Just ordered a set of custom pistons from Diamond and I was told by a friend they were only a little more than off the shelf pistons
Well when they asked for my credit card for payment I almost fell off my chair when they said almost $1200 That includes pins and rings but dam are they normally that much
FYI....they are for my 512 RB and and I went from a 10.5:1 flat top with valve notches to 14:1+ with slight dome



Derrick

you should have ordered them through me or one of the other dealers on here to save some money.

Yes you did. Several memebers here, including myself could have saved you some coin.

In reality, the manufacters dont want to deal direct with the public, they would much rather have one of their dealers spec it all out and just send them the engineering sheet, a quick phonecall or email, and poof, out go the pistons.
( or rocker arms, rods, cranks, whatever specialties etc)

However, they are greedy. When they get a chance to sell at those prices, they will.Which irks me, but thats another whole story we wont get in to...

cancel the order and redo it with these fellas above

Really depends on how many options you added to the pistons. The last set of JE pistons that I bought were about that and I get a good price break. If you get the max lightening package, skirt coating, gas ports, etc. the price tag starts to add up.

Like Andy said, there are plenty of options for custom pistons. Some manufacturers actually have multiple forgings that they start with and the forgings themselves are different prices. When you start tricking them out with the best pins, rings, skirt finishes, lightening programs, lateral or vertical gas ports the price can escalate real quick. Ive heard of guys paying in excess of $1500 for top of the line stuff. So you may not be that far off. Now if your particular piston was available as a "shelf" pistons, thats another story...you definitely paid too much. That means that they already had a file for your dome, crank, etc. combo and they simply made you a set without much design. Tell us what some of your options are.

my custom Diamonds I ordered from a dealer here on the board they where custom domes with pins,rings and oil support rails and was less than 1000.00

Right at $800 for Custom Diamond wedge pistons...Had a small dome, came with pins, no rings, not fancy lightning or gas ports...just plan ole pistons...
From a board member of coarse......

I picked up a set of CP pistons... I had to send them
my W-9 head so they could scan it then they built the
pistons at 14.1:1... ultra light... they came with
pins and the support rails, gas ported... no rings
and that was $1000.... I had to get 4 more after I blew
up the engine and the 4 pistons were $420 which they
built from my original work order

My custom Diamonds for my small block were around the $1100. We are a WD for Diamond. We dont do the volume that some of you do. But if your getting real custom stuff, it does cost more.

Dang, I thought my custom JE turbo pistons/pins that cost me $950 without rings was expensive!

How much will he save?

That's only 1 advantage

#2 is you're spending money with a member of the community

#3 is that they are much more likely to spot a missing dimension, bad plan, typo, nice feature you didn't think of, so you get free advice

Ok guys, can you guys that say you can get me better prices pm me then on custom pistons
I am leaning towards a set of KB that I can make work but not optimal but price is right
Specs are: 4.375 bore, 4.250 stroke, 7.10 rod,.990 pin, 1.480 compression distance, 10.715 block deck height, standard rings, Eddy heads with 70 cc chambers and 2.25/1.84 valves. looking to get as much compression as possible and running alcohol.


Derrick

That sounds like a shelf piston with a pin height change. Diamond does that stuff for shelf pricing plus a small charge to change the pin height.

Quote:

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.....7.10 rod,.990 pin, 1.480 compression distance,....

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I ordered custom pistons with those basic dimensions from Diamond w/rings for about $800. That was 3 1/2 years ago. Like Andy said, it was simply a stocking piston with an adjusted CH.

Just got custom Diamonds from Performance Only. Flat top with .990 H13 pins, 1.145 C.H., lateral gas ports, .043 AP top, 1/16 napier 2nd, 3/16 low tension oil. I wouldn't run this ring setup without a vacuum pump, JMO. .265 valve reliefs for 2.200 intake, 1.81 exhaust valves. Also K1 6.700 rods and 4.250 K1 crank. Dan will treat you right at a fair price without the attitude.