What’s on the Dyno?
Brad Lagman and his crew at Chatsworth, CA-based QMP Racing Engines (qmpracing.com) get to build engines for some pretty cool toys all day long, but this one may be one of the more unique builds they have ever done. The engine will be dropped in a buggy that runs on sand and kicks giant roostertails
The Buck Stops Here
When companies don’t get the bottom-line results they want, it’s usually not their competition, the economy, or their people. Its’ usually the leader who has gotten stuck in their old ways of doing business and not willing to try new ideas or change. Start At The Top Company owners are 100% responsible for everything in
Advertising Does Not Work, And I Can Prove It!
There was a time when I only relied on word of mouth, the yellow pages andan occasional ad in the local paper. I would throw together an ad myself andwhen the results were poor, I would convince myself it was because advertisingdid not work –when this simply was not true. In today’s world of business,
Advanced Tips for EFI Tuning with Fuel Pressure
Below are many small but key points, tips and insights all “tuners” should know and understand before cranking on that adjustable regulator. 1) Install a fuel pressure gauge before removing the stock fuel pressure regulator and leave it installed until final adjustments are made to the new one. 2) Do NOT use liquid filled fuel
It’s All About The Choices
When I had difficulty coming up with ideas worthy of the space between the covers of this magazine it took only a couple of phone calls from customers before the light bulb came on: I realized I needed to examine the past to address the present. After two or three calls from customers relating their
Giving Away Profits To Stay Busy Makes No Business Sense
Why am I writing about your wallet? To be perfectly honest, it’s because I want you to stay in business. If you’re not in business, Engine Builder magazine isn’t in business. If you’re not in business, Goodson Tools & Supplies isn’t in business. If you’re not in business, Dave Monyhan is not employed, and that
Protecting Your Shop’s Reputation: Be Wary Of Threats To Your Brand Name
Unfortunately, protecting your brand has become more of a challenge in the Internet age. Complaints that were once handled in person and in private are often shared online, potentially alienating new customers and making it difficult for shop owners to resolve issues. Even worse, because of the anonymous nature of the Internet, some shop owners
Performance Icon Carroll Shelby Dies at 89
In the 1960s, Shelby raised the profile of American racing machines on the international sports-car circuit by packing powerful Ford V-8 engines into lightweight British roadsters, and by developing racing cars for Ford. His Shelby Cobras proved worthy competitors to the likes of Ferrari, Maserati and Jaguar and became prized collector’s items – today they
Late Model Performance Cylinder Heads
As the economy continues to come out of its slump, cylinder head manufacturers are seeing a growing demand for new cylinder heads that can deliver race-winning performance. Whether the heads are upgraded aftermarket heads for traditional small block/big block Chevy and Ford applications, or hot heads for the latest generation of Chevy LS and
HPBG: Becoming a Better Engine Builder at 22nd Annual AETC in Orlando
But if I were a professional engine builder, or even a highly competent amateur engine builder, one of the first things I would do is learn as much as possible from the smartest people in the business. While we at Engine Builder magazine provide countless articles on the subject and the business of running a
The Three Most Common Budgeting Errors
Not Setting Goals. It’s almost impossible to setspending priorities without clear goals for the coming year. It’simportant to identify, in detail, your business and financial goals andwhat you want or need to achieve in your business. Underestimating Costs. Every business has ancillary orincidental costs that don’t always make it into the budget – forwhatever reason.
Engine Builder Shop Solutions: October 2011
GM LS Engine Building Tips The GM “LS” engine format (GEN III and IV) is a replacement for the Chevy small block. For performance purposes it is no problem to obtain 500+ horsepower from just about any version of this engine. The following are some tips and suggestions we have found to make working on
Oiling Systems For Grassroots Racing
One of the first things to look at when building an engine is the oiling system. Dry sump systems are very scalable and efficient but are not known to be inexpensive by any means. Wet sump systems, on the other hand, offer affordability and can handle some impressive performance applications, but using all stock components
Restoration Engine Builds: Finding The Niche That’s Right For You
If you’re trying to determine if you can make money raising engines from the ashes, take the following test to see if you’re likely to, not just survive but, flourish as an engine restorer: • Are you an information sponge capable of soaking up the last 100 or so years of automotive technology? • Do
Selecting The Right High Performance Rocker Arms
The rocker arms in a pushrod engine serve two purposes. The rockers serve as fulcrums to redirect the upward motion of the lifters and pushrods into downward motion to open the valves. The lift ratio of the rockers also serves to multiply the amount of valve lift generated by the cam lobes. Stock rocker arms
Cultivating Diesel Success Using Unconventional Approaches
While most of Osborne’s customers never even come through the Liverpool, NY shop’s door, their continued patronage has pushed Syracuse Crank to record sales figures over the past few years, he says. “We were at 31 percent growth last year over the year before, and the year before last we were 26 percent higher. Our
Parts Sales and Profits: First Admit There
Yes, believe it or not, I am attempting to show a parallel between the famous Twelve-Step programs – plans designed to help one admit the size and scope of addictive or dysfunctional problems and reinforce the need to ask for help for success – and a plan we can create to resurrect parts sales and
Parts Sales and Profits: First Admit There
Yes, believe it or not, I am attempting to show a parallel between the famous Twelve-Step programs – plans designed to help one admit the size and scope of addictive or dysfunctional problems and reinforce the need to ask for help for success – and a plan we can create to resurrect parts sales and
Competition Is Good, Healthy, Necessary Because It Makes Us Better
While the two tennis greats were friends behind the scenes and theirfriendship is still going strong today, the on-court adversaries playedtough. When asked what effect their rivalry had on their careers, they bothresponded that it made them better competitors. “It made our careerslonger and better,” said Navratilova. “I don’t think either of us wouldhave lasted
Stroker Strategies for Higher Horsepower
Such strategies are already very popular with those building small block and big block Chevys as well as small block Fords. In the main, it is a cost effective way to deliver what most customers deem as power – that is more low speed torque. Generating extra cubes via a stroker crank is a good