Posts Tagged ‘ Engine Builders ’

HRR Tech Editor Mike Mavrigian Continues Pontiac 455 Engine Build

By Ashley Smissen , January 10, 2012 in Editor's Corner, Engine & Drivetrain

In August 2011, HRR Tech Editor Mike Mavrigian began work on a bored and stroked Pontiac 455 engine. The engine, which is being built at Birchwood Automotive Group, Mavrigian’s Creston, Ohio-based shop, will be built to be used in a street/strip muscle car or street rod.

Mavrigian recently updated readers of his Precision Engine website on the progress of the engine build.

“At this point, everything has been clearanced and test fitted, and the crank was just recently balanced,” he wrote last week. “Now it’s time to paint the block and assemble the long block, leaving only the task of measuring for custom pushrod length prior to completion.

Ed Pink-Built Engine Raises Money For SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund

By Ashley Smissen , November 29, 2011 in Engine & Drivetrain, News & Events

A special high-performance engine built by famed engine builder Ed Pink recently sold at auction for $8,200 to benefit the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund, SEMA has announced. The fund provides assistance to students seeking careers in the automotive industry.

The engine was blueprinted and assembled by Pink and his technicians at Ed Pink Racing Engines and featured no factory-stock parts. It was based on the small-block Ford design and was made up of components donated by SEMA member manufacturers.

The engine included components from Dart, COMP Cams, Scat, ARP, Milodon, ATI, Crane Cams, Moroso, Fel-Pro, Champion, Edelbrock, Speed Pro, Joe Gibbs Driven, Manley Performance, Powermaster, Mahle, Total Seal and Hedman Exhaust. It produced 404 horsepower at 5,900 rpm and 403 lb. /ft. of torque on the dyno under SAE testing parameters, according to a press release from SEMA.

SEMA-Member Companies Donate Parts for Charity Engine Build

By Ashley Smissen , October 18, 2011 in Engine & Drivetrain, News & Events

A group of SEMA-member companies have donated products for a small-block Ford engine build. The engine will be auctioned off on eBay in conjunction with the 2011 SEMA Show. Proceeds from the auction will benefit the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The engine will be assembled and dyno-tested at Ed Pink Racing Engines in Van Nuys, California.

The 347-cid engine is based on the Ford small-block design, and its foundation is a Dart 302 block and Pro 1 aluminum heads. The engine will be constructed entirely out of aftermarket components, according to SEMA. It will have 9.5:1 compression and is estimated to be able to produce over 400 horsepower on pump gas.

Companies that have donated part for the charity project include ARP, ATI, Champion, Comp Cams, Crane Cams Ignitions, Dart, Edelbrock, Fel-Pro, Hedman, Joe Gibbs Driven, Mahle, Manley, Milodon, Moroso, Powermaster, Scat, Speed-Pro and Total Seal.

Editor’s Corner: Why Steve Chambers Is Selling His Business

By Devlin Smith , October 4, 2011 in E-News, Editor's Corner

Steve Chambers has operated Lockhart Machine for 28 years. He recently decided to put the machine shop up for sale.

Quite often when I’m interviewing a shop owner for an article, I’ll get an idea for another story. In an answer or the chit-chat at the end of an interview, the owner will mention a project they’re working on, an event they’re hosting or an expansion they’re planning, and as soon as I finish the first article, I’m already contacting the owner for another interview.

When I was interviewing Steve Chambers, owner of Lockhart Machine in Jasper, Ontario, Canada, for the September Better Business article about shop websites, he mentioned that he was considering selling his business. I asked him to keep me posted on his decision because that process was something I definitely felt would make an interesting story.

HRR Tech Editor Mike Mavrigian Continues Work on Retro LS Engine Build

By Mike Mavrigian , September 27, 2011 in Editor's Corner, Engine & Drivetrain

HRR Tech Editor Mike Mavrigian has completed another step in his Retro LS Engine build. As he wrote in a past update, his goal with this engine build is to create an LS engine that produces around 400 horsepower and has a retro appearance, and do it all on a tight budget.

“Basically, we’re taking a 5.3L (cid) LS engine, and overboring to a final 327 cid, making a new 327 Chevy that takes advantage of current technology, while stepping back in time to achieve a decidedly old-school appearance,” Mavrigian wrote.

In his first step, Mavrigian worked on the engine block. (You can read about the upgrades he made to the block here.) For his next step, Mavrigian showed how to upgrade the rocker arm trunions to ensure they would be durable enough for use in a performance vehicle.

“In the process of building any LS engine, if you plan to use OE rocker arms (whether reusing originals or using new OE rockers), you should be aware of the critical need to perform an upgrade to the rocker arms,” Mavrigian said. “Specifically, the OE trunions and trunion bearings should be replaced with an aftermarket upgrade kit.”

