Tuesday, November 29, 2005
The Good with the Bad
It’s been several days since I have written my blog and now it’s time to get back into the swing of things. As my racing continued in one of the last Summit Racing Series events of the year, rain forced the cancellation of the event. The event was rescheduled for Tuesday and although the day was sunny the wind was blowing between 15 and 25 miles per hour. This is not the best kind of weather for drag racing and a decision was made in the name of safety to only race to the 1/8 mile instead of a ¼ mile.
The shorter track setup caused all racers to change their strategy and make chassis adjustments so their cars would be faster on the starting line; where short-track races are won or lost. Everyone was allowed one timed run and during my only timed run I recorded a 6.61 elapsed time and 105 miles per hour.
Now according to our computer, my ET in the quarter mile would be a 10.24 at more than 130 miles per hour. I intended to pull out all stops for this race and change my tune up, but I certainly never expected the car to perform like this. During eliminations I won my first round clocking a 6.83. My car had slowed down in ET, but the mile per hour of 105 remained. I won the round, but I now had to determine why the car slowed down. I checked the batteries and determined that they appeared to be low in voltage (MSD electronic ignitions are extremely voltage sensitive).
After charging both batteries and fueling the car we were called back to the staging lanes for second round. I had to run another race car with my licensed and legal street car, however my ET was faster than his. Not sure if my problem was corrected, I dialed a 6.75 figuring I would cut a good light, pass my opponent and get on the brakes to prevent my car from running too fast just in case the problem was corrected. After a longer than usual burn out to get the tires hot, we both staged and he got to leave first since his time was slower than mine. I then left the starting line cutting a .28 light (.000 is perfect) and in second gear I was right next to my opponent. Once I shifted to third gear I was out front and quickly approaching the finish line. I pressed hard on the brake pedal trying to ensure that I didn’t run faster than my dialed time of 6.75 and the rest is history. I ran a 6.63 at only 90 miles per hour losing the race. Well that answers that, my problem was the battery and now I was headed home. Some days you eat bear, some days the bear eats you! The next day I decided to check my transmission and change the fluid. Once the pan was removed I saw large chunks of metal lying in the bottom of the pan. I took the pan to my buddy who owns a transmission shop and he quickly determined that I broke the second gear sprag. My friend is now replacing the parts with higher-grade truck parts and I’ll be back at the track on Sunday trying to reach that elusive 9.99 ET.
The shorter track setup caused all racers to change their strategy and make chassis adjustments so their cars would be faster on the starting line; where short-track races are won or lost. Everyone was allowed one timed run and during my only timed run I recorded a 6.61 elapsed time and 105 miles per hour.
Now according to our computer, my ET in the quarter mile would be a 10.24 at more than 130 miles per hour. I intended to pull out all stops for this race and change my tune up, but I certainly never expected the car to perform like this. During eliminations I won my first round clocking a 6.83. My car had slowed down in ET, but the mile per hour of 105 remained. I won the round, but I now had to determine why the car slowed down. I checked the batteries and determined that they appeared to be low in voltage (MSD electronic ignitions are extremely voltage sensitive).
After charging both batteries and fueling the car we were called back to the staging lanes for second round. I had to run another race car with my licensed and legal street car, however my ET was faster than his. Not sure if my problem was corrected, I dialed a 6.75 figuring I would cut a good light, pass my opponent and get on the brakes to prevent my car from running too fast just in case the problem was corrected. After a longer than usual burn out to get the tires hot, we both staged and he got to leave first since his time was slower than mine. I then left the starting line cutting a .28 light (.000 is perfect) and in second gear I was right next to my opponent. Once I shifted to third gear I was out front and quickly approaching the finish line. I pressed hard on the brake pedal trying to ensure that I didn’t run faster than my dialed time of 6.75 and the rest is history. I ran a 6.63 at only 90 miles per hour losing the race. Well that answers that, my problem was the battery and now I was headed home. Some days you eat bear, some days the bear eats you! The next day I decided to check my transmission and change the fluid. Once the pan was removed I saw large chunks of metal lying in the bottom of the pan. I took the pan to my buddy who owns a transmission shop and he quickly determined that I broke the second gear sprag. My friend is now replacing the parts with higher-grade truck parts and I’ll be back at the track on Sunday trying to reach that elusive 9.99 ET.
Monday, November 21, 2005
The Best Minds in the Business
After attending my first SEMA show, I left Los Vegas with a better understanding of the Automotive Industry in general. I was extremely pleased to meet some of the best minds in the automotive industry as well as executives from various media groups. It was interesting to me to see so many companies claiming to build a better part than their competitors’ part, but most had little supporting data to support their claim.
