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Backup Assistance - A device or system of devices (usually a park distance sensor or a back-up camera) designed to aid a drivers control of a vehicle in reverse.
Balance Shaft Belt - A cogged belt that drives a shaft (usually in synchronization with the engines crankshaft) for the purpose of smoothing out vibrations.
Ball Joints - Movable joints in the steering linkage and suspension system of a vehicle that permit rotating movement in any direction between the parts that are joined.
Bank Fee - For a vehicle lease, a fee charged by the leasing company at the inception of the lease that is intended to cover a variety of administrative costs, such as obtaining a credit report, verifying insurance coverage, checking the accuracy and completeness of the lease documentation, and entering the lease into its data and accounting systems. Also referred to as an "Acquisition" fee or "Assignment" fee.
Baquet - The literal translation is 'bath tub'. It refers to early 20th-century cars in Europe with two rows of raised seats (single seats or divans) similar to those used in turn-of-the-century horse-drawn carriages. Baquets were generally without front doors, a top, or a windshield. In the United States the term 'touring' was often used.
Barchetta - An open top car dedicated to racing without doors or a top and with uniform and streamlined bodywork. It could have one or two separate seats.
Barn-Fresh - A vehicle, usually an older antique, that is in unrestored condition, looking as if it had just been pulled out of long storage in a barn. It is becoming increasingly popular to restore the mechanics of such vehicles to safe working condition, but to leave the body and interior in this shape, as it documents the car's original appearance.
Barouche - A carriage term very rarely used for automobiles. The driver sat in an open front seat with two couples facing each other inside a closed cabin. There was a folding top over the rear seat.
Base Price - The MSRP of a vehicle before options, destination fee, any dealer advertising fee and other costs.
Basement - The bottom part of the engine, consisting of the crankcase, crankshaft, connecting rods, and pistons. Also called the bottom end.
Basic/Bumper to Bumper Warranty - A vehicle warranty that covers everything except items that are subject to wear and tear or replacement in the ordinary course of vehicle ownership, such as oil and air filters, wiper blades, brake pads, tires and batteries.
Bateau - The shape of the back end of early race vehicles, such as the Barchetta. It looks like the bow of a boat and is commonly referred to as a Boattail.
Battery Disconnect - A device that automatically disconnects a vehicles battery after a collision.
Beach Wagon - Another term for station wagon used mostly in the northeastern United States.
Bed Dimensions - The physical dimensions of a trucks bed, consisting of width, height and depth.
Bed Features - Factory-installed, optional accessories that add functionality or longevity to a trucks bed, such as a bed extender, tonneau cover or bed liner, that are typically available on trucks and SUVs.
Bed Type - Type of truck bed: long, short, flare-side, step-side, dually and flat beds for trucks, and dump beds and tanks for SUVs.
Beltline - The horizontal line defined by the lower edges of a vehicles windscreen, rear and side windows and pillars.
Berline - An early word for a two-door sedan.
Berlinetta - Term invented by Enzo Ferrari to designate his coupe designs. Applied more broadly to any make of sports coupes. Chevy Camaro actually had a Belinetta model in the early 1980's.
Beverage Cooler - A refrigerated storage area intended to cool beverages using a vehicles air conditioning system or a separate phase-cooling system.
Big Block - It relates to the physical size of the block not displacement and it is different for each manufacturer. Chevy, Ford and Chrysler had two general castings. Big and Small. The big block is a series of large displacement V8 engines that were developed in the USA during the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970's.
Bi-Level Purge Valve - In an evaporative emissions system, a valve that limits the flow of vapor from the charcoal canister to the intake during idling.
Biodiesel Blend - A fuel that is a mixture of petroleum-based diesel and plant-based diesel. Also referred to as "biodiesel."
Block Heater - An electric heater installed into a freeze plug hole in an engine block that preheats engine coolant in order to help start a vehicle under extremely cold weather conditions.
Blower - A supercharger, which is a compressor that forces extra air into an engine for extra power.
