Many people have difficulties with calibrating the speedometer on their vehicle once larger tires are installed.  With this issue at hand, many turn to the “Jet Accu-Speed” product to correctly calibrate the vehicle’s speedometer with the actual speed.  First off, when a vehicle’s tire size changes, the computer does not send the right information to the speedometer because the computer is set to record revolutions per minute (rpm) on the stock tire size. Once larger tires are installed, the vehicle will have less rpm due to the larger tire rotating at the same speed as the smaller tire resulting in the speedometer displaying the wrong mph.  With installing the “Jet Accu-Speed” product, one can fix the rpm reading and set the computer and speedometer to show the correct speed when driving.
 
 The “Jet Accu-Speed” can be installed quickly and easily by anyone with basic mechanical skills and can be purchased at http://www.motorweb.com.  The “Jet Accu-Speed” replaces the need to change out your speedo gears and is less of a hassle to replace/maintain.

        

***PRESS RELEASE***

Innovative Automotive Group Gets Their Custom 2007 Cadillac Escalade Featured in The June Issue of Truckin’ Magazine.

Scottsdale, Arizona, June, 9, 2008 – Innovative Automotive Group, a world class innovator specializing in automotive styling and performance has yet another custom vehicle featured in a national publication. The June Issue of Truckin’ Magazine will feature the latest from the imagination of the design team at Innovative Automotive Group. This stylish and powerful 2007 Cadillac Escalade features a ProCharger Supercharger, Airraid Intake, Dynatech headers and a Corsa Exhaust.  This custom package gave the Escalade an impressive 251 horsepower gain over stock taking it to a whopping total 654 HP.

Just a few of the other unique features of this one of a kind Cadillac vehicle include an exclusive IAG Custom grille and door handles,  McGaughy’s  2/4 suspension drop, Pirelli tires and 26 inch color matched Auto couture wheels.

Jason Plotke, Chief Executive Officer of Innovative Automotive Group states, “We are proud of the national attention this vehicle has gained throughout the year. It has been one of our most exciting projects and has showcased the capabilities of our team to the high-end automotive enthusiast worldwide.”

Innovative Automotive Group has already received national attention after winning the prestigious GM Design Award for best GM Crossover for their work on their GM Acadia and Maxim boat project.

This and many other custom vehicles created by the design team at Innovative Automotive Group can be seen at a number of national events and venues throughout the remaining 2008 show season.

About Innovative Automotive Group

Innovative Automotive Group specializes in the automotive aftermarket customization, exterior styling and performance products for luxury cars, trucks, and sport utilities. Innovative also has a portfolio of national automotive brands like Motorweb.com, Sportcompactonly.com, IAG Commercial Sales, ZMAG, Carcribs.com and many others. For information on how to purchase over 500,000 parts from more than 600 of the world’s largest automotive manufacturers visit http://iag-corp.comm or http://www.motorweb.com. Please call Bryan Ellis, Vice President of Operations, at 602-443-1980 or email bryane@motorweb.com with questions about this release.

        

About three weeks ago I got the Filtermag for my 2005 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.
Filtermag is a reusable magnet that attaches to the outside of your oil filter that traps damaging metal particles against the wall of the canister, so they are not re-circulated through your engine. Filtermag traps wear inducing particles from 40 microns down to 1 micron.

I installed it as soon as I got it out of the box and putting it on was a snap. I just got it close to the oil filter and it snapped right into place. I have to say I didn’t really read the directions until later that day and found out that I should have installed the Filtermag on the Bottom side of the filter instead of the top side. I figured I would leave it there and check the results then install it correctly after my next oil change.

There are two types of Filtermag products. The SS series is made for light duty cars, trucks and motorcycles. The RA series is for high performance, large diesel, racing and heavy duty automotive applications. The SS series can be had at http://Motorweb.com for about $40 depending on your vehicle and the RA can be purchased for around $60-100.

As you can see from the video it did catch some shavings and I’m sure if installed correctly it would catch more. I’m putting it back on after this posting and we’ll check it again after my next oil change.

        

Catback exhaust, cold air intake, lowering springs, and Strut tower brace installation on  99 Mustang Gt

This article while cover the installation of the following parts:

        Magnaflow Catback exhaust part number 15671 for 99-04 Ford mustang GT

        Eibach Pro-Kit springs part number 3530.140 For Mustang GT Convertible

        BBK Cold Air Intake part number 1718 for 99-04 Mustang GT

        BBK Strut tower brace for 99-04 Mustang GT

 

My sister recently traded in her trusty 00 V6 Mustang for a 99 Mustang GT.  After she got it she was happy with the newfound power at her disposal but the car just sat too high, had too much body sway, and just didn’t sound tuff enough.  After talking about our options and deciding what modifications we should do to it we ended up at www.motorweb.com.  They had everything we needed to solve all our problems.

