Brute Industries Blog

Like @RaceRamps on Facebook or Twitter for a chance to win a day with Hooked on Driving

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 11:08:00 -0400

Exhilaration. Adrenaline. Confidence. Control. Safety. It's all part of Hooked on Driving, where experienced coaches teach you to drive a high-performance car at top speed on a real track. It's not a race, but it will be the ride of your life.

At the end of a day with Hooked on Driving you won't just improve your ability to drive the line on the track or hit a smooth 100 mph on the straightaway. You'll be a better driver on the regular road. Learn your own vehicle better, or experience what high performance cars like a Corvette, Lotus, Stealth, or BMW can do. Ladies are Hooked on Driving, too!

Race Ramps is partnering with Hooked on Driving to give three lucky winners a gift certificate to enjoy a day at the track at one of the remaining 2011 Hooked on Driving events - a $300 value. Hooked On Driving has upcoming programs in 5 regions of the U.S. including: Northern California/Reno, Florida, Great Lakes, Southern States, and the Pacific Northwest.

Check out the awesome testimonials and 2011 schedule at http://www.hookedondriving.com/index.cfm

To enter the contest, simply become a fan of Race Ramps on Facebook and/or follow @RaceRamps on Twitter and post the phrase, "@RaceRamps I'm Hooked on Driving! @GotHooked" on our Facebook page or your Twitter feed. Every fan who posts this message will be entered in the drawing for one of three prizes. If you post on both Facebook and Twitter, we'll enter your name twice. Winners will be drawn and announced at noon EST on August 26th.

Go ahead, tell us "@Race Ramps I'm Hooked on Driving! @GotHooked" and just maybe you'll be a lucky winner. Find out what you - and your car - are capable of.

13 month old picks winner of a ramp giveaway

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:09:00 -0400

Watch this adorable video of a 13 month old picking the winner of a ramp giveaway at the recent Good Guys show in Columbus, OH.

Displaying your Car using Race Ramps!

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:38:00 -0400

Over the past few years we here at Race Ramps have seen a boost in customers buying our Car Display products. Most car owners who own show cars are the most meticulous car owners out there. The attention to detail these owners put into these cars, have in some cases, caused a few rifts in relationships, I’m sure.

Getting a show car to display at a show is a feat in itself. The preparation, fees and general transport to and from the show can be a huge venture for these owners. Out-of-pocket expenses for a 3 day weekend show can be skyrocketing, especially if you are transporting across state lines. With the cost of fuel rising, the simple attendance at a car show can be a major task. But hey, we all know it’s well worth it!

The Race Ramps Crew is getting ready to head to our first Keystone Show. “The Big Midwest Show” is put on by Keystone twice a year. The show is a Business to Business oriented show and it really got me thinking. Seeing the crew load up the booth, get tickets, etc. It’s definitely a mad dash when you decide to do a spur of the moment show.

Car owners who do it all by themselves do deserve some kudos. You have to be dedicated to your automobile and cars in general to get this all going. And for some, it’s every weekend. We salute you!

Race Ramps line of Car Display products have been designed with the weekend car show enthusiast in mind. Whenever you can display your car a little differently, or more importantly, the way you want it; that’s what owners enjoy. It’s not about the cash and prizes, some people just want their car to look properly presented. Part of such a detail oriented vehicle display is displaying the undercarriage. I’ve seen cars with undercarriages adorned in all chrome and gold plating. When that car is elevated with mirrors underneath it and lights, it’s surely a head turner.

When we first introduced Race Ramps Display Products, we debuted the Show Ramps. The pic below is from one of the first shows we did at a local venue.

The next year we decided that the Show Ramps were great but we wanted to make more options. As car owners were already using our Regular 56 inch Race Ramps and Race Ramps XT, how about a ramp product to use in conjunction with them. Thus the Race Ramps Show Cribs were born.

Show Cribs elevate the car 12 inches off the ground and look great doing it! We have sold thousands since. Now Show Cribs were designed for shows, but people were also using them to work on there cars. We then decided to come up with a Display/Vehicle Service Ramp Line. This is our Wheel Cribs. Wheel Cribs are available in a few different lift heights and also come in a 2 piece design. More and more we are getting anonymous emails of our Adjustable Wheel Cribs used as a Show Display!

We have many show display styles and heights to choose from. You can check out our Wheel Cribs Pages for more Information.

If there’s one thing we have learned over the last few years is that even though we offer many styles of car display products, people also like to have custom display ramps made. We have had the privilege of designing Custom Ramps for shows for many of our customers.

No custom is to extreme for some folks. Dynomax Mufflers wanted us to create a Ramp Solution for SEMA 2010 to display their Muffler system and boy did we! This variation of our Pyramid Show Cribs were a big hit at the show. It was a unique way for our customer to ensure his vehicle display was noticed, and it sure was. This is just an example of how our Custom Race Ramps Division works everyday to turn out some really exciting products! We also have a Show Mirror!

