Starring This Week: Motive Gear

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By John M. Arnaud

This week Parts Pro had the pleasure of hosting Motive Gear (and Richmond Performance Products—they’re both under the Midwest Truck and Auto Parts umbrella) for an all-day brainstorming session. Motive and Richmond offer premium drivetrain components, including ring and pinion gears, differentials, performance transmissions, transfer case parts, and replacement axle shafts.

Our guests were Bob Linville, Motive’s vice president of sales, and Steve Filipiak, the company’s director of marketing. They came down from the Windy City to share their plans for the coming year and to get more involved with the program tools we’ve built to help our retailers and jobbers succeed at the local level.

Many thanks to Motive Gear for investing in our time together. Here’s to ending 2015 with a flourish!

Motive Gear Visits Parts Pro
Motive Gear Visits Parts Pro

To get your ride up to speed with enhancements from Motive Gear or Richmond Performance Products, visit your local Parts Pro retailer, or find an affiliated store using our dealer locator.

If you are a performance accessories retailer who would like to become part of the nationwide Parts Pro network, please join us today!

Ready to buy? Need help with the install? To find your nearest Parts Pro affiliate, see our Store Locator. Or join the conversation at the Parts Pro Facebook page!

Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

Flex-a-lite (640): Mojave Heater

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The Mojave heater from Flex-a-lite® simplifies the task of providing up to 12,000 Btu of heat in your hot rod, off-road vehicle, or utility vehicle. Its compact size, ease of installation, and simple operation make it the ideal replacement unit. The design offers several mounting options and an optional plenum with adjustable louvers and a flange for defroster ducting. The Mojave gets it heat from the hot water in your vehicle’s cooling system (just like an OE heater), but has the advantage of fitting into a wide variety of tight spaces. The Mojave from Flex-a-lite is a compact and powerful heater that makes the job of adding or replacing a heater easy and affordable!

  • Small enough to mount under dash or seat
  • No need to locate hard-to-find OE heater parts
  • Unit measures only 10-1/8″ x 9″ x 5″
  • Moves 140 cfm
  • 12,000 Btu output

    Flex-a-Lite 640
    Flex-a-lite 640

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Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

DEI (010496): ONYX Flexible Pipe Shield

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DEI has launched the next generation of heat-protection performance using a combination of advanced textiles and a reliable standoff bracket design. The new ONYX Series™ Flexible Heat Shield comes in a good-looking black finish and outperforms other conventional heat shields currently on the market. For improved heat-blocking performance, DEI joined two durable materials together: an outer layer made from heat-treated glass fiber impregnated with molten aluminum and tightly woven for added durability and strength, and an inner layer made from temperature-resistant fabric (89% silica) able to withstand exhaust heat up to 1,350° F.

All hardware is stainless steel, and the outer edge is surge stitched for extra durability. This proprietary textile technology provides maximum cooling and heat dissipation. In addition to conventional applications to protect legs and boots, DEI’s flexible heat shield can be used as a barrier between transmissions, brake lines, hoses, electrical wiring, gas tanks, body panels, and bumpers of various sizes.

DEI 010496
DEI 010496

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Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

Quick Fuel (QFI-500BDM): QFi Master Kit with Black Diamond Finish

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This patent-pending master kit from Quick Fuel Technology combines the superior fuel atomization of a carburetor with the precise fuel control of EFI, boasting an 8-hole venturi sleeve with annular discharge booster to provide superior fuel atomization where air speed is highest and pressure is lowest. The result?  A faster and more efficient burn, more power, and better response. Fuel is also supplied below the throttle plates for increased stability and idle control.

The QFI-500BDM Master Kit includes TBI assembly, handheld controller, ECU, main wiring harness, fuel pump, fuel filter, fuel line, laptop cable, sensors, and hardware.

