RPM Magazine November 2020 - Teaser

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november 2020 | RPM Magazine

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.............................................................. CHRIS BIRO editor@rpmmag.com V.P. MARKETING/CUSTOMER RELATIONS.................. TRISH BIRO trish@rpmmag.com EVENT MEDIA.................................................. events@rpmmag.com EVENT SUBSCRIPTIONS COORDINATOR........... SHERRIE WEBER sherrie@rpmmag.com ART DIRECTOR............................................................

JIM McHARG

Photographic Contributions: TIM LEWIS, MARK goDragRacing. org, GEORGE PICH, TOBY BROOKS, MATT WOODS, TABITHA SIZEMORE, MATT TROMBLEY, LOUIS FRONKIER, BART CEPEK, PATRICK “RED” WILLIAMS, BLAKE FARNAN, JERRY GARRISON, NEIL ZIMBALDI, STEVEN TAYLOR, and EDDIE MALONEY. Editorial Contributions: TIM LEWIS, CHUCK SCOTT, MARK goDragRacing.org, TOBY BROOKS, JAMES WILLIAMS, TIM BIRO, STAN SMITH, JT, GEORGE PICH, JAY MISENER, and EDDIE MALONEY. Technical Writing Contribution: CHUCK SCOTT, SHANE TECKLENBURG, TOBY BROOKS, and TIM BIRO.

ADVERTISING SALES For advertising information contact

TRISH BIRO...........................519.752.3705....... trish@rpmmag.com

Special Events Manager: Chris Biro events@rpmmag.com Special Events Sales: Trish Biro: 519-752-3705 trish@rpmmag.com Subscriptions/Address Changes: Circulation circulation@rpmmag.com

MEET THE RPM TEAM

PRODUCTION STAFF

RPM Magazine is a REGISTERED TRADEMARK of Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. RPM Magazine is a worldwide motorsports publication distributed online.

To subscribe to RPM go to www.rpmmag.com or email Trish Biro at trish@rpmmag.com, or call 519752-3705.

The focus of RPM is to bring a diverse mix of high performance street and race automobiles to life within its pages including race cars, musclecars, hot rods and street legal machines with an emphasis on the “EXTREME,” including fast doorslammer and outlaw forms of drag racing. Not familiar with these types of cars? They are considered to be the topshelf of the industry and are on the edge with regard to design, performance, and power!

RPM Magazine does not sell its mailing list or share any of the confidential information regarding its subscribers.

WANT YOUR CAR IN RPM?

RPM Magazine has been a world leader in motorsports publishing for 21 years and has support locations in Ontario, Canada, Alabama, Texas, and Virginia, along with contributing writers and photojournalists worldwide.

If you have a story that may fit within the focus and scope of RPM Magazine’s coverage, please email our Editor In Chief at editor@rpmmag.com.

Submission of an article does not guarantee that it will be published.

Revolution Publishing & Media Inc. (RPM) / RPM Magazine IS NOT responsible for errors or omissions in ANY advertisement or article.

Advertisements may be rearranged or altered at the sole discretion of RPM to allow the ad to fit in the space purchased by the advertiser.

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ADVERTISING WHICH WE CONSIDER TO CONTAIN MISLEADING, OFFENSIVE OR FALSE INFORMATION. REPRODUCTION OF ANY INFORMATION HEREIN IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT.

General Inquiries: 519.752.3705 info@rpmmag.com

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editor’s

RANT

by

Chris Biro

ACCOUNTABILITY

4

AED Competition ...................77

Meziere Enterprises ...............32

AFR:

Misener Motorsports .......... 103

Air Flow Research .........5,56,57

Is it disappearing with the age of mega web-based companies?

In somewhat of a continuation from last month’s RANT, I’ve got a beef, and it has nothing to do with pandemics, politics or masks!

Lately at RPM we’ve been doing business with a lot of online-based companies as we continue to expand web presence along with creating exclusive content and webbased store offerings. Some of these businesses are very large and some not so large, but my question is, when did it become ok NOT to have a phone number for your customers to call when they have a question or concern? And further, when we do dig up a phone number from under some well hidden online virtual rock and speak to someone, could it at least be someone we can effectively communicate with? Someone that understands the business environments WE operate in? Is that too much to ask?

These large web companies seem to think it is ok to waste their “small” customers time (YOUR TIME) in trying to contact them, when YOU are the customer! Hopefully there is a choice to use a customer service minded company ready to earn and keep your business, but sometimes we simply have little to no options. Unfortunately, platforms like YouTube, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Twitter etc. may just be too big to fail or be substantially hurt by poor customer service reports, at least in our lifetime.

Lately I have found that a number of the large online video hosting companies, popular selling platforms and social media platforms do not have a direct contact phone number. Some use the excuse that they would be inundated with calls, my reply is, but you are making billions of dollars off of people, customer service should be part of your business model! Again, unfortunately, many people now rely on these companies to make a living or are just simply addicted to the whole experience they offer up, so they suck it up and accept it.

