Toronto teen stunt driving Nissan GT-R 240 km/h on highway 407

%name Toronto teen stunt driving Nissan GT R 240 km/h on highway 407 by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Filed under:

A Toronto teen is in trouble after being caught stunt driving at 240 km/h in a black Nissan GT-R. The speeding driver (identified as 18-year-old Vince Lisi), is facing rather serious charges that include stunt driving, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and failure to surrender driver’s licence.

According to reports by Global News, the Nissan GT-R was pulled over after being spotted going 140 km/h over the posted speed limit on highway 407 (near Weston road) last night. The stunt driving teenage driver has since had his Nissan GT-R impounded immediately and his licence suspended for seven days.

In Ontario, someone caught going 50 km/h or more over the limit by police faces an automatic six demerit points, vehicle seizure and an immediate seven day licence suspension with additional suspension (of up to two years) upon conviction. The driver can also face a fine between $2,000 to $10,000. Click here to watch the video footage of the pulled over GT-R.

Toronto teen stunt driving Nissan GT-R 240 km/h on highway 407

Toronto teen stunt driving Nissan GT-R 240 km/h on highway 407 originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Tue, 06 May 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more here: Canadian Automotive News

Peel and Ford Transit do a great Austin Powers impression

Screen Shot 2014 05 05 at 1.36.08 PM Peel and Ford Transit do a great Austin Powers impression by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Filed under:

It’s no secret that the average fullsize cargo van is big. Like, really big. Expressing that size, though, without actually seeing the van in question, is a pretty tall order. When viewed from the right angle, even something as big as a cargo van can appear very small (look up forced perspective, to see what we mean).

That’s why it’s always good to have a second object on hand, to provide a sense of scale. Ford took this simple idea to the extreme, illustrating the size of the new Ford Transit by pulling the world’s smallest production car, the Peel P50, nose first into the van’s 13,790-litre (487-cubic-foot) cargo area. That’s no big deal, though, right? After all, at just 54 inches long and 39 inches wide, the Peel would fit quite happily in even the smallest fullsize truck bed.

Ford takes it a step further, though. With the help of an actual reverse gear (we’re guessing this is a CVT-equipped, electric model), the P50 manages to turn itself around and drive out. It does this in less than two minutes. So yeah, the Ford Transit is a pretty big van.

Take a look below for the video from Ford.

Peel and Ford Transit do a great Austin Powers impression

Peel and Ford Transit do a great Austin Powers impression originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 05 May 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more here: Ford News

How long can you drive after the fuel light comes on?

%name How long can you drive after the fuel light comes on? by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Filed under:

After recently exploring and sharing some of the best fuel-saving tips, we found ourselves wondering just how far a car can go once your low fuel light comes on? This is a question that drivers have been pondering since the first car rolled off the production line and even became the basis for an episode of Seinfeld. It’s also a question that most dread to learn the answer to.

The simple answer is that there is no simple answer. Every vehicle is different and so is every driver. If you are a more aggressive driver or prone to driving fast, you will burn more fuel per kilometre than a more relaxed driver does. That’s assuming you are comparing drivers with the exact same vehicle because every vehicle is different, too. Additionally, stop and go traffic will certainly burn more fuel per kilometre than maintaining a constant speed.

Okay, I guess that leaves us with averages, guesses and personal opinions. Some mechanics will say you can get anywhere from 50km-100km once your “low fuel” light switches on. Well that’s still a rather large range but each mechanic you ask will also say “it depends on your car and how you drive it.” Hmm, still not very helpful, I know, but it’s true… READ FULL STORY.

How long can you drive after the fuel light comes on?

How long can you drive after the fuel light comes on? originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Mon, 05 May 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more here: Ownership & Repair

Petersen Museum celebrates 50 years of Ford Mustang with special exhibit

petersen museum mustang display Petersen Museum celebrates 50 years of Ford Mustang with special exhibit by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Filed under:

If you’re a pony-car enthusiast, this is your year. Not only has Ford introduced an all-new Mustang, but it’s also the 50th anniversary of the original. Celebrations and commemorations have been scheduled throughout the year, and not the least of them is the latest exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.

