Street Performance Valvetrains
Street performance requires everyday driveability and reliability. A good street performance engine should have a broad torque curve, plenty of low end power and a reasonable amount of intake vacuum at idle, especially if the engine is backed with an automatic transmission. A street engine also has to be capable of lasting tens of thousands
Fremd High School’s Team PRW Wins Division 3
Fremd High School from Palatine, IL. sponsored by Performance Racing Warehouse (PRW) took first place with the fastest time of 44 minutes and 15 seconds and will be representing Division 3 at the National Championship dubbed “Showdown at SEMA” at the 2010 SEMA Show in Las Vegas in November. There, they will be competing against
Race & Performance Expo Wrap-Up
The Race & Performance Expo kicked off Friday, March 5 with the manufacturer’s Mardi Gras party that included a round table talk with Vic Edelbrock, Tim Freeman and Jim Bingham about the Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge program. The evening concluded with a tribute and award presentation to Theresa and Amanda Gabriel, the wife
Jack Roush Honored with Robert E. Petersen Lifetime Achievement Award
OnMarch 12 Jack Roush was given one of the highest honors inthe hot rod world, when he was presented with the Robert E. PetersenLifetime Achievement Award. The ceremony took place during the grandopening breakfast of the 12th Annual HotRod & RestorationTradeShow, in front of nearly 1,000 attendees at the Indiana ConventionCenter in Indianapolis. “Being
Selling Vintage Speed Can Help Business Until Business Gets Better
Due to these hard times, fewer customers are looking for your services, and they’re looking to spend as little money as possible. A small shop can survive on low-margin jobs for only so long before the overhead simply eats you alive. One alternative plan is to add a line of vintage performance engines that command
Street Performance Cylinder Heads
Where I grew up in Connecticut wasn’t the hotbed of street racing like Woodward was in Detroit, but we had the Berlin Turnpike, River Road in Middletown, plus a few local small-town hotspots. It was during this period that I got my first education about the importance of cylinder heads. A local rich kid got
Students Earn $250,000 in Scholarships for Hot Rodders of Tomorrow Engine Challenge
From SEMA eNews Dubbed the “Showdown at SEMA,” Team Fel-Pro needed just 44:22 minutes to take apart and reassemble a high-performance Chevy 350 engine in the championshipround, besting Team MSD’s 56:54. Hailing from the Elkhart Area Career Center (Elkhart, Indiana), each member of Team MSD was awarded individual $7,500 scholarships. To qualify for the championship
Performance Marine – Is It the Last Engine Frontier?
It is said to be one of the last great open frontiers. Many experts say that it’s just about the last place on Earth where there are no rules to confine speed or size. It’s a place that has lured men with adventure and danger for centuries and now may be calling you, the engine
Performance Rocker Arm & Shaft Systems – Time-Tested Technology Provides Proven Performance
The SB Chevy ball and stud stamped steel rocker arms were a revolutionary departure from the shaft mounted rocker arm systems of that era because they allowed it to outrev its competitors. More revs means more airflow and more power. It wasn’t until 1962 that Ford finally dumped their old Y-block 312 rocker shaft engine
High School Engine Builders to be Featured in Competition at 2009 SEMA Show
High School students are set to race against the clock to disassemble andrebuild a Chevy 350 engine using only hand tools during the Hot Roddersof Tomorrow Engine Challenge National Championship, Thursday, November5, during the 2009 SEMA Show. The competition begins with two qualifying rounds, the first beginningWednesday, November 4, at 1 p.m., when Team Edelbrock
Forty-nine States, 9 Days, 1 Good Cause
Dave’s goal is to raise $100,000 in total for the Ronald McDonald House of Stanford, CA, and he is encouraging followers to get involved by donating as little as a penny per mile through his website, www.49in9.com. When Roy Brizio of Brizio Street Rods called Vic Edelbrock and asked for Edelbrock’s support in such a
Choosing Aftermarket BBC Cylinder Heads for Street/Strip Applications
In 1958, Chevrolet released the first big block for use in its trucks and heavier passenger cars. It was called the “W” engine and it came in three engine displacements until 1965: 348 cid, 409 cid and 427 cid. After Chevy introduced its “mystery engine” to NASCAR in 1962 with a combustion chamber and canted
SSSSSnake Bit!
In 1974, America watched 93 cars get destroyed in a 34-minute car chase. “Gone In 60 Seconds,” an independent film written, produced and directed by and starring Toby Halicki was an otherwise forgettable ’70s movie. The plot revolved around Mandrian Pace (Halicki) and his car thief cronies and 48 cars that they needed to steal
EFI Introduction 101
EFI has become the tool that has unlocked the next level of engine performance. Nowhere is it more evident than in drag racing, where EFI has taken over where the rules permit. Take Joe Dunn’s Pat Musi-powered ’68 Camaro that just rocked the competition with a 6.38 @ 218 mph pass. Its 755 cid big-block
CFM Rules
CFM and Carburetors: Carburetors are rated by CFM (cubicfeet per minute) capacity. 4V carburetors are rated at 1.5 inches (Hg)of pressure drop (manifold vacuum) and 2V carburetors at 3 inches (Hg).Rule: For maximum performance, select a carburetor that is rated higherthan the engine CFM requirement. Use 110% to 130% higher onsingle-plane manifolds. Example: If the
7th Annual Kooks Custom Headers NMCA Muscle Car Nationals
After rain cancelled the most recent event at Bowling Green, KY, racers of the NMCA are anxious to get back on the track for the upcoming Kooks Custom Headers NMCA Muscle Car Nationals, the third event of the 2009 Edelbrock Drag Racing Series. Maple Grove Raceway near Reading, PA will serve as the backdrop for
Survival Motorsports Shop Profile
When he first started Survival Motorsports, Barry Rabotnick hoped tosell parts, primarily for Ford FE motors. “My goal was to become thesingle-point supplier for the FE Ford enthusiast.” TheFE, says Rabotnick, offers significant advantages to the right user.“The builds I’m doing on the FE might not be the same as people aredoing with another engine
Chasing the Restoration Engine Market
We’ve all heard the stories and urban legends about old classic cars being found in someone’s garage or estate. Typically, the story goes, the owner just passed away, and his widow had no idea what was in the barn. Sounds too good to be true but it happens. One such story that recently grabbed headlines
Up-Selling in a Down Market
Do you ever wonder what’s next? First gas prices climb to more than $4.50 per gallon and everyone is dumping their gas-guzzlers. A couple of months later gas free-falls to $1.50 a gallon, but no one cares because people are being laid off in record numbers. Our major investment banks go bust, the credit system
Performance Warehouse Association Presents Awards at SEMA Industry Awards Banquet
PWA Person of the Year: Bob Cook The PWA recently honored Bob Cook as PWA Person of the Year duringthe 2008 SEMA Industry Awards Banquet. Like many of his colleagues,Cook developed his passion for the automotive industry at an early age,and turned it into a lifelong career. “I’d always liked cars,” Cook recalled, “and when