Shelby American Opens New Motorsports Speed Shop
Shelby American Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll ShelbyInternational Inc., has announced the opening of its new Speed Shop inLas Vegas. Named the Shelby American Motorsports Speed Shop, the facility on thegrounds of Shelby American headquarters and Las Vegas Motor Speedway,was designed to enhance the performance and styling of a street ortrack car by
Dynos and Test Stands: Profit Center or Business Black Hole?
Dynamometers allow an engine builder to test, tune and tweak his engines before giving customers the opportunity to do something foolish with them. In a recent poll on Engine Builder’s website, we asked our readers how important a dyno is to their business. According to our (admittedly unscientific) results, 44 percent of Engine Builder readers
2010 PRI Trade Show Offers Variety of Business Profit Opportunities
“It has the latest racing components from 1,100 racing industry suppliers on display in 3,200 booths in Orlando,” said PRI producer Steve Lewis. “In short, the PRI Trade Show is massive. All of the great brand names in race engine components are there, plus over 100 manufacturers of precision machining equipment with their shop machinery
SCT Performance Named 2010 NADM Endorsed Sponsor
SCT Performance, manufacturer of handheld automotive performance & fueleconomy programmers and custom tuning software for Ford, General Motorsand Dodge/Chrysler vehicles has signed with the National Association of Diesel Motorsports (NADM ) as the official Ford Tuner/Programmer sponsor for the 2010 season. “This endorsed product sponsorship is not awarded lightly since NADM asks its members to
Intake Manifold Gaskets
Back in the days when most engines had cast iron blocks, heads and manifolds, the intake manifold could be easily sealed with simple and relatively inexpensive die cut fiber faced metal gaskets (solid or perforated core). Sealer was usually required to ensure a leak-free installation. But in the late 1980s and early 1990s, fuel
Rally and Off-Road Racing Engines
Early automobile races were held on horse tracks or dirt covered roads, but then came pavement and over the decades, many racers forgot about dirt. Today, racers who like to kick dirt will tell you there’s a whole other world of racing in the off-road market. Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but getting dirty
Bolt-on Horsepower: Choosing An Induction System
The induction system feeds the engine air and fuel. So to increase the torque and horsepower output of an engine, the induction system has to provide more air and fuel. That usually means adding an aftermarket performance intake manifold with taller, larger and/or longer runners to increase air flow into the cylinder head ports, bolting
FAST and EFI University to offer Electronic Fuel Injection Training Classes
FAST EFI courses are designed for seasoned tuners and first timers alike. All courses will be taught by EFI University instructor and author Ben Strader, racer and tuning guru Brian Macy and the FAST Technical Support Staff. There are only a few days left to register for the first EFI tuning class that begins on
Asian Engine Market: Not Lost in Translation
Of course, import interest is nothing new. It has been growing since the fuel crisis of the ’70s, but in 2009, Asian car companies surpassed domestic manufacturers in the percentage of all cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. for the first time ever. While it seems the majority of the performance aftermarket bleeds
Caburetors and Electronic Fuel Injection Systems
These days just about everyone is looking to new technology to solve their problems. In some cases it makes sense: others, not so much. Take the trusty old carburetor for example: it has been around since the beginning of time (automotive time anyway), and many have predicted its demise, but somehow it keeps coming back
Scoping Out the Sport Compact Market
At first it was known as the Import Tuner Market which later morphed into what is currently known as Sport Compact. However, the market could be changing again and may soon be called something else. Last year, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) changed the name of its Sport Compact Council to Street Performance Council
Performance Motorsports Inc. Acquires Innovate Motorsports Inc.
The acquisition of Innovate Motorsports Inc. will enhance PMi’s position as a leading supplier of technologically sophisticated performance products for the automotive and powersports aftermarkets. The PMi group of companies currently includes leading brands such as JE Pistons, Wiseco Performance Products, K1 Technologies and ProX Racing Parts. “Innovate Motorsports is an exciting addition to our
Boosting Performance – Nitrous, Superchargers and Turbochargers
From the budget six-cylinders that get 300 hp and 28 mpg for less than $25,000 to the 600 hp Viper V10 to the 630 hp Corvette ZR1 for just over $100,000, the performance market is deep and wide. “It’s amazing, the horsepower potential that these cars are coming with off the factory floor,” says Frank
Shifter Kart Engines: Opportunities from Spec to Open Classes
Like many forms of racing in this economy, shifter kart racing is in a state of change. With substantially more power, a six-speed sequential gearbox and 4-wheel brakes, they certainly delivered "bang for your buck" performance. Probably the biggest testament to the value of racing shifter karts is the career path of Scott Speed who
Manifold Makeover – Increasing Engine Power
An intake manifold is more than the plumbing that connects thecarburetor or throttle body to the ports in the cylinder head. It is anintegral part of the induction system that has to match the airflowcharacteristics of the cylinder head and camshaft, as well as thedisplacement and rpm range of the engine. A well-designed manifold that
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
AETC Advanced Ford Modular Performance Conference Slated For December 7-9, 2009
Ford engine technology has seen some impressive developments over theyears, but none with the efficiency and performance potential of the 2,3 and 4-valve Modular designs of recent years. On December 7-9, the20th Annual Advanced Engineering Technology Conference presented byMotor State Distributing will focus on the latest trends in FordModular engine technology and will be headlined
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
Performance Carburetors
Carburetors persist because they are relatively simple and inexpensive compared to electronic fuel injection (EFI). Most racers and hot rodders are familiar with carburetors and know something about how to install, tune and adjust a carburetor. They may not always do it right, but all they usually need is a screwdriver and a wrench. They
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