performance report - Motor State Distributing
Transcription
performance report - Motor State Distributing
september/october 2008 • vol. 18.5 PERFORMANCE REPORT ).&/2-!4)/.6)%70/).43 Let's Make Something...Anything Perfectly Clear, Please "Lu-u-u-u-u-u-u-c-c-c-c-c-cy-y-y-y-y-y-y...you got some 'splainin' to do!" Followers of the weekly "I Love Lucy" sitcom were familiar with this Ricky Ricardo rant every time his lovable, airhead wife, Lucy, pulled one of her classic stunts. If Ricky were around to read the following, he might be even more upset than usual... and would most certainly want some good " 'splanations. Truthfully, so would we. James Everyman dreads going to work. Every day, from 7:00 am until 3:30 pm, he pushes a mop, or mans a snow shovel or steers a broom around...whatever the job demands. When he's not cleaning floors, clearing snow or sweeping dirt from the floor, he spends countless hours digging miniscule portions of Possum Nuggets, french fries and gristly hamburger out of corners, from under napkin dispensers, and from the gaps in the seat cushions of the Nerfy Burger Restaurant that employs him. James does not like this job, but he does his level best because that's the way he was taught a long time ago. As far as he is concerned, it's the American way of doing things. He's always taken pride in doing a good job, even for his current employer. James was not always a custodian at a fast food joint. Until his career vanished, he was pulling in good money, doing his best to ensure quality results for his longtime employer. For the type of work he is currently performing, he is grossly overqualified - and pitifully underpaid - but to him, any job is better than no job. He has a family, and must do what he has to in order to keep the wolf away from the door. Again, these are his deep-seated American values coming through. In the rare restful moments he can take while on the job, James wonders where it all started to go terribly wrong. His twenty-two year stint as a cross-country trucker is now just a dim memory, and James Everyman can't help feeling bitter. The commercial carrier he worked for had been in business since 1946 and had endured several setbacks through the years, including the recession of the (Continued on page 2) INSIDEINFORMATION • Information and Viewpoints • Let's Make Something Clear ............ 1, 2 • New Product Showcase • AEM, Billet, Flowmaster, etc............. 3, 4 • Allstar Performance • What’s New .......................................... 6 • Charlie Jobber • Little "Horse" Sense ......................... 5, 8 The Motor State Performance Report is compiled and published bi-monthly by the Motor State Distributing Advertising Department Staff: John McLellan • John Berglund • Matt Hauch • Jim Kaekel, Jr. • Michael Kalling • Robin Beachy • Chad Harris • Manufacturer Spotlight • Shifnoid Transmission Products ........... 7 • Internal Affairs • Changes To Wholesale Price Guide ..... 3 INFORMATION & VIEWPOINTS Let's Make Something...Anything Perfectly Clear, Please (cont. from page 1) late 1950's, deregulation during the questionable days of the Reagan administration, and the loss of considerable revenue when companies started the wholesale farming out of manufacturing to overseas interests. The fatal blow to his employer came in the form of ungodly increases in the price of diesel fuel. With over 1,300 trucks on the road, the rapidly escalating fuel prices raised the barrier to the point that it could not be overcome. The doors closed on the trucking company for good. That was a little over a year ago. James and 1,800 other people lost their livelihoods. At first, James and his wife were not too worried. A few years ago they had managed to save enough money to purchase a small resort on an inland lake near their home. They figured it would be a good second income, and would help them make ends meet when they retired. Since the once heavily industrial state they lived in was now dependent upon tourism, they figured that they might as well align themselves with the tourist dollar. Unfortunately, the same fuel prices that drove his employer out of business created a drastic reduction in tourism. Nearing the end of their second season they now had to list the little resort for sale at a loss, just to get out from under the monthly mortgage payments. There were not many lookers, even at the reduced price. Before long, it seemed that every facet of their lives was affected in some way, shape or form by the sometimes twice daily increase in gasoline prices. Driving a two-year old 4x4 pickup (upon which he still owed nearly three years of payments), James had no choice but to drive it to his job at the restaurant every day. At his old job, the big pickup only had to make one round