We chose to go with Eibach Pro-Kit lowering springs.  Theses springs lowered the front of the car 1.3”  and the back 1.4”.   Installation was pretty simple.  We got the car up on four jackstands and removed all the wheels.  On the front we had to unbolt the struts from the spindle and use a jack to slowly lower the control arm until the spring was loose enough to be removed.  The once the new spring was in place we used the jack to push the control arm back un into place and reconnect the strut.  On the back we had to remove the lower shock bolt and remove the horizontal quad shock from the axle housing.  This allowed the axle to drop low enough to remove the spring.  Make sure to reuse the existing rubber spring isolators on the front and back springs.  The springs gave us an immediate improvement in ride quality.  Combined with the BBk strut tower brace we got a dramatic decrease in body roll and overall improved ride.   The BBK strut tower brace required some new holes to be drilled, using the strut bar as a template.  Installation of this piece was pretty straight forward and really helps stiffen up the convertibles chassis.  It is a must do mod for you convertible Mustang owners.

Now we move on to the horsepower improvements.  First off we installed a BBK chrome cold air intake.  Installation was simple.  Remove all the factory intake tubing and air box.  Then we hold to bolt the mass air flow sensor to the new intake tubing and clamp the kit in place.   On this kit the cone air filter is mounted inside the fenderwell to draw in cooler air.   If you are going to get more air into the engine you are going to need to get more air out of the engine.  This is where the Magnaflow catback exhaust system is needed.  The system is made of 2.5” tubing with 3.5” tips.  We put the exhaust in while we were working on the springs.  When the rear end is dropped down from removing the stock springs it is a good time to remove the stock catback system.  The old system is simply unbolted and drug out from underneath the car.  Magnaflow’s system comes in sections.  I started at the front and pieced it together as I worked towards the back.  You reuse the existing hangers.  Also make sure to leave the clamps loose until you have the whole system installed and adjusted for clearance and made sure the rear tips are straight and adjusted to your desired length.   Magnaflow says their kit is good for an 11hp. &14lb. ft. of torque increase.  Combine this with the intake and we could really feel the difference.  One day of work totaled transformed this car using these four parts.  The car is much more aggressive and fun to drive.

        

T-Rex Billet Grill Installation on 08 Chevy Equinox (By Bryan Ellis)

Billet grilles are custom grille inserts that are usually used to cover or replace the factory grille of a particular vehicle. Billet grilles can be made from about anything from aluminum to stainless steel and even ABS plastic.

Billet grilles are usually cut into their custom shape from a solid piece of raw material (as opposed being cast from a mold.) This can make a billet grills significantly sturdier than their injection molded, forged or cast brethren.

Billet grills are very easy to install since the generally bolt right over the factory grille. They use hidden screws and brackets to securely fasten to the factory version. Of course you can also find versions that totally replace the factory grille and they are usually a little more difficult to install.

A new grille is a very stylish way to set your vehicle apart from the rest of the pack and it gives it a very nice personal touch. There are a number of grille manufacturer out there dedicated to delivering a quality product. They usually specialize in a specific niche market and cater to the needs of the customers in it.

In this edition we installed a T-Rex 2- piece Billet Grille to Vickie’s 2008 Chevy Equinox.  As you can see it is a great looking product and very well made. The manufacturer’s part number is 21285 and it can be had at www.motorweb.com for $164.00 plus shipping which is a great deal for such a nice product.

It took no time at all to install and looks great. We give this product two thumbs up and highly recommend the T-Rex product to anyone looking for billet grilles and accessories.

 

        

IAG-Corp Roof Rack on Hummer H3 (By Bryan Ellis)

If you’re going out on that weekend excursion or long summer vacation and want to save valuable interior vehicle space for silly things like snacks, pets or more humans, you may want to consider a roof rack.

Roof racks are great for a number of reasons, but mostly because they allow you to take more stuff wherever it is you’re going. Let’s face it; we always take too much with us when we go places. The roof rack allows you to take loads of gear wherever you go and it keep as much outside the vehicle as possible. (And usually leaves the occupants much happier and easier to deal with.)

There are several things you should consider when buying an external basket or roof rack for your vehicle since they are not all created equally. First of all you need to make sure you are getting an external system that attaches securely to your ride. The “feet” are the foundation of any rack or basket since they are the part that actually mounts to the exterior of the vehicle. Without a good foundation nothing else really matters.

