• Home
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Tech Center
  • Products
  • Management
  • Engine Builders of the Year
  • Video
  • Shop Solutions
  • Fantasy Engine Build
  • Engine of the Week
  • Ride of the Week
  • Buyers Guide
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Engine Builder Magazine Babcox
Engine Builder Magazine Babcox
Ode to Jessi Combs (1980-2019)

by Greg Jones

The Salt Makes Me Thirsty

by Andy Loyd

Who Doesn’t Love a Little Recognition?

by Greg Jones

Please Pass the Salt

by Andy Loyd

A Wo(man)’s World

by Greg Jones

For the Fun of it

by Andy Loyd

Are You One of America’s Best Engine Shops?

by Greg Jones

The Global Engine Builder

by Graham Jones

Sensory Overload

by Greg Jones

A Fresh Start

by Greg Jones

And the Award Goes To…

by Doug Kaufman

Submit Your Editorial Ideas

by Doug Kaufman

Have You Ever Had a Fantasy?

by Scott Shriber

Engine Builder Team Is a Well-Oiled Machine

by Doug Kaufman

Don’t Count Out The Classic Cruisers as Customers

by "Animal Jim" Feurer

New Normal of Business Requires New Ideas

by Doug Kaufman

In Engine Building, Predictions Don’t Always Meet Reality

by Scott Shriber

Things That Go Bump in the Night – Demolition Derby Engine Tips

by Randy Rundle

Learning Engine Self Defense

by "Animal Jim" Feurer

We’re Gonna Party Like It’s 1918

by Doug Kaufman

Commentary/Starting Lines
Jun 15, 2018 11:50 am

Heads or Tails

Share Tweet
Print Print Email Email
Doug Kaufman

Doug Kaufman,Editor

View bio

  • Bio
  • Recent Posts
  • Popular Posts

Doug Kaufman has been with Babcox Media since 1987 serving in a variety of editorial and publishing roles and titles. He is currently publisher of Engine Builder. He also has been editorial liaison between Babcox and the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) for the past 12 years. Doug has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism from Bowling Green State University and remains a committed MAC enthusiast.

Top Alcohol Engines

And the Award Goes To...

Adam Koester Builds Championship NTPA Tractor Pulling Engines

Rebuilding the Chevy 262 Engine

Submit Your Editorial Ideas

If you’re feeling a bit confused right now, not sure which way is up and worried that you may be losing your grip on reality. If you’ve found this column after reading Engine Builder’s High Performance Buyers Guide and things just look, well, strange – try this: turn the magazine over.   

Now, does that make things better?

While we can’t do much to change how you may feel about what’s going on in the world, let me reassure you that yes, half of this month’s Engine Builder issue is printed upside down. Which section is upside down, of course, depends on where you start

As regular readers of our trade publication will no doubt recall, we have sent two versions of our Buyers Guide issues for the past 15 years. They were each a standalone issue of the magazine and included our nationally recognized columnists, instructive technical articles and informative market and engine builder profiles. Packaged in a clear poly envelope, they were, together, the industry’s only detailed listing of products and suppliers specifically for this industry.

Readers loved the issues and told us that they kept them by the phone all year long for those times they needed to contact a supplier. The problem they said was keeping both issues together.

“You know how hard it is to keep one issue of Engine Builder on my desk?” one long time reader told me. “My guys are always stealing it and I’ll find it in the back shop, the breakroom or the bathroom.”

We heard you, and last year, we experimented with combining both issues into one and simply reversing them. Now, you get a single issue with twice the information. It’s a win/win.

The Post Office likes us because this makes it easier and cheaper  for them to deliver the magazine. Mother Nature likes us because we’re no longer including extra packaging. Our advertisers like us because they’re getting twice the coverage.

See, there’s a method to our madness.

As you use the Product and Supplier Directories throughout the next year, I hope you’ll also refer to the articles and columns for advice, suggestions and confirmation about things you’re doing in your own business. We consider what we produce each month an operational tool – we realize that you’re not always working on a vintage Datsun engine or a heavy-duty, over-the-road diesel or trying to get side-by-side UTV owners to visit your shop for engine upgrades. But what you may not be working on today, you might find coming through your door tomorrow.

This is one of the reasons we try to offer such a wide range of editorial topics each month. We realize the generic “engine builder” label is a misnomer – what you do may be dramatically different from what the engine builder across town specializes in. Who knows? Both of your focuses may shift in the months ahead depending on your customers’ needs.

Over the next few weeks you may be receiving some survey forms from our in-house research experts. We’re in the process of gathering information to produce our very popular Labor Costing Studies as well as our exclusive Machine Shop Market Profile. If you get one of these forms, please don’t be alarmed – though it may seem to be impossible to make heads or tails of what we’re asking, there is, again, a method to our madness.

We recognize the broad spectrum of services you offer, which is why we ask such a wide range of questions. Yes, we ask for very specific and personal data about your operations, but don’t worry – your information is never used by itself. It is combined with all of the other respondent data, run through our special Research Computer and presented in a way to show the rich tapestry that is this industry.

Of course, if you DO wish to be featured in our magazine, on our website or in our newsletters, we can arrange that as well. If you have a particularly interesting story to tell about your business operation or the engines you build, please don’t hesitate to contact myself or Managing Editor Greg Jones ([email protected]). We’re always looking for people interested in writing for us, being interviewed for articles or just giving us their suggestions about how we can improve what we do every day.

Sometimes it only takes a change in perspective to see things in a whole new way. What’s upside-down to someone might make perfect sense in another context.

Help keep us heading in the right direction and we’ll continue to do our best to keep your copy of Engine Builder where you need it most.

By helping us, you help this entire industry – and ultimately, you help yourself. We all thank you. ν

  • Tags:
  • Starting Lines
Search for:
Buyers guide header

ACL Distribution Inc.

4722 Danvers Dr. SE
Grand Rapids MI 49512
Phone: 775-220-9809
4722 Danvers Dr. SE, Grand Rapids MI 49512,
See More
Show Full Article
Copyright © 2019 Babcox Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved
  • Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Tech Center
  • Products
  • Management
  • Engine Builders of the Year
  • Video
  • Shop Solutions
  • Fantasy Engine Build
  • Engine of the Week
  • Ride of the Week
  • Buyers Guide
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
440 cid LSX Methanol Engine

by Greg Jones

466 cid LS7 Engine

by Greg Jones

Vote for Engine of the Year 2019

by Engine Builder

650 cid Compound Marine Engine

by Greg Jones

6.7L Cummins-Based Enforcer Engine

by Greg Jones

Stage 2 Duramax 6.6L LBZ

by Greg Jones

OTC Fuel Injection Tools for H-D Detroit Diesel Engines

by Engine Builder

Sniper EFI Stealth 4150 Fuel Injection Systems

by Engine Builder

Cummins R2.8 Turbo Diesel

by Greg Jones

370 cid LS3 Engine

by Greg Jones