Shop Solutions – November 2019
Industry Tips and Tricks
Comec Announces Comec Incorporated
Comec S.r.l. has announced the formation of “Comec Incorporated” a newly formed corporation that will market and service the company’s highly-respected automotive machine tools.
650 cid Compound Marine Engine
Boat engines are just different. Just ask Alexi Sahagian, owner of Boost Power USA. He builds 700-1,500 horsepower marine engines all day, every day, and making them live in a marine application is job No. 1. Alexi took the marine engine one step further with his build of a 650 cid compound engine, which features two turbochargers and two superchargers. Find out what went into this wild build, and what kind of power it produces!
6.7L Cummins-Based Enforcer Engine
Diesel performance is Drew Pumphrey’s drug of choice. He admits he’s hooked, addicted, has needed to win competitions to pay for gas to get home, and missed Thanksgiving dinners to work on diesel engines. That level of dedication shines at his shop, D&J Precision Machine, where he builds fully custom diesel engines like this Enforcer engine, based off a Cummins 6.7L. Find out what makes this one special diesel build!
440 cid LSX Methanol Engine
After spending time as a Marine, Kyle Thompson returned to civilian life with a serious need for speed. He started Thompson Motorsports to feed his passion, and today the Texas-based engine shop churns out 550 engines a year like this 440 cid LSX methanol engine for radial drag racing! Find out went into this low 4-second engine build!
Chevy SB2 Engine
When a turnkey opportunity with an established business on its last legs fell in the laps of Clayton and Christine Smith, it was too good to pass up. Today, what is now Fastime Racing Engines, builds all kinds of domestic V8 horsepower, including this Chevy SB2 engine for dirt modified. Find out what went into this build!
Shop Solutions – September 2019
Industry Tips and Tricks
428 cid Gen III Hemi Hellcat Engine
Ever since the Hellcat came out, Sampson Racing Engines has gotten into the 6.2L/6.4L BGE-based engines. The MN-based engine and machine shop recently completed a 428 cid Gen III Hemi Hellcat engine with some high horsepower capability. Find out what went into the machine work and build!
358 cid National Late Model Chevy Engine
With an extensive background in building race engines, Mike Hedgecock has been running Eagle Racing Engines for nearly 40 years! He now runs the shop with his son and grandson churning out complete engine builds like this 358 cid National Late Model Chevy engine. Find out what goes into these race-ready builds!
Aeromotive Makes Changes to its Headquarters and Leadership
Aeromotive has added new space to its headquarters in Lenexa, KS. Until recently, the fuel delivery company housed sales, tech and office personnel in one building, while engineering and R&D were in another. Starting Sept. 1, Aeromotive will be the sole occupant of both buildings.
CNC Machine Centers
One curious fact that caught our eye in the latest Machine Shop Market Profile, published in June, was that 41% of readers – engine builders – don’t use a computer to run their shop. This begs the question: if you don’t use a computer for basic bookkeeping, are you using one for machining?
348 Chevy Stroker
Neil Riley and three partners bought Newco Performance Engines last October. They’re now making their mark as a performance engine shop in Kentland, IN and building engines like this 348 Chevy Stroker! Find out what went into this sleeper Chevy build.
Shop Solutions – June 2019
Industry Tips and Tricks
Valve Seats & Guides
Performing valve jobs is one of the most crucial areas of the engine building business. According to our most recent Machine Shop Market Profile, cylinder heads for gas engines account for nearly 16 percent of an engine builder’s production time – and it’s easy to see why.
Nissan V8 Nitrous Drift Engine
Using a VK56 Nissan V8, which was originally an off-road truck engine, the guys at AHM Performance changed up some key aspects to turn it into a nitrous-injected Formula Drift engine for Chris Forsberg’s NOS energy drink Nissan 370Z. Find out what went into the build.
Dura-Bar Dura-Tube
Dura-Bar continuous cast gray and ductile iron bar products adds tube portfolio with the launch of Dura-Tube.
Engine Building Down Under
Over the years, we’ve heard from a number of engine builders here in the States who do a lot of international business with Australian customers. But what about the engine builders actually in Australia? What engines are they working on and what racing series do they support? We caught up with two Australia-based engine builders to get an inside look at their shops and a taste of the industry down under.
Twin Whipple 540 cid Big Block Chevy Engine
One of Baker Engineering LLC’s recent customers wanted a trophy truck engine with brutal power everywhere. They didn’t have much room on the sides or the front of the engine, but they had room to go vertical, so the shop used it’s background in marine engines to employ a twin Whipple set up on this big block Chevy engine. Find out how the build turned out, and how much brutal horsepower this engine cranks out!
Finding Good Employees
There are very few problems in business today that transcend industry quite like finding good employees. It’s an issue at any office, in any industry, all over the country and even the world. That being said, there are few industries which have struggled to find good employees the way the engine building/rebuilding industry has.
The Motorcycle Engine Market
At its peak, the market was booming with new bikes, ATVs and UTVs flying out the door almost as fast as the dealers could get them in. Nearly 1.8 million powersports units were sold in 2006, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC). In 2018, the number of new units sold was down to 661,000.
