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Editors’ Choice
Hundreds of new product announcements cross the desks of PRI editors each month. Following are our top picks for April.
Direct-fit Roll/Control, Line/Loc Kits
Hurst
GM F-body and Ford Fox-body Mustang drag racers can reduce the chance of rolling out of the staging lights with a direct-fit Roll/Control, Line/Loc from Hurst, part of Holley Performance Products in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This control also helps produce more effective burnouts by locking up the front tires.
“Hurst’s new Roll/Control, Line/Loc kits are designed to be a platform-specific answer for older platforms, in the same way that newer models have benefitted,” said Bryan McTaggart. “These kits come ready to install, with brackets and brake lines designed for your platform. No more worrying about bending brake lines—just install, hit the button, and start warming up the rear tires.”
These kits cover 1979–1983 5.0-liter Mustangs, 1979–1986 2.3-liter Mustangs, and 1987–1993 Mustangs—all without ABS. For GM vehicles, these kits cover 1970–1981 F-body and 1978–1988 G-body.
The control has an extra threaded port for a separate bleeder or a brake line-pressure gauge. The valve assembly is constructed from stainless steel to avoid corrosion, and there’s a 150-micron filter to prevent contamination. There’s also a finned aluminum housing to help dissipate heat.
The control is not recommended for use as a parking brake, or to be used longer than 60 seconds at any one time. —Mike Magda
VRS-4150 Carburetor
Edelbrock
The new VRS-4150 carburetor from Edelbrock in Olive Branch, Mississippi, is available in 650-, 750-, 850-, and 950-cfm models. Although street friendly, the VRS offers plenty of race-ready features, and it can be bolted directly to any manifold with a 4150 or 4500 footprint.
“This carburetor will pick up around 10 horsepower, typically on smaller engines,” said Brent McCarthy. “Depending on the engine size, operating range and configuration, all will play a factor when comparing this unit with others in the industry.”
The carb is based around a one-piece, cast-aluminum body. Other features include PTFE-coated throttle shafts, larger capacity fuel bowls, and built-in provisions for a standard GM three-wire TPS mount.
“The four circuits of fuel trim result in an extremely flat WOT air-fuel ratio curve from low rpm to high rpm,” explained McCarthy. “The customer can easily move the entire curve up and down to match their engine horsepower with just a main jet change.”
The half-inch-taller main body has longer taper lengths on both the entry and exit sides of the venturi for improved fuel mixing. Users will likely see better cylinder-to-cylinder distribution when back-to-back tested against other carburetors.
The VRS carbs have one of the most comprehensive feature lists on the market, with everything from pinned throttle shafts to jet extenders, bowl drain screws, borosilicate sight glass, vacuum provisions, etc., and an excellent price point. —Mike Magda
AZ850DR Drag Radial Tire
Atturo Tires
There will be 11 sizes available in the initial release of the new AZ850DR drag radial tire from Atturo Tires in Waukegan, Illinois. The AZ850DR is DOT compliant for rear-axle applications and complements the AZ850 line that fits on the front of modern high-performance cars.
“As the ultra-high performance AZ850 gained popularity with muscle car owners, the excitement about further pushing the performance potential in our tires grew. We developed the DR version to pair with the standard AZ850,” said Michael Mathis.
The current lineup has one size for 18-inch wheels, two sizes for 19-inch wheels, and eight sizes for 20-inch wheels. The AZ850DR features extra-wide shoulder blocks and a solid center rib to emphasize high grip at launch and stability throughout a run. It’s designed to support the weight of a late-model vehicle while allowing low-pressure launches under high horsepower.
“In our testing, the simple change from the original equipment tire on a Challenger Hellcat to the AZ850DR resulted in a 0.70-second improvement in quarter-mile elapsed time,” added Mathis.
Constructed from a sticky compound, the tire also features dual wide channels to reduce noise on the road, and it has directional shoulder grips. —Mike Magda
Aluminum 5.0- and 5.2-liter Replacement Coyote Engine Block
Bear Block Motors
Seven years ago, Bear Block Motors in Chatsworth, California, developed a race version of the Ford Coyote cylinder block with improved A356 T6 material, extra ribbing for strength, and a different main-cap design. However, there were problems using this block in production vehicles.
Now the company has released a production version with all the same performance qualities of the race block, but at a $2,000 lower price, and it will fit in any 2011–2024 production vehicle using a Coyote engine.
