Statement from SEMA about the 2020 SEMA Show

PROJECTS – HOME GROWN COPO – Powered, Wired & Shifted

It’s been six long months since we last checked in with Project Homegrown COPO, an RPM MAG-influenced tribute to the factory modified racecar offering from Chevrolet, and we’ve made some decent progress. It might not seem like much if you are a fan of TV shows that pack a year’s worth of work into a […]

PROJECTS/BUILDS – 4 LUG THUG – Nitrous Express Water Injection

For eons we have become accustomed to water methanol injection on both diesel and gasoline engines. It has been used in boosted racing and street performance primarily, but in the last few years water injection has become increasingly popular for nitrous engines, as well. Although it may seem like someone just recently discovered the advantages […]

INSTALL – 4 LUG THUG – RaceCraft Part 2 – Suspension Upgrade

Last month, we started our RaceCraft rear suspension upgrade in the RPM Magazine THUG mule Mustang with the install of a much-needed upper control arm doubler kit. RaceCraft’s stock upper torque box upgrade not only reinforced the control arm bolt holes but gives us another set of bolt holes above the stock location for more […]

INSTALL – 4 LUG THUG – RaceCraft Part 1 – Upper Torque Box Doubler Install

We decided while rebuilding the rear  section of project 4 Lug Thug over  the winter that we should upgrade our cheap second-hand upper and lower control arms while its jacked up and stripped down. While the car as originally going to be a mild street/strip ride, it has slowly morphed into more than we thought […]

TECH – Cover Your Butt – Engine Diaper Install

If there is one thing I’ve learned in my first 14 months of fatherhood, it is the vital importance of diapers. I never gave them much thought for the first 38 years of my life, but now I realize how fast things get out of hand without one. Even 10 minutes with a miniwild man […]

FEATURED – KNOW THE RULES Pierre Luc Mallet 1991 Mustang Coupe

Grudge no-time drag racing has grown from the roots of both street racing and organized street car style class drag racing. Add in the component of not having time clocks telling everybody what a car is capable of (that’s why it’s called “NO TIME”) and you just managed to level the playing field to almost […]

FEATURE- THE STICK SHIFTERS

In every race community, there are groups that form and come to light. The Pro Stock and Pro Mod scene in the ’80s grew into Pro Street, while the current radial tire craze that started with the NSCA and NMCA has spawned multiple new classes of drag racing like no prep and the drag n’ […]

FEATURES – THE INSTIGATOR – Jeff VanNorden – 70 Challenger

To hear Clifton Park, New York’s Jeff VanNorden tell it, he didn’t have a choice. On the streets in his hometown, there is an order. There’s an ethos. There’s a way you establish yourself. And to fail to abide by those unwritten rules is… well…unforgivable. “A buddy of mine was riding his Hyabusa and he […]

FEATURES – STIFF WIND – Anthony Albanese ‘ ’71 Chevelle Ragtop

It’s been said that variety is the spice of life. And try as we might to mix things up here at RPM, the truth is that for all our car guy and gal chest thumping for being different, unique, and individualistic, we sure tend to do things a lot more alike than different. We all […]

FEATURES – C-10-MENTAL – Justin Moore

Speaking from experience here, it’s funny what we remember from our childhood as we age. For some, it’s a familiar smell of  grandma’s kitchen. For others, it is just a  few notes from a  beloved song. But for the car guys and gals among us, it is fairly  common that some of our best and […]

FEATURED – KNOW THE RULES Pierre Luc Mallet 1991 Mustang Coupe

Grudge no-time drag racing has grown from the roots of both street racing and organized street car style class drag racing. Add in the component of not having time clocks telling everybody what a car is capable of (that’s why it’s called “NO TIME”) and you just managed to level the playing field to almost […]

FEATURE – Howlin’ Hauler – Alan Williamson

To car enthusiasts in the United Kingdom, the United States is well known as “the land of milk and honey”. First, because of the relatively low cost of building a hot rod, but even more so because of the availability of the donor cars and trucks themselves. What we sometimes take for granted, others can […]

FEATURE – Second Chance – Edward Wilson

Any type of racing can be dangerous, as even in a controlled environment something can go wrong that results in damage, injury, and sometimes loss of life. Motorsports as a whole will use an accident as a learning experience. Safety equipment manufacturers and governing bodies will look at improvements in driver safety both in-car and […]

