Kicking Asphalt
In this election year it somehow seems appropriate to talk about a movement that reaches the common citizen…the working man…the small-business person. Political rhetoric aside, it has the potential to gain traction in the industry and showcase what’s great about America – grassroots road racing. There are no multi-million dollar sponsorships (multi-million dollar wallets not
Rat Rods
While the economy stalls – enthusiasts are building “Rat Rods” in record numbers. Right in the middle of the economic slowdown and our government’s bailout of Wall Street, a little West Coast car event called the Primer Nationals was taking place in Ventura, California. Did the hard times affect the turnout or enthusiasm for this
EngINtel: Practical Builder Tips To Common Questions
Since you all indulged me last month with editorial musings, thismonth will be a couple of Practical Builder Tips (PBTs) that shouldkeep you out of hot water from time to time. They’re somewhat genericbut have been popping their ugly heads in all types of engines and theyhave no manufacturer preference so no one is immune.
Taming The New Tiger
Say the name Arnie “Farmer” Beswick and many an old Pontiac fan will nod and share a story or two about Arnie and his legendary GTO, the Tameless Tiger. About two hours down the highway in Illinois, Jim Riskovsky, owner of Turbo Connection in Edwardsville, IL, is learning to tame his own tiger, his 2005
Head and Block Surfacing Equipment Update
How smooth is smooth enough? You used to be able to tell by dragging your fingernail across the surface of a cylinder head or engine block. And besides, it didn’t really matter because the composite head gasket would fill any gaps that your equipment or technique left behind. But with MLS gaskets the requirements have
Federal-Mogul to Build New Manufacturing Facility in India
Federal-Mogul is planning tobuild a new facility in Chennai, India, for the manufacture of frictioncomponents for original equipment (OE) and aftermarket segments. Thefacility is scheduled to begin production of light vehicle brake andfriction components, commercial vehicle and railway friction productsby September 2009. Federal-Mogul currently manufactures products at six facilities inIndia, including pistons, rings, liners, bearings,
Still The Same Old Grind?
The market for crankshaft grinding has changed a great deal in recent years. With many passenger car and light truck engines now lasting upward of 200,000 miles, there’s much less demand for grinding crankshafts than there used to be. By the time the engine needs major work, the vehicle has often depreciated to the point
Get Ready For The Perfect Storm
Prior to $5 per gallon gas many of us wouldn’t have given the sport compact market a second thought. After 13 years of meteoric growth, the high performance sport compact market stalled, nosed over, and settled into a holding pattern. The Fast & Furious crowd just lost interest. The huge sport compact enthusiast books suffered
Five New SEMA Directors Welcomed To 2008-2009 Board
Results of the 2008-2009 SEMA Board of Directors election are final, with five individuals joining this esteemed leadership group. This year’s elections are the result of record high voter turnout from both the Manufacturer and Distributor/Retailer categories. The new members in the manufacturer category are Ron Funfar, Hedman Hedders/Trans-Dapt; BJ Leanse, Big Country Truck Accessories;
Nasr to Speak on Remanufacturing and Product Sustainability at the 2008 International Big R Show
“Remanufacturing and Product Sustainability,” will be presented by Dr. Nabil Nasr at the Opening Session of the 2008 International Big R Show, which will take place on Sunday, November 2nd. The presentation will focus on the momentum building around environmental sustainability and the positive implications for the remanufacturing industry. The universal tenets of material reuse
Bekaert Announces Intention to Sell its Diamond-like Carbon Coating Business
Bekaert and Sulzer (Switzerland) announced their intention to sign a take-over agreement for NV Bekaert SA’s Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coating activities. The DLC business is part of Bekaert’s advanced coatings business segment and hosts six production plants: in Belgium (Zulte), France (Limoges and Bons-en-Chablais), Germany (Herford) and the US (Amherst, NY and Research Triangle Park,
Camaro Named Official Vehicle of 2008 SEMA Show
The 2010 Chevrolet Camaro has been selected as the official vehicle of the 2008 SEMA Show. Slated for Nov. 4-7, in Las Vegas, the SEMA Show is the world’s leading automotive accessories trade show. “The influence that the Camaro has had on the automotive industryand vehicle personalization is undeniable,” said Peter MacGillivray,SEMA VP of events
Ram Tough Rebuild
The B-series Cummins engine may potentially go down in history as the single most important engine development project, strategic market share gain and opportunity for diversification partnerships in Cummins history. The Cummins B-series is a family of four- and six-cylinder inline engines known as the “one-liter per cylinder” in both the popular 3.9L four-cylinder and
Shop Solutions: May 2008
Installing Cam Bearings In Vintage Engines I have found that building vintage engines can be fun and also challenging, especially the very early engines where assembly information was somewhat limited. Here is a suggestion that may be helpful when installing cam bearings in vintage engines: Save the old cam bearings, especially if the engine will
Cylinder Head Cleaning
Being an engine builder is like being a chef. As a master of culinary arts you may prepare the most exquisite meals anyone has ever tasted, but a great dining experience can be easily ruined if the vegetables are not thoroughly cleaned. For more and more engine builders, aqueous cleaning systems are the new standard
Five Plans To Turn A Profit From Sales of Performance Parts
It seems that lately everyone wants to build high performance engines and sell high performance parts. But it has not always been that way. In the 1950s and ’60s, high performance engine builders were racers first and to feed their need for speed they built their own high performance parts. Many started small businesses producing
Crankshaft Selection Dictated by Design
We like to think that inside a modern engine, for all the violent explosions and metal-straining power, a whole world of harmony can be found. Parts work together to produce the most power possible, races are won and trophies are captured. Of course, this “cooperation” is a little deceptive. While there are dozens of parts
IndyCar Series Unveils Redesigned Website to Kick Off 2008 Season
With the IndyCar Series now underway, the official Web site of the IndyCar Series and newly renamed Firestone Indy Lights Series, www.indycar.com, is keeping pace with a fresh look and expanded features for 2008. Highlighting the update is a daily TV-style show, “Up to Speed!” that reviews and previews events, showcases the players and personalities
Mid-Range Diesels: Going the Distance
While it may seem that we’re constantly asking you, the reader, to give us detailed information about your business, the truth is, details are what make this business interesting. In that respect, following the February issue of Engine Builder, a cross-section of readers were asked for their opinions on a number of topics, ranging from