Wheels of the Week: Kammer Racing
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Kammer Racing is proof that you can't judge a book by its cover. Walking into the storefront speed shop in Huber Heights, you're greeted by walls lined with performance parts and accessories, and there are a number of engines sitting on stands, ready for a customer to drop into his or her ride.
But behind the counter and through another door is 20,000 square feet of spotless machine shop, a chassis and two engine dynamometers, a complete fabricating area and a four-bay garage. Kammer Racing is not just a speed shop.
Owner Bob Kammer is behind the counter, ready to help or answer any questions, calling on a lifetime of engine building experience to point the customer in the right direction.
"It's all I've ever done. It started when my dad bought me a '33 Ford with a Buick engine in it when I was a kid," Kammer said. "Then I started building my own engines for my drag cars, and one thing led to another."
Kammer ran his shop out of his garage until the zoning folks caught on, and 23 years ago he moved to his current location on Nebraska Avenue.
"We always raced Mopar cars, so we have a lot of background with them, but we work on anything. We build lots of Chevy's — small and big blocks — but hey, we did three flatheads last year, and we just finished a 1948 Lincoln flathead V-12," Kammer explained.
"About four years ago, we realized that the import engines are really popular, so we now are working on Honda's, BMW's — you name it, we'll build it."
While Kammer Racing is clearly about high performance, they also perform all types of machining and repair work on engines.
"We build lots of stock engines, all types of repair and rebuilding, and we do stock restoration," Kammer added.
The shop has seven full-time employees, including Kammer's son, Ted, who was busy working a cylinder head on a Sunnen machine.
Kammer's success as an engine builder is evident by the many racing trophies on display, along with a number of NHRA speed record certificates. Kammer raced in the stock class until sidelined with an illness in 1996.
"Luckily, I recovered, but I don't drive anymore. But we still have three racecars we run," Kammer said.
"Right now, I spend my time making sure our customers get what they want. We want to make sure that they get the right parts, and the right combination so the engine and car perform like they expect. Plus now, everyone is into the dress-up accessories. We sell and install lots of the chrome and billet pieces so the engines look great."
Kammer noted that in the age of online shopping, building engines isn't easy to do on the Internet.
"It's better to talk with the customer in person or on the phone, then put together the package they want. We can get any part they need, usually by the next day."
Kammer Racing is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Contact www.kammerracing.com or call (937) 237-8675.
To nominate your special vehicle or business for Wheels of the Week, contact us at: Wheels, Marketing Publications Department, Dayton Daily News, 1611 S. Main St., Dayton OH 45409; via e-mail at arollins@coxohio.com; or call (937) 225-6901. Include your name and telephone number.
