Customer Testimonials:

FBO Ignition is lucky to have customers that enjoy the service and products we provide.
If you want to have your testimony submitted to this page, please email us with pictures. (We like pictures)

FBO Ignition no longer offers some of the products or services listed here. Additional tuning information available in our Tuning to Win book. Click Here

If you have any questions, please contact us by phone or email.

- August 2023

Dana and Jim,
Thank you so much for working on the distributor so quickly for me. I know you guys are busy, and I appreciate your efforts to get me on the road for my reunion. I may make it after all. This is my first car, and I drove it all through my senior year of high school. My future wife and I were in an accident in 1971 when some kids drove through a red light and nearly took the front end off. I couldn't part with it and had it in various storage places until 2017, when I finally had time to put it back into driving condition. I'm a seventeen-year-old kid again whenever I drive it. I didn't have it finished for my 50th, but now I can drive it and the memories it holds to my 55th. You guys are solid gold.
Dean Carriveau

- April 2023

Quoted from a Facebook post:
"Thanks for the advice everyone! I finally passed emissions after 4 tries. The solution was swapping out the ignition to an FBO Control Module and re-curved distributor. (Special Thanks to Dana/Don @FBO) I never touched the mixture or jets during the process. Now I'm working on upgrading the license plate!?!"

- November 2021

Hi Dana
Just wanted to tell you guys how much I appreciate your product. My Cuda has never run better! So nice to have it reliable and I was getting so close to selling it cause it was such a headache trying to get it to run properly. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy it more next year.
Hope you like the pic!
Thanks so much, Chris

- September 2018

Dear Sirs,
Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know how pleased I am with your product. I used the #10 bushing in my MSD distributor and now have 26 degree initial and another 10 degree advance with the midsize springs. A complete total success, for the first time I have clean light brown plugs with no gas load up. My 383 Chevy Stroker is idling fine without smelly fumes and it feels like I gained 40 to 50 Hp, damn, it pulls really hard now from idle to 7,000 rpm. My 1984 El Camino SS weighs about 3,500 lbs, my stroker 383 has 12:50 compression ratio, a Comp Cam Big Mutha Trumpr kit CS-299T, 299/319 duration w/107 lobe separation. 215 Patriot aluminum heads w/ T&D rocker shafts 1:6 rockers and Tunnel Ram intake with 2 450 CFM Holley carbs. ART Carr 700R4 trans and 3,500 converter, 12 bolt 4:11 ratio and a lot of suspension work to get her to hook up and it does.
I have attached a couple pictures of my ElCo.

I am so please with the bushing product and I will let people know about it. I carry the product info in my car to show folks who are having the same problem I use to have.

Again, many many thanks,
Sincerely,
Ray Smith
Richardson Texas

- September 2014

Hey Don,
All I can say about the stuff you sent me is, Wow. This truck must have been running on 6 cylinders because now that thing is banging on all 8 for sure now. She runs through first pretty fast and second is leaving a shingle in the road and third she just don't know when to stop haha. I really appreciate the technical help and the products I received. The installation went flawless and she runs better than ever.
Thanks, Travis

- September 2014

Hi Don,
I remember you requested I send pictures of my new engine after I installed the new distributor and Q850 carburetor. The engine is a 427 small block stroker. The engine runs like a real beast. The spark plugs all look great.
Your loyal customer, Jay Attwood

- June 2013

Hey Don,
So here's how it went yesterday, we installed the distributor and timed it at home per your instructions. Ran way better no more eye burning tailpipes all around it felt better at cruise and playing a little on the freeway. We made one pass still with orange box and it ran 12.17 at 94 MPH previous best was 12.19 at 92 MPH. Then we installed the HRR box, it ran 11.94 with no other changes. It pulled hard all the way down track, I could feel the improvement in the seat of my pants. Yee Haw! After 5 years we got into the 11's! We base lined the Q750 at home as per your book, we then bolted on the carb just as delivered no internal changes other than the Air bleeds you sent, we followed your guide and adjusted the idle speed and 1/4 turn on the AF mix screws and it smoothed right out. Last test run for the day it ran 11.78 at 101 MPH!!!!!!!!! We were all doing the happy dance, best money i've ever spent on this car. First round I screwed up with a red light but it ran 11.80 at 101 again doesn't matter I can't tell you how pleased I am! Driving home from the track fuel mileage check it picked up 4 miles per gallon from 9 to 13 after all changes, 115 miles each way 230 miles I'll say we'll now save 9 gallons of premium at $5 per gallon $45.00 IN ONE ROUND TRIP! Just going to the race track the rest of the year we will save over 1/2 of what we spent and with all the other driving we do with it my return on investment will come by seasons end, its like getting 50-75 HP for free! and yes my wife WILL now ride in the car with me.
Jay W.