  • Designed for street and off-road vehicles, trucks, RVs, muscle cars, and more
  • Accommodates engines up to 525 hp
  • Dedicated idle circuit supplies fuel below the throttle plates for instant startups and increased throttle response
  • Adaptive ECU models volumetric efficiency of engine to calculate fuel requirements
  • Two programming options: handheld controller or laptop for increased tunability
  • Fuel delivery provided by four 66 lb./hr. injectors
  • On-board ignition driver eliminates need for aftermarket spark box
  • Timing control provided by ECU
  • Compatible with power adder technologies: wet flow NOx, superchargers, and turbochargers
  • Designed for 4150- and 4500-style flanges (P/N 300-4145-1AL adapter is required for 4500 flange)
  • Retains OEM sensors
  • Compatible with E85 fuel (up to 370 hp)
  • Ford kickdown lever kit available (P/N 50-5013)

    QFI-500BDM
    QFI-500BDM

Ready to buy? Need help with the install? To find your nearest Parts Pro affiliate, see our Store Locator. Or join the conversation at the Parts Pro Facebook page!

Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

Hurst (6130012): High-Performance Spring Kit for 2011-2015 Charger R/T

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This Hurst High-Performance Spring Kit is an excellent choice for firming up the handling of your 11-15 Charger R/T and giving it that just-right stance. These springs will lower your vehicle approximately 1.25″–closing up that fender gap, lowering your center of gravity for improved handling and braking, and improving the overall driving feel. Plus, your ride will remain street friendly!

  • Improves handling performance
  • Perfect muscle car stance
  • Daily driver / street friendly
  • Improves aerodynamic efficiency

    Hurst High-Performance Spring Kit
    Hurst High-Performance Spring Kit

Ready to buy? Need help with the install? To find your nearest Parts Pro affiliate, see our Store Locator. Or join the conversation at the Parts Pro Facebook page!

Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

2015 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Championship

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Hot Rodders of Tomorrow
Hot Rodders of Tomorrow

In 2015 The 2nd Annual Dual Championship will return to the SEMA and PRI Shows in November and December.

There, qualifying teams will compete in semi-final championships at each show. The top four teams from the SEMA Show and the top 4 teams from the PRI Show will then face off starting Friday, December 11, afternoon competing two times and then compete another time on Saturday. The team with the best average time will be crowned the 2015 Hot Rodders of Tomorrow National Champion!

Ready to buy? Need help with the install? To find your nearest Parts Pro affiliate, see our Store Locator. Or join the conversation at the Parts Pro Facebook page!

Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

ACC Performance: Boss Hog Street Bandit Series Converters

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ACC Performance’s Street Bandit series converters are designed to handle as much as 650 horsepower, which is a huge increase over competing models that top out at around 350. How does ACC do it?

The company’s engineers put much larger Torrington-type encased bearings, which can handle the raw power and abuse that modern engines and transmission can produce, throughout the converter where they are needed. Some of the competition uses smaller needle-type bearings that are not encased, making them susceptible to picking up trash in transmission fluid and leading to heat build-up and failure.

ACC also welds-up and four corner tack-welds its turbine and impeller fins to maintain the highest level of strength possible, stopping fin degradation and deformity. In addition, their turbine hubs are custom engineered to maintain the highest quality, strength, and durability. Other brands use a chromoly steel turbine hub that does not weld very well. If improperly welded, it can cause converter failure and or damage to your transmission.

ACC Performance converters use a single bolt pattern for the rotating mass, making them surprisingly light and keeping the weight of the converter off of the  motor. This frees your motor to rev up through the RPM range quicker and put more power to the ground. In an effort to eliminate multiple parts numbers, competing products use a dual bolt pattern; unfortunately, this can add up to 3 to 4 pounds of weight to the converter as well as the rotating mass of the engine, which costs you horsepower and torque.

NOTE: Street Bandit series converters are NOT designed to handle the extreme shock and abuse of nitrous oxide or transbrakes.