Once the feet are connected, the crossbars provide load support between the feet. Once the basket is attached to the crossbars you are ready to start hauling your gear. It should also be said that you should have some kind of secure anchor points that will assist you in securing your cargo to keep it from moving around.

While doing the research on the appropriate roof rack for the Hummer H3 we found a great low-profile version from IAG-Corp in Scottsdale, Arizona. The rack has secure mounting hardware that attaches to the vehicle, stronger than needed crossbars to take on the heaviest of loads, and a huge basket that will stand up to the biggest loads.

You would have to be nuts not to get this one if you have an H3. The installation was easy, the price was right and the look is awesome. Call Craig at IAG-Corp if you need one and he’ll get you taken care of. His number is 800-762-4317 or you can visit their website at www.IAG-Corp.com.

 

Look at the sturdy feet and crossbars on this IAG-Corp setup. More than enough to handle the heaviest load!


Here are the crossbars getting mounted on the top of the H3


Here is the roof basket going on the crossbars.


Here is Caliway screwing the rack down with the cargo tie downs. Very sice system designed by IAG-Corp.


These covers are very attractive and fit perfecty on the H3.


This rack even has the Hummer letters included so you can show off your new H3 rack with pride!


The Finished Product!

        

America’s love affair with the Ford Mustang began when they first started rolling off the assembly line in Dearborn, Michigan on March 9th 1964. By the time it was introduced at the New York World’s fair in April, it was getting national attention on all three TV networks (Yes, there were only three back then.)  and it also appeared in the James Bond movie, Gold finger, in September of that year.

The Mustang was the most successful automobile launch in automotive history selling over 1 million cars in the first 18 months.  With this exciting new product came a new breed of automotive enthusiasts who were intent on taking this exciting platform to new heights.  Their leader is a racing legend and an automotive industry icon named Caroll Shelby who makes some of the most beautiful, highest performing and most successful vehicle ever created.

In 2007, Shelby and Ford Motors continued this rich tradition with the release the Shelby GT500 Mustang with spectacular results.  The power plant for this road warrior is a 5.4 liter, 500 horsepower, Supercharged V-8 matched up with the Tremec TR6060, 6-speed manual transmission, suspension tuning, body kit and 18 inch wheels.

Let me tell you first that this is a great looking Mustang with 480 foot pounds of torque and does a quarter mile in 12.9 seconds. Zero to 60 comes in at 4.4 with a top speed of 155 miles per hour. (Only because of the electronic limiter.)   

The stock exhaust and headers did an acceptable job on the vehicle, but through some research we found that the Dynatech SuperMaxx versions increased horsepower by 22+ on stock Mustangs.  We were confident it would be considerably more with this supercharged version and we were right.

The Dynatech Part numbers are 122-643300A for the headers and 122-643300B for the exhaust with cats and it will run you about $1,700.00 plus shipping  from www.motorweb.com.
Here is a step by step video tutorial on the installation done by Caliway Jones.

Here is the exhaust on the floor of the shop in the configuration it will go on the vehicle


Here is Caliway putting the GT500 up on jacks to get enough clearance to remove the stock exaust and headers. Also unhooking various things in the engine compartment


Here is the factory X pipe being removed.


Here we are going after the drivers side, motor mounts and sensors.


Here we are going after the passenger side.


Here are some shots of the exhaust and headers out of the vehicle and the DynoMax starting to go in.


Reconnecting what was disconnected in the engine compartment.


Here is the final bolt up and finish to the DynoMax header and exhaust from Motorweb.com

        

1973 Ford Maverick Motor install (By Ryan Vink) 

I recently had the unfortunate pleasure of spinning a rod bearing in the engine of my 1973 Maverick.   The 347 stroker motor spun the bearing while going to lunch one Friday afternoon.  This was not a fun day sitting on the side of the freeway in Phoenix Az. in the middle of the afternoon waiting for a tow truck.   I spent that weekend contemplating my options.  I wasn’t sure of the extent of the damage and I didn’t want to have my pride and joy immobile during the prime car show season here in phoenix.  It was about to start getting hot and I wanted to get it up and running as soon as possible.   I was torn between rebuilding the 347 stroker or dropping in another short block.  I figured it would be cheaper and faster to find a stock bottom end to drop in with the rest of my top end parts on it.  So I got on my local Mustang club message board online.  One of the other members had exactly what I was looking for, an engine out of a 1989 Ford Mustang 5.0.  I wanted this particular engine because they came with a roller lifter setup and the pistons used in this year of Mustang were forged.  I already had a nice Lunati roller cam in the old motor and I needed the forged pistons because the car has a nitrous system installed and the forged pistons are stronger than the hypereutectic pistons used in most factory engines.

