Sign of the economy

Posted By: cowbay

Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 01:54 AM

Well the economy has really taken a toll on the car hobby industry. You have Holley in bankruptcy and now Crane Cams will be liquidated.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/25/dead-after-all-liquidation-of-crane-cams-announced/

Pretty wild that established names fighting for survival

Posted By: hemi-itis

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 02:04 AM

Dom,didn't you just put a crane girdle set up on your '63 ?????

Posted By: cowbay

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 02:08 AM

No it was comp.

You would think with my great luck, I would be a sure fire for crane, not this time.

Posted By: sunroofgtx

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 03:33 AM

Taylor is up for sale, Mallory too. I believe Holley and Mr Gasket too.

Posted By: 70gtx1

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 05:18 AM

Is it really a suprise?? I mean look at the prices on the stuff we buy, everything is way overpriced! And in these hard times, I have not seen anything drop in price, things are going up i think. Im just thankfull i have a well paying secure job to buy stuff like this.

Posted By: megajoltman

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 05:59 AM

Quote:

Is it really a suprise?? I mean look at the prices on the stuff we buy, everything is way overpriced! And in these hard times, I have not seen anything drop in price, things are going up i think. Im just thankfull i have a well paying secure job to buy stuff like this.

I waiting to see if some price's drop before I continue my build.I am also lucky I have a fairly secure job.

Posted By: HPMike

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 08:16 AM

Quote:

Is it really a suprise?? I mean look at the prices on the stuff we buy, everything is way overpriced! And in these hard times, I have not seen anything drop in price, things are going up i think. Im just thankfull i have a well paying secure job to buy stuff like this.

Sorry, but I disagree....

The problem with your logic is the same reason the cheap junk from China just keeps getting more and more widespread and the companies who mfg here(and employ here} are forced out. Everybody wants to pay 45.00 for a roller cam or 850. for a set of "Stealth" heads. Msny of these companies are not gouging, but simply trying to make a profit while paying people more than 50 cents an hour in work camps.

I guess we can all look at the bright side. When these companies go under, we can buy our parts from Wal Mart for next to nothing.

Posted By: cowbay

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 09:59 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Is it really a suprise?? I mean look at the prices on the stuff we buy, everything is way overpriced! And in these hard times, I have not seen anything drop in price, things are going up i think. Im just thankfull i have a well paying secure job to buy stuff like this.

Sorry, but I disagree....

The problem with your logic is the same reason the cheap junk from China just keeps getting more and more widespread and the companies who mfg here(and employ here} are forced out. Everybody wants to pay 45.00 for a roller cam or 850. for a set of "Stealth" heads. Msny of these companies are not gouging, but simply trying to make a profit while paying people more than 50 cents an hour in work camps.

I guess we can all look at the bright side. When these companies go under, we can buy our parts from Wal Mart for next to nothing.

MB

One forgets it is the US companies that are the ones that spend all of their money on researching and developing the product, so there is a high cost to that. Also with the China stuff there is still no real quality control. So if you guys want to save a $100.00 on a roller rocker in an 900 ho motor fine with me. Don't complain when the motor is grenanded when that arm breaks. Remeber the job you save one day may be your own.

Posted By: RodStRace

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 04:04 PM

Wow, that sure dropped into politics quick.
I think that Holley and others have been a smaller example of what people THINK of the domestic auto companys. The product has rolled along without major changes or improvements while others have stepped up. Have you looked at a new basic Holley carb lately? Still has the ugly casting seams, gaskets that split instead of separate, low end machining, and for a price that has gone up over the years. We may have all gotten used to better for cheaper over the years due to electronics and imported products, but the company has not refined the product and processes to address the competition. Are the shafts still a wear and leak point? Toyota had O-rings 15 years ago! How many companies have been built to offer improvements over the basic design and thrived? How many of these have been incorporated into the original?
If the new basic Dodge was only avilable with AM radio and steel wheels, how many would point to that as the reason Mopar was failing?

Posted By: PolyDart

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 05:11 PM

Quote:

One forgets it is the US companies that are the ones that spend all of their money on researching and developing the product, so there is a high cost to that.

How long have Holley carbs went essentially unchanged? Their R&D has been paid for many times over. Is a big carb with '70s technology really worth a about a grand??

Posted By: dthemi

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 05:41 PM

Really, Horsepower is way cheaper now than ever before. Think how much a thousand HP would have cost 25 years ago. Now you can buy a thousand HP over the phone, and have it on your door step the next day all for around 15,000 bucks (if you like chevy).

Posted By: 65 NSS 500

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 06:07 PM

The management team lost touch with the racer . they just look at numbers and please the share holders. rather than reinvest in R+D they exploit what they have until someone else does the same for less or a better product for the same cost.Then wonder what happened.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 06:52 PM

The American companies are doing all the research and design,and these Chinese companies are just putting out cheap copies of what the Americans made..perfect example the Edelbrock air gap manifold,Vic did all the work designing it and professional(chinese ripoff)products put out a copy of it

Posted By: HotRodDave

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 06:57 PM

So where can I get retro fit roller lifters made in china? Also where can I get the chinese knock off holley? I love cheap chinese crap where can I buy it?

Posted By: orangemonster

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 08:40 PM

Let the free market work and get the gov. out of it,and things would be cheaper.Just think of the money savings a company would have if there were 50%(at least)less fees and taxes,insurances...

Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 09:13 PM

Part of the problem for ANY American company is they
have to have big dollar insurance because of all the
law suits any time something goes wrong(weather it was
a factory problem or not)... try suing a Chinese company
(LOL). We all know they dont pay a wage worth

over seas.... but they have all the jobs now days,
because of all the people here.... I want mine for
CHEAP but I want the big money also... well now your
seeing it cant be both ways

Posted By: STEFF

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 09:35 PM

Crane is getting bought by Scorpion Performance.

http://www.wftv.com/news/19020318/detail.html#-

Posted By: slantzilla

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 10:01 PM

Quote:

The management team lost touch with the racer . they just look at numbers and please the share holders. rather than reinvest in R+D they exploit what they have until someone else does the same for less or a better product for the same cost.Then wonder what happened.

It's easier to just blame the economy or the Chinese than to admit that many of the businesses going under now are just plain poorly managed. The biggest factor is making aquisitions and taking on huge debt with no plan of how to pay for it. Too many companies want to make money short term for the investors, but will lose the company in the long run.

The company I work for went Chapter 11 a month ago. It had nothing at all to do with anything other than bad management. They did give themselves nice 6 figure bonuses a couple days before they filed though.

Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 10:09 PM

Cowbay, come do my sprinkler system so i can stimulate the economy.

Posted By: runya

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 10:53 PM

Like Norm said on Cheers "it's a dog eat dog world and we are all wearing milk bone underwear"

I have learned that when the going gets tough the tough get going , if you don't you will get run over.

Posted By: cowbay

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/26/09 11:52 PM

Quote:

Cowbay, come do my sprinkler system so i can stimulate the economy.

Hey I like the shamless plug there for me.

No problem can do

Posted By: emarine01

Re: Sign of the economy - 03/27/09 12:04 AM

One has to remmber that it is mostly american companys hiring china factorys to make cheep stuff to market here, in the auto biz they been outsourcing for a long time , you cant buy an american made diesel under 100 hp for the last 15 years , all jap and now china , what will happen when china makes a cheep electric car , someone will cash in on it and sell them , I hope its not wall mart for they may end up ruling the world, So buy american made products by americans and screw up thier economys