- May 2013

Hey Don,
This is Bud, you've have been helping me with my Dads Hemi 426. I just wanted to send you an email and pictures. I love the new ignition box and coil. I will be ordering one also for my car soon!

Stress Test:
Made In China Orange Box Vs. Made In USA Orange Vice
Vice 1 - Orange Box 0

- May 2013

Hello Don,
Just a note to say thank you for your guidance and advice over the last few years. I tune my car always referring to your guide and have purchased from you quality components that have again been a major contributor to winning performances. Over the last two drag racing seasons I have purchased from FBO, CalTracs Suspension, FBO Fuel system, FBO distributor, and Slayer carb components. In 2012 I won the NZDRA Super Street National Championship and National Meeting. This season (2013) we moved up to Super Sedan and won NZDRA National title with our super consistent car! Thanks again for all of your advice and tuning secrets!
Trevor
Taupo, New Zealand

- May 2013

Hi Don,
Thanks again for all your help. I was so frustrated with the way my 1967 440 hp ran ever since I put it to together with an electronic conversion about 6 years ago and it didn't seem to have the performance it should have had. Rebuilding & re-jetting the carb just made things worse. After talking with you and having you set up my distributor properly and replace the original points style voltage regulator with your VR-1 regulator. It`s like a whole new car! It idles now, and WOW does it really moves, and uses less fuel. A real plus at PREMIUM prices. I actually love driving it again. I will be recommending this distributor service to all our customers at Graveyard Carz.
Yours truly
Royal Yoakum
Restoration Technician at Graveyard Carz

- May 2013

Hello Don,
I got everything buttoned back up in the charger. WHOA! What a difference switching to the vacuum advance! NO hesitation. Smooth power across the board once I got the timing right. Honestly it's never run this well. I'm thrilled to get rid of that dumb ballast resistor as well! Thanks for taking care of everything for me, and for throwing that tuning guide in. I had one from you years ago and it was a little beat up from being around the garage. Very much looking forward to getting this carb set up right, which it never has been! Thanks again!
I'm sure I'll be in touch! –Pat

-November 2009

Hi Don,
It's Chuck here in Illinois with that 65 Cuda, and the 273 with the Isky cam - we've been discussing the vac pot, a possible ReCurve, etc... If there is a testimonial page, this is a story that belongs there... I bought the A688 kit 3 years ago, rebuilt the stock 273 a year ago, and have not had the valve covers off since I warmed up the motor for the first time, and set the valve lash on the new mechanical cam. After a year of fighting poor performance, unaware of my error, I called you and talked about the low vacuum, and that I checked everywhere, and can't find a leak. You refused to take my money, to get a ReCurve on the distributor, and a new vac pot to activate at lower vacuum. You said you would not take my money, because you knew there was some other issue, and there is no reason why my little 273, even with a .425 lift, 260 dur. cam would not pull at least 16" vacuum.... You were right !!! I pulled the valve covers and found my bonehead screw up. When I put the heads back together, and set the valve lash, I had set them to .013 ALL VALVES, intake AND exhaust. When I warmed up the motor for the first time, I checked and they were all still at .013, so I left it... I WAS HOLDING OPEN THE EXHAUST VALVES SLIGHTLY the whole time since a year ago, which is why I could not build vacuum, which is why my advance pot would not work, which is why my mileage and performance stunk, etc, etc, etc... Proper setting is .013" for INTAKE and .021" hot lash for EXHAUST... I was getting 12.5" vac and running extremely rich, and as soon as I reset the hot lash, and put it all back together, the first turn of the key I had 16" of vac, and had to turn everything DOWN... I went to a steady idle of 900 rpm, disconnected the pot, set initial advance at 17-18 degrees, leaned the idle screws down to 1.5 turns open (they had been open all the way), and then reconnected the vac pot, and 13 degrees came right in... After adjusting timing and idle screws, I now have a crisp idle at 950 rpm, with 16.5 - 17 vacuum... THANK YOU for taking the time, despite not having a sale in 2 1/2 years, thank you for sticking to your guns that there was a different problem and I had to find that first, and thank you for your HONESTY, and not just booking a sale, when you could have... It's like my motor woke up from a bad hibernation, and now it pulls like crazy, and is a ton quicker, especially in the mid range... I finally feel like it is running at it's potential, and that's a great feeling...
Best Regards,
Chuck

- March 2006

Hey Don,
My mechanic charged me $370.00 and couldn't make my car run worth a shit, told me my motor was no good. I bought the Tuning to Win book and had you curve my distributor, and it runs like a Swiss watch! I took the car back to his boss and we went for a ride, he read your chapter on ignition tuning and refunded me all the labor back $300.00!

