Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) has been around for decades, but plenty of hot-rodders remain spooked by the systems: “There are wires running everywhere.” “You need dozens of sensors.” “There are a bunch of multifarious black boxes looking after top-secret duties.” “They cost a fortune.” “You must be a computer hacker to make the thing run
Camshafts and lifters are available in two basic formats—roller and flat tappet. And then within those two formats, they can either be of the mechanical (solid), or hydraulic variety. Fair enough. That should come as no surprise to most people reading this. But what makes up a flat tappet lifter? They’re typically hollow steel and
There are many roller lifters available today. They range in quality from so-so to over the top. On the over-the-top end of the scale is the lineup from Jesel. Jesel manufactures a wide cross section of models including some very special lightweight keyed roller lifters that are the darlings of the pro stock/ultra pro street
Tunnel ram manifolds made their debut in the early 1960s. The first ones were actually small block Chevy jobs patterned off a Rochester mechanical fuel injection intake manifold (drag racer Carroll Caudle should be credited for the invention). Soon after, a company owned by Ralph Ridgeway cast a commercial example, followed shortly thereafter by other
Spin back the clock about 45 years or so. If you had an engine combination that could handle it, what you really needed was a tunnel ram with a couple of Holley 660 center squirters perched on top. If you burned corners, a cross ram with a couple of 650’s was the ticket. Over time,
It’s no secret that heat kills automatic transmissions. This is especially true in big-power, street-strip machines that combine lots of horsepower with a small torque converter and steep rear axle ratio. Engine rpm is up across the board, and the automatic transmission builds heat. This is also true for trucks that haul heavy loads or tow trailers battling tough conditions
When it comes to fabbing hard lines, there are no real tricks involved. It’s just a matter of measuring, trial and error, and patience. The main goal is to build lines that are functional and leak proof, but you also want to make them look good too. In the end, you’ll discover that mistakes can and do happen
First- and second-generation Camaros and Firebirds (1967-81), along with 1968-up Novas and other GM X-body derivatives, were built with a big, bolt-on front subframe assembly. This huge subframe was originally held in place with only four rubber and steel cushions for the actual body and two smaller rubber and steel cushions for the radiator support. The rubber
Big cars need big brakes. While a common drag car might weigh 2,400-2,800 pounds, today’s street-strip machines can easily weigh more than 3,500 pounds. Often these heavy, fast cars tax the rotors, and the thin drag race-only pieces can become cracked or warped due to excess heat. Plus, the small, drag race-style calipers can flex at the
[portfolio_slideshow id=59301] Few of us give consideration to how and why battery mounting can be used as an advantage. We know that the majority of drag cars and many street/strip machines have batteries mounted out back, but there are some specific factors to think about. Directional Battery Mounting The direction a battery is mounted can
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