Called “Mustangs Forever: 50 Years of a Legend”, the exhibit includes Mustangs from every generation of the iconic pony car, including the 1965 convertible Ronald Reagan drove during his California gubernatorial campaign, a 1971 March 1 Cobra Jet, a 1974 Mustang II, 1993 SVT Cobra, 2000 Cobra R and a 2006 Shelby GT-H. Special sections focus on motorsports, aftermarket modifiers and limited-edition models.

The display opened on Sunday with the Mustang Madness spectacular and will run for the next six months, but if you’re not heading to Southern California within the coming half-year then you can scope out all the action in our live gallery of photos above.

Petersen Museum celebrates 50 years of Ford Mustang with special exhibit originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 May 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more here: Mustang News

Latest ‘Made In America Auto Index’ topped by Ford F-Series, Chevy Corvette

2014 ford f 150 tremor 00 opt Latest Made In America Auto Index topped by Ford F Series, Chevy Corvette by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Filed under:

As car companies have morphed into multinationals, it has gotten difficult to discern what qualifies as an American car.

Walking around a car show in Washington D.C. earlier this year, Frank DuBois, a professor of international business at nearby American University, couldn’t help but notice the “Made In America” stickers plastered all over a Toyota Tundra pickup truck. The stickers indeed are accurate. Toyota assembles the Tundra in San Antonio, Texas, and the vehicle’s engine and transmission are produced in the United States, as well. But in DuBois’ view, the advertisements provided a simplified answer to a complicated question.

In the automotive realm, the practice of buying American or “Domestic” is one that’s open to interpretation. Does buying Domestic mean buying a Chrysler? Because the company has merged with Italian-owned Fiat. Does it mean buying a Ford Fiesta assembled in Mexico? A BMW assembled in South Carolina? A Tundra built in San Antonio, with much of its research and development conducted in Japan? A Ford assembled in Oakville, Ontario?

DuBois tells Autoblog Canada that he developed the “Made In America Auto Index” to help sort through the answers to those questions.

As car companies have morphed into multinational corporations that operate on a global scale, it has gotten more difficult than ever to discern what qualifies as an American or Domestic car. In his analysis, DuBois ranks vehicles in seven separate categories, weighing factors such as assembly locations, amount of domestic content included, where research and development is conducted and overall economic impact in North America.

Ford’s F-Series pickup line and the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray rank as the ‘Most American’ cars in this year’s index, the results of which were released Thursday. Both cars scored an 87.5 in the 100-point index. Last year’s study toppers were General Motors’ Lambda crossovers.

Latest ‘Made In America Auto Index’ topped by Ford F-Series, Chevy Corvette

Latest ‘Made In America Auto Index’ topped by Ford F-Series, Chevy Corvette originally appeared on Autoblog Canada on Sun, 04 May 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Read more here: Ford News

Simply the Best

PEBOTY 186x300 Simply the Best by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

In the world of competitive eating, Joey Chestnut stands recognized as the champion hot dog consumer – last July, he set the world record by wolfing down 69 Nathan’s dogs in 10 minutes.

Eric “Mean” Melin is the reigning World Air Guitar champion as he out-pretended all other pretend guitarists last year in Oulu, Finland.

Competition drives some people to seek recognition in some very strange ways, doesn’t it?

At Engine Builder, we’re pleased to announce that the winner of the third annual Performance Engine Builder of the Year will be selected based on REAL skills and accomplishments – and this year, the award will be bigger and better than ever.

Before we get into award criteria and prizes, however, I’d like to welcome our new official sponsor, Speed-Pro POWERFORGED Pistons. The Speed-Pro brand, long recognized as one of the leading names in racing and performance, will power this year’s contest to new heights of recognition and excitement.

One thing that won’t change are the lofty expectations we put on potential winners. We will again be looking for the best example of creativity and innovation, training and education, merchandising and promotion, professional standards and conduct, appearance, solid business management, community involvement, business growth, achievement and victories.

As I said last year, that’s a long list, and it’s intended to weed out the weak: we’re looking for the best of the best of the best.

As you read recently in this magazine (Engine Builder‘s March High Performance Buyers Guide, page 16), Kroyer Racing Engines from Las Vegas is the 2013 champion. Who will be announced as the winner at the Advanced Engine Technology Conference (AETC) this December?

The race is just getting started.