trip a week. He drove to the trucking terminal on Sunday night, hit the road in his tractor-trailer rig, returned home late Thursday night and got in his pickup to drive back home. Now, he was driving a round trip every day...and using five times as much fuel as he was driving to his old job. He tried to trade the pickup in for something that got better fuel mileage, but, because it was labeled as a gas guzzler, its value had shrunk to about half of what its previous blue book price had been. Every dealer he stopped at told him they were not interested or, if they were interested, made him a ridiculously low offer. To help alleviate his gas budget, James had begun doing much of his grocery shopping on the way home, just to cut down the number of trips his wife had to take in her sport utility, another gas guzzler that suddenly had no market interest or value. Grocery prices were considerably higher, and the newscasts of the previous few weeks had blamed the higher prices on the rising fuel costs. It was costing the farmers more to harvest the food products, and, as he knew all too well, the truckers had to charge more to deliver the products. The most 2 disheartening price increase of all was when the garbage company raised the price of hauling garbage away every week. It occurred to James that food cost more, it cost more to get it at the store, and now, it was costing more to haul the refuse from that food away. All because of an increase in fuel prices. The last straw came when he read in the paper that the CEO of one of the major oil companies revealed that his company had amassed profits of nearly 300% during the last quarter...and that he was being rewarded with a $3.5 million bonus, on top of his $2.7 million dollar salary. Insult had been unceremoniously added to injury. What could James do? It seemed as though every avenue of recovery was barricaded with escalating costs due to the fuel crisis. Everything seemed hopeless. James Everyman shares a dilemma with each and every one of us. Every cost we encounter on a daily basis has been twisted all out of shape. Many have suggested complaining to our congressional representatives, but recent findings indicate that nearly every politician has received large campaign contributions from major oil interests. Others have expressed the hope that one or the other of the leading presidential candidates has a solution to the exorbitant petroleum increases. So far, they've just been paying lip service, for the most part, with a few carefully placed admonishments of the petroleum speculators. They most likely do not want to upset major contributors to their campaigns. Maybe Peter Finch's character in "China Syndrome", newscaster Howard Peale, was speaking for us when he said, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." We should all get angry and make this anger known to those we elect to represent our best interests in Washington, D.C. Maybe a wholesale cleaning of offices in the House and the Senate would be a start. One thing is for sure: There can be no more complacency while certain factions pillage our economy to promote their own short-sighted selfishness. Sitting back and resigning ourselves to a lesser quality of life because we feel helpless is not a good plan. There is strength in numbers, and any politician would be a fool to ignore hundreds...no, thousands of letters in his mail box. Short of term limits, the most effective way to keep the political machine aimed in the right direction is to let the "cogs" in the machine know that they are being monitored by their constituents, and that we have a right to certain expectations of performance in exchange for our votes. Write or call every political hack you can find, and like Lucy's hubby, Ricky Ricardo, demand that they 'splain themselves. Ultimately, the power to do something about this fiscal mess we find ourselves in rests with our elected representatives. It's high time everyone realized this.©MSR MOTOR STATE PERFORMANCE REPORT INTERNAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT Changes To Wholesale Price Guide ...Once More 'Round The Block Dept. Wholesale Price Guide –Changes Are Here! Included in this mailing is the latest Motor State Wholesale Price Guide. The racing and motorsports business has drastically changed over the past decade. A hot topic for the last couple of years has been “Product Pricing”. The ongoing fluctuation of raw materials, petroleum products and transwww.motorstate.co m portation costs has affected vendor price changes. Traditional, annual price sheets are now bi-annual, EXCEEDING OUR CU STOMER’S EXPECTAT IONS. bi-annual changes are now quarterly, and customary quarterly changes are now monthly. This situation however, does not mean doom and gloom for