"Animal Jim" Feurer, Author at Engine Builder Magazine - Page 2 of 3
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The Best Way To Boost Your Business? Build a Rapport and Relationships

It’s important for you to get familiar with and interact with many more people in your business than just your customers. Getting familiar with your banker, suppliers, services and the media can be a big help. One thing that helps me has been my racing and involvement in motorsports. Even if you are not a

Lost Art of Head Porting

If I had my current shop rate paid to me in a lump sum for every hour I spent porting and flowing heads and intakes in the ’70s and ’80s, I could build a new race car. In ’76 when I started running Pro Stock, my wife Linda got me a SuperFlow 110 for Christmas so I could flow my own heads.

Pro Stock Quandary

I think a book should be written about Pro Stock drag racing. Pro Stock has existed in a quandary of constant rule changes for 47 years. I was fortunate enough to have participated in Pro Stock for about 15 of those years and have more than enough stories to fill a book!

I Object!

Much can be learned consulting and comparing notes with colleagues and even clients. But carefully consider their comments and perhaps double check with another source to be sure their view is valid.

Old Cars Never Die – Not If I Can Help It

I have not worked on everyday, common engines for years. Everyone who comes into my shop is a hobby-level special car enthusiast. I build all types of performance American brand engines. A huge part of my business has become building and rebuilding engines for classic cars, which it turns out, there is an adequate market for engine builders.

Super Class Act: Super Comp Engines and Drivers are a Different Breed

The three Super Classes are the only ones allowed a throttle stop. In the beginning of the Super Class fixed index racing history, racers had to set up the car and physically control their driving in order to run as close to the index as possible. When the throttle stop entered the picture, things changed drastically.

My Cheating Heart

Like most racers, I was not keen on tech officials and some of the rules they enforced during my drag racing career. But in 2004, as my racing career was winding down, a friend named Chris McMahan, Operations Manager of RT. 66 Drag Strip in Joliet, IL, talked about having me come work for him on his tech official staff. That bizarre idea intrigued me – so I did it.

Stroker Mania

Years ago, it was a big hassle and expense to stroke an engine. But one reason stroking is so popular today, is the convenient availability of the parts – usually sold in kit form to acquire those extra cubes. Many different strokes are offered from many different suppliers.

Winning With Your Own Engines

As a tech official at RT 66 Drag Strip in Joliet, Ill., since 2004, I have had the opportunity to see hundreds of bracket racing engine combinations. As a bracket racer myself early in my drag racing career I’ve been able to build my own. I’ve had unique opportunities to learn how to build winners that can translate into dollars off the track as well.

Damien Was All Wrong

From 1987 to 1990, Animal Jim’s 666-inch A/R Ford Hemi Boss that was called Damien, was all wrong for Jim’s purpose, which was running with a nitrous NOS Fogger power adder. In ‘90 and ‘91 Pro Modified, Damien was one of three engines that powered his Rick Jones Pro Mod Probe. Find out how Animal Jim made Damien work.

Five Points to Ponder Prior to PRI

Being an FE Ford fan, and having raced them, and still owning several, “Animal” Jim enjoyed Engine Builder’s article about FE Fords in the April Issue. Jim has been in love with FE’s since his brand new ’63 R code he had when he was 22. In this article he share’s five points prior to the 2014 PRI show.

Cracking Down on Block Fillers

In earlier articles, I mentioned filling dedicated, drag racing iron blocks to keep cylinders round and keep them from cracking. Many drag racers still practice that modification. Today, racers have the luxury of a low-cost block filler called Hard Blok, provided by Joel Bayless. Back in my early Pro Stock days, when I was racing