So the next time you are thinking of maybe displaying your car a little differently in the upcoming years, do give Race Ramps Display Ramps a look. I’m sure we can give you the look you need!

Cheers!

Ben B.

Race Ramps and the Professional Towing industry

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:11:00 -0400

A day ago, I was doing some Photoshop work on product images related to our Race Ramps Trailer Ramps and I decided something was missing. We had been working on marketing a custom version of our TR-8. The Heavy Duty Tow Version was simply cut down the width to make it 10 inches wide vice 16. The Horizontal planes were reinforced and the we were coating these with double the coating thickness of a standard Trailer Ramp set. We have been selling the standard for years, many of those ramp sets went to Towing Professionals. Who knows how many sets exactly, but 100+ for sure over the last 2-3 years. With all those sets sold and out there on the roads rescuing stranded motorists; we never had any pictures of the Ramps in use with a Flatbed Truck or Tow Trucks, period.

Usually, we receive pictures from car owners eager to show us our Race Ramps products in use; All are mostly happy with their purchase. We get some pictures in and I post them up, as I get them. But no Flatbed pictures surprised me. We even have gotten pictures of Race Ramps being used at shows, etc.

So, not to be stopped, I decided an impromptu photo shoot was in order!I grabbed my cameras and headed down to Gene’s Towing in Escanaba, Michigan. The Folks at Gene’s were more than happy to let us move the monster Flatbed around to get some good pictures. The F550 Diesel Flat Bed was easily remembered, as the cab is vinyl wrapped in a patriotic red, white and blue pattern. It’s a great fit because our Race ramps products are made in Escanaba, MI. (Made in the USA). Marketing-wise..it’s win/win.

Here are some Pics!

Of course, with any new product design and implementation, you have to see your design as a product that is filling a gap and is needed. Most Tow companies use wood blocks to load car onto the flatbed, but I’ve seen a few pictures that scare me.

Porsche GT Taking a Fall.

While the second of the above it not so bad. The towing Industry has been using wood blocks for decades to load cars and I don’t see it ever changing. Now enter Race Ramps technology into the picture. Our Light-weight, no-slide ramps are a great additional loading option. Super strong and designed with a notch, so the Flatbed surface can rest on the ramps ensuring they will not move on being ascended. 100% solid, splinter-free and easily storable. I really think we give wood a good run for it's money.

Any of our Race Ramps Trailer Ramps Products can be used by Towing professionals. These Ramps are mostly used by consumers as Car Trailer Loading Ramps, but people will use Race Ramps in any way they please. Commercial Towing professionals should give us a call at 1-866-464-2788 and inquire about our TR-8 Heavy Duty Flatbed Ramps. Though not advertised to consumers, all of our Race Ramps products can be easily made into a Heavy-Duty version.

Race Ramps TR-8 Page

Have a Great Week!

Ben B.

Race Ramps and the Corvette Z06

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:29:00 -0400

I personally have had a soft spot for the Z06 for years. Being a “Gen X’r”, first exposure was in 2001 when my Older brother purchased one, new. It had 6 miles on it and he couldn’t wait to get it broke in. After his self-proclaimed 3000 mile break-in period, we enjoyed the sheer power GM put into the Z06 in 2001. Though underpowered compared to a 2011, the thrill was immense. I was further amazed by the 1g+ lateral g, it stuck like glue in turns.

Later, when a friend purchased a 2003 Corvette Z06, 50th anniversary edition, I got a chance to enjoy it all over again.

While creating and patenting Race Ramps, I must have took thousands of pictures of that '03 Torch Red Z06 with products. Race Ramps were inspired when my friend was having trouble finding service ramps to simply do his own oil changes. 4 months later after Research and Developement was complete, we gave him the first set. We attended local club cruises and generally had a great time driving the car till he decided to sell it.

Now after thousands of sets of Standard 56 Inch Race Ramps have sold, its nice to go back and remember how it all started. I was reading this article a few days back and decided to toss it in our blog to remember it.

The History of Z06 (January 2005 Article by the National Corvette Museum)

Corvette’s legendary Zora Duntov first brought forth the concept of Z06. Though the Automobile Manufacturers Association had encouraged a ban on racing in 1957, which the GM chairman strongly supported, Duntov knew customers would continue to race Corvettes. In the midst of planning for Sting Ray production, Duntov suggested it was in Chevrolet’s best interest to continue with parts development to benefit racers. Thus, Duntov and colleagues created “RPO Z06” as a special performance equipment package.

The RPO Z06 package first offered on ’63 models included a 20 percent larger diameter front antiroll bar, a vacuum brake booster, a dual master cylinder, sintered-metallic brake linings within power-assisted Al-Fin drums cooled by front air scoops and vented backing plates, larger diameter shocks and springs nearly twice as stiff as standard.