Applications for the award will start being accepted at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2014 and can be found at the official award website, topperformanceshop.com, along with complete rules and prize descriptions.

We’ll announce the winner at a special presentation during the 2014 AETC in Indianapolis, Dec. 8-10. The winner will receive a hefty cash prize, an Apple iPad, three nights’ lodging at the Indianapolis Hyatt during AETC, admission for two to AETC, the Performance Engine Builder of the Year Award Plaque, a feature article about the business in a 2015 issue of Engine Builder, as well as numerous other prizes from Engine Builder and Speed-Pro.

Applications will be accepted until September 31 when a group of semi-finalists will be selected and asked to provide additional information for judging. A panel of judges, including representatives from Speed-Pro and Engine Builder will select three finalists and, ultimately, the 2014 winner.

The fact that Joey Chestnut holds multiple world records for eating 121 Twinkies in 6 minutes and 141 hardboiled eggs in 8 minutes may be impressive in some circles, but if you want to be the Performance Engine Builder of the Year, you’d better bring your A-game.

Good luck!

The post Simply the Best appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine

Simply the Best

PEBOTY 186x300 Simply the Best by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

In the world of competitive eating, Joey Chestnut stands recognized as the champion hot dog consumer – last July, he set the world record by wolfing down 69 Nathan’s dogs in 10 minutes.

Eric “Mean” Melin is the reigning World Air Guitar champion as he out-pretended all other pretend guitarists last year in Oulu, Finland.

Competition drives some people to seek recognition in some very strange ways, doesn’t it?

At Engine Builder, we’re pleased to announce that the winner of the third annual Performance Engine Builder of the Year will be selected based on REAL skills and accomplishments – and this year, the award will be bigger and better than ever.

Before we get into award criteria and prizes, however, I’d like to welcome our new official sponsor, Speed-Pro POWERFORGED Pistons. The Speed-Pro brand, long recognized as one of the leading names in racing and performance, will power this year’s contest to new heights of recognition and excitement.

One thing that won’t change are the lofty expectations we put on potential winners. We will again be looking for the best example of creativity and innovation, training and education, merchandising and promotion, professional standards and conduct, appearance, solid business management, community involvement, business growth, achievement and victories.

As I said last year, that’s a long list, and it’s intended to weed out the weak: we’re looking for the best of the best of the best.

As you read recently in this magazine (Engine Builder‘s March High Performance Buyers Guide, page 16), Kroyer Racing Engines from Las Vegas is the 2013 champion. Who will be announced as the winner at the Advanced Engine Technology Conference (AETC) this December?

The race is just getting started.

Applications for the award will start being accepted at 12:01 a.m. on May 1, 2014 and can be found at the official award website, topperformanceshop.com, along with complete rules and prize descriptions.

We’ll announce the winner at a special presentation during the 2014 AETC in Indianapolis, Dec. 8-10. The winner will receive a hefty cash prize, an Apple iPad, three nights’ lodging at the Indianapolis Hyatt during AETC, admission for two to AETC, the Performance Engine Builder of the Year Award Plaque, a feature article about the business in a 2015 issue of Engine Builder, as well as numerous other prizes from Engine Builder and Speed-Pro.

Applications will be accepted until September 31 when a group of semi-finalists will be selected and asked to provide additional information for judging. A panel of judges, including representatives from Speed-Pro and Engine Builder will select three finalists and, ultimately, the 2014 winner.

The fact that Joey Chestnut holds multiple world records for eating 121 Twinkies in 6 minutes and 141 hardboiled eggs in 8 minutes may be impressive in some circles, but if you want to be the Performance Engine Builder of the Year, you’d better bring your A-game.

Good luck!

The post Simply the Best appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine

Category: Business and Management, Current Edition, Featured, Features, News, Tech Center, 2014 Performance Engine Builder of the Year, Speed Pro

Jasper Engines and Transmissions Expands Manufacturing Operations

CEO Doug Bawel joined state and local officials in announcing the company’s plans to expand its footprint to create additional jobs and reinvest in the former Kimball Plastics manufacturing facility located at 1220 Power Drive in Jasper, Indiana.

