Lately, I’ve had the Led Zeppelin song, Ten Years Gone, running through my head. The lyrics above signify my own 10 years here at Babcox Media. It seems crazy to think I’ve been working within the Engine Builder brand for a decade now! Half of that, I’ve been at the helm as Editor and now Content Director. For many in this passionate industry, 10 years is just a drop in the bucket. Fortunately for me, I still have a long way to go and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon – I’m “holdin’ on” – as Robert Plant once belted out.
What I’m really trying to get at by mentioning my 10-year anniversary at Babcox Media and Engine Builder magazine is that those years have given me so many great memories, experiences and countless opportunities. Aside from getting to work side-by-side with my own great team here at Babcox, I’ve had the opportunity to rub elbows with and shake the hands of some true industry icons.
I’ve also had plenty of chances to see inside engine and machine shops across the country and meet so many amazing builders, visit with manufacturers, take in events of all kinds, and see firsthand what makes this industry so cool – horsepower and rpm!
Hearing an engine run is so violent and glorious all at the same time. Getting all those different parts to work in harmony is truly amazing, and getting those parts to live and perform over and over again is really where true genius comes to fruition. That’s why I wanted to highlight some of the key components that handle that high horsepower and those high revs in an issue dedicated to rpm and what makes it all work.
From manufacturing increasingly durable and precise parts to improving machining processes and techniques – it’s all incredible. We dive into many of those topics in this issue in an effort to help move the needle for builders, racers and enthusiasts out there looking to go faster than the year before.
Speaking of moving the needle, we certainly have done that in the last 10 years in this industry. When I started in 2014, what we covered then was nothing like what we cover today. Sure, the topics were familiar – engine components, machining processes, racing, etc. – but horsepower, rpm, materials, machining tolerances, manufacturing capabilities were all so, so different, even just 10 years ago.
Today, horsepower capability is off the charts. Engine components are 10x as strong and durable as they were. Machining has become a whole new ballgame thanks to better techniques, CNC, software, and materials. Again, it’s been incredible to witness it all from my seat as editor.
Much like all of you trying to push the envelope in your respective arenas, that’s our goal here too. We may not be trying to improve horsepower, ETs, durability, or manufacturing processes, but we are trying to continuously deliver better, more engaging content for our readers and advertising partners alike. That’s a promise I made to all of you and myself five years ago when I became editor, and that will forever remain a top goal.
It’s thanks to the many great people of this industry that I get to have conversations with every day to be able to write about all this awesome engine content. I’ve been loving it for 10 years – so here’s to another few decades! Enjoy the rpm issue! EB