Blueprinting - The process of rebuilding an engine to its exact design specifications. Most mass-produced engines are built with slightly less than absolute accuracy to their original designs. They work fine for normal driving and are cost-efficient, but these miniscule inaccuracies can reduce performance when the engines are used for racing. A blueprinted engine has had all of its components taken apart and machined to the exact specifications originally indicated by the designer.
Boattail - Refers to a vehicle with a V-shaped back end, like the bow of a boat. A common streamline effect used in early race cars, such as the Barchetta. Also known as a Bateau shape.
Body - The outer panels that shroud the mechanical and electrical workings of a vehicle.
Body Water Drains - Drain holes in strategic locations that provide an escape route for water that would otherwise remain trapped within a vehicles body.
Body-On Restoration - Basically the same as a frame-off restoration.
Bolstering - Upholstered foam supports integrated into a seat that help keep the driver or passenger in an optimal position.
Bone-Stock - An original, unmodified car.
Bonnet - An English term for the hood of an American car.
Boot - An English term for the trunk of an American car.
Bore - A cylinder's bore is its diameter. When an engine is bored or overbored, the diameter of the cylinders is increased, which makes the engine's volume larger and increases its power. If an engine is "bored thirtyover", it means that the cylinder diameter has been increased by thirty thousandths of an inch. If an engine is stroked and bored, the piston stroke has also been lengthened.
Bottom End - The bottom part of the engine: crankshaft, connecting rods and pistons. Also called the basement.
Boxer - 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. Also known as a "flat engine".
B-Pillar - The pair of structural posts following the A-Pillars and front doors.
Brake Booster - A vacuum-based device that amplifies the foot pressure applied to power brakes.
Brake Booster Bellcrank Pivot - The linkage pivot points behind some brake boosters.
Brake Fluid - The fluid used in the hydraulic brake system.
Brake Lines, Hoses & Connections - Tubes and their connections that carry brake fluid between the various components in a vehicles brake system.
Brake Linings - High-friction, heat-resistant material that is attached to the brake shoes in a rear drum brake system.
Brake Master Cylinder - A device that stores brake fluid and hydraulically forces it through the brake lines to the brakes when the brake pedal is depressed.
Brake Pads - High-friction material attached to a metal backing plate.
Brake Pedal - A device used to control a vehicles brakes.
Brake Pedal Spring - A spring attached to the pedal assembly that provides some resistance during pedal depression and also assists in returning the pedal to an upright position.
Branded Title - A permanent designation on a vehicles title, registration or permit documents that indicates that a vehicle has incurred damage the repair of which is not possible or would cost more than the vehicle is worth, or that the vehicle has been sold for scrap. While branding designations vary by state, typical branding titles include rebuilt, salvage, irreparable and theft recovery.
Brass Car Era - The Brass Car Era featured cars and trucks built between 1890 and 1918.
Breakover Angle - The maximum angle at which a vehicle can traverse a sharp ridge without making contact or hanging up between axles.
Brougham - Commonly used to describe a car with a closed in passenger compartment behind an open driver′s seat. The term may also refer to any early vehicle with doors and a roof. Also known as a Coupe Chauffeur, Coupe Limousine and Panel Broughm.
Brush Guard - A metallic, tubular attachment to the front bumper of a vehicle that shields and protects the vehicle from plant life when driven off-road.
Build - The term refers to a change or variation in the factory procedures, indicated by the Vehicle Identification Number.
Bullnose - An English term used in England during the 1920's to indicate a type of radiator, which supposedly resembled the nose of a bull.
Bumpers - A supplemental device designed to protect a vehicles frame and/or body from collision damage.
Business Coupe - A basic, low-end, two-door coupe that did not include unnecessary amenities such as a radio or rumble seat.
Buyout Amount - The amount that, at any specified time during the term of a vehicle lease or loan, is required to be paid in order to discharge the remaining obligation. Also referred to as "Payoff amount."
Here is a list of various Automotive Definitions. These are not specific to just Classic Cars, but covers all Automotive Definitions in general. This is not an all inclusive list and as we come across more, we will add them here. Drop us a note if you see something we missed.
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