The Future of Dodge, Chrysler, interview with CEO & President Ralph Gilles
Posted By: Aaron on 2010-01-23 23:38:49This EXTRA clip is from: “The Sun Also Rises”
On this edition of Autoline EXTRA, John sits down to talk with the President and CEO of Dodge, Ralph Gilles, from the floor of the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Mr. Gilles talks about how he balances his dual role as the head of Dodge and also one of the leaders of design for the Chrysler Group. He also talks about how Dodge will hang on for the next year or so before new product hits showrooms.
http://www.autolinedetroit.tv/show/1404/extra
SEMA Motorsports Parts Manufacturers Council
Posted By: Brandon @ DC on 2010-01-22 16:33:24
DC Performance had its DCP600 Challenger S61 Project on display @ the SEMA Motorsports
Parts Manufacturers Council taking place in Covina, California. The vehicle was fitted with the new Magnuson TVS supercharger system that produced and additional 130rwp and is currently being certified for CARB emissions. For exhaust, the vehicle featured Corsa's RSC performance system. This exhaust has great sound, no resonance or drone, flows 39% better than stock and is crafted from all 304 Stainless steel. The installed price for the Magnusson system will be $9500 and the Corsa System $1600. Prices subject to change, applicable taxes apply. Magnuson and Corsa are two exceptional companies and we are proud to feature their products.
DC Performance Winter Specials
Posted By: Brandon@DC on 2009-12-09 16:23:12Winter is here and DC Performance has some great holiday parts and service specials. What better time to give your car a holiday gift or winterized service.
Billet steering rack bushings- Improve steering response, turn in and road feel with these performance steering rack bushings. Developed for the competition Viper these solid billet aluminum bushings replace the failure prone rubber bushings used by the factory. Great for street or track use. Fits 1992-2010 Models.
Sale Price: $75.00 Installation: $165.00
Performance Side Exhaust- Make your Viper sound like a Viper should with this performance side exhaust system. Developed in conjunction with Belanger exhaust for DC Performance, this exhaust gives your Viper a deep, tuned sound. The system was designed for owners who want an aggressive sound without being too loud. Fits 2003-2010 Models.
Sale Price: $1400 Installation: $330.00
Performance Programmers- Give your car the best possible power and economy for your performance modifications. Stock or modified, DC Performance can make your car run better with a performance calibration. Our programmers allow you to download your program for track use and change back to stock. Requires 170-degree thermostat. For “ off road use only”.
Sale Price: $599 Thermostat: $68.00
SERVICE SPECIALS:
Winterized Service- Winter service special includes the replacement of all your vehicles fluids with approved or better lubricants. Your cooling system is serviced and an anti-corrosive is added, the battery is tested and a complete vehicle inspection is performed.
Sale Price: $799.00
Alignment and Wheel Balance- Over time bushings in your cars suspension settle in and your tires begin to wear, the result is reduced stability and high-speed vibration. A proper 4-wheel alignment and tire balance will make your car handle and ride better.
Sale Price: $289.00 Ride height adjustment extra.
New Feature: You Can Comment On Our News Posts!
Posted By: Brandon@DC Performance on 2009-11-30 14:07:58In order to allow us to interact with you, our clientele more than ever, we have added a new feature on the website... you can now comment on any of the news posts with your thoughts, questions, and/or feedback!
We hope you all utilize this feature so we can stay tuned in to your wants and needs...
DC Performance Dyno at FastHEMIs/FastScions Grand Opening
Posted By: Brandon@DC Performance on 2009-09-16 15:48:57DC Performance was honored to come out to not only attend the grand opening of FastHEMIs/FastScions, but to be able to run our dyno at the event made the day even better for us!
Owner/Founder Marco organized the event and we look forward to working with him in the future.
MOPAR Magazine Features Our Client, Stina Hubinette
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-08-20 15:24:46Over the past few years, we've had the honor and pleasure of working with Stina Hubinette and her famous-for-drifting husband, Samuel. If you've been by the shop, you've likely seen Stina's race prepped SRT-4 Neon, which "lives" at our shop between races.
In the July/August 2009 edition of MOPAR Magazine, they ask if Stina is "The Better Half"?" and we were honored to be mentioned. (You may click the image and make it larger to read the article).
Life In The Fast Lane
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-07-28 13:07:39
Doug Herbert, a long-time friend of DC's Lyle Larson, hosted the Grand Opening of his west coast speed shop in Chino Hills this past weekend. Doug's father, Chet Herbert, was one of the founding fathers to the sport of drag racing.
