Drag Racing Engines
From the early days of drag racing up until the recent past, racers built everything for their cars themselves, from the engines and chassis to the shop equipment. Most racing teams pulled their racecars to the track behind the family station wagon or pickup truck. The personalities who participated in the sport were as colorful
Coretalk: National Crankshaft Co. Becomes Newest EPWI Branch Warehouse
NCC joins other EPWI warehouses located in Denver, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Dallas, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Houston, San Antonio, Portland (OR), Tacoma and Anchorage. “EPWI is making enhancements to the programs and product lines currently offered, as well as adding many new product lines” according to Paul Van Woensel, president of EPWI. “NCC’s customer support programs are
Racing Oils Can Offer Extra Power & Protection For Your Performance Engine
Building high performance engines doesn’t come cheap. The components you use cost more, the time you take to build each motor is longer, and paying attention to detail is the name of the game. High performance engines have a very small margin for error when it comes to tolerances and extreme loads, therefore the demand
Coretalk: L&B Industries Relocates Manufacturing Operations To Egge Machine Company
“Incorporating L&B’s operations into our business richly enhances our ability to provide quality products and services for our customers,” said Egge’s president, Robert Egge. “L&B and Egge Machine – What a nostalgic combination!” explained Egge’s CEO, Ernie Silvers, “We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to continue the tradition of quality pump rebuilding that
Balancing Equipment: a weighty matter
Everybody knows what balance is, right? You maintain your own balance by centering your body mass over your feet. If you lean too far forward or backward, or too far to the left or right, you’ll lose your balance and fall unless you grab hold of something or reposition your feet. Moving your center of
Coretalk: Consolidated Mfg. Cuts Staff, Shifts Focus Away From Remanufacturing
During a plantwide meeting in late February, company officials told 100 workers their jobs were eliminated. The company retained 20 employees for 30 to 60 days to handle the transition, said Greg Gordon, company president. Consolidated will retain 18 employees. The company, founded in 1940 and one of the nation’s first Ford Motor Co. engine
Fast Lane, Is Diversification Your Key To Performance Profits?
In past “Fast Lane” columns I have talked about how important it is for a shop to start slowly when entering the high performance and motorsports field. Starting slowly would mean starting with just one type of engine, or racing “class” or organization, so that you can become very good at what you do. To
High Performance Piston Rings and Cylinder Finishes
Today’s performance ring sets are thinner, lighter and more conformable than ever before. Thinner, low-tension rings reduce friction for more usable horsepower. Less weight reduces ring groove pound out. Narrower rings also allow tighter tolerances and less blowby. All very good things when you’re building a performance engine. But they also require rounder, straighter cylinder
Coretalk: Tony Stewart Motorsports To Headline SME Show
Stewart’s personal race team, which is a passion for the versatile NASCAR, IndyCar and USAC champion, will be featured on the show floor on January 24-25 at the Performance Theater. “The competition level is so tight right now – any extra bit of speed or performance you can squeeze out of your car can be
Which Cranksfaft Meets Your Racing Needs Best?
There are a lot of racing crankshafts in the automotive aftermarket today. You’ll find a wide variety of styles, strokes, weights and price ranges from which you can choose. The question you need to be asking is which crank is “right” for the engine you’re building? The answer to that question depends on several things
Bringing Monsters To Life
The New York City native’s journey started out as a line mechanic in NY before tackling marriage and working in Florida. It only took him a year in the sun before he returned to New York to work at the soon-to-be famous Motion Performance. His job description there was builder, tuner and driver of the
Coretalk: IMCA Engine Claims Top 400 Through Late Season
A total of 402 claims were made through late September, including 149 in the Modified division, 113 in the Stock Car class and 136 in the Hobby Stocks. There were also two claims in the Sprint Car division and one each in the Northern SportMod and Jeff’s Performance Southern SportMod classes. Claims so far in
Coretalk: Cummins, Scania Joint Venture To Produce Next-Generation Fuel Systems
Cummins-Scania XPI Manufacturing LLP is a 50/50 joint venture, which builds on Cummins-Scania partnerships in fuel systems development and manufacturing that date to January 1992. The two companies currently produce the HPI fuel system, which eventually will be replaced by the XPI (Xtra-High Pressure Injection) system. The XPI common rail fuel system is expected to
Coretalk: Pentagon 9/11 Survivor To Keynote PERA Convention
After American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, very close to his second floor office, LTC Birdwell was thrown to the ground and engulfed in flames. Of the burns that consumed 60 percent of his body, nearly half were third-degree burns. With more than 30 operations and months of multiple skin grafts and burn
Fast Lane: Striving For Perfection In Motorsports Isn’t Enough
To be successful in any business, you must strive to be the best at what you do. However, to be successful in motorsports, you must actually BE the best at what you do. Continued success in the racing industry means that you must continually make your customers winners, and if you do that, then you
Coretalk: Sunnen, RMC Form Strategic Alliance To Market Equipment
This Sunnen/RMC alliance is effective immediately. RMC products will be sold under the Sunnen/RMC brand. Sunnen’s team of field engineers and service specialists will now represent and support the RMC line. “The new Sunnen/RMC branded products complement Sunnen’s existing product line,” said Mike Haughey, Sunnen’s chief operating officer. Ray Meyer, president of RMC, agreed: “The
The Lives of Lifters, What You Need to Know
It’s like any other mechanical part in an engine. It has a simple yet specifically designed function, it’s not overly complicated and it’s definitely not the proverbial rocket science, tricked-out part. But there’s more to know about the valve lifter than you may think. First off, there are two distinct styles of lifters used in
Coretalk: Recon Automotive Founder Armand J. Mancini Dies
He leaves behind his wife of 42 years, Carole, and three sons and a daughter – Armand, Vincent, Daniel and Carrie Mancini Young. He is also survived by three brothers, a sister and six grandchildren. Mancini was an icon of the automotive remanufacturing industry, having founded Recon in 1973 and building it into one of
Final Wrap, Randy Dorton Celebrated At Engine Builder Finals
Danny Lawrence and Greg Gunnell from Richard Childress Racing might have won the race, but it was Randy Dorton’s memory that was celebrated in Victory Lane. During the final round of the Clevite Engine Builder Showdown, held May 24th at the NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, NC, Lawrence and Gunnell beat the team of Mike
Coretalk: Female Engine Builders, Hear Them Roar
Clevite Engine Parts has sponsored the Clevite Engine Builder Challenge Series since 1990 and has hosted the event at industry trade shows, conferences, race tracks and open house events for customers – but this was the first build to feature women only. Sandi Holder, of Holder Automotive Machine, and Becky Tardif, of Accurate Cylinderhead Service,