[DeTomaso] Thank You Russ Fulps

[Mad Dog Antenucci]

YAAAAHOOO...
I got the best Christmas present I could have imagined when Russ Fulps (Russ Fuilps Race Engines 714-870-8570) called me up on Christmas yesterday to say Santa Claus dropped off my engine at his shop and I'd better get my butt over to Anaheim to pick it up or he was giving it away.

I called Dick Drenske and screamed ROAD TRIP and we dropped all the useless gifts from family and friends and drove over to pick up the engine.  I can not say enough good things about Russ. He not only always completes the work when he says he will Russ also takes the time to answer all my usual dumb ass questions.  There are never any surprise costs we had not already discussed. He completes a spec sheet and as usual he he went over everything in detail with me before I left the shop. 

I got off easy this year with the engine as the only reason we decided to have Russ open it up was to fix a nagging rear main seal leak on a after market crank and add a new set of 180 degree headers. After completing a leak down test Russ also found a leaking intake valve so Russ opened everything up and recommended we go ahead and replace rings and complete a valve job, etc., etc.  

While engine was apart Russ hot tanked and cleaned the block, pistons rods, etc...blue printed the 381 Cleveland stroker, replaced the rings and cam bearings After 4-5 hard open road races and a bunch of street miles up and down the coast I was real happy everything including the main bearings looked like new.  While I have IR-EFI now and the distributor is a blank I was curious how the bronze gear looked as it is only driving the oil pump. No wear there either. Russ also blueprinted the engine, checked all the clearances, set rocker geometry, degreed the cam, etc. 

While I appreciate this is the work you expect every good engine builder should do every time you pay your hard earned money the fact that Russ communicates what needs to be done and does it with no headaches or miscommunication is worth every penny he charges.  His complete stroker engines are still in the $4500-5500 range. To pull down 450-500RWHP on a street Cleveland is good. Pulling a new Vette, Viper or Porsche is better. ;-]>  

There is a good reason I am blabbering on about how wonderful Russ is and why it is such a good reason to do biz with the guy. And its why I advertise on our TPR web site and recommend Russ to everyone I talk to. Its because Russ builds killer street or race engines for the cars we love and Russ deserves your consideration when you are ready to spend your hard earned money for engine work. 

He's been doing all my engine work since 2004 and I have 100% faith in the guy. While I lost a sheer pin one year and a bronze gear another year his engines have been golden through 26 open road races and lots of happy street miles I still don't get any discount from Russ. I don't even get any cheap ass Russ Fulps Race Engines T-shirt or decal ;-]> Russ is just a honest hellva good man and 2009 was NOT a good year for Russ. He's heavily dependent on Ford & Pantera engine work and his usual customers set aside planned work due to the economy sucking sour grapes this year.

Before anyone trys to give me a hug I'll just wish everyone a belated Christmas and a Happy and hopefully prosperous new year and copy this message to Russ because I know he won't allow me to hug him and  he stopped me short of giving him a wet kiss when we picked up the engine.....he is such a homo ;-]>

YOU are da MAN Russ. 

Have a Happy New Year.   

 
Mad Dawg Antenucci 
Team Pantera Racing 
"No One Gets Out Alive" 
www.teampanteraracing.com