The show brought out an assortment of beautiful cars ranging from dragsters to street rods and, of course, a 2009 Viper ACR brought out by DC Performance. One of the highlight was the arrival of "Miss Hurst" Linda Vaughn. Linda has many amazing accomplishments including "SEMA Person of the Year", attending 45 Indy 500s, and being inducted in to the Hot Rod Heritage Hall of Fame.
DC was proud to participate in Doug Herbert's 1st Annual Car Show and is grateful for the opportunity to meet hot rodders of all ages!
DC Performance Tunes The Eurotuner Magazine Project Car
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-07-22 16:52:58
We had the pleasure of working with Eurotuner magazine to get their project car, a 2003 Audi A4 1.8L Turbo, running properly with our Unitronic programming. The article talking about the whole experience was published in the July 2009 Eurotuner magazine and is also available for reading by clicking the link below.
Click Here To Read The Article!
Viper-Powered Motorcycle At DC For Tuning
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-07-16 14:59:27
This bike was made by Arizona Boss Hoss and is one of two Viper-powered Boss Hoss bikes ever produced (the only 2-seater ever made, though). The Gen3 motor is mated to an Automatic transmission (with overdrive) and is an absolute MONSTER! Arizona Boss Hoss located us, trailered it out to our shop, and has asked us to tune the ECU to get it running properly.
The bike cost ~ $150k to build and is currently for sale for $89,500!
- Brandon @ DC Performance
4th Annual Viper Club Dyno Day Wrap-Up
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-07-13 15:09:52
A dyno separates the men from the boys and we were happy to host the Viper Club for the 4th year to allow everyone to measure their... well... horsepower.
From Rick Hollis' 850 rwhp 9-second daily driver to a Dodge Neon road-racer, the dyno gave a the cars their report card.
21 vehicles were dynoed between 9am and 2pm including Anhtuan Pham's naturally aspirated 2006 Gen 3 Viper equipped with DC Performance's Stage 3 SuperTuned package which laid down a whopping 580 rwhp!
Great people, good weather, and better-than-average BBQing by DC's own Tony Parr made for a very successful 4th Annual Viper Club Dyno Day @ DC Performance and we'd like to thank everyone who helped make it such a special day.
Name: HP / TQ
Anhtuan Pham: 580.70 / 543.70 (Gen 3) - Headers, cam, intake manifold, 355 gears, heads (Stage 3 by DC Performance)
Sean Casey: 550.14 / 532.62 (Gen 4) - Headers, ECU upgrade, 333 gears
Eddie Arguelles: 509.23 / 473.69 (Gen 4) - Stock
Randy Tribolet: 409.43 / 445.01 (Gen 2) - Roller, rockers, headers
Dan Everts: 545.29 / 519.09 (Gen 4) 0 Headers, ECU upgrade
Angel Calderon: 432.08 / 452.32 (Gen 3) - Stock
Mike Buckingham: 553.45 / 531.20 (Gen 4) - Headers, ECU upgrade
Mike Sinkinson: 431.68 / 446.96 (Gen 3) - Corsa exhaust
Lawrence Kraus: 507.73 / 482.69 (Gen 4) - Stock
Eric Dedominc: 629.77 / 656.13 (Gen 2) - Supercharged
Siam Kobi: 564.58 / 538.41 (Gen 4) - Headers, ECU upgrade
Bruce Li: 540.08 / 516.55 (Gen 4) - Headers, ECU upgrade, 355 gears
Dave Sweeney: 570.05 / 544.88 (Gen 2) - Supercharged
Hugh Hoard: 519.01 / 498.61 (ZR1 Corvette) - Stock
Rick Hollis: 850.38 / 809.82 (Gen 2) - Supercharged
Ken Alker: 422.28 / 464.38 (Gen 2) - Headers, carback, 355 gears
Jose Avila: 379.42 / 433.69 (Gen 2) - Stock
Bill OConnell: 397.82 / 433.79 (Gen 2) - Stock
Gary Gawlas: 567.17 / 517.96 (Mustang GT500 KR)
Mark Rhodes: 341.67 / 409.05 (Gen 1) - Stock
Best Stock: Eddie Arguelles
Best Modified: Anhtuan Pham
Top Eliminator: Rock Hollis
DC Performance Hosts Southern California Chapter Dyno-Day THIS SATURDAY (7/11/09)
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-07-06 13:51:15There are still a few spots to dyno available!!!
