Car Glossary

Air Dam A front spoiler intended to divert air from traveling underneath the car. Air dams can improve aerodynamics, reduce lift, and increase the airflow through the front radiator.

Antique Technically, this refers to a vehicle built in 1914 or earlier.

A-Pillar The support on either side of a vehicle's windshield.

Berline A sedan

Blower Supercharger

Boxer Also known as a flat engine. A motor with opposed cylinder banks; the name boxer derives from the idea of the pistons thrusting or boxing towards the opposing bank. Advantages to the boxer design include low center of gravity, improved cooling, and low height that makes the engine valuable for cars with a low profile.

B-Pillar Pillar running behind the front window and the rear window, should the vehicle have one.

Cabriolet A convertible with windows.

Cammer An extremely high performance engine built by Ford at its Dearborn engine plant in early 1964, the SOHC 427 produced in the area of 700 horsepower in race tune. This hemi-head engine was originally designed for NASCAR, but was deemed too exotic to be sanctioned. While never appearing in a production vehicle, a number of them found their way onto the drag strips. Don Prudhomme was the first drag racer to break the 7 sec barrier in the quarter mile with this motor. Seven A/FX Mustangs were also built with the cammer engine.

Channeled A vehicle that has had the body lowered relative to the frame.

Serious Wheels