The Tool Salesman Doesn
Our tool man, or perhaps I should say tool person, doesn’t stop at our shop any longer. First one week, then another went by without seeing the tool person pull in. I thought perhaps our tool person had gone on vacation without telling us, or even worse had gotten sick. After a few weeks, I
Coretalk: EPWI Names ‘Vendor Of’ and ‘Representative Of The Year’ For 2006
EPWI also named Dick Niemi, Federal-Mogul, as its 2006 Rep-resentative of the Year.A surprised Dick Niemi, district sales manager in the greater San Francisco Bay area, accepted his award during the awards ceremony. Niemi provides sales, product and marketing support for Sealed Power, Speed-Pro, FP Diesel, Fel-Pro, Carter and Champion product lines to EPWI’s Oakland
Fast Lane: Building A Reputation At The Track Will Build Business At The Shop
In the February 2007 issue of Engine Builder we discussed the importance of seeking out new market for your business (Fast Lane: “New Markets Could Give Your Business Hope For Survival,” page 18). In the May 2007 Issue we discussed the importance of getting out to the racetrack to help build your performance business (Fast
Coretalk: Key Industry Speakers Slated For PERA’s Chicago Convention
Yastrow and Som will discuss “Current Issues in Employment-Related U.S. Immigration Law: I-9 Compliance, Visa Updates.” In addition to addressing hot topics and compliance tips, they will provide answers to your specific questions.Bob McKenna, President/CEO of Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association (MEMA) and Past President of NAPA, will be speaking on “Motor Vehicle Parts Suppliers
Engintel: Learning Not To Feel Like A Sucker
I recently encountered an interesting situation that initially had me wondering if all hope for installation and general repair technicians was gone; and that perhaps some of the bum rap that they seem to get may be justified. Instead, I got a healthy meal of "crow" wrapped in a tortilla of humility. Imagine getting a
Scratching The Niche
If you have been a reader of this magazine for any length of time, you’ll know that one thing is certain: this isn’t the same industry it was even just a few years ago. Not so long ago, a car or truck that was more than six years old would have been considered a junker,
From Block Work to Manufacturing – CNC Machines Wear Many Hats
From a shop owner’s perspective, a good employee is one who’s never late, is extremely productive and never asks for a raise. Enter the perfect employee: the multi-purpose computer numeric controlled (CNC) machine center can do the work of several employees and never complain about it. There is no doubt that today’s machine shops must
Dynamometers and Dyno Operating Systems
The data collected while an engine is running on a dyno can be analyzed to maximize the power gains from various modifications (changes in the fuel mixture, ignition timing, valve timing, compression, the induction system, exhaust system, etc.). Performance engine builders use dynos to measure horsepower and torque so they can optimize engine performance. By
Fast Lane: New Markets Could Give Your Business Hope For Survival
[email protected] Although some automotive machine shop owners believe that – with engine life measured in six figures – the good days are over, the shops that continuously seek out new markets that parallel their talents and abilities will continue to survive. Those shops willing to invest the time and effort to find those markets will
AETC Review
The 17th Annual Advanced Engine Technology Conference (AETC) was held for the second year in a row at the Orlando Convention Center, Dec. 11-13, just days before the opening of PRI. While the weather wasn’t frightful, there wasn’t quite as much Florida sunshine as the previous year either, but the talk around each morning’s breakfast
Performance Valves
The power that an engine produces depends to a large extent on how much air it flows. The larger the engine’s displacement in cubic inches, the more air it pumps with every stroke and the more horsepower it makes. Rpms also make power. In theory, doubling the engine’s speed doubles its power output. Rev an
Performance Notes: Cashing In On Power Adders: Blowers, Turbos, Nitrous
The demand for high performance vehicles has never been stronger. A good indicator is that automakers are turning out more powerful models with each successive new car introduction. Remember when 500 horsepower was a pretty good number for a race motor? Today you can purchase a number of vehicles that eclipse 500hp, from a Z06
PERA’S Core Corner: When It Comes To ‘How Clean,’ Do You Really Know?
Ever notice how many commercials there are in our environment about cleaning? Cleaning your floors, toilets, counter tops, disinfecting everything and anything that you come into contact with. In fact even the air that we breathe needs to be cleaned. Spin that out to the vehicles that we drive. You know they have to be
Salaries & Benefits
The subject of money tends to be one of the most sensitive topics in our society. In most situations, it’s the most impolite question ever. Most decent Americans are embarrassed to ask it. And yet, like rubbernecking at an accident on the highway, we’re drawn to know: How much do you make? At trade shows,
PERA President Mark Fellanto
On the surface, you might suppose that Mark Fellanto, incoming president of the Production Engine Remanufacturers Association (PERA) is a pretty simple fellow. You can set your watch by his daily routine. Even he admits that if someone was looking to do him in, he wouldn’t be hard to track down. Fellanto rarely veers from
Coretalk: House Approves Bill To Increase Ethanol Fueling Pumps At Gas Stations
At this time, only 800 gas stations have E-85 pumps installed, less than one percent of all gas stations. Automakers incur about $20 million in CAFE fines annually. Supporters hope this money could double the number of pumps available to dispense ethanol or other alternative fuel. The bill would provide grants of between $30,000 and
Performance Notes: Stud Vs. Shaft Rockers: Why You Should Make the Switch
When the Chevrolet small-block V8 was introduced in 1955, one of its most highly touted features was its lightweight, high-revving ball and stud stamped steel rocker design. Around 1962, several of my buddies proved that claim to be true, time and again, when they twisted their Duntov-cammed 283s to 7,200 rpm. In fact, this same
Fast Lane: A Web Site Can Add To Your Business Bottom Line
Hopefully everyone out there is familiar with the Internet. While there are some things about the Internet that most of us would rather not deal with, the value it has provided far outweighs any bad. A Web site is also the most cost-effective advertising you can do. As a journalist, the Internet is the first
Grow Your Shop By Getting Away From It
He appreciates the fact his employees feel the same way and, frankly, he feels this industry would be a whole lot better off if more shop owners followed his lead. Okay, so the guy is obviously crazy or from out of this world, right? Take time off from the shop when it’s a struggle to
How To Eat an Elephant
Over the past 13 years, readers of this magazine have come to expect creativity, innovation and a healthy “gee whiz” factor from the annual Machine Shop of the Year Award winners. From technical expertise to absolute professionalism, the winners of this prestigious award have been great representatives of this industry. New last year at MMM&P