAR SUNDAY
contents: ISSUE 17, MAY 2011 EDITOR IN CHIEF ART DIRECTOR
Tim Cummings
SENIOR COPY EDITOR
Louis Berkman
PRINTING DESIGN WEB DESIGN STORIES BY
PHOTOGRAPHY ADVERTISING
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Dustin Troyan
Jay Press-Press Graphix Tim Cummings Jeff Balbien Jay Parille Officer Leland Tang Bruce Meyer Louis Berkman Dustin Troyan Greg Grudt www.speedandmotion.com Auto Gallery Auto Trixx All Car Parts, LTD. Lavaggio Universal City Nissan Press Graphix Coastline Motorsport Fusion Motor Sports Precision Auto Body Valley Pacific Hangar Simi Pacific SoCal Shop Guy Dent Mechanix 1080 Signs Community Chiropractic Nutek
Payments and Deadline Payments are made in advance of printing. Please submit payment with ad submission. Artwork due by the 15th of month prior to publication month. Preferred payment method is check. We do accept credit cards.
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Please make checks payable to: Connected Media Group, LLC. 23907 Ventura Blvd., Calabasas, CA. 91302 Questions or comments: Dustin@connectedmediagroup.com 818-516-5053 SIZING: Full Page 8.625” x 11.125” 1/2” Page 7.875” x 5” (if horizontal) and 3.875” x 10.375” (if vertical) 1/4” Page 3.875” x 5” Business Card 2” x 3.5”
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PRICING: Front Cover Space...........................................$750 Full Page Inset................................................. $600 Full Page Back Cover......................................$600 Full Page...........................................................$500 Half Page..........................................................$400 Quarter Page....................................................$300 Business Card..................................................$100 Calendar Page..................................................$550 Cars 4 Sale..........................................................$50 Artwork Specifications: HI-REZ PDF or PDF/X1-A / CMYK with all high resoulution graphics and fonts embedded Email artwork to: Dustin@connectedmediagroup.com
from the editor What Is Value? STORY BY DUSTIN TROYAN
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alue. What is value? I think that value is a showing of appreciation and consideration. Value in a customer, a friend, an associate or business partner. How do you create more value? How do you compete in this marketplace? Provide a better value at a better price. Go further, innovate and provide a better experience for your customer. Part of value is the passion behind a service or product. Is there passion? I know all of this sounds redundant. For those who read the business journals or are fresh out of college these topics have probably been drummed in over and over, but likely without practical application. How does this correlate to your daily business or your personal relationships? I suppose it means working harder, smarter, and appreciating every cent that someone is willing to pay you. Stop making excuses and go the distance. This is value. It is strange but it appears that there are a lot of people out there that are willing to go only so far. I appreciate the opportunity cost of time, and that sure we all deserve a break or vacation, but in this economy maybe we don’t. Why do we go a little further? It is simple to set ourselves apart. I am sure that there are those of you out there reading this and saying, “I have done my part” or “I have gone far enough” or perhaps even “I don’t get paid enough for this or that.” I can understand that sentiment and frustration, but I can also appreciate ambition and
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opportunity. What made this country great is the sense of opportunity, not entitlement. Hard work and achievement, this is what sets America apart. This still applies today. Back to value. How to retain customers and increase business? Simple: provide a better product and service for less than your competitor while providing a more fulfilling experience. Find ways to increase the value of the relationship and make the customer’s life easier. This may be as simple as a phone call or taking the time to stop by. It could be finishing a product or service ahead of time or delivering it personally. A sense of consideration and appreciation goes a long way and people remember it! Now back to opportunity. What is an opportunity? How do you define it? Perhaps you when you were young and you played a sport; you hit a home run, scored a goal or made the winning shot, which was an opportunity. You showed your skills and you shined. This “shining” is what will make people talk and bring people back. Where can you showcase your craft, knowledge, and ambition every day of your life? I know we all have good days and bad days, but finding consistency in the appreciation of not only others, but yourself and what you are capable of will transcend every aspect of your life. Find ways to increase the passion at your workplace, family interactions, and all parts of your life. Can you take small steps that will lead to
the large one that you have wanted to accomplish for years? Can you partner with a complimentary business and grow together? Do you have more services you can offer at an exceptional value that your current customers do not know about? What else can you do and do well? How about your employees? Can you ignite passion in them? Understand, everything you do is a reflection of what you are capable of doing, so to it all well. Do it so well that people are amazed. Do it consistently so they know you are consistent in what you say and do. Do it honestly so they trust you. Think long term and try to have a client for life, not just a “one-time” customer.