ACC Performance Street Bandit
ACC Performance Street Bandit

 

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Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

AIRAID (101-300): U-Build-It Master Kit

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The AIRAID 101-300 U-Build-It Master Kit is a complete custom air intake kit that allows you to completely replace your vehicle’s restrictive factory air box, paper air filter, and air intake tube with AIRAID components to give your engine more horsepower and torque. This UBI Master Kit features 3″ outside diameter roto-molded intake tubes with multiple angles and straight pipes that you can custom cut to route the intake to any desired location in the engine compartment. The master kit also includes couplers, hump hoses, a reducer, brackets, hose clamps, hardware, and a premium red oiled AIRAID filter. This product is not legal for sale or use in California or other states adopting California emission standards.

  • Everything you need to build a custom air intake
  • Includes 30-, 45-, 60-, and 90-degree tube bends
  • Various couplers and hardware included for a complete installation
  • Air filter is 9″ in length with a 6″ flange and includes an air filter reducer
  • Premium washable and reusable red oiled air filter media

    AIRAID 101-300
    AIRAID 101-300

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Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

Holley (0-80835HBX): Holley Ultra XP™ Methanol Carburetor

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Available in an all-new Hard Core Gray™ hard coat anodized finish with Black™ billet for improved corrosion protection, Holley Ultra XP™ Methanol carbs are 38% lighter than our original HP with 20% greater fuel capacity plus 30 other new features, including:

  • Integrated idle bypass valve for idle adjustments while maintaining correct throttle plate to transfer slot relationship
  • High-capacity fuel bowls that offer 20% more capacity to eliminate starvation
  • Integrated fuel shelf to minimize fuel aeration
  • Internal baffling to control fuel slosh
  • Fully tunable billet metering blocks
  • Billet base plate
  • Adjustable secondary linkage and knurled (hand adjustable) curb idle screws
  • Methanol-specific calibration
  • Contoured venturii inlet for balanced airflow and increased horsepower
  • Air bleeds moved outward for a smoother airflow transition from the top of the carburetor into the venturii
  • Dual 50-cc accelerator pumps for the perfect amount of fuel from idle to full throttle
  • Built-in drain plug in front center of bowl for easy emptying
  • 8AN (o-ringed) inlet threads for a wide variety of plumbing options (can be plumbed from either side)
  • Mechanical secondaries for perfect off-the-line launches
  • Elongated (dual pattern) mounting holes for fitment on intakes with square flanges (Holley 4150™ style) or large flanges (Holley Dominator® style)
  • Notched float and jet extensions

    Holley 0-80835HBX
    Holley 0-80835HBX

Ready to buy? Need help with the install? To find your nearest Parts Pro affiliate, see our Store Locator. Or join the conversation at the Parts Pro Facebook page!

Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.

Edelbrock (1556): Scion FR-S / Subaru BRZ Supercharger

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Introducing the new E-Force Supercharger from Edelbrock for 2.0L-equipped FR-S, BRZ, and GT86. This all-new system is engineered exclusively for FA20/4U-GSE engines.

Its unique inverted design features long runners that allow for maximum flow at high rpm, while retaining great daily driving characteristics. Reimagined from the ground up, this supercharger uses an Eaton® 1320 TVS rotor assembly for maximum efficiency in a compact package. As with all E-Force superchargers, this system features an efficient high-flow inlet configuration that results in a shorter, less restrictive intake path for improved air flow and performance. A large dual-pass air to-water intercooler and heat exchanger lower the temperature of incoming air.

These features help the E-Force deliver dramatically improved performance, especially in the mid-range, where power dips have been eliminated for a smooth linear power curve. Finally, the supercharger assembly is finished with a durable black powdercoat with red accents for a unique look that will let everybody know your car is E-Force powered!

Edelbrock 1556
Edelbrock 1556

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Though this is not a paid review, this content has been produced by The AAM Group in support of manufacturers with whom it has a business relationship.