Commentary Archives - Page 12 of 21 - Engine Builder Magazine
Your Mission: Find Engine Parts For the AMX-Javelin

Having just returned from the American Motors Owners Assoc. (AMONational.com) 2016 convention, it’s hard not to be impressed by this Wisconsin automaker’s sporty AMX and Javelin models. When the car show awards were given out on Saturday night, they went to one or the other of these “pony cars” for at least a steady half

Tracing The Pathway To The Presidency

Without speeches, fanfare or so much as a single balloon drop, one presidential candidate is quietly preparing to take the reins of leadership this fall. Unlike other much more public political battles being waged across this great nation this year, Scott Miller, incoming president of the Production Engine Remanufacturers  Association (PERA) is winning WITH his

The Lost Art and Business 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

History in the Printed Word and on the Shelves

As most of you are hopefully aware – and many of you may actually remember – the magazine you’re reading today began life 52 years ago this month as Automotive Rebuilder. Through the decades, we have tried to do things right – supporting the efforts and extoling the virtues of the independent rebuilder and remanufacturer.

The Buick V8 Chainsaw

Competition is almost a given anytime there is two people or businesses employed doing the same job. The banter begins about who can do their job better and faster.  In Washington state the lumber trade was no different. On off days, contests were held between lumberjacks to determine who could fall a tree the fastest

A Tale of Two Markets – Dealing with the Times

A couple of months ago, I approached this industry’s parts sales problem through some statistics. Now I’d like to look at things from another angle, or maybe two. I don’t think there is one reader who would argue that engine parts sales today are much different than they were even 10 years ago. Though it doesn’t

Making New and Improved Vintage Motorcycle Engines

Bruce G. Argetsinger of Branford, CT, is a tool and die maker who found a niche manufacturing racing engine parts for vintage Harley and Indian motorcycles. His motivation for manufacturing such items grew out of his own motorcycle-racing career and explains the trade name that Bruce uses – EnfieldRacing.com. He operates Enfield as a division

50 Years Gone, 50 More To Come

The annual SEMA Show is often viewed as a celebration of excess held in the town where too much is never enough. This year’s gathering in Las Vegas was certainly no exception. Thousands of exhibitors (more than 2,400) catered to nearly 70,000 buyers, who trekked across nearly 3 million square feet of exhibit space, features

Understanding Diesel Diagnostic Trouble Code P0251

When working on Cummins engines that are Common-Rail injected (2003 MY and up), you may experience diagnostic trouble code P0251. The customer complaint is usually a loss of power when the truck is in a hard pull, especially when towing. I see this quite often at the shop. This code can be somewhat chronic if

Top Fuel Racing Engines – Containing the Explosions

It’s been over 60 years since Vic Edelbrock starting experimenting with nitromethane as a racing fuel in the early 1950s. In the 60 years of hands-on education since, along with the help of modern technology, there have been some amazing results. Earlier this year, I wrote a Memory Lane column titled “Going Faster in 1954”

RELATIONSHIPS – Saving them without a therapist

How’s your relationship? I hope things are good at home, but I was thinking about at the workplace. Merriam-Webster defines relationship as: “The way in which two or more people, groups, countries, etc., talk to, behave toward, and deal with each other.” Have you ever stopped to think about your relationships with your customers? How

Celebrating Champions Past, Present and Future

Everyone loves it when magazine writers dedicate their December columns to a recap of the year just past, right? Okay, maybe not. Sure, if it’s been a great year for your favorite sports team, it’s awesome  to relive the good times (oops, sorry about that, Golden State Warriors fans), but it can sure stink if