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n next month’s issue you will see an ad for my own business, Connected Media Group. It will explain what I am now doing since Village Coffee Roaster Retail closed. I would ask that if you need any of the services CMG provides, please give me a shot. I whole heartedly believe in everything I have written and would love to have the opportunity to prove what CMG can do for you and your business. Best, Dustin Troyan President & CEO Connected Media Group www.connectedmediagroup.com
Collision Repair Partners for Acura 101, Bob Smith BMW/Mini, Mercedes-Benz of Calabasas, & The Auto Gallery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cooking tips
Cast Iron Is Not Just For Headers STORY BY LOUIS BERKMAN
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am a cook. Not a chef, sous chef, pastry chef or current Food Network flavor of the week. I prepare food that people WANT to eat. I am a COOK! There are two main components to doing a job well. The first is having the knowledge and experience to actually DO a particular job. The second component is having the right TOOLS to do a job. An experienced master mechanic that uses inadequate tools is really not much of a mechanic no matter how much he knows. The same is true with cooking. I may be the most knowledgeable cook around but if I use typical mass market lightweight consumer grade pans, my cooking knowledge will not be effectively translated into a desirable result. People probably WON’T want to eat what I am cooking. This brings me to the subject of this article, cast Iron. There are a myriad of choices out there in pots and pans. The secret is only acquiring those pieces that are necessary for the cooking to be done. What I have found to date is that cast iron cookware is definitely the way to go. How can something as pedestrian as a cast iron skillet be the ne plus ultra of cookware? To answer this question, we need to look at a little bit of history. Cast Iron cookware is quintessentially American. It became widely distributed throughout the country during the 1800’s. It would be almost impossible to imagine the early settlers using anything other than cast iron to cook in. Cast iron is reasonably priced (cheap is such a NEGATIVE word!), is exceptional to cook in, and with a small amount of care will be left to your children and grandchildren. How many things can you buy for $40 that can be multigenerational? Lodge, the number one US brand of cast iron has been manufacturing the same product in Tennessee for over 100 years. The Lodge skillet you purchase today is the SAME skillet they made 100 years ago with the exception of it now coming pre-
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seasoned. Properly seasoned (a simple task who’s difficulty is VASTLY overstated) a cast iron skillet will fry better than any pan. It will sear better than any expensive cookware you can find. Food cooked in it will simply TASTE better. This should be what we are all looking for. The different taste of food cooked in cast iron is due to the physical properties of cast iron. Cast iron is actually an inefficient conductor of heat. It tries to hold as much heat as it can and only releases stored heat when it has to. This is why it is so great for frying. Because of the tremendous amount of heat cast iron holds, the fat doesn’t cool down when food is added. With such a minimal drop in temperature, the hot fat can do its job without being absorbed by the food being fried. What you wind up with is fried food that is crisp, delicate and NOT greasy. The same things hold true for searing and sautéing. Because the iron doesn’t cool down when food is placed in the pan, sautéed food seals and develops a wonderful crust from the cooking process.
EVEN GET IT NEAR A DISHWASHER! Try not to use any soap products. Soap will wash the seasoning right out a cast iron pan. If the remains in the pan won’t come out with hot water and a good scrubbing, try boiling some water in the pan until it loosens the stuck on food. After the pan has been washed, dry it completely and then put a light coat of fat on the surface of the pan to keep it from rusting and to keep the “seasoning” IN (on?) the pan. I used to use a light coating of cooking spray to do this but I have graduated to what I think is the best product to coat the pan; a paper towel with some Crisco on it. A small container of Crisco kept by the stove will allow you to keep your cast iron usable and “non-stick.”
