Its been awhile

Ooh, it's been quite awhile since I last posted here. Sorry to those of you who follow this blog. I'll try to get better at this social networking stuff. I promise.

SoCal show

It's just about time to consider heading to the Fun Under the Sun handcrafted car show April 24. The venue for this venue has changed from Knotts Berry Farm to the NHRA Museum at the Fiarplex in Pomona, California. The show will also be a one-day (Saturday) event this year and entrance will include admission to the drag museum. The following day is the huge Pomona Swap Meet so it might be a good idea to stay overnight to attend that monster show/swap.

Sneak peek at April issue

Here's a little preview of the April issue that we just finished. It is scheduled to hit the newsstand around March 2 and in subscriber's mailboxes a bit before that. The emphasis in this issue is engines. We've included a guide to kit car engines that includes 30-some offerings. We also have a couple of Spotlights on significant mills plus a bunch of cool cars with varying powerplants. We've also got the usual offerings of news, new products and other features.

New issue preview

Well, it has certainly been a long time since I posted something here. I guess my other duties have taken precedent. At least that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I'll try to do better. Here's a little preview of the February 2010 issue, our annual Cobra Guide and it's chocked full of snake stuff to be sure. This issue also has a bunch of non-Cobra info too and some cars that will surely turn your crank. This issue is set to hit the newsstand on Jan 5, 2010 though subscribers will probably have it in hand by now or very shortly. In among all the Cobra features is a story on a very special aluminum Kirkham, a new Track Day car from Backdraft, an awesome 289 Street car from ERA and a complete guide to more than 30 snake builders. We also show you how a new 408cid Keith Craft V-8 goes together, a cool Belaro convertible and some wet-and-wild action from this year's Run 'N Gun. In short, this is a must have if you haven't seen it already.

Retrotek EFI

Engine Factory is now offering this new Retrotek Boss EFI System on its Ford and Chevy V8 crate engines. It is the first major leap in technology for aftermarket fuel injection systems and by far the least expensive and the easiest system to install. The fuel injection system features the Engine Management System (EMS) mounted directly on the throttle body. This eliminates a major portion of the wiring harness found on most EFI systems. The injectors, and the idle air control are contained inside the throttle body and the unit that controls them is attached to the side of the throttle body. Despite its compact size, the EMS is still laptop programmable although this is normally not required with most installations. It’s a feature for those enthusiasts who prefer to do their own programming. For most enthusiasts, the installed program is more than suitable.

This, like their other EFI systems, is fully self learning. Install it, fire it up, drive it around for 30 minutes or so and it dials itself in. It continues to fine tune itself as it adjusts to your driving habits and various atmospheric conditions.

If your vehicle already has a return line, or you want to install one, you can eliminate the added cost of the Returnless Kit. And if your vehicle has both a return line and a high-pressure EFI-style fuel pump, you do not need either of the optional kits.

If your vehicle does not have a return line to the fuel tank, the simplest installation of all is to select the basic kit along with the Returnless Kit. The main advantage of this system is simpler installation and fewer wires cluttering up your engine compartment.

The listed kits are all rated up to 500 horsepower. Higher horsepower engines will require larger injectors and a bigger fuel pump. For details contact Engine Factory, www.fordcobraengines.com.

August 2009 Kit Car Builder Sneak Preview

We thought we'd tease you a little with this sneak preview of the August 2009 issue of Kit Car Builder. We just put the finishing touches on it and must say that it's brilliant. You'll have to wait a little for it to arrive in your mailboxes (subscribers should probably receive it around end of June and on the newsstands July 7).

If you like engine stuff, you'll love this issue as it includes a special section on motive power--everything from electric and alt-fuel talk to 550-hp Ford V-8s. It'a also our 2010 Preview Issue with lots of new cars that you'll be seeing soon. We have coverage of the two largest kit car shows and a bunch of surprises thrown in just for fun. Now a little break, then it's onto the next issue. That is after we hit the London Cobra Show at the end of the month. Enjoy!

Fiberfab Aluminum Chassis

Constructed of 6061 T-6 aluminum, Fiberfab US is offering a Gen 2, Type-R frame said to weigh in at only 150 lbs. It’s made from 2” x 5” box tubing and utilizes the company’s U.M.E.T.S. (Unitized Multi-Link Engine Transmission Suspension) modular assembly that allows the use of most any longitudinally mounted transaxle powertrain. The company is touting this new chassis as being especially useful for electric vehicle projects.

For more details on this project, contact: Fiberfab US, (541) 536-0550 or www.fiberfab.us.