Last weekend, when Dart Machinery announced that its founder Richard Maskin had passed away on October 16, at the age of 74, the engine manufacturing industry lost another important community member. He is an innovator in motorsports, a fierce competitor, there are many, and a generous and respected employer. Richard will be deeply missed, but he has left a legacy that spans decades and cannot be expressed in just a few words.
"We are indeed gratified that his contribution to the car will continue with every Big M engine block that finds a home under someone's hood," said Dart Machinery's social media post over the weekend. "He is the same name, original, and the only'big M'."
Many of the most successful companies in the United States can be traced back to basements, tool sheds and spare bedrooms. Like Hewlett-Packard, Boeing and Apple Computers, Dart Machinery started in a humble environment. Muskin founded Dart in 1981 in a two-car garage in Oak Park, Michigan. In the five years since then, Dart has become a leader in the aftermarket of cylinder heads, intake manifolds and engine blocks.
Muskin is a well-known mechanical master for racing fans. His engine has won many NHRA Pro Stock World Championships and dozens of national events. Like many successful entrepreneurs, Muskin turned his passion for drag racing into a thriving enterprise. When Maskin competed with various drag racing machines from improved production of Camaros to Pro Stock Gremlins, the seeds were sown. He developed raised intake runners, offset push rods and sheet metal intake manifolds for his innovative Pro Stock engine in the mid-1970s-breakthroughs that were quickly imitated by rival racers. In the end, Muskin learned how to produce a complete cylinder head from scratch. This kind of hands-on experience laid the foundation for Dart Machinery.
The company's first products are aluminum Hemi cylinder heads, which dominate the Top Fuel and Funny automotive categories. The power provided by these specially manufactured heads finally broke the 300 mph barrier of drag racing and produced the first 4 seconds of funny car elapsed time. The roots of Muskin's Pro Stock are evident in the heads of the subsequent large Chevrolet V8 racing series. In recent years, Dart's expansion port Big Chief Head has set the standard for courses from Pro Street to Pro Mod. This innovative tradition continues with the introduction of affordable Iron Eagle and PRO 1 cylinder heads for the small and large Chevrolet V8 blocks, followed by aluminum and cast iron engine blocks, designed to meet the special needs of racers and performance enthusiasts. The company has since expanded its product line to include small Ford and Honda parts.
All development, processing and assembly of Dart are done in Dart's own facilities to maintain the highest quality standards. The most advanced CNC machining center, computer-controlled dynamometer and proprietary "speed flow" technology/wet flow table are assets that contribute to the "dart advantage".
Muskin keeps pace with the continuous advancement of racing technology through Dart's engine development plan. Dart also supported the campaign as a major emergency sponsor with several national sanctions agencies. "Our engine program and our daily interactions with leading engine manufacturers and winning racers keep Dart at the forefront of technology," Muskin once said. "We use everything we have learned to produce stronger and more reliable parts for Dart customers."
These efforts have made Dart a leader in the production of components that won the competition, and are one of the many reasons Richard will be deeply missed in this industry.
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