FEATURE – The Dark Side – Ron Bookman

It is low, loud, and downright mean. One glimpse and an unsuspecting onlooker is irresistibly drawn as if by some shift in the planet’s gravitational field.   And sporting unmistakable classic pro street styling cues with science fiction-era high technology, it has enough “nasty” to entrance generations both young and old. But like every good villain,  […]

FEATURE – Double Trouble – Bryant Goldstone

Campaigning a car in one of the many ultra-competitive fast street car events these days takes a serious commitment of both time and money. Trying to campaign two cars is pure insanity but Bryant Goldstone has been darn successful at it, having won a number of big races over the years including the Drag Week Modified […]

FEATURE – All The Luck – Mick Bodigon

Maybe it was blessed by a priest. Or maybe it has a secret compartment of fairy dust hidden somewhere in the dash. Or maybe there’s a four leaf clover ghosted into the clearcoat. We aren’t sure, but whatever it is, Mick Bodigon’s low-slung retina-searing red Nova is just rolling along in a charmed life. Some […]

FEATURE – Gangster Style – Ken Everitt

You never know what the future holds, and we’re pretty sure that it was never in Ken Everitt’s crystal ball that a car he and his father bought over 30 years ago, tore apart and stored in his shed would end up being a chopped, slammed-to-the-weeds, badass Top Sportsman drag car that catches loads of […]

Odd Beast – Phil Riley

In 1963, upper management at General Motors sent word from on high that none of their divisions would be allowed or authorized to have formal corporate involvement in auto racing. Long known as a performance-oriented brand, Pontiac was left only one option: turn their attention to production platforms or rebrand altogether. Thankfully for musclecar enthusiasts, […]

FEATURE – Das Volkswagen – Troy Mason

How many people first learned to drive in an old VW Bug? Myself, I remember coming home from school to hop in a ‘69 Bug that sat at my grandfather’s shop. I must have put 100 miles on that thing and taught myself how to drive a stick in it. It almost broke my heart to see […]

FEATURED – PRO PINK Dale Renner 1970 Plymouth Duster

We hear it all the time here at RPM. “I used to have a Boss 429 Mustang…” or “My first car was a Hemi Cuda…” or “My cousin had an original Yenko Camaro, and I could have bought it for next to nothing back in the day…” Almost universally, such opening statements are quickly followed […]

Black Titanium Sleeving™

AVON LAKE, OHIO (Sept. 2, 2020) -Protect your wires, lines and cables from the damaging effects of high temperatures with new Black Titanium Protect-A-Sleeve line sleeves from Design Engineering, Inc. Capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 1,800° F direct heat and 2,500° F radiant heat, the line sleeves are offered in 1/2″ and 1″ […]

RWB Finalizes MGP Move

September 4, 2020 Mentor, OH – Race Winning Brands, Inc., (“Race Winning Brands”, “RWB”, or the “Company”) a portfolio company of Kinderhook Industries, LLC (“Kinderhook”) is pleased to announce that they have completed the relocation of their MGP Connecting Rods business to Lakewood, New Jersey – home of Manley Performance, another RWB company. RWB has relocated […]

Dodge/SRT and Mopar Unveil 2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak Equipped with Holley EFI and Racepak Products

[Bowling Green, Kentucky September 3rd]: Holley is excited to announce its involvement in the 2021 Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak program and its ongoing support of NHRA Sportsman racers and classes. “We’ve been fortunate to work with Mopar and Dodge//SRT for several years in the Drag Pak program,” said Robin Lawrence, Holley Director of Motorsports. […]

Nitro drag racing returns to Santa Pod next weekend

Back at last! Nitro drag racing returns to Santa Pod next weekend. NOT The European Finals _presented by STP_Santa Pod Raceway Fri.11 – Sun.13 September 2020 The crackle and bark of blown fuel drag racing ricochets once more around Santa Pod Raceway next weekend. Fans starved of nitro’s sensory spectator experience will have their patience […]

FEATURE – BIG SHOT – Tony Harlin – 1968 Dodge Dart

Sloatsburg, New York resident Tony Harlin is no stranger to world-class performance. The former competitive track & field athlete was a highly decorated shot putter, finishing fifth in the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials by launching a 16-pound steel shot over 66 feet. Such results require lots of hard work, flawless execution, and plenty of muscle. […]

NEWS – SUMMIT® Racing Now Stocking Total Seal® Gas Ported Piston Rings

    Total Seal gas ported piston rings feature strategically sized and placed horizontal slots in the ring. This allows combustion gases to enter through the groove and behind the ring to gas-load the ring—providing greatly improved ring sealing. No matter which type of racing your engine is designed for, it will benefit from the […]

SEPTEMBER ISSUE RELEASED….CHECK IT OUT HERE!