At least throw us a bone and give us someone to email directly! Don’t send me to an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page that will only incite frustration and anger when I have to read through 100 questions only to find mine is not on there, and I still cannot get a contact email. And, if somehow you do provide me with an email and “guarantee” or even “suggest” that “as a valued customer” I will be contacted back within 24 or 48 hours...then CONTACT ME BACK IN 24 or 48 HOURS! I have a rule at RPM for every single email that comes directly to me; If I do not answer your email within 48 hours, chances are that I did not receive it, so send it again

ADVERTISER INDEX

or call. It’s that simple.

So what is wrong with so many webbased businesses that they cannot even provide the most basic customer service through interaction with a representative of their company? Are they so arrogant and so absolutely sure that they will last forever that such basic customer services have all but vanished? And we thought phone trees were bad when they first came out...now it’s simply no contact phone number at all.

Recently, we were trying to pay a monthly fee to use a popular video production platform. They had no phone number, so we emailed. Almost a week later we received a reply that basically fluffed us off as an entry level subscriber that they would get to when they had the time. When we told them that we were a potential higher level corporate customer, they had one of their “experts” set up a phone call with us a few days later. When he found out we were not a large bank or other multi-billion dollar outfit, we became second rate once again. Soon after we cancelled our payment/subscription with them.

Another subscription based software platform we use operates in a similar manner, with no direct contact phone numbers.

They do offer an email and guarantee that as a customer at higher paying subscription level you will be contacted back in “x” amount of hours or number of days. Instead, when we had legit concerns, it took over a week and us threatening to take the matter further before they finally took action. Interestingly, they said something to the effect that they knew the problem existed and confirmed that it exists with many of their customers, however, their engineers were not planning to address it anytime soon. What the (explicit) is that all about?

If we ran our business in these ways we would be out of business. But that is the problem isn’t it? Small business in a niche market is tough to start with, so we have to look after our customers, which costs time and money. In some businesses that operate wholly in a virtual world, personal customer service and good business morals count for very little these days. For many of them its about the number of customers, not the experience of the individual customer.

YOU, your information and your habits have become THEIR product. That’s an interesting twist of events.

In short, don’t become a limp fish and take this sort of nonsense from these companies “just because”, demand accountability and exercise your right to choose!

november 2020 | RPM Magazine

AJE Racing............................ 77 American Racing Headers .....56

Moser Engineering .............. 62 Neal Chance Converters ........ 98

Aurora Bearing ......................77

Northern Radiator .................60

AVAK/Ridgegate Tools ...........50

Parts Pro/Total Truck Centers

Baer Brakes ..................... 31,52

.............................. 59,102,110

BES Racing Engines ...............66

PBM Products....................... 13

Billet Specialties....................66 Bill Mitchell Products ...... 12,73 BoulandMotorsUSA.com .......96

Piston Racing Engines ...........89 Profiler ..................................63

C & S Specialties ....................36

PRW-USA ..............................96

Callies Performance Prod ......21

Race Part Solutions ......... 30,73

Calvert Racing Suspensions ...45

Racequip ...............................63

Canton Racing Products ........26 CFE Racing Products .............62 Chassis Engineering ..............66

Racetronix .............................49 Rage Wraps ..........................63

Clearshot Customs.............. 103

RAM Clutches ........................78

Delta Performance Auto Grp..20

RCD .......................................88

Design Engineering ...............39

RM Racing Lubricants ...... 21,71

Dynotech Engineering...........11

Ross Racing Pistons ........... 7,47

ECAM ................................. 102 Energy Suspension/NPW .......52

RPM Magazine ......................23

Erson Cams......................... 101

RPM Magazine Subscribe!

GoDragRacing.org .............. 102

........................................ 35,63

Goodson Tools .......................56

SG Metal Works .....................70

Granatelli Motorsports ..........61

SM Racecars ..........................97

GRP Connecting Rods ............67 Harland Sharp .......................38 Hitman Hotrods.....................57

Steve Morris Engines ...............2 Summit Midwest Drags .........51

Hughes Performance...............7

Summit Racing Equip.