our dealers. Motor State was one of the very first warehouses to offer real-time pricing and inventory information. CONFIDENTIAL! FOR *THIS BOOK CONTAIN DEALER EYES ONLY! In fact, over the past several years, we have seen S IMPORTANT “NEED TO KNOW” INFORMA TION FOR ALL DEALERS • 520 + Brands * a large dealer migration toward Motor State web • Industry Leading Prici • New Product Updates ng • Important Industry Notes • Price Guide Pro site eTools™ and also Price Guide Pro® . By providing • Manufacturer Web Site Listings • eTools Partners • Catalog And Marketing • Competitive Selling Support “real-time” product information, we help dealers Prices • Web Sites eTools • Vendor Technical Hotli nes • Meet the Voices of Moto r State compete and stay profitable in today’s marketplace. Bottom line…many dealers no longer rely on U.S.A. AND CANADA - 800.772.2678 printed publications. INTERNATIONAL - 26 9.463.4113 Motor State is one of the few warehouse distribuEF FE CT IV E DA TE tors to publish a comprehensive price book for SEPTEMBER 1, 2008 dealers multiple times each year. This worked well TO FE BR UARY 28 29, 2009 *Possession of this conÀdential docu ment does not cons for a long time, but now, with the volatility of prictitue authority to buy! Prices are subject to change without notice! ing, the shift of our dealers' business thinking and the “go-green” movement, we are reducing the frequency of this publication. Beginning September 2008, our Wholesale Price Book will be published two times per year instead of three. Future price guide coverage dates will be September 1, 2008 to February 28, 2009 and March 1, 2009 to August 31, 2009. We’re sure our dealers understand the need for this change and we encourage all dealers to take advantage of our web based eTools™ and our Price Guide Pro® software. Call Mike Kibby in our Dealer Technology Department at 800-772-2678 Ext. #236 and find out about our latest technology offerings. ©MSR WHOLESALE PRICE GUIDE ® ™ NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE Billet Specialties Chevrolet Pedals Billet Specialties Pedals New billet pedals from Billet Specialties combine show car looks with precision machining and stainless steel hardware. Multiple mounting points, fully adjustable arms, and a wider, stable base are just some of the key features that make these pedals stand out. Brake/clutch pedals can be mounted centered or offset, and oval brake/clutch pedals can also be mounted vertically or horizontally. Pedals have machined non-slip surfaces and are available in polished and durable black anodized finishes. They look better and work better than stock pedals, too. Universal pedals are available as well as custom pedals for '55-'57 Chevrolet and '67-'69 Camaro. ©MSR (Continued on page 4) accepts: SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER • 18.5 • WWW.MOTORSTATE.COM 3 NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE AEM, Flowmaster, Royal Purple, Trans-Dapt...& more (cont. from page 3) Brute Force Intake System AEM's latest Brute Force Intake System is custom engineered for the '05-'08 Ford F150 5.4L V8 and is dyno-tuned and fitted with a 99.52% efficient synthetic air filter element. The system delivers maximum power and torque and can actually improve fuel mileage, too. AEM Water/Methanol Injection Kit AEM30-3001 Reducing air inlet and exhaust gas temperatures on turbo diesels and gas engines allows running higher boost pressures and more advanced timing. This, in turn, creates more torque and pulling power as well as a higher degree of safety. AEM's Water/ Methanol Injection Kit contains everything needed to add water/methanol injection. Features include a 5 gallon tank with fluid level sensor, a variable-flow progressive controller with three jets to match most engine requirements, and Boost Safe which retards timing or reduces boost if the system runs out of fluid or if an error is detected. Dimensions: 21" x 8" x 10". Flowmaster Super 44 Off-Road Mufflers Flowmaster Extreme Off-Road series mufflers can handle just about anything the offroader can serve up. These super-tough, off-road mufflers are constructed of 14-gauge diamond plate steel. Flowmaster Extreme Off-Road mufflers offer 10 times the crush strength of stock mufflers. Sound levels are high, inside or outside the vehicle. Several 2.5" and 3.0" inlet and outlet configurations are available. Electric-Life Power Window Kits Now it's possible to install power windows in many popular cars with a kit that is easy to install and bolts in place of the stock window components for reliable, fast window control. Each kit covers installations for a pair of windows. Front and rear Electric-Life power window kits are available for many muscle car era vehicles including Mopar B and E