There are two main components to doing a job well.
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he number one argument against cast iron seems to be that it is heavy. Yes, cast iron is heavier than aluminum or stainless steel. Yes it requires some additional care after use. These issues can be dealt with. Weight can be addressed by choosing pans carefully. If you can’t comfortably lift a 15 inch cast iron pan, don’t use it. Stay with sizes that you can comfortably handle. If a pan is too heavy for the cook to lift nasty burns can result. Since cast iron holds heat, it will sear your skin very nicely if you are not careful. Just remember to COOL a cast iron pan COMPLETELY before you wash it. If it is too hot and gets wet it will crack. When you wash a cast iron pan, use hot water and a stiff nonmetallic brush. DO NOT
In addition to seasoned cast iron there is also enameled cast iron. These products come from Europe and Asia and require no “seasoning”. They are enameled inside and out and are usually dishwasher safe. I have a set of Le Creuset Dutch ovens from 5 to 13 quarts capacity. Rarely does a day go by that one of these is not pressed into use. For making roasts, soups, stews, casseroles, pretty much everything that won’t fit into a skillet, these Dutch ovens are beyond reproach. Food can be cooked either in the oven or on top of the stove. Slow cooking at moderate heat produces succulent, intensely flavorful food. The gentle, even heat produced in a cast iron Dutch oven will make even the toughest cuts of meat a joy to eat. So on top of everything else, using cast iron pans will help you to become a more economical cook.
Industry News Shaver Automotive Group
Announces Opening of New FIAT Studio, Arrival of New 2012 Fiat 500 Shaver Automotive Group is pleased to announce that it now offers sales and service of the new 2012 Fiat 500 at its new FIAT Studio in the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall. THOUSAND OAKS, CA, March 26, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Shaver Automotive Group is pleased to announce that it now offers sales and service of the new 2012 Fiat 500 at its new FIAT Studio in the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall. Shaver Automotive Group invites FIAT customers in Southern California to test drive the Fiat 500, the first FIAT vehicle to be sold in the United States since 1984. Shaver's FIAT Studio is located in the heart of the Thousand Oaks Auto Mall. The 2012 Fiat 500 is a four-passenger city car that offers Italian styling, modern technology, excellent fuel efficiency and a great value to attract a new generation of American drivers. "The new Fiat 500 brings something truly unique to a fast-growing segment in America, delivering Italian-by-design function, value and efficiency intelligently tailored for our market," said Andrew Shaver, President. The 2012 Fiat 500 will appeal to Ameri-
can consumers who want their vehicle to be as engaging, individualized, ecologically responsible and technologically savvy as they are. The Fiat 500 is offered in three models (Pop, Sport and Lounge) and is available in 14 vivid exterior colors with 11 unique seat combinations and five wheel choices. All models are equipped with the state-of-theart 1.4-liter MultiAir engine, coupled with a choice of either a manual five-speed or automatic six-speed transmission. To arrange a test drive of the new 2012 Fiat 500, contact Mike Pieper at www.fiatusaof1000oaks.comor call 888.283.5490. The physical location of Shaver's FIAT of Thousand Oaks is 3888 East Thousand Oaks Blvd. Thousand Oaks, CA 91362. Shaver Automotive Group is one California's premier privately owned dealership groups and has been serving the automotive needs of customers since 1936. Learn more at www.shaverauto.com
It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I write this note that my dear friend Tom Sparks passed away peacefully in his sleep. Tommy was 84 years old and had been married to his wonderful wife Laura for 62 years. They had two loving daughters, Jenny and Barbara and two grandchildren Cody and Lacy. Tom was my second father and added so much to my life…we traveled coast to coast together and enjoyed our great friendship and the car hobby together for over 50 years. Tom was born in Iowa and came to California and was an early midget racer, hot rodder, car builder, Pebble Beach winning restorer and Pebble Beach Judge… but will be most remembered for being a world class great friend. Tom had an automotive repair and restoration shop in Hollywood from the mid-fifties until the late 90’s and was home to many Pebble Beach winning cars. He was also a world class cyclist and won the California State Road Racing Championship in 1959. He and Laura opened their home and wonderful car collection for just about every car club in the country. They were THE most wonderful couple and always welcomed car friends. Everyone who knew Tommy loved him and he will be soooooo missed. The funeral service will be private, but in the meantime keep Laura and their family in your prayers… Blessings, Bruce Meyer
