Hello fellow gearheads. With every passing day, I am getting one step closer to finally finishing the latest upgrades on Big Red. Once you go down the long, treacherous, expensive road named “Mild to Wild,” bypassing the town of “Simple and Easy,” you arrive at the city of “Expensive-ville,” which is surrounded by the suburbs […]
The other day, one of my buddies asked why an old friend of ours doesn’t come to the track anymore. I laughed and said, “he’s a street racer now.” My response was immediately met with another question. “Okay, but why can’t he come to the track anymore?” In recent years, I’ve come to learn that […]
I understand that we all have a passion for cars or I wouldn’t be writing this article and you wouldn’t be reading it. I understand that some of us get obsessive and even excessive with our cars. I also understand that our cars are supposed to bring us joy and take us away from the […]
For all of the gearheads out there, you know what I mean when I say, “we are on everyone’s speed dial.” It seems we are often called when someone is in need of our skillset rather than a simple “what’s going on” friendship call. Many have taken advantage of my good nature, but I consider […]
When the weather takes a turn in winter’s direction around here, my phone tends to ring a lot with custom automotive work. After all, it is the season to make any necessary repairs, as well as any unnecessary upgrades (had to write that—my wife was looking over my shoulder). But for the record, there is […]
I do my best to cover a wide variety of topics here in Shop Talk. As I’ve written before, these topics are born from actual conversations that have taken place in my shop. I recently had a new client hire me to perform some electrical magic on his camper. He roamed around the shop while […]
To the average person, tools are metal objects that are kept in a toolbox and occasionally used to hang a picture or tighten a loose screw. To a gearhead, tools are like food and water: basic necessities. Most serious DIY mechanics own a variety of tools that might include a welder, plasma cutter, chop saw, […]
IT’S SHOP TALK WEEK – Check in daily with us for a SHOP TALK ARTICLE WITH RPM Magazine’s very own JT. TO RUIN OR NOT TO RUIN A PERFECTLY GOOD HOOD: THAT is the Question! We’ve all had to make extremely hard decisions when it comes to our cars. Perhaps the most difficult ones are […]
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 […]
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 […]
FEATURES – PROFESSIONAL GRADE – Ron Fountain ’68 Camaro
Severn, Ontario’s Ron Fountain was tired of the hassle. Fed up with the fight. Weary of the war. With a 9-second capable but non-caged 1970 Nova that he had street raced for years, every time he went to the track he’d get scolded for having a car that lacked the necessary safety equipment for its […]
FEATURES – GLASS DRAGGIN – George Reidenauer – Corvette Nostalgia Funny Car
George Reidnauer was introduced to drag racing by his father in the mid-’70s. His dad, who used to deliver bread for a living, would rush home to pick young George up as soon as he got off work early Sunday mornings and the duo would drive over to Maple Grove Raceway for the day. Of […]
FEATURE – PRO STREET EVOLUTION – Jeff Fern 1970 Camaro
Make no mistake. RPM Magazine isn’t the place for theological debate or scientific arguments of a non-automotive flavor. We won’t ever discuss the social implications of the Pope’s visit stateside or the existence or fallacy of greenhouse gases and their impact on climate change. But for the next few pages, we’re going to prove that […]
FEATURE – NOVA CANE Nathan Stinson 1974 Nova
What gearhead hasn’t had a vision of finding that gem—that one barn find—the abandoned rare diamond in the rough? To stumble across a lost piece of history just waiting on that one person to replenish the relic back to its former glory and splendor. Sounds kind of like a fairytale doesn’t it? Most likely, it’s […]
FEATURE – BOOSTED MAV Richard Tally 1970 Ford Maverick
“My wife was afraid I was going to crash and kill myself,” shared Kentucky native Richard Talley. Quite simply, that in a nutshell, is how Talley—a former wheelman of a turbo Hayabusa 4-wheeler—found himself shopping for a new set of wheels. “My wife wished I would get a car because it would be safer. Ok, […]
FEATURE – THROWBACK – Jerry Gary 1970 Chevrolet Vega
Jerry Gary, Jr. was sick. Really sick. The likeable Smithfield, Virginia auto parts consultant spent more than a few days wondering if his time was almost up. However, during his lengthy illness, he stumbled across a book about the Street Machine Nationals and the heyday of pro street and found a freshly stoked fire for […]
FEATURES- CHEVY THE PERFECTIONIST – Mick & Judy Bodigon 55 Chevy
Face it: some of us just can’t leave well enough alone. When “good enough” is rarely (if ever) good enough and when “decent effort” is unacceptable in light of best effort, rest assured that you’re afflicted. The unshakable roots of perfectionism have a way of plunging hard into the depths of your psyche, leaving you […]
FEATURES- FORD WORK IN PROGRESS – Chris Damovski 1985 Mustang GT