bodies, Mustangs, Chevy Chevelles and Camaros as well as '55-'57 Chevys and '64 -'87 Chevy and GMC trucks. Royal Purple Engine Break-In Oil ROY11487 Because anti-scuff additives have been removed from modern motor oils, Royal Purple has developed a new break-in formula to protect flat tappet and roller engines from severe damage. Fortified with zinc and phosphorous additives, Royal Purple Break-In Oil will prevent premature wear on cams and lifters. Trans-Dapt Clear Gearz Differential Covers Clear Gearz covers are made of polycarbonate and surrounded by a PPG "NearChrome" Powder Coated One piece Steel Ring. This combination adds extreme high strength, good looks and uniqueness. Monitor oil levels, gear wear and the presence of moisture. Clear Gearz have been extensively tested and proven to be as strong if not stronger than any other cover currently made. To install, use a clear Silicone sealant. Trans-Dapt recommends using a high quality synthetic gear lube for better transparency. Covers are available for various Ford and GM truck rear ends. Trans-Dapt Slamguard Differential Covers Covers offer heavy duty protection for differentials. Cast from nodular iron and powder coated, SlamGuard Covers provide unmatched strength and enhance the undercarriage appearance. Covers include gasket and mounting bolts. Covers are available for Ford Sterling 12-Bolt, GM truck 14-Bolt and Dana 40 and 60 series rear ends. ©MSR 4 MOTOR STATE PERFORMANCE REPORT CHARLIE JOBBER A Little "Horse" Sense A few weeks ago, I was at my favorite bar, idly waiting for the Belmont Stakes to start. I was with a longtime friend who is as dedicated to horses as I am to horsepower. Before the race, we had been catching up on our pastimes. He breeds race horses for a living; I build horsepower. We've always marveled at the similarities between the two vocations. These similarities have spurred on many a lively discussion. This day, however, the conversation headed in a different direction. I'd mentioned being bummed out by the recent death of a drag racer, who died when his car ran out of track at better than 300 miles an hour. My friend said that, considering the shortness of the track and the insane speed of the car, it was a senseless situation all around. Just then, our attention turned to the screen above the bar as the race started. The 1-1/2 mile race lasted about 2-1/2 minutes. When the dust cleared, a handsome big horse named D'Tara was the come-frombehind winner, narrowly edging out two other horses. It was an exciting finish. "Drag racers could learn from horse racing," my friend said, nudging me for emphasis. "How so, my fine equestrian friend?" "Think about it Charles! That race has been held every year for at least a hundred and thirty years. The horses that ran this year aren't one click faster than the ones that ran in the first race in 1873." I thought I knew where this was leading. He was in high gear now. "Look at those stands. There's a hundred thousand or more spectators...it's standing room only for gosh sakes." I led him on...playing dumb. "What's the point?" 'The point is that 'Man O' War' won this race in 1920 with a time 14 seconds quicker than today's winner! No- body even cared that the winner today was slower than the winner 88 years ago. You know why?" "I suspect you are going to tell me..." "Because it is NOT about the speed or the time...it's about the competition and the closeness of the outcome. You guys believe that you must be quicker and faster every year...and you spend a dump truck load of money to do it. Consequently, the very fastest guys are... big surprise here...the very richest guys, or the guys with the most sponsorship money behind them. And, the faster they go, the faster everyone has to go. It's no darn wonder they're all running out of stopping room...and money!" I left the bar, holding that thought, and headed for home. When I got there, I wasn't tired enough to turn in so I sat down to read the newest issue of National Drag Times. The headline caught my eye right away. It was about the big decision to shorten the length of the drag strip for the nitro cars. Before I began to read the article, I closed my eyes for a second or two to ponder the ramifications of "short" quarter mile drag races... ...Then I began to read. Dateline Pomona, CA: Brute Smithly, the new owner of the Global Hot Rod Association, announced today that the organization has finally determined a suitable length for the drag strip as far as Top Fuel and Funny Cars are concerned. "Effective with next week's Possum Nationals, the length of the drag strip will be 330 feet for Top Fuel and Funny Car contests," Smithly was quoted as saying. "We tried a thousand feet at first, but within two events, the Shoe Knockers and other top money teams