We are proud to announce that we'll be continuing our long-standing tradition of supporting those that have supported us... the Viper community!
Everyone (even those not jumping on the dyno) is invited to come hang out! Coffee and doughnuts will be served in the morning and a BBQ lunch at noon.
There will be quite a bit of information on car care and accessories and several of our popular vendors will be attending. There might be a Viper or two that could break the 1000hp mark!
There will be plenty to look at in the shop. We now have two dynamometers, a two and four wheel drive type, plus some new state of the art tuning and diagnostic equiptment. We also have some really neat projects in process that we'll have on display for everyone to check out.
First Dyno Run (and breakfast served): 9am
Lunch Served: Noon
Last Dyno: Approximately 2:30pm
Cost to Dyno: $50 (includes 3 pulls + print out of results)
We Now Have BMW & Mini Diagnostic Capabilities
Posted By: Admin on 2009-05-29 15:35:31
We've just picked up our new Bavarian Technic kit of diagnostic tools for BMWs and Minis! These will allow us to scan, run logs, and accomplish many things in our BMW / Mini "campaign". We're excited to have the full diagnostic capabilities for these great Bavarian vehicles!
DC Performance/Abbott Automotive Makes Front Page In "Parts And People"
Posted By: Brandon@DC Performance on 2009-05-29 15:29:06
Quoted from June 2009 Parts and People
"Los Angeles—Since opening its doors in 2002, DC Performance has established itself among Dodge Viper, Dodge Ram, Chrysler LX, and SRT platform owners as a premier West Coast shop for serious street and track enthusiasts who want to squeeze out every once of performance possible from their rides, said company co-founder and President Dan Cragin.
“Last year, we added a new and dynamic partner, Aaron Cohen and Abbott Automotive,” Cragin said. “Aaron brought the European market to DC Performance with an emphasis on Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Mercedes Benz, and BMW automobiles.”
Cohen told Parts & People that he went to college with one of DC’s previous partner’s daughter in Massachusetts. “That’s how I got involved with DC,” he said. “I worked closely with the business and in 2006 after graduation, I worked at DC detailing cars, running errands, and working with the technicians.”
Cohen said he was operating Abbott Automotive (named in honor of his grandfather) at that time as a broker and did online marketing for shows and events he attended.
“I also was into ECU tuning and became a Unitronic Chipped dealer and began offering on-site ECU reflashes at DC Performance,” he said.
In 2008, Cohen said he became a partner at DC Performance. “I brought the European market and enthusiast attitude to DC Performance,” he said.
DC now has seven workstations, four vehicle lifts, complete diagnostic equipment, an in-ground Dynojet chassis dynamometer, and a Dynapack all-wheel-drive dynamometer that can be used as two front-wheel- or rear-wheel-drive dynos, Cragin said.
“We also have a staff that includes four professional technicians, including a world-class tuning and diagnostic expert, Chris Jensen, and Lyle Larson, a long-time professional alcohol funny-car racer, who watches over our performance parts business and helps with its drag-racing projects,” he said.
“Our technicians all have many years of practical experience, about 120 years total, and our tuning specialist is constantly being trained on the newest developments in the tuning industry,” Cohen said.
“We supply ScanTools and Vag-Com tuning software to better diagnose and tune cars. The addition of the Dynapack Dynamometer is a great tool for our tuner as well,” he said.
DC Performance offers complete dynamometer testing and tuning for all two- and four-wheel-drive vehicles, Cohen said.
“Our in-ground 224X Dynojet chassis dynamometer and Dynapack load dynamometer allow us to test and tune most any car on the market with complete load control and accuracy,” he said. “We also have a nitrous filing station for customers or shops to use.
“We are familiar with many engine management and tuning systems, including AEM, SCT tuning, Accel DFI, Unichip, Split Second, MoTeC, DiabloSport, Holley EFI, and more,” Cohen said.
“We also specialize in computer programming for a variety of vehicles,” he said. “Each test includes a power printout. We also have extensive data logging and diagnostic tools to help achieve proper tuning.”
Cragin said the company has experienced growth this year in dynamometer testing, performance calibrations, programmers and flash tuning, emissions-legal performance upgrades, suspension products (including KW Suspension and Motion Club), exhaust systems (including Corsa, Belanger, and Kleemann), performance brakes (including StopTech and Baer), and supercharger systems (including Vortech and Paxton).