Products designed to enhance spark, make engines run cooler or last longer were in abundance at the show. One thing for sure, Ford has cornered the market with the emergence of the new mustangs. There were more Ford Mustangs at the SEMA show with engine dress up and body kits than any other vehicles. I was disappointed that I did not see Corvette Z06’s on display since this is Chevrolet’s premier vehicle.
The new Impala was on display, but automotive enthusiasts are not interested in front wheel drive vehicles. I’ve been a Chevy guy for years and I intend to remain a Chevy guy, but I feel that GM continues to miss opportunities to promote new products. With more that 150,000 vendors and buyers in attendance, there is no better way to promote new ideas than at SEMA. Sure it’s nice to see Future Cars at auto shows, but companies like Ford and Chrysler took advantage of the venue and made sure that their cars and trucks were displayed with the latest body and exhaust kits. I’m only one voice and I would not say a word if I weren’t concerned about the future of our hobby. Front wheel drive vehicles have their place in the sports car market, but there still is nothing like the sound of a V8 rumbling down the street.
The aftermarket craze has come on strong and now a person can buy a complete 1969 Camaro with all the latest suspension parts for approximately $20,000 more than a Z06 Corvette. Just the thought of owning a new 1969 Camaro with a 572 cubic inch motor between its fenders sends chills down my spine. It’s a shame my bank does not understand that these are special vehicles, not the original GM Camaros that had poor handling and braking. I can only hope that my lotto number comes up soon so I can end this misery.
Products designed to enhance spark, make engines run cooler or last longer were in abundance at the show. One thing for sure, Ford has cornered the market with the emergence of the new mustangs. There were more Ford Mustangs at the SEMA show with engine dress up and body kits than any other vehicles. I was disappointed that I did not see Corvette Z06’s on display since this is Chevrolet’s premier vehicle.
The new Impala was on display, but automotive enthusiasts are not interested in front wheel drive vehicles. I’ve been a Chevy guy for years and I intend to remain a Chevy guy, but I feel that GM continues to miss opportunities to promote new products. With more that 150,000 vendors and buyers in attendance, there is no better way to promote new ideas than at SEMA. Sure it’s nice to see Future Cars at auto shows, but companies like Ford and Chrysler took advantage of the venue and made sure that their cars and trucks were displayed with the latest body and exhaust kits. I’m only one voice and I would not say a word if I weren’t concerned about the future of our hobby. Front wheel drive vehicles have their place in the sports car market, but there still is nothing like the sound of a V8 rumbling down the street.
The aftermarket craze has come on strong and now a person can buy a complete 1969 Camaro with all the latest suspension parts for approximately $20,000 more than a Z06 Corvette. Just the thought of owning a new 1969 Camaro with a 572 cubic inch motor between its fenders sends chills down my spine. It’s a shame my bank does not understand that these are special vehicles, not the original GM Camaros that had poor handling and braking. I can only hope that my lotto number comes up soon so I can end this misery.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Get What You Pay For
Many people think that a business, such as Eckler’s, only sells parts and does not develop them. This could not be further from the truth. During the course of the year, many new products are engineered and developed by Eckler’s product and development employees.
One such product we developed came about from trying to solve a 50-year-old Chevy problem; how to prevent fuel from back-flowing out of the gas filler neck. Our product development employee spent numerous hours trying to solve this problem. He eventually built a gas filler neck trap door that can be inserted in the gas filler neck hose. That corrected the problem and brought a new product to the market.
It’s true that hundreds of companies sell classic Chevy parts, but very few of these companies actually design parts to correct problems inherent in these and other classics. When you shop for automotive parts and you find a company that has employees who are knowledgeable about the parts they sell, you tend to become a repeat customer. Eckler’s, for example, manufactures fiberglass body components for Corvettes. In addition, there is continuing research and development in progress to ensure that Corvette customer’s needs are met.
There are so many companies that merely sell parts, but don’t have a clue as to how they perform. Some companies have gotten smart and followed Eckler’s lead, by having technical staff available during business hours to answer installation and performance questions. Each day Eckler’s receives calls from customers asking questions like “how does that muffler sound in comparison to a stock muffler? These types of questions can be tough since sound is really based on an individual’s perception and hearing. I like my Camaro to have an aggressive sound, but I prefer that my daily driver have a quieter sound.
You can’t imagine the number of favorable comments I receive each week about the technical assistance we provide. Most of our customers know that the technical staff here at Eckler’s have years of experience in street performance, drag racing, automotive restoration, road racing and product development. So the next time you plan on spending your hard earned dollars, on a product you’re not familiar with, look no further than the technical staff at Eckler’s, we’re passionate about our hobby.
One such product we developed came about from trying to solve a 50-year-old Chevy problem; how to prevent fuel from back-flowing out of the gas filler neck. Our product development employee spent numerous hours trying to solve this problem. He eventually built a gas filler neck trap door that can be inserted in the gas filler neck hose. That corrected the problem and brought a new product to the market.
