Growing Your Perfect Customer
The most powerful advertising tool you have is existing customers talking about your business to others. When THEY tell YOUR story, it can be a powerful motivational tool. Of course, most of the time these days, it is the phone call, email or text that can initiate the opportunity to get prospects to your lobby
From Good to Great – Simple Ideas to Take Your Business to Another Level
Recently, sales figures nationally have been flat at best, and there are far more shops closing than new ones opening. But there are shining stars that still beg to be recognized. These vibrant, busy and profitable businesses can’t help but beg attention. These owners are well aware that others may not be seeing comparable prosperity,
Ensuring Your Insurance
Insurance is an expense. No matter how you slice it, insurance coverage will cost you money. If nothing ever happens, you may question why you paid for it. But having insurance should give you peace of mind, and when something does go wrong and you have to use your insurance policy, you are more than
High Performance Engine Oils
Boy, has life ever gotten complicated! Back in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s when Jim Kirby, Mike Kausch, and I were racing fueler Chevy funny cars, there were only about six American racing oils on the market. Three were produced by major oil companies (Pennzoil, Quaker State and Valvoline), and three were produced by
The Key to a Productive Test Cell – What you need to know about engine test cell support systems to ensure reliability
When it comes to a productive engine test cell, the key might surprise you. While the dynamometer satisfies the core requirements, support systems are especially critical to delivering performance – on top of the fact that these systems can significantly reduce risks associated with health-safety issues. And for OEM dealer and distributor networks where vehicle
You Better Think – How to Find Your Niche in a Competitive Market
It was Aretha Franklin who said, ‘You better think…’ many years ago, and while she wasn’t speaking about engine building, the statement still applies to the engine builder’s business. Too often in this industry, and in any business for that matter, the status quo or how things have always been done is the standard. In
Sourcing CNC Solutions – Making the decision for CNC may be scary, profitable
CNC machining equipment can be a double-edged sword to many engine builders that promises flexibility and profitability, yet often requires a significant upfront investment. As with any piece of equipment, there’s no “one size fits all” solution, and three top engine builders explain how they overcame the fear of financing and failure to find success
Avoiding Workplace Accidents
You’re probably not going to cry over a little spilled paint, but will you or someone else in the shop literally take the fall for a co-worker’s carelessness? The list of situations that can cause injuries is long: spilled paint, oil and grease; polished floors; loose matting and uneven walking surfaces; cluttered walkways and large
Reusing, Reclaiming, Remanufacturing – Whatever you call it, it’s how the industry recycles parts and components
No matter what kind of engine builder or remanufacturer you may be or what applications you build for, at some point in time you’re going to run into a situation where a used engine part or component will come in handy. You’ll reuse, reclaim or remanufacture it for your specific job. Whatever the reason may
Industry Still Strong, Say Readers – Engine Builder Readers Tell Us Business Has Changed, But Opportunity Still Remains
For more than 50 years, Babcox Media has covered the rebuilding industry on a monthly basis. At least 633 issues of Automotive Rebuilder and, since 2000, Engine Builder has been dedicated to the business of machining, building, rebuilding and remanufacturing engines. In our very first issue, we made the promise that we would be devoted
Form, Fit & Function – Valvetrain Components Must Work in Harmony
The upper valvetrain is one of the most critical components in an engine build, so it’s essential you choose the right parts for the application and install them correctly. Here are some suggestions for getting things right: DON’T USE “STANDARD” LENGTH PUSHRODS Many variables can affect the length of the pushrods that are required to
New, Used or Rebuilt? – Where will you find the best next machine for your shop?
Most of you have only known me as the “Goodson Guy” for the last 21 years. But did you know I was also the Sales Manager for Winona Van Norman? Did you know I also worked the Southern California territory as an equipment rep for 5 years? During my time in the streets of Southern