The September issue of RPM Magazine has been released.  Check it out here! If you aren’t reading it in RPM, you are missing it.  All exclusive articles and tech. Here’s what’s happening NOW in RPM! Who’s In This Issue of RPM Magazine – September 2020 THE TEACHER…Auto Mechanics teacher Martin Girard holds lessons outside the […]

NEWS – Stainless Thermal & Acoustical Floor & Tunnel Shield

Get your sound & heat control into shape with the power of stainless steel. When you’re looking for serious heat and sound control, start from the bottom up with new Stainless Steel Thermal & Acoustical Floor & Tunnel Shield from Design Engineering, Inc. The Stainless Steel Thermal & Acoustical Floor & Tunnel Shield is a […]

NEWS – 2020 YELLOW BULLET NATIONALS POSTPONED!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 14, 2020 From: Monty Mikho/Yellow Bullet Nationals This press release is very difficult for me to write as everyone knows how much Maria and myself enjoy putting on the Yellow Bullet Nationals however, due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the rules and regulations that we are forced to follow by our state […]

Statement from SEMA about the 2020 SEMA Show

SEMA, the Specialty Equipment Market Association, announced today that due to Covid-19 and concerns that event facilities and services will be unavailable, the SEMA Show will not be taking place in 2020. While both event organizers and industry members have been working tirelessly to deliver an outstanding SEMA Show in November, mounting uncertainty has rendered […]

TRUCK QUICK TECH – Hit The Brakes

Like most of readers, we use our vehicles for everything Imaginable, and honestly, we are not what you would call “easy” on them. And contrary to popular belief, we don’t cruise around in a fleet of brand new stuff. Instead, just like you, we have to make our old rigs last. Oh sure, we take […]

TRUCKS – Trick Out Your Truck – Lighting & Style F250

With new diesel F-250 pickups running into the upper $60,000 range, we decided it would be worth the upgrades to freshen our 15 year-old reliable Powerstroke instead. The newer trucks actually still have very similar overall body styling but our lights and grille really show how dated our old truck  really is. Our 2000 F-250 […]

TRICK OUT YOUR TRUCK – TOW TECH – Safety, Style, Function

If you have a high performance street machine or drag car, chances are that sooner or later you are going to have to haul it somewhere. In fact, having a fully-equipped tow rig is—for many  enthusiasts, at least—one of the key steps in being ready for the race or show season and not. If you […]

TECH – TOW TECH – Need a Lift – Air Bag Install

Yes, I am guilty of it. If you consider yourself  a gearhead then you are probably guilty of it as well. What am I accusing you of? Gearheads like having toys and usually don’t have enough money to buy something new or something that is the “best” in its class—mostly because we can fix them […]

TRUCKS – TRICK OUT YOUR TRUCK – Flares

Trick Out Your Truck – A Flare for New Shoes My wife has a flair for new shoes and so does our vintage RPM F-250 hauler. Four flares to be exact, but only one set of new shoes. If you have been following the Trick Out Your Truck tech in RPM over the last several […]

TRUCKS – TRICK OUT YOUR TRUCK – In a Day!

FROM MILD MANNERED TO MENACING….IN A DAY! We’ll be honest, we got sick and tired of being made fun of for our mundane 2015 F150 shop truck. We just heard one too many “hey look at the magazine guys driving around in a stock pickup,” comments and decided to do something about it. First, we […]

TRUCKS – Tow Tech – Gettin’ Hitched

If you’ve towed your race car or street machine before, you  know that depending on the quality of your tow setup, it can either feel like a stress-induced worryfest where your rig seems to constantly teeter on the brink of disaster or pretty  much like any other drive. The less heavy duty your equipment, the […]

FEATURES – ENTROPY – Kevin Amar – 1955 GMC 3100 Pickup

ENTROPHY – Kevin Amar 1955 GMC 3100 Pickup Lack of order or predictability. Gradual decline into disorder.” Entropy isn’t a suggestion. It isn’t a probability. It is a scientific law. In  short, it is the natural order of things to decline, decay, and become less organized—unless energy is added to the system. Take Kevin Amar’s […]