“Jasper Engines & Transmissions is a great Indiana economic success story. The company that has prospered and provided thousands of jobs for Hoosiers for over 70 years is expanding again,” said Lt. Gov. Ellspermann. “We continue to see how our business-friendly tax and regulatory policies plus our dedicated workforce make Indiana a place where companies want to expand and locate.”

The homegrown-Hoosier company, which remanufactures drivetrain components, plans to invest $6.9 million to renovate and equip a 220,000 sq. foot facility presently vacant within

Lingenfelter’s Expansion Strategy Leads to New Facility

In keeping with its expansion strategy, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering has opened a new, multi-purpose facility in Wixom, Mich., to keep pace with growing demand for the company’s performance products and services. The new 30,000 square-foot facility is an addition to Lingenfelter Performance Engineering’s (LPE) original engine and vehicle build operations located in Decatur, Ind.

“Continual well-planned development and expansion of all the operations that make up this brand have made Lingenfelter a turn-key automotive performance supplier,” said Ken Lingenfelter, CEO/owner, Lingenfelter Performance Engineering. “Our new Wixom Build Facility is a fully operational state-of-the-art engine and vehicle customization center, complete with top-of-the-line engine and chassis dynamometers, and CNC tooling and machining capabilities, all operated by LPE trained technicians.”

Lingenfelter’s new Wixom Build Facility is also a destination that offers performance enthusiasts a unique experience. All Lingenfelter performance components, including its growing line of crate engines, and Lingenfelter-engineered cars and trucks, will be available for purchase at the Wixom facility. With an initial staff of seven technicians, the Wixom Build Facility will feature one-stop-shopping, offering on-site performance tuning and restyling, and engine tuning for GM vehicles, including Cadillacs, CTS-Vs, Corvettes, Camaros, Pontiacs, and Chevrolet/GMC trucks and SUVs. Tuning customers receive a USB flash drive with before and after dyno numbers indicating the increase in horsepower of their vehicles.

Enthusiasts can view a sampling of vehicles from the Lingenfelter Collection in a new showroom housed in the Wixom Build Facility, which will feature a rotating lineup of some of world’s most revered vehicles.

Each Saturday morning, from May 3 through Sept. 20, there will be a Cars & Coffee car show taking place at the LPE Wixom Build Facility from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Lingenfelter apparel will be available at the new Wixom facility. Additionally, shoppers can visit the on-site Lingenfelter retail store, which carries Lingenfelter-branded apparel, gifts and automobile accessories.

The Wixom Build Facility opened on the heels of the Lingenfelter Performance Engineering Warehouse, conveniently located near Lingenfelter Motor Sports in Brighton, Mich. A global distribution center, the LPE Warehouse was established to house the company’s rapidly growing performance components design and distribution division supplying components to distributors, dealers and the Lingenfelter build facilities.

The post Lingenfelter’s Expansion Strategy Leads to New Facility appeared first on Engine Builder Magazine.

Read more here: Engine Builder Magazine

What Can CNC Do For You?

Centroid CNC main 300x225 What Can CNC Do For You? by Authcom, Nova Scotia\s Internet and Computing Solutions Provider in Kentville, Annapolis Valley

Are you using Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) equipment in your shop? According to our most recent Babcox Machine Shop Market Profile Survey, 12 percent of engine builders said they own a CNC machining center (a multi-purpose machine that can do surfacing, boring, milling, drilling, etc.). The survey also asked what other types of equipment our readers own (boring & honing machines, surfacers, valve guide & seat machines, etc.), but we didn’t ask if the equipment was manual or CNC. Most shops (88 to 94 percent) own these types of machines, as one would expect since they make their living doing engine work. Had we asked for a breakdown between manual and CNC machines, the percentage of shops who are using some type of CNC equipment would likely be one out of four or maybe even one out of three. The point is the use of CNC equipment continues to grow — and with good reason.

Many of the CNC machines that are in use today are found in high-end performance shops, shops that work on a lot of late model engines, and shops that are doing specialized machining for both automotive and non-automotive customers.

The use of CNC shop equipment is growing because it offers so many advantages:

• It reduces the need for skilled labor. An operator doesn’t have to stand in front of the machine all day manually controlling its motions and babysitting processes. The automatic controls run the equipment, freeing up the operator to work on something else. CNC machines also don’t punch a time clock, don’t call in sick, don’t take vacations and are not interrupted by phone calls, nature calls, coffee breaks, parts deliveries or shop chatter. Any of these things can interrupt the steady flow of work in a shop and create distractions that reduce productivity and sometimes lead to mistakes.