‘My first pass down the track was a blistering 14.85 @90 mph,” said Scarborough, Ontario’s Chris Damovski with a hearty laugh. And fast it wasn’t. But a start, it was. And we all gotta start somewhere, right? Damovski acquired the car as a hand-me-down from his uncle while working in his grandfather’s shop at the […]
FEATURES- CHEVY WAITING TO STRIKE – David Hall 1970 Chevy Nova
Most of us are familiar with the idea of hibernation. You know the drill: animals bury themselves deep in a hole and sleep through the winter. Hibernation is an energy-saving measure that allows the critter to survive long periods of time when food is typically scarce. However, some animals like snakes who live in milder […]
FEATURES- THE MAN BEHIND THE X – John Sears’ X275 Chevy Malibu
There’s nothing like the satisfaction of building a car of your own. Whether it is your driver with a few mods or an all-out race car, the feeling of seeing your hard work and effort come together in a well-built project is second to none. John Sears has known that feeling time and time again, […]
FEATURES- FORD WARHORSE – Joe & Leslie Murphy 1990 Ford Mustang
For almost as long as man has done battle in the air, aircraft have been adorned with cool artwork. Growing significantly in popularity during World War II, nose art in particular grew both more common and more elaborate. Sometimes intended to intimidate like ferocious shark teeth and other times intended to unify ground and air […]
FEATURES- ONE OF A KIND – Doug Fields’ ’71 Chevelle
Walking toward Doug Fields’ 1971 Chevelle SS, you get a feeling that you’re in for a really nice musclecar. As you get in for a closer look, though, and notice the beefy meats out back, side exit exhaust, and stance that is anything but typical, you know that something special is lurking within the confines […]
NEWS- 2020 LS Engine Sweepstakes Winner Announced!
What was the best phone call you’ve ever received? When Jonathon West of Highlands Ranch, CO looked at his buzzing phone screen, an unfamiliar number from Bowling Green, Kentucky stared back. West assumed it was a telemarketer, but answered anyway. However, rather than the expected robotic accent pedaling cellular snake oil, Holley Director of Marketing, […]
EVENTS – Summit Motorsports Park Proud to Present Patriot Pass for 2021
While Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio will not be open this year because of the global pandemic, it will be open next year. Plenty of planning is underway, and racers, race fans, supporters and sponsors can expect the park to use its passion and pride to resiliently rebound. The powerful cars, pyrotechnics, the park’s […]
NEWS – New Holley Lo-Ram Intakes with SFI Burst Panels!
Holley’s popular Lo-Ram manifold with dual fuel rail configurations is now available with an integrated SFI burst panel for added racer safety. Read on to learn more! Dual Fuel Injector Lo-Ram, Front-Feed With Burst Plate Flange The 300-625 (satin) & 300-625BK (black) front-feed intake manifold kits provide two injectors per cylinder for high volume fuel […]
New Universal 3″ Flowmaster FlowFX Muffler!
Flowmaster’s FlowFX series muffler is designed to deliver a subtle performance tone paired with an economical price tag. The popular straight-through muffler lineup has been expanded to include a new, large 3″ universal model. Read on to learn more about this awesome new piece from Flowmaster! FlowFX Muffler Flowmaster’s FlowFX series mufflers […]
Dual Injector Lo-Ram Base Manifold Now Available!
Are you tired of struggling to find a performance intake for your tight LS-powered engine bay? Is it time to make BIG power with a turbocharger or centrifugal supercharger? Holley EFI has the perfect recipe with their new dual injector Lo-Ram base manifold kit! Based off of the top-feed configuration, this base […]
FOOD FRIDAYS – DRINKS – A Big Honkin’ Margarita!
A BIG HONKIN’ MARGARITA! If you like margaritas you will love this easy and quick recipe to make more than you can probably handle before falling over. Very refreshing on a HOT SUMMER day. Decorations not included in recipe…choose your own…for a rainy day…little umbrellas…for a sunny day…try the sombrero pictured here. Great for parties […]
Hey, we get it. Even though the 2020 Shelby GT500 is a mind-blowing piece of technology, the Bean Counters in the corner office had a profit figure to hit. How did they do that? Cutting corners. On bizarre stuff, like finishing touches in the engine bay when they car’s biggest piece of eye candy is […]
Race Winning Brands Europe Now Stocking Total Seal® Piston Rings
July 2nd, 2020 Total Seal Piston Rings announced today that Race Winning Brand’s piston companies – Diamond, JE and Wiseco – are now stocking Total Seal piston rings in Europe for upgrades to piston orders. Matt Hartford, Total Seal CEO and President said, “Now engine builders and enthusiasts in Europe can unlock greater performance by […]
The staff and owners of RPM Magazine wish you all a Safe and Happy Fourth of July!
NEWS – Advanced Turbo Shield Design
Design Engineering, Inc. introduces high-tech GEN-3 Titanium Turbo Shields. AVON LAKE, OHIO (July 1, 2020) – When it comes to technologically advanced turbocharger protection, Design Engineering, Inc. has again raised the bar with its new GEN-3 Titanium Turbo Shields with LR Technology™. Featuring a silicone-coated outer layer, multiple stainless steel and silica inner layers, and […]
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 […]