Topline Automotive Buys, Reopens Hylift Facility, Engine Builder, August 2004
A full-line of flat mechanical tappets, lash adjusters and encapsulated hydraulic roller lifters are again being produced by the original Hylift machines and team. The previous Hylift OE lines that were in Zeeland, MI, have now been relocated to the Muskegon plant. “The same people who made ‘The Beautiful Lifter’ are back manufacturing with precision
Big-Inch Cadillac’s
While some engines are relatively rare in machine shops, the big Cadillacs have remained a consistent source of income. These engines are Cadillac’s last big hurrah at traditional big-cube, flagship GM engines. Surprisingly, they are also a scaled-down version of a V-12 engine that made it through early production and road-testing before being scrapped as
2004 AETC Conference
The 14th annual Advanced Engine Technology Conference (AETC) saw a return to the Antlers Adam’s Mark, in downtown Colorado Springs, CO, Jan. 8-11. The return to this facility, though higher priced than those used in the recent past, was requested by a poll of last year’s attendees because of the higher quality of the hotel
Preacher, Teacher, Fighter, Friend
Warning: The Surgeon General has determined that reading this article may be hazardous to a negative attitude, and acting on the recommendations contained herein may result in increased job satisfaction and a more productive business atmosphere. If enthusiasm for his job were a virus, Dave Deegan would have one of the most serious infections the
PERA’s Core Corner, Roy
In the September 2003 installment of "PERA Core Corner," I provided both information and a chart to help with Ford casting and part numbering identification. I mentioned that the center portion of every Ford part number includes an identifier number, which indicates what that component part is. I also stated that I was unaware of
What’s Wrong With Our Industry
What’s wrong with the engine building industry today? It’s a simple question that has no simple answer. Like many other – if not every – industry facing difficult times, the factors impacting this market are varied, complex and frustratingly hard to pin down. Are the woes of the industry the fault of customers or suppliers?
The Constant of Change
Although "change" is a frightening word to many people, reasons Yamato Engine Specialists’ Asiff Dhanani, there’s simply no point in questioning it. Of all the "sure things" in business, the only certainty is that situations definitely change. Dhanani, incoming president of PERA explains that the change in this industry is not new. Things have been
Dodge City’s Finest; Harry’s Machine Works
No history of the American West would be complete without extensive recollections of Dodge City, KS. Formed as a convenient railroad stop to serve the new Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad, Dodge City offered something for everyone. That is, if your tastes ran to buffalo hunting, gambling or gunfighting. In its early days, Dodge
Mclaren Heads
McLaren, like Cosworth and Ferrari, is a name that for both pro engine builders and race enthusiasts alike is synonymous with high tech performance. Although long a separate entity of McLaren International, one of the most successful teams in the history of Formula One, McLaren Performance Technologies was originally the engine development division of Bruce
Gaerte Engines
In the world of sprint cars and midget racing, the name "Gaerte" is recognized as one of the innovators. With a history of building winning motors for such names as Jeff Gordon, Ken Schrader, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell, it
Where Should The Cam Bearing Oil Hole Be Located On A 3400 Series Cat Diesel?
A: The AERA Technical Committee offers the following information regarding cam bearing oil hole location for 3400 series Caterpillar diesel engines and installation of all cam bearings for these engines. This bulletin should be used, and service manuals published before 1985 should not be used. The correct location for the oil hole in the camshaft bearing
Seizing an Opportunity – Ed Davis, Waterhouse Motors
Ed Davis’ first love was motorcycles. Beginning with motocross and taking up cross country racing later on, the Tacoma, WA, native found he had a natural ability and excelled at the two-wheeled sport. During high school and vocational industrial machinist training, Davis hoped to try the professional circuit before age got ahead of him. But,
Dirt Track Dollars In the Shop and On the Track With Malcuit Racing Engines
It’s sometimes said that racers have motor oil or high octane racing fuel in their blood. Fearless drivers are accused of having ice-water running through their veins. For Strasburg, OH’s Brad Malcuit, the most likely ingredient pumping through his bloodstream is dirt, a fact he’ll happily attribute to family heritage. Malcuit is owner of Malcuit’s
Back to Basics: Preventing Piston Problems
Burned pistons. Scuffed pistons. Cracked pistons. These are problems no customer wants to experience in an engine you’ve built. Warranty claims can kill your business, so here are some tips on how to prevent these and other common piston problems. First and foremost, if you’re custom building an engine that has already suffered some kind
Complying With Clean Air Laws Is Heavy-Duty Proposition
Heavy-duty engine rebuilders have a long and welcome nonhistory with Federal and state clean air agencies. At their inception, the major agencies
Automotive Rebuilder Interview with Brad Hartmann, Hartmann Bros., Inc.
Brad Hartmann is president of Hartmann Bros. Inc., a heavy duty rebuilding operation located in Abilene, TX. He is the incoming chairman of AERA’s Vanguard committee, the group providing leadership opportunities to AERA members under the age of 40. Hartmann, 31, has been with the company since high school in the 1980s, beginning full-time employment
1998 Market Update – Brakes: The Application Specific Bandwagon…The Buzzword Of The Aftermarket Brake Friction World Today
Many in the brake rebuilding market are getting on the ApplicationSpecific Bandwagon. It’s the buzzword of the aftermarket brakefriction world today. "We’re going to have to be application specific because ofperformance requirements coming out of testing procedures thatthe Brake Manufacturers Council is working on," observesGil Laycock of the Friction Materials Standard Institute (FMSI).As one who
Machine Shop Market Profile Part II
In Part I of our annual review of the machine shop market, which appeared in our July 1998 issue, we provided average production numbers in 1997 for cylinder heads, engine blocks and crankshafts reported by machine shops. According to our survey respondents, custom engine rebuilders/machine shops averaged 18.29 gas and diesel engines rebuilt monthly during
Machine Shop Market Profile
Interviews conducted with parts and equipmentsuppliers, as well as machine shop owners and custom engine rebuilders,generally point to market demand which has remained flat whenengine production numbers are compared to year earlier figures.Recent survey results of machine shops concerning production year1997 confirm these assumptions. Automotive Rebuilder magazine conducted a surveyof the machine shop membership of
Motor Service, Inc.: Brian Casey, Incoming Engine Rebuilders Association (Aera) Chairman
What do you do after graduating from WorcesterPolytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA, with a degree in managementengineering? Why, run a heavy duty machine shop and service repairbusiness, of course. Well, maybe not always. But that is the wayit has turned out for Brian Casey, incoming Engine RebuildersAssociation (AERA) chairman and one of the guiding hands