“Racers who used Coyotes didn’t have this option before,” said Jim Ronzello. “They either had to buy the race block or put sleeves in a Ford block, which doesn’t have the structure of the race block.”
Unlike the race block, this new block has provisions for knock sensors and an oil filter adapter. Some features on the race block interfered with the production alternator mount, but now there are no restrictions, so it’s easier to mount the block in a production vehicle.
The new production replacement utilizes the factory 12-mm head bolts/studs, and there are modified water jackets for increased sleeve support. Other features include oversized reinforced motor-mount bosses, screw-in plugs for oil galleys, and provisions for piston squirters.
“Just a few subtle changes to the race block, and voila, there’s a production replacement,” added Ronzello. “All the strength factors carried over, and it will fit in any vehicle with Coyote in it, from a pickup to a Mustang.” —Mike Magda
Billet Scale-pad Leveler
Intercomp
Getting accurate chassis weight-balance numbers is now easier with the new billet-aluminum scale-pad leveling fixtures from Intercomp in Medina, Minnesota.
“It allows you to scale the car on an uneven surface,” said Matt Hursch. “A shop floor may have a level surface, but if you’re at a race track, it may be more difficult to get a level surface for the scales.”
The leveling feet provide up to 2 inches of vertical adjustability. The product is constructed from 6061 T6 billet aluminum and will support 15x15 scale pads with either a 2.5- or 4.0-inch profile.
“It offers virtual zero deflection when you’re scaling the car,” added Hursch.
Intercomp also offers a 2.5- and 4.0-inch billet levelers with roll-off pads. This design allows the car to be rolled off the scales with little effort. And the company has a steel model without the roll-off option at a lower cost. —Mike Magda
SIAG Transmission
Pure Drivetrain Solutions
What could be the most versatile transmission ever developed for high-performance and racing applications, the SIAG (Super Intelligent Adaptive Gearbox) is being released by Pure Drivetrain Solutions in Medford, New York, on April 1.
This new transmission can be configured with up to eight speeds, works in RWD and AWD setups, and is rated for 2,000 lbs.-ft. torque and 10,000 rpm. It features seven internal clutches, an external clutch, and a torque converter. It can be a paddle-shifted sequential six-speed gearbox, a four-speed H-pattern with a clutch, or a fully automatic eight-speed.
The SIAG was developed by Chris Miller, who started with an idea to design a transmission that would shift faster than a DCT but keep the planetary concept. Then a couple of drag-and-drive racers asked about alternatives to an auxiliary overdrive.
“I asked them, what if there was a transmission that could support 2,000 lbs.-ft., and it could be an eight-, six- or even two-speed. You pick from eight different ratios. They thought I was in fantasy land,” recalled Miller.
The gearbox control module is fully programable, from the number of speeds to the “feel” of the clutch pedal. The GCM can store five full tuning files that can be toggled through using a remote button panel. An app will also be developed to make minor adjustments from a cell phone. —Mike Magda
CTR55-110 Air-cooled, Oil-less Turbocharger
Comp Turbo Technology
Rated at 2,650 horsepower, the new CTR55-110 air-cooled turbocharger from Comp Turbo in Pomona, California, fills a void in the company’s lineup of high-end turbos.
“Nobody really has a 110 available. It’s a new size option,” said Joe Delgado. “It’s designed to fit between a 105 and 120. Distributors and users were asking for something in the horsepower range and not have to run oil or water.”
This turbo features a 110-mm inducer and 140-mm exducer on the compressor side. The housing has a 6-inch inlet and a 3.5-inch outlet. The R-line of compressor wheels are 7-14 vaned and have a small-diameter hub to maximize air intake.
By eliminating the need for oil and water lines to the turbo, there is more flexibility in mounting the turbo or turbos in the vehicle. For example, if oil return lines can’t use gravity back to the engine, then complicated scavenging systems are needed. Also, any engine-oil contaminants won’t find a way into the turbo.
Comp Turbo relies on a patented ceramic ball-bearing assembly where the bearings are lubricated by a proprietary grease. There are Zerk fittings that allow easy servicing at the required intervals. The billet aluminum bearing housing incorporates an internal air passage for cooling in place of a water jacket and can save up to 12 pounds over competing turbos. —Mike Magda