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event review
It’s Auction Time, Get Out The Cash! STORY BY JAY PARILLE
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f it is January, it must be the start of the car auction season. If you think the economy is down; you wouldn’t know it by the way the vehicles were selling in Scottsdale, Arizona. Barrett-Jackson auctions are now no reserve. Whatever the final bid is, is the winner. The other auction houses, MotoXotica, Russo & Steele, RM, Gooding & Co still auction cars the old fashion way, with RESERVES. Last year’s tally for all the houses was a whopping $160 million! Only three million down from the record year of 2007, $163 million. Barrett-Jackson reported the largest sales of the week with just under $70 million. From this year’s sales B-J raised just under $4 million for charities. Chevrolet auctioned off the first 2011 Camaro convertible and Ford auctioned off the all new 2011 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca edition. All the proceeds went to charities. For
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the price of the Camaro ($225,000) not only do you get the car, but you are also invited as a guest of Chevrolet to this year’s Indy 500 where you will get the opportunity to drive one of the Indy 500 Camaro Pace Cars in one of the parade laps. The biggest seller for B-J wasn’t an exotic Ferrari, Corvette, Mercedes-Benz, or Porsche. It was a boat! Not your everyday trout hauling Glaspen boat. But, a 2010 Marine Technology Inc., Catamaran Custom 44’ Performance Boat. This fiberglass behemoth was themed after a 2008 Special Edition Corvette Z06. This boat was built with all original GM parts, headlights, door panels, taillights, steering wheel etc. Barrett-Jackson would not be BarrettJackson without some controversy. A 1964 Pontiac Bonneville ambulance slated to be auctioned was declared to be the ambulance used to transport President JFK’s body after
the assassination. A group calling itself the Professional Car Society is a club made up of people who restore hearse, ambulances, limos, and other specialty cars. They declared that this emergency vehicle may not be the one that transported the president. After much hype the car was finally auctioned for $132,000. The top seller of the week was auctioned at Gooding & Company. A 2006 Ferrari FXX Evoluzione brought $2,090,000. Gooding only offered 131 vehicles for bid. They had a 92% sales rate. Out of the 131 lots offered, a 121 were sold. The final numbers for Gooding were $34,980,000. RM auctioned off a 1955 Mercedes Benz 300SL Gullwing. It sold for $1,375,000. They sold 172 vehicles out of a total of 180 for a sales rate of 96%. Russo & Steele auctioned off some incredible Detroit muscle. A 1970 Plymouth Hemi ‘Cuda found a new home for a reported $1,705,000! The down side to this car was the fact that it is an automatic. (What would it bring if it had a 4-speed?) R & S had sales of $21,000,000. Not bad for a company that wasn’t sure they were going to be back this year due to all the damage that was caused by the tents that collapsed on many of the vehicles due to all the wind and rain at last year’s event. Let us not forget that more than cars are being auctioned. If you are looking for a new airplane, you have come to the right place. Cessna had a display of some of the new aircraft they have developed. Tires, rims, automobile art, clothing, auto accessories, jewelry, etc., are also offered for sale. Ford and Chevrolet have started to use auctions to showcase their new wares. There is something for everyone at these events. What is in store for this year for the auction companies? There doesn’t seem to be a shortage of players. Kruse Auction was forced out of business last year by the state of Indiana. It seems they were having problems issuing checks to the seller once the car was sold. MotoeXotica picked up were Kruse left off and started the weeklong frenzy a week earlier than all the other auction houses. B&J, along with Russo & Stelle, have now increased their auctions from once a year to 4 times a year. Sales of Detroit muscle and European exotics may be down a little this year, but it looks like they will be back shortly.