It’s true that hundreds of companies sell classic Chevy parts, but very few of these companies actually design parts to correct problems inherent in these and other classics. When you shop for automotive parts and you find a company that has employees who are knowledgeable about the parts they sell, you tend to become a repeat customer. Eckler’s, for example, manufactures fiberglass body components for Corvettes. In addition, there is continuing research and development in progress to ensure that Corvette customer’s needs are met.
There are so many companies that merely sell parts, but don’t have a clue as to how they perform. Some companies have gotten smart and followed Eckler’s lead, by having technical staff available during business hours to answer installation and performance questions. Each day Eckler’s receives calls from customers asking questions like “how does that muffler sound in comparison to a stock muffler? These types of questions can be tough since sound is really based on an individual’s perception and hearing. I like my Camaro to have an aggressive sound, but I prefer that my daily driver have a quieter sound.
You can’t imagine the number of favorable comments I receive each week about the technical assistance we provide. Most of our customers know that the technical staff here at Eckler’s have years of experience in street performance, drag racing, automotive restoration, road racing and product development. So the next time you plan on spending your hard earned dollars, on a product you’re not familiar with, look no further than the technical staff at Eckler’s, we’re passionate about our hobby.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Performance Where it Counts
We’ve all read articles about hot rods and street machines claiming to have massive amounts of horsepower. Having been involved in the sport of drag racing and around numerous engine builders, I can tell you first hand that in today’s world massive horsepower is fairly easy to create. With parts like CNC machined heads, big bores and long strokes, guys out there are making serious horsepower
Another way to make huge horsepower, which I personally think is the wave of the future, is by turbocharging an engine. Although vehicles with turbos don’t have a lot of low-end torque, when that turbo spools up the driver had better be ready to hang on. Turbos are normally not as hard on parts as other power adders such as blowers or nitrous, but the price of turbo charging is high.
Over the years there has been a continuing quest for more power by the street guys and now it’s really gone crazy around the country. It’s cool to be able to drive to your local weekend car show, open up your hood and simply say, when asked, “The engine makes approximately 1100 horsepower.” That brings up the question, “where are you going to use 1100 horsepower?” You won’t be able to use that kind of horsepower on the streets of cities in Florida; where the traffic is getting worse by the day.
Many of these high horsepower vehicles never see the drag strip and the few that do never are able to put all that power to the ground. It’s far more fun to build a car that makes 450 to 500 horsepower, that uses pump gas and can be driven to the drag strip to play around with and then drive it home. It’s nice to have a hand full of 11-second time slips earned by a cool looking and sounding car, which also doesn’t break the bank. That, to me, is a lot more enjoyable than driving a vehicle requiring race gas and lots of weekly maintenance just to drive it. If a car guy keeps everything simple, i.e., engine and suspension, the fun factor will be much greater than anything the guys with cars having massive horsepower can hope for. Take this simple lesson from an old drag racer and street machine guy.
Another way to make huge horsepower, which I personally think is the wave of the future, is by turbocharging an engine. Although vehicles with turbos don’t have a lot of low-end torque, when that turbo spools up the driver had better be ready to hang on. Turbos are normally not as hard on parts as other power adders such as blowers or nitrous, but the price of turbo charging is high.
Over the years there has been a continuing quest for more power by the street guys and now it’s really gone crazy around the country. It’s cool to be able to drive to your local weekend car show, open up your hood and simply say, when asked, “The engine makes approximately 1100 horsepower.” That brings up the question, “where are you going to use 1100 horsepower?” You won’t be able to use that kind of horsepower on the streets of cities in Florida; where the traffic is getting worse by the day.
Many of these high horsepower vehicles never see the drag strip and the few that do never are able to put all that power to the ground. It’s far more fun to build a car that makes 450 to 500 horsepower, that uses pump gas and can be driven to the drag strip to play around with and then drive it home. It’s nice to have a hand full of 11-second time slips earned by a cool looking and sounding car, which also doesn’t break the bank. That, to me, is a lot more enjoyable than driving a vehicle requiring race gas and lots of weekly maintenance just to drive it. If a car guy keeps everything simple, i.e., engine and suspension, the fun factor will be much greater than anything the guys with cars having massive horsepower can hope for. Take this simple lesson from an old drag racer and street machine guy.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
PRI COMING TO ORLANDO
Another great trade show is coming to Orlando, Florida December 1-3, 2005. The Performance Racing Industry show, will display hardcore racing products for those in the racing industry, is unlike SEMA, which is designed to display new products for various cars and trucks. There will be various seminars such as: Understanding Racing Shocks, Engine Development Tools, Forged Piston Technology, Why Oil Systems Work, The Basics of Welding and more.