- February 2005

Hi Don,
I took your advice contrary to what my engine builder said and bolted on my friend Frank's 750 Mighty Demon, which is a carb that you sold him and set up. He's about 2-3 weeks away from needing it so I thought I'd give it a try. I wanted to see for myself who knows tuning and who's just full of BS. We took off the custom tuned and modified 850 Holley with a 2" open spacer and bolted the 750 Mighty Demon down with your 1/2" 4 hole spacer kit (NICE Gaskets!) and installed the FBO Coil and ECU kit. It fired right off and idled at 1050, exactly where you set it for Frank's motor, how do you do that? We didn't even touch the idle screws and it ran and idled like it came out of a super tuners shop. Old best time was 12.39, and the first pass was a 12.02, we adjusted the launch RPM and tire pressure and it went 11.97, scared me when it launched. We moved the timing to 22* at idle and installed the 12* MSD bushing you made for me, it idled even better! If that's possible, the throttle response on this 440 is unbelievable, I did have to bring the idle down from 1275 after the timing change. We made 3 rounds at 11.94, another 11.92 and 11.932 (broke out on a 11.94 dial) I know, if I had of read the tuning guide you sent Frank more closely I would have dialed a 11.91. I have never had that many runs so consistent., unbelievable consistency! The plugs look perfect and it ran cooler than normal, started so quick you couldn't hear the starter even engage. Yesterday I called the engine builder and gave him the results of the smaller and WAY CHEAPER carb with your CORRECT timing numbers in the motor. His comment "He must be modifying those carbs, I've never seen any Demon work properly and where did he get those stupid timing numbers from? You need at least 36* in that motor". It was all I could do to refrain from calling him an idiot and hanging up on him. I asked him if he would like to buy his perfect 850 Holley ($659.00 plus $350.00 for his modifications) and the orange box that he sold me ($79.00). He didn't find that funny at all and again claimed that you must have done some secret hocus pocus modifying of the carb and if he had the opportunity to tune it he could make the Holley outperform the Demon in 2 passes, I reminded him that he had been to the track with me on 3 occasions over 2 years and charged me nearly $400 in parts and labor to "Tune it". He made a very derogatory remark directed at me and you something to do with intelligence and sex and hung up?. Guess I need to find a new engine builder, I don't think I'll have to look far, I have your number on speed dial. You got me into the 11's when no body else could over 2 years and probably $2000 of dyno tuning and carb modifications, everyone told me I needed more motor, more cam, more carburetor, more this, more that, more, more and you did it with LESS!

So Frank needs a new 750 Mighty Demon, no way is he getting that one off my engine, you have my CC info on file please ship direct to Frank. He wants it set up exactly the same way as mine. Do you take trade in's? I have an ugly old 850 Holley I'd like to get out of my sight. If I can sell it I'll be ordering those Racer Brown rocker arms.

"Don replying to the email"
Well I will admit I do some very tricky Hocus Pocus Voodoo stuff to those Mighty Demons, I take them out of the box, baseline adjust and check them to be sure everything is correct. Then I wave a burlap bag of Hair of Goat, frogs toenails and chicken lips over the top of the air horn, mumble some words I learned from a good looking Cajun Girl late one night at the Rampart Hotel in New Orleans, finish off by letting Duke the Big Red Shop Dog give it a big slurp on the secondary float bowl and it's ready to go. Tell Frank his carbs on the way. I'll have Duke give it a double slurp, he has no shortage of tongue.

- February 2003

Just wanted to let you know the re-curved dist is in and had some time to play with the car. Better idle, better throttle response, better sound.
One negative: It has an even greater traction problem now. In a positive light though, I can now rationalize some Goodyear Blue Streak road race tires or some Hoosiers to my wife. Safety issue now, right? Ha ha.
Again, thanks.
Brent