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Cars & Trucks: Just Getting More Sophisticated STORY BY MARK HARPER
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ars and trucks keep getting more sophisticated. Sensors are everywhere sending information to your car’s computers making traveling safer, smarter and more efficient. Nowhere is this better demonstrated than in your vehicle’s dynamic systems. Turn the key on in any new car and you'll be hypnotized with lights that flash and sparkle before you've even left your driveway. Symbols for ABS, TCS, ESP, ESC, DSC, VSC, DSP, WTF. The list goes on and on. Maybe you’re lucky and just have the one that shows a car with two “s” shaped skid marks under it. Heck, some of your best car stories might include the activation of these lights when you almost lost it during spirited driving. The impish grin you get when you push the button that turns these systems off comes with the warning that if you run out of talent your stability program will not be there to save you. One sensor that is part of this type of system is the steering angle sensor (SAS). This sensor’s function is to monitor the steering wheel location and rate at which the driver is turning it. If you think of your steering wheel as a clock this sensor measures the location of the wheel in degrees. The information is used to vary hydraulic pressure in variable assist power steering systems or by the stability control system to improve handling, braking and traction. A little bit of history first. In the eighties car makers introduced the first generation of variable assist power steering systems. These early systems were primitive by today’s standards only altering the hydraulic pressure of the power steering when vehicles were traveling at higher speeds and returning it to normal at low speeds. The faster you went the lower the assist. This would help steering feel and stability at higher speed
and ease of use at lower speeds. The SAS was very simple and did not require any “intelligence” to accomplish this purpose. Fast forward to today’s cars and we find the steering angle sensor has taken on a key role in stability programs and traction control systems. The sensors have become very precise, measuring the steering wheel’s location to within tenths of a degree. Stability control systems keep track of the driver’s steering input using the steering angle sensor. This is also the case for lateral sensors, yaw sensors, and wheel s p e e d sensors. In simple terms the steering angle sensor tells the ABS computer where the driver is steering the vehicle. The lateral and yaw sensors tell the computer how the vehicle is responding to those commands while the wheel speed sensors monitor traction. The ABS computer uses information from the sensors to determine the vehicle dynamics. If the vehicle is losing traction, over steering or under steering the system kicks in to keep the vehicle under control. Because of all of these systems performing a wheel alignment has become even more complex AND important procedure. Millions of cars today could use an alignment and on newer cars they REQUIRE the SAS be checked and reset after service. SAS has to KNOW if your car is aligned and going straight down the road. Next time you bring your car in to the shop for alignment, be certain to ask the service writer to have the technician check and reset the sensor as needed. Even if you are charged, this is a small price for safety enjoying your car’s full potential.
-small price for safety, enjoying your car’s full potential.
Drive To Arrive Myths about the "tint" on the front side windows. It is illegal because police officers can not see into the vehicle! -This is a myth, the Tint Law doesn't even mention color. The truth is that 26708(a)(1) VC, states: A person shall not drive any motor vehicle with any object or material placed, displayed, installed, affixed, or applied upon the windshield or side windows. The film in the tint prohibits/restricts the "temper" glass feature of the front side windows. So, when a driver or passenger's head contacts the window, the glass- either fails to break into small pieces or it takes a greater force to shatter the glass. This is a safety risk to the driver & passenger. Public Service Announcement by: Leland Tang Public Information Officer State of California Department of Highway Patrol West Valley Area
Valley Pacific Frame & Alignment www.ValleyPacific.com valpacmh@msn.com
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