Since this show is new to the Orlando area and the weather is a direct influence on show attendance, the show should draw a record crowd. Many might say, “What’s the racing industry do for me?” The answer is simple; better handling, more fuel efficiency and better tires come from tried and true track time. A real benefit from shows like PRI is the amount of information buyers can receive from manufacturers. It’s nice to be able to talk directly to company engineers about product designs and have them provide straight answers about the workings of their product. At shows like PRI, manufactures roll out their new products for the upcoming year. Even an items such as racing gasoline have been improved and introduced at PRI.
If I sound excited about this show, as I was about attending SEMA, I am, because I’ve dragged raced for many years and this is the perfect place for me to be. I wish this show was open to the public, but unfortunately it isn’t. Watch for my report of my findings of new and exciting racing products in a future issue of the magazine.
Since this show is new to the Orlando area and the weather is a direct influence on show attendance, the show should draw a record crowd. Many might say, “What’s the racing industry do for me?” The answer is simple; better handling, more fuel efficiency and better tires come from tried and true track time. A real benefit from shows like PRI is the amount of information buyers can receive from manufacturers. It’s nice to be able to talk directly to company engineers about product designs and have them provide straight answers about the workings of their product. At shows like PRI, manufactures roll out their new products for the upcoming year. Even an items such as racing gasoline have been improved and introduced at PRI.
If I sound excited about this show, as I was about attending SEMA, I am, because I’ve dragged raced for many years and this is the perfect place for me to be. I wish this show was open to the public, but unfortunately it isn’t. Watch for my report of my findings of new and exciting racing products in a future issue of the magazine.
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Return from SEMA
After spending a week in Los Vegas and completing the million mile walk, I can truly say that the SEMA show was spectacular. I’ve attended car shows and vendor shows before, but never have I attended a show with this much glitz and glimmer. It was great being able to speak directly with manufactures of the parts sold by Eckler’s as well as being able to ask questions about the new products on display. For those who have never attended the SEMA show, the vendor displays are housed in millions of square feet of building space. With that amount of space to cover it usually takes a full day to view the products on each floor in each two story building as well as the mega out doors tent displays.
The manufactures really put their best foot forward providing top managers and in some cases the presidents of companies attend in order to make financial decisions. Each area was full of top quality show vehicles costing millions of dollars to upgrade and many were “one-off” vehicles valued at more than a million dollars each. All the major car manufactures displayed their newest vehicles as well as new performance parts to buyers.
This was the first time I attended the SEMA show after years of hearing from friends how great this event was. I can honestly say that this show met the top billing as the greatest parts and car show on earth. The vendor spaces were clearly marked with manufacturer’s signs and many vendors were handing out souvenirs, which I kindly declined because I would have to carry these items throughout the day. There were many new products introduced during the show, some being very simple and others being extremely complicated to produce. Products made offshore were in high demand due to their reduced cost and I’m totally convinced that there is not a product made in America that cannot be reproduced over seas.
After seeing rows and rows of imported parts, I can understand why American manufactures are upset. They spend years in product development only to have their product replicated by an offshore company at a much lower cost, cutting into their market share. During the entire SEMA show I only heard one manufacture make a statement about an offshore product. Most manufactures realize that they have a superior product and based on the reliability of their products, vendors will continue to buy their goods. I personally believe that products made in America are the best. However, I’m sure that my vehicles and products in my home are produced offshore so I, like everyone else, must simply live with this fact. That being said, I never fully understood how great a SEMA show could be and this was a learning experience for me. Sorry I forgot my camera, so no photos are available.
The manufactures really put their best foot forward providing top managers and in some cases the presidents of companies attend in order to make financial decisions. Each area was full of top quality show vehicles costing millions of dollars to upgrade and many were “one-off” vehicles valued at more than a million dollars each. All the major car manufactures displayed their newest vehicles as well as new performance parts to buyers.
This was the first time I attended the SEMA show after years of hearing from friends how great this event was. I can honestly say that this show met the top billing as the greatest parts and car show on earth. The vendor spaces were clearly marked with manufacturer’s signs and many vendors were handing out souvenirs, which I kindly declined because I would have to carry these items throughout the day. There were many new products introduced during the show, some being very simple and others being extremely complicated to produce. Products made offshore were in high demand due to their reduced cost and I’m totally convinced that there is not a product made in America that cannot be reproduced over seas.
After seeing rows and rows of imported parts, I can understand why American manufactures are upset. They spend years in product development only to have their product replicated by an offshore company at a much lower cost, cutting into their market share. During the entire SEMA show I only heard one manufacture make a statement about an offshore product. Most manufactures realize that they have a superior product and based on the reliability of their products, vendors will continue to buy their goods. I personally believe that products made in America are the best. However, I’m sure that my vehicles and products in my home are produced offshore so I, like everyone else, must simply live with this fact. That being said, I never fully understood how great a SEMA show could be and this was a learning experience for me. Sorry I forgot my camera, so no photos are available.
