Boomerang Effect or Strange Bedfellows

I may have mentioned this in an earlier blog, and then again maybe I didn’t. Things have been pretty wild for me at GBE lately and I’ve had to increase my doses of Ginkgo Biloba. Ok… here it is: folks, we are finally getting back into the engine business. Back in the past we were pretty well known for our high performance marine and street machine engines, but as I said… that was in the past. Now I know we have our mighty twin-turbo small-block, but we haven’t really been pushing that as well as we could/should. The rest of this stuff that’s coming will make real waves quite literally.

Well, that old expression about “what is old is new again” is really true. It’s been a lot of work (I know because this one is my baby), but we have reached some important agreements with our friends at General Motors. They kinda view us as… how did one of them put it? Ah yes, we were called the “bastard child of GM”. Why such a fond comment? Simply put GM has never really had a relationship with a customer on par with us, and frankly, not many of them know how to treat it. It’s a good thing though, really. One main fact is that since we are an aftermarket company we are painted with the same broad stroke as the rest of the guys out there selling their wares. To the O.E.s that can be a bad thing. There are companies that may put out a product faster than we can, or that might claim higher power than us… but the truth is some of it is bad for your ride. Some of the guys in our market segment are on the level, while others mix you up a “feel good” cocktail that can have adverse side effects on your expensive investment. Too much hooch will rot your gut, and smoking will eventually kill you. To that example, all that extra fuel may destroy your pistons if not properly controlled, and all that black smoke and high EGT’s will eventually kill your engine.

What’s different about us? To GM’s surprise, we are an engineering house with testing, equipment, and methods much like their own. Some customers might complain that we’re not edgy enough, that we can get more power than we’re offering by adding a little of this guy’s product here and that guy’s gizmo there. The fact is that we won’t make something that’ll kill the host (umm…your vehicle), even if having the ability to burn your rig to the ground makes you feel good. We build safety and quality. General Motors builds the same thing into their products, despite what your car company allegiance may be. I think we’ll make a good team, and obviously there are others who think the same since we’re now considered an O.E.M. Marine and On-Highway/Specialty house.

More to come in future blogs. You’re gunna love it.