were already running better than 310 miles per hour, and we were right back where we started." Smithly went on to relate just how the group tackled the problem of just how long the track should be. "After the first 310 mile per hour pass, which, incidentally, produced a massive oildown at the 990 ft. Mark, we realized that more had to be taken from the track. So, after careful consideration, we decided to lop another 250 feet off the length of the nitro race course, bringing us down to 750 feet." "We were sure this would end our top end worries once and for all. Not so. The Shoe Knockers surpassed 300 miles (Continued on page 8) SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER • 18.5 • WWW.MOTORSTATE.COM 5 Allstar Performance What’s New From Allstar Performance? SB Ford Engine Cradle ALL10145 Allstar Performance has redesigned the Small Block Ford Engine Cradle to work with stock blocks, aftermarket blocks including Dart, World, and even the new Ford Motorsport "Boss" blocks with gusset reinforced engine mount bosses and bulged water jackets. The new cradle includes Grade 5 fasteners and may be easily disassembled for storage. Hex nuts welded to front of cradle store hardware when not in use. Made from 1" square, black powder coated tubing, the standard duty cradle has provisions for mounting casters with 3/8" studs. Caster kits are sold separately. Pistol Grip Grease Gun ALL14300 Anyone who has ever rolled around under a car trying to lube fittings while overcoming the limitations of a lever type grease gun will love the new Allstar Performance professional quality, pistol grip grease gun. The comfort grip handle makes for easy, one-hand operation. The gun accepts a standard 14 oz. grease cartridge and also has an air bleeder valve to eliminate air lock. A flexible 12" long fill hose is included. Pump Bracket Kit For Bert ALL48520 Racers using a Bert bellhousing can now adapt KSE belt driven fuel pumps and tandem fuel/power steering pumps to the housing. with Allstar's new bracket kit which includes mounting hardware. Upper Link Bracket Kit ALL60155 Mounting provisions for upper links and 90/10 shock absorbers are now available from Allstar Performance. Formed from 1/4" thick aluminum, the brackets bolt to the top of most quick change rearends and include Grade 8 mounting hardware and aluminum sleeve spacers that can be cut to the proper length to assure proper positioning of upper link and shocks. Ford 9" Pinion Support ALL68391 Replace original equipment style cast iron supports. Forged aluminum support is for 35-spline pinion. Furnished with races installed. Peg Hooks Have you tried to find these little gems in any quantity lately. Most stores sell them individually, or in packs of ten. A craftsman can have several hundred dollars wrapped up in peg hooks before long. Allstar gathers them up and puts 50 in a package so there will always be a plentiful supply of those hooks we all can't live without. Peg hooks fit standard 1" spaced peg board and are available in 2", 4", or 6" lengths, 1/8" diameter. Sold in pack of 50. ©MSR 6 MOTOR STATE PERFORMANCE REPORT MANUFACTURER SPOTLIGHT Shifnoid Drag Race Transmission Components Contender Performance Products, Inc., manufacturer of Shifnoid drag racing transmission components has served the racing industry since 1991. What began with sales of retail products has grown into a leading distributorship of many motorsports racing products, specializing in drag and mud racing. The company prides itself on its experienced technical help, and the dedication to the goal of assuring every racer that the products they purchase are the absolute best choice for their racing needs. Double Adjustable Throttle Stop/Starting Line Controller SHFSN8800 Ideal for Super-class racing, throttle stop/starting line controller sets launch RPM and can slow car to achieve a particular elapsed time. Adjustments do not change the overall length of the throttle cable and may be performed without removing the unit from the carburetor. Rate of opening and closing is adjustable. Linkage adapters (10/32 and 1/4"-28), remote dual mount solenoid, air line and fittings are included. A CO2 bottle must be purchased separately. Starting Line Controller SHFSN8000 Leave from a preset launch RPM with a smooth transition to full throttle with the throttle all the way to the floor. Controller activates upon release of the line lock or trans-brake and the starting line RPM may be set as low as idle. CO2 Trans-Brake Solenoids CO2-activated solenoid activates more quickly than traditional trans-brake solenoids for better reaction times and more consistency. Unaffected by heat, shafts and seals fit precisely to prevent leaks. Compact (1-1/2" diameter x 4" long) solenoid requires only two wire hook-up and CO2 connections. May be connected to existing CO2 bottle and regulator. Lines and fittings are included. We stock versions for Powerglide and TH350/400 automatic transmissions. Electric Shifter Kits Make hands free, consistent shifts. Shifnoid mounts on existing shifter and requires no CO2. Offered for 2- and 3-speed Hurst, B&M and TCI, standard or reverse pattern valve bodies and automatic shifters. 