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Recent Articles

Here are some of the more recent articles that our team has created and/or placed in a variety of publications.

One Day EFI
One Day EFIBy cole Posted in  Four Wheeler  | 26 Aug 2012

Bigger, better, faster and it will make you better looking! We’ve heard a lot of promises and claims in our time, and most of them we go by without the slightest temptation. But when MSD launched its Atomic EFI, claiming to make electronic fuel injection (EFI) conversion easy and fast, it got our attention.

In the past couple of years, there have been a few EFI systems introduced that promised easy installation and laptop-free tuning. In fact, they claim to be self-tuning. These are throttle-body based systems, bolting on in place of a four-barrel carburetor. They don’t have to control the ignition system. And they don’t require a degree in air/fuel ratio technology to tune. All of that sounded too good to be true, so we decided to put one of them to the test.

Brake Basics
Brake BasicsBy cole Posted in  Kit Car Builder  | 23 Aug 2012

There are not very many systems on your car as important as the brake system, and yet it’s also one of the most misunderstood systems. Often, choices are made solely on what comes with your suspension system or what your buddies run on their kit car without addressing the real issues: How much brake do you need? How do you match your system front to rear? What brake pads are the best? Should I use DOT 4 or DOT 5 brake fluid. Each of these questions could be answered with a multi-page technical paper, but we’ll give you a quick overview to help you make a good choice when building your kit car.

Straight and Narrow
Straight and NarrowBy cole Posted in  Jp  | 07 Aug 2012

Bent front axles in JKs are just about as common as JKs themselves. If you add 35s and ‘wheel your late-model Wrangler hard, we’ll guarantee your axle has more shape than Megan Fox. Even mere 33s and daily driving can eventually tweak the Dana 30 and 44 under these vehicles.

Naturally, you can buy a bullet-proof complete axle assembly to bolt in place, but that’s overkill for many JKs. If you have stocker that you’re building into a decent off-road machine, however, you can add some beef to the axle under your Jeep without taking out a bank loan.

Woodward Dream Cruise Survival Guide
Woodward Dream Cruise Survival GuideBy cole Posted in  Muscle Car Review  | 23 Jul 2012

We were there for the first Woodward Dream Cruise in 1995, and have been back for plenty more since. When you attend an event that has been the largest single-day car event in the world for more than 15 years, you better have a plan. It’s easy to get lost in the more than 40,000 cars that participate and the 1.5 million people strolling up and down Woodward Avenue, the side streets and checking out the same cars that you’re there to enjoy. And this compilation of insider’s tips will help you avoid waiting in line for an hour for a really bad hot dog and take home memories of a great time rather than a hospital bill for heat stroke.

The best place to start is to understand what the Woodward Dream Cruise is all about. The event takes place just north of Detroit every year

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Which is Better – an Electric or Belt-driven Fan?
Which is Better – an Electric or Belt-driven Fan?By cole Posted in  Power and Performance News  | 18 Jul 2012

Deciding whether an electric fan or a belt-driven fan is best in a specific application can be a difficult call to make. Flex-a-lite manufactures both, so they were able to offer some unbiased information on this topic.

Naturally, which fan is better depends on your application and how you plan to use your car. The full answer to this question is that bothelectric and belt-driven fans have their place. Which one is better depends largely on the specific application.

An electric fan is the better performance solution, freeing up maximum horsepower and mpg. But it’s not always the better cooling solution.And certain electric fans move enormous amounts of air, even when the engine is idling, providing a cooling solution. It all depends on the application. Let’s dive

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Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna SecaBy cole Posted in  Hot Rod  | 18 Jul 2012

Say “corkscrew” to a car nut and they’re likely to dream up images for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca long before any thoughts of a cabernet. And along with thoughts of the racetrack comes mental pictures of Can-Am cars or Trans Am racers like Parnelli Jones and Mark Donohue ripping down the famous 10 story drop between turn 8 and 9.

If that’s you, you’re going to dig this new series in Roddin’ at Random. We’ll take a look at some of the most popular racetracks in the U.S., and provide the facts and stories that make them famous. We’ve been lucky enough to visit and even drive on most of these racetracks.In fact, former editor, Rob Kinnan, even has a corner named after him on one of them for his demonstration of an alternate driving line.

Mazda Raceway Lag

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Keeping Your Cool
Keeping Your CoolBy cole Posted in  Four Wheeler  | 18 Jul 2012

Blowing off steam can be fun. Unless it’s your engine that’s blowing the steam. Many people view a cooling system as a necessary evil, building the rest of your 4×4 with sexy parts and then dealing with an overheating problem. But being nervous with an engine that tends to run hot takes the fun out of a trail ride, and overheating can leave you stranded and potentially damage engine parts.

If you approach the cooling system with the same enthusiasm as you do an axle upgrade, you can be rewarded with a dependable system that you will never haveto worry about. You may also be able to gains some performance and fuel economy while you’re at it!

Easy EFI Swap?
Easy EFI Swap?By cole Posted in  Kit Car Builder  | 27 Jun 2012

There is a saying that you hear often in business that says that you can have it fast, good or cheap. Pick two, but you can’t have all three. There’s a new type of electronic fuel injection (EFI) conversion systems on the market that might prove that adage incorrect.

This new era of EFI systems offers an easier installation, comes as a more complete kit so there is less for you to figure out and – perhaps best of all – no need to use a laptop computer to tune the system. They are also self-tuning, which various kits have claimed in the past.

There is a saying that you here often in business that says that you can have it fast, good or cheap. Pick two, but you can’t have all three. There’s a new type of electronic fuel injection (EFI) conversion systems on

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The Hard WayBy cole Posted in  Popular Hot Rodding  | 16 Jun 2012

Anyone can build a Chevy, but it takes a unique person to build an off-brand. There we said it. It’s out in the open. You can argue all you want, but talk to anyone who builds a non-mainstream muscle car and they will quickly tell you that they have to be way more creative and resourceful to build a red-headed step-child from the same era as your Chevelle or Camaro. Of course, that’s also the exact same argument that Chevy guys will use to justify their marque of choice – it’s easier and more affordable, so they can concentrate on take the car tothe next level. Jimi Day did not only took his ’69 AMC AMX that he affectionately calls AMXess to the next level, he did so with a car that is rare to see in any form.

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Let There be Light!By cole Posted in  Four Wheeler  | 20 Mar 2012

Nothing changes your perspective on nighttime ‘wheeling or even just driving down paved roads like a good set of lights. And unless you’redriving a brand new $50,000 4×4, your factory lights suck in comparison to what is available. There are multiple ways to put more light infront of your 4×4, including off-road lights and headlight upgrade kits. But these can range from $40 to over $500, so it pays to know a little bit about the technology before whipping out the platinum credit card.

First, the basics. In most vehicle lights, electricity flows through a thin piece of metal called a filament just like the soon-to-be-outlawed incandescent light bulbs in your house. The metal heats up almost to the point of melting, and the resulting glow puts the light in your lights. Th

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