“Maintenance and repairs are also doing well for us,” he said.
“If you or your customers are looking for your next car, do not look any further,” Cohen said. “Simply call us and we can help you with your next vehicle purchase. We have an intricate network of dealers and we give our customers the ultimate experience of finding any car they want without the hassles of going from dealership to dealership.”
Cohen said he sees performance tuning as a trend for the future, especially for forced-induction applications. “With electronics and computers so prevalent, new calibrations can produce great results with little overhead cost for the shop,” he said.
“Understanding the complexities of computers and electronics can be a challenge,” he said. “Also important is new ideas and the right equipment to cater to all your customers needs. But above all, great customer service is paramount.”
To help get the name out, Cohen said DC and Abbott advertises and works closely with the Viper, LX, Ram, and SRT communities.
“We have also added advertising on European car forums,” he said. “We are the SoCal Forum sponsors on www.vwvortex.com, and we run specials for the VW and Audi community for products and tuning,” he said.
“If you are looking for parts for your Volkswagen, Mercedes, Porsche or Audi, we can help,” Cohen said. “We can deliver parts to your home or arrange pick-ups at local gatherings. Check out the SoCal Forum on VWvortex.com for updates.
“We are also a forum sponsor on 6Speedonline.com, which covers many different European and American models,” he said. “These forums allow us to market to a more diverse crowd and expand our business. We always ask new customers where they heard about us from and constantly monitor the online forums we advertise on.”
Cohen said he has found that due to the tight economy and fuel prices, people are keeping their older cars and fixing them instead of buying new ones.
“Also, due to fuel prices, demand for fuel-efficient vehicles like the VW GTI, Mini, and BMW 1 Series offer decent power out of the box, and we are able to tune those cars for more power at a reasonable price,” he said.
“With the addition of Aaron Cohen and Abbott Automotive, our business has stabilized with continued growth in the dynamometer testing and computer calibration areas,” Cragin said.
“We have experience working with just about every combination of parts and tuning systems that may be on a vehicle,” he said. “And we have the reputation for helping people make their cars run right when other shops have given up. We even offer flatbed service and long-distance shipping of a customer’s vehicle.”
Bimmerfest (Santa Barbara, CA)
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-05-08 14:24:19What started as an overcast morning that looked like a very likely rain-out ended up being an absolutely gorgeous day for the largest BMW event in North America. Total number of cars is yet-to-be-determined, but it was definitely (once again) a record-breaking year as the event moved to its new location, the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Ball Club.
The event featured BMWs of all models and years and featured the first viewing of the all-new Z4.
Spring Fling (Woodley Park, Van Nuys)
Posted By: Brandon @ DC Performance on 2009-05-08 14:23:00Wrap-Up Coverage For Spring Festival Coming Soon!
Spring Festival (Irvine, CA)
Posted By: Brandon@DC Performance on 2009-05-08 13:51:19Another record turn-out of LX's at the yearly Spring Festival was buffered by a large showing of Challengers.
SRT-loving GTG @ DC Performance
Posted By: Aaron@DC on 2009-03-31 10:56:56Back in early March, DC Performance hosted a GTG and cruise down PCH. Posted are a couple of those pictures taken at the gathering! I'd like to thank everyone for coming out... Had a great time, had some good food, met a handful of great people, and saw some awesome Mopar!
ACR's Ready for the Track
Posted By: Admin on 2009-02-13 11:35:45Our ACR customers are getting ready for the club-racing season and we have prepared several for track use. We were really surprised when we tested the first ACR’s in 2008 and they were only 3 seconds off our Competition Coupes. With some minor changes we are going to see how much faster they can really go.
We have been doing the basic track prep and safety changes to the car.
We start with changes to the Aero, ride height and alignment, steering rack bushings are changed the the solid type, sway bar bushings upgraded and the shock compression and rebound adjusted. We install a welded in rollbar, fire extinguisher and safety belts. Driveline upgrades are minor, we change the transmission mount and shifter (short throw) and on some cars we change the motor mounts (If they do not mind the vibration). For shorter tracks we change to a 3.33 ratio and add a Quaife for better traction. The brakes are great, but better brake lines and pads make them world class.
For power adders we have been using the Belanger headers, high flow air filter and Mopar PCM (with 93 fuel), good for 60hp!
We will be out at button Willow next weekend for the NARA Event soon and see how these cars do.