These Corvettes came to be known as known as the “Big Tanks” because the package initially had a 36.5-gallon gas tank versus the standard 20-gallon for races such as Sebring and Daytona. At first, the package was only available on coupes because the oversized tank would not fit in the convertible.

1963 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The only engine option on the Z06 was the L84 327-cubic-inch displacement engine with Rochester fuel injection. With factory exhaust manifolds, required to run the cars in the Sports Car Club of America’s production classes, Chevrolet rated the engine at 360 horsepower.

Z06 cost an extra $1,818.45 over the base coupe price of $4,252. Chevrolet later lowered the package price and eliminated the big tank from the Z06 package though it remained available as a single add-on option for any coupe. Chevy then began offering Z06 on the convertible as well. Chevy produced 199 Z06s. Of those 199, many likely were used for play versus strictly racing as only 124 cars were delivered without radios and just 63 with the 36-gallon fuel tank - though the tank was a benefit only to long races.

Prior to the Z06 package in ’63, Chevrolet offered optional racing parts hidden in the order form that only the most perceptive customers could find.

Racing heritage

Duntov’s Z06 coupes performed impressively in their first test - the LA Times Three-Hour Invitational in October of 1962. Dave MacDonald, Jerry Grant and Bob Bondurant drove three cars directly from the factory in St. Louis . They used the trip to break in a silver, a white and a blue coupe while a fourth was trucked. The race proved to be a match between MacDonald in his Z06 and Carroll Shelby’s new Cobra - raced by Bill Krause. Though these two cars broke after the first hour, the ultimate winner was Mickey Thompson’s Corvette driven by Doug Hooper.

Once Ford broke the racing ban, GM officially followed suit. Chevy revealed its 427-cubic-inch displacement V-8 big block “mystery motor” at the Daytona 500 stock car race in January 1963. By the time Z06 was thick in the racing scene, Duntov had already begun working on Sting Ray prototype racers called Grand Sports.

Grand Sports picked up racing elements from Z06, and Corvette continued to evolve. While Z06s raced as production cars, Grand Sports were planned to race against the world’s most elite prototypes. Following Z06, Corvette picked up the racing designation ZR-1, standing for “Zora’s Racers.”

Z06 re-emerges

Z06 was resurrected in the fall of 2000 as a third body style for 2001 models. The Z06 option offered 385 horsepower from the LS6 engine versus the standard 350 horsepower of the LS1 engine. The LS6 recalled the mighty 425 horsepower, 427 cubic inch aluminum-headed big-block of 1971.

The 2002 Z06 was modified and rated 405 horsepower, achieved through removing two of the pre-catalytic converters in the exhaust system. Induction was improved and hi-lift camshafts were installed, acting on a lightweight valve gear.

In 2006, an all-new Corvette Z06 debuts that is faster and has more power than any previous GM production vehicle.

The 2011 Z06 is right up to par with the rest, This is the Limited “Carbon” Edition.

All in all, our Race Ramps products were built around a Z06 and I always get a little smirk on my face when I see one. If you own a Z, or any lowered car that requires a low-incline service ramp, check out Race Ramps. Our Race Ramps XT and 56 Inch Ramps work great! If your vehicle is really low, Check out Xtenders for both models. And Both Ramps come in 2 piece versions for easier maneuvering under the vehicle.

Race Ramps has many products to fit your vehicles needs! Have a great day!

Ben B.

VP, Brute Industries.

Custom Race Ramps and the Hagerty 1901 Steamer Fire Pumper

Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:36:00 -0400

Earlier this fall we received a product testimonial from an employee of Hagerty. We had made a custom ramp solution for their display vestibules in the entranceway of their corporate offices. The Pumper was a Horse-drawn steam pumper engine (1901) by La France Fire Engine Co., Elmira, NY. It was shown in the display area for a few weeks. There were many models in the early 1900’s, It’s always a treat to see these great machines.

Hi Rich: Hey, here is a testimonial for you:

“We recently displayed this antique pumper truck here at our office, and the firemen who loaned it to us told us in advance it was 4,000 pounds. Well, turns out it weighs double that, and runs on hard, steel wheels with no give whatsoever.

We pushed it up on the display platform with our Race Ramps, and despite totally ignoring the load suggestions, the Race Ramps not only worked, but showed no damage or ill effects at all.

Then, on the way out, we utilized our old diamond plate metal ramps (I guess we were feeling guilty) and the pumper bent the shit out of them.

Tough, light, and quiet – we love these things!

Have a Happy Holiday and stay warm” – Bob

Custom Race Ramps are available in any size and shape. We have designed over 100+ custom applications. From minimal variation Trailer Loading Ramp Customs to complete flooring systems for show booth displays. Give us a Call at 866-464-2788 and ask to speak to a Custom Ramp Engineer.

http://www.raceramps.com

Race Ramps Products

http://www.twitter.com/raceramps

Have a Great Day! – Ben B.