News Bites: Industry News in 100 Words or Less

By Ashley Smissen , September 13, 2011 in Chassis & Suspension, Engine & Drivetrain, News & Events

Hot Rodder Embarks on Cross-Country Charity Ride

San Francisco-area hot rodder Dave Schaub has set out on a week-long cruise through all 49 continental U.S. states in his 1932 Ford roadster built by Roy Brizio. Schaub started the cruise in Maine on Sept. 10 and plans to finish it Hyder, Alaska, this Saturday.

Schaub has been seeking donations to benefit the Ronald McDonald house charities. His goal for this year’s trip is to raise $150,000. To date he has raised just under $43,000.

“It’s my way of getting people with similar interests to step up and support something they can connect with and be proud they did,” Schaub told Goodguys.

To view the progress of Schaub’s cruise or to donate, visit www.49in7.com.

HRR Tech Editor Mike Mavrigian Begins Work on Pontiac 455 Engine Build

By Ashley Smissen , August 30, 2011 in Editor's Corner, Engine & Drivetrain

Mike Mavrigian, tech editor for Hotrod & Restoration, recently began his latest engine build—a bored and stroked Pontiac 455 engine at his Creston, Ohio-based shop, Birchwood Automotive Group.

“The direction of this build is to start with an OEM Pontiac 455 block, bore and stroke to 501 CID, and build an approximately 600-horsepower street performer,” Mavrigian wrote on his Precision Engine website. “The target audience [is] the street/strip muscle car and/or street rodder application.”

Goodson Tools Introduces New Electric Rod Heater

By Ashley Smissen , June 27, 2011 in Engine & Drivetrain, Tech & Tools

Goodson Tools has released its new Electric Rod Heater for engine builders, which is designed to heat one or two connecting rods at the same time, according to the company. It has two high-output heating elements that will reach temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit.

The Electric Rod Heater is compatible with virtually any electrical system and requires only 220 volts and 50/60Hz. The heater’s cord features a pigtail end so that it can be customized to most electrical hook-ups, both domestic and foreign.

Students Present Custom 1957 Bel Air to Vic Edelbrock at Charity Event

By Ashley Smissen , May 5, 2011 in News & Events, Rod Shops

Vic's custom 1957 Chevy Bel Air features an Edelbrock E Force Supercharger and parts donated by many industry manufacturers.

Students from Ohio Technical College (OTC) presented a custom 1957 Chevy Bel Air to aftermarket industry veteran Vic Edelbrock during the Rev’ved Up 4 Kids charity car show held on May 1 in Torrance, California. The car, which was built to replicate a Hot Wheels 1957 Chevy Bel Air Edelbrock die-cast race car, commemorates the launch of the Ohio Technical College Edelbrock Performance Academy.

The Edelbrock Academy is a newly formed program that’s designed to give students a solid foundation in the building and tuning of American muscle cars and performance vehicles, according to OTC. As part of the program, students will learn about engine modification, performance parts installation, dyno-tuning and more.

“The 1957 Chevy Bel Air was a remarkable learning tool for our students and a great way to introduce the Edelbrock Academy and showcase the type of practical and applied training students will receive,” said Justin Brennerof OTC. “Students … have spent the past several months completely restoring the ‘57 Chevy. [They] dedicated their time transforming the car from a rusty shell of the past into a custom hot rod of the future. The Bel Air is infused with custom features and accessories, including the new Edelbrock E-Force Supercharger, making it a 600-horsepower ‘57 Chevy.”

Engine Builder & Drag Racer Joe Mondello Passes Away at Age 74

By Ashley Smissen , April 9, 2011 in Engine & Drivetrain

(Image HotRod.com)

Joe Mondello, best known for his work building and designing engines, in addition to an accomplished professional drag racing and business career, passed away Wednesday at the age of 74.

Mondello had worked on high-performance cars and engines since the 1950s. According to a blog posted on Hot Rod magazine’s website, Mondello’s passion for all things mechanical, and particularly improving cylinder head airflow, led him to a 54 year career as an engine builder, head porter and later, a teacher.

During his long career, Mondello worked with some of the most notable race teams and fellow engine builders during the 1960s-2000s. Mondello was known as “Dr. Oldsmobile” for his highly successful developmental work on the Olds V-8 engines, said the article.

Mondello was responsible for developing the Posi-Flow Combustion Chamber design, as well as many GM heads designs, which were used by some of the industry’s most-legendary drag racers, including Dean Moon, “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and Mickey Thompson.

Modello’s long list of accomplishments also included the establishment of the Mondello Technical School in 1996, where he taught professional performance engine building and head porting design first in Paso Robles, Calfornia before moving the school to Crossville, Tennessee.