23 inch rims

23 inch rims

Three New York detectives have been acquitted of all charges in the tragic death of Sean Bell. Bell, 23, was shot to death on the morning of November 25, 2006. It was a case that attracted national attention and community outcries of racial inequalities and excessive force by police. Relatives of Bell and community leaders, including Reverend Al Sharpton demanded that the case be fully investigated.

Bell was scheduled to be married the same day that he died. He was following his rite of passage, the same as millions of other men-- at a bachelor party. Bell, and two friends, Joseph Guzman, and Trent Benefield celebrated the night at Club Kalua, a strip club in Jamaica, Queens. According to police, the strip club was under surveillance for illegal prostitution and drugs.

According to a New York Times article, prosecutors recall that Bell was guilty of exchanging words with someone else at the club. Also,it was apparent that Bell had been drunk . Still, there had been no violence exchanged between the two men. The violence happened when Bell and his friends left the bachelor party. A police officer said that Bell had nearly ran over one undercover police officer.

Police also recount the events of Bell trying to escape from the scene. This is when pure chaos erupted. Between two of the undercover detectives, 50 bullets were fired. Those bullets tore through the gray Nissan Altima, driven by Bell and friends. Bell's friends were critically wounded. Bell was shot in the neck , shoulder, and right arm. He was pronounced dead at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center.

Because of the simple fact that these men were in Queens, I bet that they were seen as criminals as soon as they stepped out of the club. Most likely, the undercover officers didn't like how they looked, how they spoke, or how they carried themselves. Obviously, there was some form of racial profiling. There always is. For example, a black man driving a nice vehicle with .26 inch rims, hip-hop blaring from the speakers, and wearing urban style clothes will always attract attention. I guess that a couple of black guys, drunk and stumbling out of a strip club at 4 a.m. screams: THUG!!!

However, I don't think that Bell and his friends were "marked" simply because they were black. Two of the detectives, Gescard F. Isnora and Marc Cooper are black. The other detective, Michael Oliver is Latino. Yet, the truth is, the detectives may have been working undercover, but they are not "on the streets". Honestly, I believe that this began as unconscious macho-type fight between the men and the detectives. If you've been around two different groups of guys, there is always the fight to see who is the alpha male!

Like it or not, we are inferior when it comes to the Law. Yes, I believe that police officers are there to protect and serve. Yes, I know that they are there to do the job to the best of their abilities. And, I am sure that the job can't be easy. Unfortunately, by the time an officer goes home at night, he/she hasn't necessarily made everyone happy. But that doesn't mean that certain situations, like the Bell tragedy, is warranted. People do and say stupid things when they are drunk, as I am sure Bell might have. Does that make it right to shoot, shoot, shoot? It takes but one bullet to wound a man.

I don't think that there is anything that police officers can do to avoid situations like this. I am not a police officer, but I can't imagine the snap judgment that they are required to make. In their line of work, undoubtedly, they can't trust everybody. They want to go home to their families as well. And maybe Bell and his friends were threatening? Still, those bullets could have hit anyone in the surrounding area. Detective Cooper, the officer charged with reckless endangerment, struck an Air Train terminal. What if someone completely innocent had been hit by those bullets?

I believe that "accidents" like these will continue to happen. This wasn't the first time, and it sure won't be the last time. It happened in 1999, with the death of an African peddler named Amadou Diallo. Diallo was struck by 41 bullets. And, like Bell, he was also unarmed. The four police officers in this case were also acquitted of criminal charges.

Both Bell and Diallo were black. Both men were also unarmed. Maybe if/when this happens again, justice will be served for the victims and their families.

Sean Bell's family continues to rally for his justice. On their website is the following:

Latest Update:
Justice denied--all 3 police officer acquitted of all charges. 50 shots fired at 3 unarmed, peaceful men--and Sean killed on his wedding day--and not even a reckless endangerment charge for one cop. Justice is not colorblind in Queens. To be Continued.

24 inch rims

24 inch rims

Bigger wheels are all the rage now with companies all over the world scrambling to offer the biggest and the best. With a price tag ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 and up (the very first set sold for $150,000), its amazing there is such a demand for them. TIS, a well-known wheel company, paired with Pirelli Tires back in 2004 to do what no one believed possible. The two companies formed an alliance and the first 30" chrome wheel was born. Pirelli Scorpion tires cradled chrome wheels across the globe. Originally designed to fit Hummer SUV's, these wheels have been seen on almost any type of vehicle imaginable.

There is a lot of debate over where the "big wheel" craze started. Midwest drivers insist they started the street trend of throwing extra large wheels on almost any vehicle, along with Texas, Florida, and even Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Regardless of where it originated, 30" wheels have been seen on everything from lifted Chevys and SUV's. Not wanting to be left in the dust, other companies like Moz, Asanti, and Giovanna stepped up and brought what they had to the table. Now 30 inch rims are almost a requirement for every major wheel company. Giovanna, a high end luxury wheel company, came up strong in the 30 inch department with the "Caracas" wheel. Its strong lines and Giovanna logo embedded in the wheel gave any vehicle it accented an overly aggressive appeal. DUB also offers a few 28"and 30" fitments, along with many others companies.

