An engine is basically an air pump: the more air/fuel it can bring in and the more spent gas it gas easily push out, the more power it will generally make.

There are several pieces to this puzzle, from the air intake at the start of the process to the exhaust system at the other end.

In between, it’s typical to see high-flowing aftermarket cylinder heads such as those from Racing Head Service out of Ashland, Miss.

The company’s 289- to 351-cubic-inch small-block-Ford heads incorporate the latest airflow technology, machine work and parts to create a package that flat out blows away anything that came from the factory (just check out the flow numbers on the company’s website), especially considering a starting price of about $400 US each, bare, without any valves or related hardware (from about $800 US each, assembled and ready to roll).

The Pro Action Ford head comes in a variety of port volumes (for everything from street to race duty) and combustion chamber sizes to fine-ute cylinder pressure (compression).

Take the package approach for best results and upgrade other components such as intake/exhaust manifolds and camshaft/valvetrain.

Visit racingheadservice.com to check out these heads and to download a catalog, or call 877-776-4323.

Ground-pounding Jeep sound

Thankfully, performance exhaust systems are not just for sports cars.

Installing a Borla exhaust package on an off-road vehicle frees up some extra horsepower for rock-crawling and trail blazing.

And then there’s the sound.

The Parts Dept. crew has Borla equipment on several vehicles, so they know all about that distinct Borla tone.

To cater to Jeep owners, Borla makes systems for CJ-7, Cherokee, Commander, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, Liberty and even the four-cylinder Patriot, all made from aircraft grade T-304 stainless-steel that, according to Borla, is the best in the business (better than T-409) at resisting corrosion.

The proof?

How about a “one-million-mile” guarantee against rust or cracking from a company that has been building stainless-steel systems for 30 years.

The Jeep packages, like Borla’s other kits, all use smooth, kink-free bends (Wrangler shown) and offer a variety of tip styles to suit the look you’re after.

Race over to borla.com or call 877-462-6752.

For pros on the go

Take your office with you no matter where you go with the Truck Office that’s designed for contractors, surveyors, veterinarians, farmers or anyone else who works from their pickup truck.

This well-thought-out rig includes many compartments (latched to keep everything in order), not to mention a set of drawers that pull out from the side — one that’s more than 120-centimetres long, too — meaning that you can leave the Truck Office in the back seat while you tend to business.

There’s also a handy jack-storage compartment, flashlight and an optional power package that provides 115-volt household current to run your laptop, a fax/printer/copier/scanner or recharge your small tools.

Check out the healthy photo gallery online at mobileduz.com to find a dealer.

The final touch under foot

No doubt that classic cars have the style, but the way they drive?

Well, they certainly pale in comparison to the newer car sitting in your driveway. There are a variety of brake, suspension and steering upgrades that can be performed, but one of the finishing touches is a new set of pedals from Lokar Performance products based in Knoxville, Tenn.

It’s new direct replacement throttle pedal for 1962-’67 Chevy II and Nova models eliminates the factory rod linkage.

Lokar carries a plethora of very high-quality custom goodies mostly aimed at bringing your classic machine to a higher level of fit, finish and drivability.

Look for everything from throttle kick-down linkages for fuel-injection systems to chromed oval LED tail lights.

You can reach Lokar on the Web at lokar.com or by calling 865-966-2269.