Shop owners we’ve interviewed tell us that CNC allows them to do more work with the same number of employees, or in some cases to trim staff. One shop owner said, “We used to have seven people working in our shop. Now we do the same amount of work with just two people. It’s a huge cost savings in labor for us. Once a job has been setup, the automatic controls take over and do all of the machine work. If it’s a long job, the machine doesn’t stop working at 5 o’clock and go home. We can let it run all night if necessary, and start the next job first thing in the morning.”

• CNC offers a high level of accuracy and repeatability. A highly skilled operator who pays close attention to details can do the same thing, but everybody has a bad day now and then and makes mistakes. Late model engines have much closer tolerances than engines from a few decades ago, so you have to be right on when you bore, hone and machine critical components. There’s less room for slop, so once you have a process in place that delivers the accuracy you want, you don’t have to worry about mistakes messing up a job.

Once you’ve setup the basic machining perimeters for a job, the programming can be stored and reused or easily modified the next time a similar job comes in. For example, say you want to blueprint a small block Chevy engine. Once you’ve established the basic dimensions for locating and centering the cylinder bores, lifter bores, crank and cam bores, deck surfaces, etc., you have a digital map that be used over and over again for every engine you do.

• CNC provides a higher level of quality control through automation. Assuming the job is set up correctly the first time, the CNC machine can do the same job over and over with the same degree of accuracy each time. This takes the human operator our of the equation and delivers consistent results no matter who pushes the buttons on the machine.

• If you are currently sending out parts for CNC machining, you can keep those jobs in-house by installing your own CNC machine. This can give you greater control over your work and reduces the time it takes to complete a job by eliminating shipping and delivery delays.

Can’t find a performance head for the engine you want to build? Having a custom-made CNC billet aluminum head is always an option.

• One of the most popular applications for CNC machining is for porting high-performance cylinder heads. This type of work usually requires a 5-axis machine that can reach all areas of the intake and exhaust ports for a seamless transition. But a CNC machining center can do more than heads. It can bore cylinders, line bore blocks and OHC heads, machine lifter bores, surface decks, lighten blocks and even fabricate custom billet parts from a solid chunk of metal.

• With a CNC machining center and some CAD/CAM design software, you can even make your own parts. A growing number of shops with 4-axis and 5-axis CNC machines are finding new markets where they can offer custom machining services. This includes copying parts, making custom automotive and motorcycle parts and even fabricating custom non-automotive components for a variety of industrial and agricultural customers.

A digital probe on a CNC machining center can be used to map parts, giving you a blueprint of all the key dimensions and surfaces on that part. If you then want to replicate a part out of solid billet aluminum (like a cylinder head, engine block, connecting rod, or crankshaft), you have the three-dimensional map for making it.

“If you can dream it, you can machine it,” said one CNC equipment supplier. With the proper software, you can digitally map and copy or modify parts, and you can design new parts from scratch. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities for expanding and growing your business.

CNC Fear Factor

In spite of all the advantages CNC offers, some shop owners are reluctant to embrace new technology — especially anything that involves computers. Old school machinists are used to pulling handles and turning knobs on their equipment, and watching the machine as it does its work. They enjoy the hands-on control over what’s happening and are reluctant to turn the controls over to a computer. What happens if the computer locks up or crashes? Can they still operate the machine manually or do they have to wait for a service technician to come fix it? These are legitimate concerns for anyone who is considering a major new equipment purchase.

“Those who don’t see a need for CNC equipment are living in the past,” said one shop owner. “As time goes on they’ll find their old school ways of doing things are no longer competitive with shops who have gone to CNC. It’s survival of the fittest.”

The resistance to computers is a generational thing, with younger shop owners and machinists being much more open and receptive to automation. Almost everybody has some type of smart phone these days, or own a tablet, laptop or desktop PC. Cars are packed with numerous control modules and even simple appliances now have computer chips inside them. So it’s not like its totally alien technology that’s being added onto shop equipment to make the equipment easier to operate, more productive and efficient.