The excitement has died down over the D'Vinci Forgiato Radurra clear polycarbonate wheel (the same material used in space shuttle windshields) that were introduced in 2006, and the $1,000,000 gem-studded Asanti wheels (12,000 diamonds + 800 sapphires = 1,100 carats) introduced in 2005, and now a new buzz is needed. The question has been for the past year- what will be done next and who will do it? When initially introduced to the market, 30" wheels had to be hand mounted because there were not any machines back then designed to take on the job. Technicians gleefully threw their back out to have the bragging rights of hand-mounting the behemoths. Now alignment, speed balancing and mounting equipment is offered to accommodate 28" and 30" wheels. You can see a video of hand-mounting 30" wheels here: http://www.myspace.com/dirtysouthcustomsnc.

Now when I say 28" and 30" wheels/rims and tires, I am not speaking of the overall diameter of the wheel. Most off-road enthusiasts and Jeep lovers measure their wheels by overall diameter. The overall diameter is measured from the very top of the tire to the bottom of the tire. Vehicles typically carry an overall diameter of 24"-32" with their factory wheels. The wheels I am speaking of are a little bigger than that. The rim itself has a diameter of 28" or 30". Seeing that these large wheels are designed for SUVs, you would have at least 8 additional inches of tire added to that. That would bring your overall diameter to 36" and up. If installed on anything other than a large SUV, a complete suspension lift would be required to accommodate such a large increase in the overall diameter. The suspension lift would be required to raise the frame of the vehicle up high enough so that the tires would clear the fender well and in most cases, the body of the vehicle. Spring spacers and air shocks could give a consumer about 2-3" of extra clearance. This wouldn't be enough, and that's where the labor of welding and cutting comes in to play. An average suspension lift on say, a 1986 Buick Regal, could cost about $1000-$2000 just to raise it enough to fit a 28 or 30 inch wheel on it. You probably would need at least 10-12 additional inches of clearance to fit a wheel this large on a car.

Mostly all of the larger wheels come designed only to fit large Hummer H2s. That particular Hummer has an 8 lug bolt pattern, and in order to install it on a 5 or 6 lug vehicle you must use a 4 to 5 inch thick double adapter. The adapter is necessary to convert an 8 lug wheel to fit a 5 or 6 lug car. These adapters can run $800 or more for a set of four. Needless to say, installing a 28" or 30" wheel on anything other than a very large SUV would require a massive suspension lift. If the suspension lift and set of wheel adapters doesn't break your budget, don't forget that the average price to replace a 28" tire if you get a flat is around $2000. This is if you can find a shop that stocks the tires! Otherwise, your local tire supplier would have to special order your tire. The pricing wars on bigger rims and tires has waged on, with local wheel shops struggling to find the finances to have the expensive wheels in stock. Typically, only larger wheel dealers can afford to have the wheels and tires on hand. A lot of online companies have made the market very competitive for small shops, with giant dealers offering sets at low prices. The downside is freight costs and shipping times, as most of the online retailers are based out of California.

Now, as if 28 and 30 inches were not big enough, companies are racing to bring 32 inch wheels and tires to the market. No one is claiming to have them officially in production for retail sale yet, BUT I HAVE SEEN THEM WITH MY VERY OWN EYES!!! The main thing slowing down major companies is production of a DOT approved tire to pair the wheels with. All the sets I have seen so far are in the design stage and are not being mass produced at this point. A select few vehicles have been chosen to showcase the wheels on their rides to gauge the demand. There are also a few "gag" photos floating around online of homemade 32" and even 40" sets. I have seen a lifted box Caprice with 40" rims made by a friend of a friend, but what you can't see in the photo is that there are no tires on the wheel. DOT approval is not easy to come by.

Trust me- people are dying with anticipation for 32" wheels and bigger. Most retail wheel shops can't keep 30 inch wheels in stock, so imagine what will happen when the 32"s hit the streets. It will not be long before you see a Hummer or box Chevy sitting high on 32"s! Keep your eyes open, it is only a matter of time.

22 inch rims

22 inch rims

Best new cars for 2009

I have made a list of the top 5 best new cars for 2009. Whether you feel the need for speed or the need for mpg's I have the perfect car for you.

1. 2009 Dodge Challenger is the winner hands down for the #1 spot.

The 2009 Dodge Challenger is available in 4 Models. The least expensive is the Challenger SE G which starts at $22,545. The SE G is equipped with a 3.5 liter engine. The SE G has an axel ratio of 3.64. If you are looking for a better factory axel ratio you need to step up a model.

The Challenger RT starts at $30,545. The RT models have a 5.7 HEMI V-8. The RT model offers a better gear ratio 3.06 and 18 inch rims. The Challenger RT J models starts at $32,480.