WELCOME TO THE NEW RPM MAGAZINE ALL DIGITAL VERSION

Well, it’s finally here….the very first ALL DIGITAL RPM MAGAZINE!  Here is just a little Teaser of the June issue.  If you were a subscriber, you would already have this in your email inbox today. Subscribe by June 1st and you will receive this issue in your email just as the thousands of other RPM […]

NEWS – DiabloSport Tuning Now Supporting 2020 Ford F150 2.7L Ecoboost & 5.0L V8

Tuning for 2020 Ford F-150 2.7L Ecoboost & 5.0L V8 DiabloSport tuning is now available for 2020 Ford F-150 2.7L Ecoboost and 5.0L V8 motors. Adding power to the already impressive Ford F-150 was no small task. DiabloSport’s calibration team spent the time to develop awesome tunes that enhance thnee driving experience for any F-150 […]

NEWS – Automakers seek new revenue streams from wireless services, upgrades

By Nick Gibbs, ANE      The dashboard, once the place where drivers checked their speed or changed the radio station, is fast becoming the car’s most valuable real estate, as automakers seek to generate new revenue through wirelessly delivered services, features and upgrades. The upgrades can include everything from in-dash apps up to software […]

NEWS – Fiat Chrysler confirms talks for $6.8B state-backed loan to weather virus crisis

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles confirmed that it is in talks to obtain an Italian state-backed credit line of as much as 6.3 billion euros ($6.8 billion) to buttress the automaker’s finances after the coronavirus caused a steep downturn. In a statement on Saturday, the company said talks were ongoing with lender Intesa Sanpaolo for a three-year […]

AUTO MANUFACTURER NEWS – People Bought More Trucks Than Passenger Cars In The U.S. Last Month

As passenger car sales plummet, trucks overtake them temporarily. Passenger cars have always outsold pickup trucks in the U.S. In some years, as many as 600,000 vehicles separated the two classes. But with the novel Coronavirus affecting all new car purchases in the U.S. in April, pickup trucks stole the sales crown. At least, temporarily. New data […]

Brands push forward with new-EV rollouts

Article by Stephanie Wallcraft COVID-19 has automakers pumping the brakes on r&d spending, but most are still planning — at least for now — the launch of key electric vehicles in the coming months.  Matt Girgis, managing director of Volvo Car Canada, said the XC40 P8 Recharge crossover is still scheduled to arrive in Canada […]

Automakers want Ontario showrooms opened to deal with expiring leases

Facing an onslaught of customers returning leased vehicles, some automakers are calling on Ontario to reconsider rules forcing the closure of dealership showrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our dealers are now dealing with record numbers of lease returns at our peak season and they are unable to process them,” Hyundai Canada CEO Don Romano wrote […]

U.S. self-driving startup settles trade secrets lawsuit with Tesla

U.S. self-driving car startup Zoox said on Tuesday it had settled a lawsuit with Tesla after admitting that some new hires from the electric car maker were in possession of certain Tesla documents when they joined Zoox. Tesla lawyers filed a lawsuit in March last year against four former employees and Zoox, alleging the employees […]

ROUSH YATES COLLABORATES WITH BIOMEDINNOVATIONS FOR VENTILATORS

Roush Yates Engines was formed in 2003 by Robert Yates, Jack Roush, and Doug Yates with the leadership of Ford Motor Company to create a world-class race engine company that would compete at the highest levels of the Motorsports Industry. Out of the passion for power and performance excellence, Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions was formed. […]

FCA Canada implements temperature taking protocol for workers

As automakers eye a return to production, FCA Canada says it is taking steps to keep its factory employees safe on the shop floor. Some employees are currently working at the automaker’s Ontario assembly plants in Windsor and Brampton. They’re deep cleaning the facilities and tweaking job stations to make room for social distancing. But those that arrive […]

Jaguar Land Rover aims to make 5,000 protective visors

LONDON — Jaguar Land Rover said it is using its prototype building operations to make a target of 5,000 visors a week for health service workers, as manufacturers repurpose facilities to fight against coronavirus. The British government is trying to boost the amount of personal protective equipment for doctors and nurses and ventilators for patients. […]

Daimler CEO, top executives take pay cut in response to crisis

Daimler CEO Ola Kallenius and members of the automaker’s management board will reduce their fixed compensation by 20 percent until the end of the year in response to the effects of the coronavirus crisis. Other senior executives will see their pay drop by 10 percent for the next three months, Daimler said in a statement […]