The engine build went pretty quick.  The engine had low miles on it and was in very good shape.  The bearings were in perfect shape and the cylinder walls were very nice with no grooves.  I decided to put some new piston rings in the motor before I dropped it in.  This decision was made by the previous owner of the engine as he had pulled one piston out and had already removed two rings and lost them before I bought the engine.  So I went to the local auto parts store and rented their cylinder hone tool and freshened up the cylinders and got a new set of piston rings.  The rest of the build was pretty simple.   I swapped out the stock cam with the Lunati cam out of the 347 engine, along with the newer roller lifters.  Put on a double roller timing chain.  I cleaned up my Trick Flow Twisted Wedge heads and put them on.  Then topped it off with the Edelbrock Torker II intake manifold with an Edelbrock 600 cfm carb.  I also took this opportunity to clean up the engine bay and put on some new Edelbrock valve covers along with some other dress up items that I got from www.motorweb.com.

So now not even two weeks after the breakdown I have the car back and ready to go.  It has already made a couple appearances at the local, weekly car shows.  I lost a little bit of power but I still have the 347 engine sitting on an engine stand in my garage.   I will put some new rod bearings in it and replace the rod studs on the rod that failed and have the crank polished this coming fall.   For now I just want to drive the car and get it out to the track before it gets too hot.

        

2004 Bentley GT Door Billet Door Handle Installation (By Bryan Ellis)

Bentley Motors has been an English icon for almost a century. They have been producing luxury vehicles known around the world for their quality, style and power since 1919.  You wouldn’t think there would be anything you could upgrade on a $175,000 vehicle, but there is always something.

In this particular case there are some aftermarket parts available through niche manufacturers like IAG in Scottsdale Arizona. IAG manufactures a number of high-end aftermarket add-ons for Cadillac, Mercedes, Land Rover, BMW and Bentley.

One of their many specialties is door handles. Yes, door handles. And not your average door handles I might add, but the highest quality, machined, billet door handles you have ever seen or handled. (Pun intended)  On the Bentley GT the factory door handles are actually plastic. Don’t get me wrong, they are nice plastic, but plastic just the same.

The IAG handle covers fit over the factory Bentley handles and are a very attractive addition to an already classy vehicle.

        

Hydroshield installation on Jeep Wrangler Unlimited (By Bryan Ellis)

Those unfamiliar with the desert Southwest may assume that we in the Phoenix area rarely get rain of any kind. Let me assure you, this is not the case. We get a summer rainy period called the Monsoon Season that can create severe weather like dust storms, high winds, severe downpours, flooding and occasionally a stray tornado.  The Monsoon season usually starts about June or July and ends around mid-September.

When I had the stock air box on the Jeep TJ, I didn’t really worry about getting water in the intake because it was fairly well enclosed and there was only about a 3” hole in the very front where water could get in. With the AEM Brute Force Intake installed the intake appears to be a little more vulnerable to the effects of large volumes of fluids dancing around the engine compartment. (Or maybe I’m just paranoid.)

With Monsoon Season right around the corner I decided to do something to protect my intake from taking in water. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to be fording any streams or anything like unless I head up to the Black River again this summer. I do, however, have a tendency to intentionally hit any standing water and larger puddles at a high rate of speed. (Especially if there are innocent bystanders nearby.)

I have the partition installed in my engine compartment that came with the AEM Brute Force Intake, but just in case I thought I should install a splash guard on the filter itself. Water would have to be fairly deep in order to make it to the intake since I installed the 3” body lift and 33” tires, but as a precaution I thought a splash guard would be a nice addition since they are fairly inexpensive and easy to install.

K&N has what they called “Prechargers” that fit nicely over their aftermarket filters but I couldn’t find any specifics on water resistance so I kept on looking. The K&N “Drycharger” says it is treated with silicone so it repels water and looks like it would work over my AEM filter fairly well. 

Injen has a product called “Hydro-Shield” and their website states they are treated with a “Hydrophobic Process”. (Which may be techie-speak for a silicone coating.) Either way they seem like basically what I need to repel any rouge splashing that may take place in my engine compartment.

These are easy to install and just slip over the aftermarket filter. It probably took me longer to write this article than it did to pop the hood on the jeep and install the Hydro-shield. You just slip it over the aftermarket filter and away you go. Of course you shouldn’t completely immerse your intake in water with one of these aftermarket splash guards, but it should repel the rouge splash from my puddle expeditions this summer during our rainy season.

If you would like to add one of these to your setup you can visit www.motorweb.com and search on Hydro-shield, then search for the best option to fit your specific application.