The top of the line is the Challenger SRT8. The SRT8 models starts at $42,245. If you love the rush of horsepower and torque the 6.1 SRTT8 HEMI engine is just what the doctor ordered.

This traditional American muscle car gets an impressive 25 mpg highway. Exception to this is the SRT8 model gets 22 mpg highway.

The 2009 Dodge Challenger is a beautiful mix of classic Challenger styling and today's technology. Just one look at the 2009 Dodge Challenger and you will fall in love all over again. HEMI orange is an available color in the SRT8 and RT models. You can visit the official website here

2. The 2009 Cadillac CTS mixes luxury with a sports car. You get the best of both worlds in the new CTS.

The entry CTS starts at $37,240. It has a 3.6 liter V6 and has a mildly impressive 263 horse power.

If you can afford it CTS-V model will blow your hair back. The 2009 Cadillac starts at CTS-$60,355* Speed demons rejoice at the Supercharged 6.2L V8 that outputs 556 hp stock.

The Cadillac CTS is certainly not your grandfathers Cadillac. The standard Bose stereo system sounds phenomenal. Luxury features mixed with great handling and power makes the CTS a winner. You can view the Cadillac CTS website here

3. 2009 Lexus IS F is a bit pricey but very impressive. The base model is $56,610.

The 2009 Lexus IS F has a mind blowing 416 hp and over 371 lb-ft of torque. Lexus is breaking new ground with the IS F. It features a worlds first eight-speed Sport Direct-Shift transmission. That a very impressive resume for a car. You can view more about the 2009 Lexus IS F here

4. The 2009 Toyota Camary is a great vehicle in both price and mpg.

The 2009 Camary starts at $19,145 and gets 21 city and 31 highway mpg. The Toyota Camary styling has improved greatly over the last few years. The Camary is a sharp looking car perfect for singles or small families.

You can view the Toyota Camary website here

5. The 2009 Smart fortwo makes you look very smart at the gas station. The Smart car gets 33 city and 41 mpg highway. The Smart cars are inexpensive too. The 2009 Smart fortwo starts at $11,990. The most expensive Smart car the 2009 smart fortwo passion cabriolet models start at $16,990.

The Smart cars are sure to turn heads. You can view the official Smart USA website here

Once you get in a Smart car you will be surprised. They are bigger inside than they appear.

Sources

www.dodge.com/en/2009/challenger/

www.cadillac.com/cadillacjsp/model/landing.jsp?model=cts&year=2009

www.lexus.com/models/ISF

www.toyota.com/camry

www.smartusa.com

22 Rims

22 Rims

The Hummer H2 has really gotten a bad rap these last few years, and frankly, it isn't an entirely undeserved one. While the H3 tends to get passable fuel economy for a large SUV, the Hummer H2 is still one ride that you can't afford to pass up too many gas stations with. Fortunately, increasing the fuel economy of your Hummer H2 isn't nearly as difficult as finding a parking space these days. With advances in the aftermarket, adherence to the recommended service intervals, and a healthy dose of responsible driving, you can turn your Hummer H2 from an ungrateful tree-stomping, gas- swilling beast into a gratefully tree-stomping beast on a diet.

One of the first things that you have to do to make your Hummer H2 get better fuel economy is to air up the tires and make certain that you're running the correct tires. The incorrect size tire on a Hummer H2 can lead to a fuel economy disaster. Oversized rims may look good, but they take more RPMs to push the Hummer H2 along down the road. When this happens, your injectors have to shoot more gas into the cylinders in order to run at an equal speed. One way of overcoming this if you've just got to run 22" rims on your ride is to change out the gearing. The gearing at the differential can be changed out by sourcing parts for the Hummer H2 from any reputable 4x4 supplier. Doing this will help to offset not only the fuel economy nightmare that the Hummer H2 would become, but also give you better acceleration, as well. Just don't expect to be able to pull a houseboat with you Hummer H2 afterwards. The tradeoff is that you're switching low-end power for high, and your towing will suffer. If you never tow with your Hummer H2, however, you're golden!

Next on you're hit list for upping the fuel economy of your Hummer H2 is to switch your closed airbox system for a high-flow cold air unit. Many, many companies offer complete kits for the Hummer H2 application, and all of them are very high quality, offering you the best fuel economy that can be achieved versus a standard air-induction system. With that said, the final piece of the low-cost puzzle is to trade out your exhaust system for a high-flow system. This works particularly well when used in combination with the cold-air intake, and as an additional benefit, a new, high-flow exhaust for your Hummer H2 will give the exhaust note a nice, throaty bark that will match the Hummer H2's bite.

It goes without saying, however, that the best way to keep the fuel economy of your Hummer H2 on the good side, is to drive gently, not trying to impress all the people behind you at the stoplight, and maintaining the Hummer H2 per the owner's manual's specific maintenance schedule. Not only will you receive better fuel economy for your troubles, but you'll keep yourself out of the repair shop for serious problems more often, as well.