3-speed models actuate 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. Kit includes bracket, solenoid and relay. An adjustable, RPM-activated switch is available separately. Dragster/Roadster 2-Speed Electric Shifter SHFSN5100 Ideal for Powerglide-equipped (standard shift pattern) dragsters and roadsters with tight cockpits. Side-mounted Callis Machine Works (CMW) shifter has a Shifnoid assembly for hands free, consistent shifts. A neutral safety switch and easy-to-use, single hand actuated reverse lock-out are included. Designed as a front cable exit, but may be easily converted to rear exit. The shifter cable is not include and an adjustable RPM-activated switch must be purchased separately. Air Shifter Kits Perform hands-free, consistent shifting with CO2. Available for a variety of popular 2- or 3-speed automatic transmissions with standard or reverse pattern valve bodies and shifters. 3-speed models control 1-2 and 2-3 shifts. Kit mounts to existing shifter and includes bracket, shifting arm, cylinder, solenoid and hardware. CO2 bottle and supply lines must be purchased separately. ©MSR SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER • 18.5 • WWW.MOTORSTATE.COM 7 CHARLIE JOBBER Gets Some "Horse" Sense (cont. from page 5) per hour in less than two seconds on the 750 ft. strip." Smithly continued, "Drastic problems call for drastic measures. The strip for Top Fuel and Funny Car is now only 330 feet... one sixteenth of a mile." "The top cars can barely top 200 miles per hour now, and e.t's are in the mid-one second range. We have conquered the problem ! The cars now have over a half mile of shutdown area, even at the skeeviest of GHRA tracks." Other problems that had to be worked out included the thousand feet of bleachers on either side of the track, past the new finish line, and how to "coach" spectators to enjoy the Top Fuel and Funny Car races without suffering permanent neck injuries. The first problem will be solved by lengthening the course for Junior Dragsters to 1,320 feet. "Them little billet buzzbombs will now run in the low twelves at better than 100 miles per hour," commented Smithly. "Many of them will blow up and oil down at the thousand foot mark now, but it won't hurt the top fuelers and funnies because they'll already be slowed down to nothing at that point. The people seated in that thousand foot area will be tickled to death at the excitement. We may even lengthen the Junior Stocker course to 1,970 feet if popular demand calls for more excitement at the end of the track." Solving the neck injury problem will be a bit more involved. When it was learned that over 350 people went home from last week's 750 foot event with severe neck injuries, the GHRA set about devising a simple neck brace with built-in rubber torque bands that slow head movements in proportion to the force being applied by the neck muscles. The price of these onetime-use braces will be buried in the cost of tickets to the race. Smithly was genuinely excited at the prospect of thousands of spectators wearing their brightly colored neck braces. "Imagine the thrill of being able to wear safety equipment just like the drivers! We think this will revolutionize the sport of drag racing..." All I could do was shake my head. ...Rapidly shaking my head from side to side aroused me from a slumber, bringing a sudden end to the "dream" article I was reading. According to the real article, the GHRA really had shortened the length of the strip, but only to one thousand feet. And, predictably, the Shoe Knockers had already surpassed 300 miles per hour on the shortened course, running in less than four seconds on several passes. In light of my buddy's comments about horse racing, I would have favored cutting back on the power and keeping the length at 1,320 feet, but what do I know? At this rate, the dream induced article might not be that far off base. If we all step back and think about it, drag racing sooner or later will have to face the fact that every year that elapsed times and top speeds improve moves the so-called "kings of the sport" one year closer to extinction. It's the old zero time/mucho speed theory at its clearest. ©MSR CAT108.5 8300 Lane Drive • Watervliet, Michigan 49098 • www.motorstate.com Toll Free 800.772.2678 • Phone 269.463.4113 • Fax 800.772.2618
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