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
Shelby American To Open New Headquarters and Manufacturing Facility in Las Vegas
Facility to streamline production and performance for global expansion. Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., has announced plans to open new state-of-the-art global headquarters on Dec. 1, 2013, in Las Vegas. Located near the world famous “Strip” and McCarran International Airport, the 135,000-square-foot facility will house all operations under one
Lingenfelter Performance Engineering Partners With Continental Tire
As the “Official Tire” of Lingenfelter Performance Engineering, Continental’s line of performance passenger, light truck and SUV tires, including the ExtremeContact line of tires, will be featured on all vehicles that roll out of the Lingenfelter Performance Engineering shop, including Lingenfelter Signature Series cars and trucks, show cars, street rods and race vehicles.
2013 Machine Shop Market Profile Part 1
Since that time, a lot of things have changed at this magazine and in this industry. What hasn’t changed is the fact that we have consistently surveyed the same machine shop/custom engine rebuilder (CER) population to get a snapshot of this industry from the experts – you, the engine rebuilder. Numbers can give a cold,
Racing Oils
Performance engines built for racing deserve the best possible lubrication. Ordinary street oils don’t cut it on a race track. By Larry Carley The latest API-certified SN and ILSAC GF-5 motor oils are fine for everyday driving in late model vehicles, but most off-the-shelf motor oils (even many synthetics) come up short in the anti-wear
Federal-Mogul Board Elects Co-CEO of F-M Corp. and CEO, Global Aftermarket
The board of directors of Federal-Mogul Corp. has announced the election of Kevin Freeland to the position of co-CEO of Federal-Mogul Corp. and CEO of Federal-Mogul’s Vehicle Components Segment (VCS), effective June 17, 2013. Freeland will report to the company’s board of directors. Federal-Mogul’s VCS is one of the largest independent global suppliers of leading,
Performance Gaskets & Surface Finishes
The most critical engine gaskets are the head gaskets since they have to withstand the heat and pressure of combustion. And unless the engine is a drag motor with a solid billet or filled block, the head gaskets also have to keep coolant out of the cylinders. Many performance engines are capable of making
‘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
The Crate Is Dead
Well, maybe not yet. But can you think of anything more boring than the same old 350 Chevy motor in every hot rod at the burger joint on a Friday night? I mean really? I was in a shop recently and commented about the Chrysler Hemi heads on the bench. The shop owner said, “Yeah,
Nitrous
A nitrous engine can be built as a stock rebuild or it can be a dedicated effort to maximize the total performance package. As more power is generated, more waste heat, exhaust air flow and combustion pressures push the limits of engine strength. Often more beef is needed in the drive train and tires. The
Engine Blueprinting Basics
The top professional divisions in racing today for the most part run engines that are built to comply with a very strict set of rules for each series. In NASCAR, where the engines have been roughly the same 358 cid V8 for decades, the power output has steadily increased. Engines of the same brand that
Cashing In On The Cafe Racer, Vintage Bike Revival
The Rockers who rode on the racy-looking machines sculpted after grand prix motorcycles gained the nickname “cafe racers” because they were often seen parked outside a coffee shop and were considered wannabe racers. The name was originally intended to be an insult but later turned out to be a proud moniker. A right of passage
Muscle Car Engines: What’s Old Is New. And The Greates Of All Time
Baby boomers wanted to go fast even if they were just driving to the grocery store. The open road was calling and America answered. But the government intervened and quickly started killing the culture in the early to mid-’70s. Then the gas crisis of the late ’70s put the final nail in the coffin. Or
Performance Oil Systems
For the engine to survive, the oiling system must be capable of supplying an adequate volume of oil under a wide range of operating conditions. The oiling system must also maintain adequate pressure to keep the oil flowing to all of the places where it is needed. Critical among them are the crankshaft and camshaft
2012 Machine Shop Market Profile – Part 1
Because of the years of continuous data we’ve collected, we believe the information in this study is the most reliable data available for tracking trends in the production of engines, cylinder heads and crankshafts, as well as specific business data. While it isn’t always a rosy one, the picture that develops from our survey gives
New Products for Modern V8 Engines
The numbers aren’t there yet, but engine builders and suppliers are taking notice of the new V8s. What has taken so long? For one, the new engines are more expensive and more complex. Some shops do not have the capability or expertise to work on them just yet, but more and more shops do. One
CV Products Hires Industry Veteran Scott Highland
Over the past 20-plus years, Highland has held positions with JE Pistons, Xceldyne Technologies and CV Products. He was most recently the director of off-Road and sportbike markets for the Motorsport Aftermarket Group (MAG), concurrently serving as the general manager of UTV aftermarket supplier DragonFire. “Scott’s experience in marketing and most recent role in developing
Head Gaskets 101: Part 1
In 1991, Ford introduced the 4.6L OHC V-8, commonly referred to as the Modular Ford V-8. It had, for its time, a revolutionary new head gasket design called MLS. Prior to that, most head gaskets were steel core designs with some sort of gasket paper attached to the core, so this was a big change
Wilson Manifolds Hires EFI, Nitrous Specialist John Rollins
Having exposure in both sales and in building race and street-strip vehicles, John Rollins has tuned and campaigned winning cars from X275 classes to Fun Ford weekend events. Rollins, a Fort Lauderdale, FL native said, “Wilson Manifolds has such a great brand and a strong reputation among engine builders and race teams. I’m delighted to
Choosing Valvetrain Components: Lifters, Pushrods, Springs & Rockers
The type of parts you ultimately choose will depend on the application (street performance, circle track, drag, marine, etc.) and any rules that restrict the type of camshaft, lifters or other valvetrain components that are allowed. But don’t overlook your customer’s budget. Affordability often limits your choices if a customer just doesn’t have the bucks