Icon Forged Pistons ...............88

.................................35,97,109

Induction Solutions ...............18

Taylor Cable Products ......... 100

Jesel ......................................48 Joe Van O...............................57 JW Racing Transmissions .........5

T & D Machine .......................71 The Supercharger Store .........71

Karbelt ..................................77

Ti64 .......................................99

Kinsler Fuel Injection....... 13,63

Tom’s Upholstery ...................48

LenTech Automatics ........ 38,70

Total Seal Rings .....................10

Liberty’s Gears ..................... 70

Trailer Alarms.com ................88

Lokar Performance ............... 66 Lutz Race Cars ...................... 89 Magnaflow............................96

Trick Flow ........................ 15,97 Tuned By Shane T ..................65

MagnaFuel ............................16

Ultimate Headers ..................77

Manton Pushrods ............... 100

VFN Fiberglass Inc. ................62

Mark Williams .......................89

Weinle Motorsports ..............17

Metal Products ......................63

World Products......................67

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November

2020

Often Imitated, Never Duplicated—For 21 STRAIGHT YEARS RPM Magazine has been the ORIGINAL Voice Of Wild Street Machines and Extreme Drag Cars WORLDWIDE! Don’t Settle For Less! We DELIVER Insane Fast Cars and Bring You NO POLITICS... JUST ACTION! Your ONLY “Real Time” “Real World” Car Mag...PERIOD!

TurbochargedThisTerror ................................... 54 5-second 274+ MPH Pro Mod has some solid blood lines

Perseverence Pays Off............................................ 8

Demonic Pleasure ........................................ 42 When Dodge produced the 2018 Challenger SRT Demon, they set the bar high!

For Scarlett .................................................................. 28

Time To LayCanada’s Thepremier Smack Down.............. 74 No-Time Race Event Goes Full Steam Ahead

This blown Fox Body build is all about finishing what you start, no matter what happens.

This ’67 big block nitrous Camaro has made lasting memories for Bruce Kennedy

86

Icons that never become a household name

94

102 We install the JLT 123mm BIG AIR Intake system with pulley on a 2013 GT500

READ COMPLETE ISSUES OF RPM MAG ONLINE AT WWW.RPMMAG.COM 6

november 2020 | RPM Magazine

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CUSTOM IN STOCK PISTONS

TRUSTED BY THE FASTEST RACERS, ELITE ENGINE BUILDERS AND HIGHEST HORSEPOWER MACHINES ON THE PLANET, FOR OVER 40 YEARS!

WWW.ROSSPISTONS.COM | 310.536.0100 SALES@ROSSPISTONS.COM ONLINE

FACEBOOK.COM/ROSSPISTONS @ROSSPISTONS

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This blown Fox Body build is all about finishing what you start, no matter what happens.

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november 2020 | RPM Magazine

Photos by Jason Matthew Story by Stan Smith

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Once Jerry Hoose got bit by the boost bug, he couldn’t turn back.

There’s only one way to understand what it takes to build a car, and that is to experience it firsthand.

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november 2020 | RPM Magazine

For New Jersey’s Jerry Hoose that experience went well beyond the typical money and time constraints, problems with parts fitting or work being done correctly. For Hoose, he also had to deal with his car almost burning up in a shop fire and then having to have to bring it back to life. So yeah, it’s safe to say that this guy knows a thing or two about perseverance.

Jerry has been involved in the car scene with his dad, from street racing to organized track racing and going to shows, ever since he was a teenager. “This is just what we did together,” he said. “In 1996 my dad and I opened up a speed shop in my town and that entrenched us even more into the scene. Since then I have been involved with many friends in all levels of racing from street cars to pro mods and nitrous to twin turbos.” For Hoose and his circle of friends it’s always been about fast cars and racing, however, when the speed shop industry was struggling he decided to take a different route for his day job and entered the world of graphic design and vinyl graphics, starting Wiked Designs. Through it all, though, was his 1993 Mustang GT. “I bought the car brand new and it has gone through many builds over the years,” explained Hoose. He tried out most every custom car genre of the day including building it as an all-out show car. It was bagged and

The small block Ford blower motor towers to almost meet the roofline of the Mustang.

To handle the new power and fit the new larger rear tires, the car was backhalved using all S&W parts. www.rpmmag.com

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•357-T6 Aluminum 45 Degree Lifter Bank •426 HEMI & 440 Wedge •Deck Height: 10.725” •Priority Main Oiling •4 Bolt 1045 Steel Billet Main Caps

E Q U I P P E D

Replaceable Sleeves 4.560” Max Bore

HARDCORE QUALITY & PERFORMANCE WaterExpanded Jackets

•Blocks •Heads •Manifolds•Valvetrain•Safety Equipment •Valve Covers•Fuel Systems •Horsepower Combos•Hardware

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november 2020 | RPM Magazine

The Blower Shop handled the 8-71 blower for Hoose and it sits atop a custom blower intake.

Fuel, in the form of alcohol, comes into the equation via and Enderle mechanical fuel injection system.

The custom purple paint was mixed and shot by Jerry’s cousin Jason Hoose, while the airbrushed “rip” graphics were expertly applied by Fred Sicoli of Killer Creations.

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Factory seats and dash are mixed with custom gauges, switch panels and tin work while a B&M billet ratchet shifter controls gear changes of the Art Carr TH400 trans.

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november 2020 | RPM Magazine

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