Ford’s Famous Flathead V8
It was special in so many ways. First of all, it was the first V8 engine for the Ford line of cars. Nobody could imagine the effects it would have on the racing and hot rod world in the years to come. Even in its stock trim, it was a gutty little powerplant, but it would
Don’t Gamble When Choosing Cylinder Heads
A cylinder head is much more than a casting that tops off the block, holds the valves and forms the combustion chambers. The head works in combination with the camshaft, induction and exhaust systems to determine how the engine breathes, the engine’s power curve and personality. The “right” cylinder head on an engine will deliver
Prolong Super Lubricants to Unveil Custom-Designed 1955 Chevy Wagon
Staying true to the earliest days of drag racing, Prolong Super Lubricants will soon unveil a 1955 Chevy 210 four-door Wagon, styled after the classic drag support vehicles, which were fixtures at drag strips across the country in the 1960s. The slick vintage wagon was inspired by Prolong’s staunch support of the classic car, hot
Aftermarket 8-Rib Serpentine Pulley System for LS Engines with Whipple 2.9L Superchargers
LS-powered Muscle cars using the Whipple W175FF 2.9-liter blower now have access to the first high-traction eight-rib serpentine pulley kit. Driving a blower that creates up to 10lbs of boost requires adequate belt grip and by increasing the ribbed surface area by 33 percent—substituting eight ribs for the traditional six—Concept One’s latest single-belt system achieves this
Racing “Spec” -tacle: Engine-Related Rule Book Changes for 2014
When it comes to racing, some say rules are meant to be broken (or bent). Names that come to mind here include the legendary Smokey Yunick, Darrell Waltrip and even NASCAR technical inspector Gary Nelson (from his days serving as a crew chief). Of course, other times, rules just so happen to get changed by organization
Manifold Matchmaker – Tips for Selecting the Right Manifold for Your Engine Build
Every engine needs some type of intake manifold to route air into the engine’s cylinders. With carbureted engines, the intake manifold has a wet plenum and runners because the manifold has to flow air and atomized fuel at the same time. Consequently, the manifold runners can’t turn or twist too sharply otherwise the heavier fuel
Fuel Feature: Eliminating Poor Throttle Response
Impact of Today’s Gasoline on Carbureted Engines The pump gasoline sold at gas stations around the country has changed quite a bit over the last several decades. The first major change was the removal of lead from the gasoline. The next major change was to reformulate the gasoline to reduce both the evaporative and exhaust
Impact of Today’s Fuels on Carbureted Engines
The pump gasoline sold at gas stations around the country has changed quite a bit over the last several decades. The first major change was the removal of lead from the gasoline. The next major change was to reformulate the gasoline to reduce both the evaporative and exhaust emissions from vehicles. Then, the federal government
Gems From ’49 Bell Catalog
Long before the Internet, there was a man with a vision – and a catalog When Roy Richter wrote, “Here it is”on the inside cover of his 1949 Bell Auto Parts Catalog, he probably didn’t realize what he started. He said it was, “the most comprehensive and up-to-date catalog of racing equipment.” Bell Auto Parts
Vintage Engine Goodies
There are probably a million ways to dress-up a classic show car’s engine. You can add colorful spark plug wires to any vintage motor. You can install Chevy Orange logo valve covers on any 1958-’86 slant edge small-block Chevy. You can get a universal-fit Airbox air cleaner with a blue HPR filter, for muscle cars
Built for Auction
The criteria for selecting Engine Builder magazine’s inaugural “Performance Engine Builder of the Year” included much more than the ability to put together race-winning engines. Things like community involvement and the support of training and education were part of the mix. To be sure, our 2012 award winner, Ed Pink Racing Engines of Van Nuys,
Tips For Selecting a Carbureted Intake Manifold
Performance intake manifold manufacturers offer several different options to get air and fuel from carb to heads. The secret is choosing the right intake manifold for your specific application using these three easy steps: Dual-Plane, Single-Plane or Others Carbureted intake manifolds come in a variety of styles: dual-plane, single-plane, air-gap, tunnel ram and others. Choosing
How a Legend Got His Start
Last March, when Ed “Isky” Iskenderian picked up the Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual Hot Rod & Restoration Show in Indianapolis, he talked about the automobile engine business in the early years. The Iskenderians were Armenians who fled Turkey and came to America around 1910, settling in Northern California’s wine country.
‘Heads Up’ On Today’s Cylinder Heads & Bolts
Some say the air cleaner of an engine is like the front door of a house. That is, it’s what you see first and foremost. And the home owner can use that door to make a statement about the house without anyone seeing what’s inside. Much like what an air cleaner says about an engine
Valvetrain
Selecting the right components to make a rock-solid valvetrain is key to assembling an engine that will last – and win. The pushrods, rockers and valve springs must be able to handle all of the stresses of the camshaft rotating with high spring pressures and with huge lift. Weakness in any part of the system
Tuning In To The EFI Market
There are many variables that need to be calculated and calibrated when it comes to electronic fuel injection (EFI), but simple fuel flow is just the beginning. EFI goes far beyond a replacement for a carburetor, and the electronic part of the equation is where these systems seem so complicated. Many EFI systems give you
HPBG: Choosing Aftermarket Cylinder Heads
If the performance business is about one thing – it’s about improving upon what comes in the door and making it better for your customer’s application, whether he’s racing down the quarter mile, hitting the twists and turns of a natural road course, or just driving it to the movie theater with his girl by
High Octane Educations
In October, you learned about the teachers at Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH, involved in the school’s High Performance program. This one-year certification program provides hands-on, certified automotive training for skilled entry-level positions in automotive dealerships, independent garages and motorsports and other auto-related industries. Its auto department is recognized as a leader in training
Team Motive Gear Wins ‘Showdown At SEMA’ Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Championship
Loara High School Wins Their Third Straight National Championship Title Team MOTIVE GEAR – Loara High School from Anaheim CA. won the 4th Annual "Showdown at SEMA" their third straight, with the average time of 21:24 minutes. The top three teams were so competitive that they all ended up less than a minute apart! All
SEMA Scholarship Fund Charity To Auction Engine
The program has been significantly enhanced for 2012, as the winning bidder will have the engine custom built to his or her requirements from a variety of options. Long-time Scholarship Committee member Bill Holland of Holland Communications will again spearhead the program. “We’ll be opening the bidding for the engine during the SEMA Show and