Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
#2688353
08/16/19 10:23 AM
08/16/19 10:23 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 17,800 S.E. Michigan
ZIPPY
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
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Posts: 17,800
S.E. Michigan
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Motor castings was the last and probably best foundry for the obsolete megablock as well as RB water blocks. Circa 2008, both were replaced by the so-called World Block. More recently Motor castings had been doing Koleno products as well.. Well, guess what, now Motor Castings will be gone entirely. No more foundry, so I guess this means no more Koleno block either, until they find somewhere else, and there aren't too many choices. https://biztimes.com/motor-castings-co-shutting-down-cutting-113-jobs-2/In related news: The World block (It's Chrysler's tooling, ok?) .........Had been cast by the Dalton Foundry, who not coincidentally purchased Motor Castings.... What I just learned: "Dalton was bought in 2016 by Speyside Equity and Beckner Cleary Partners" Now I don't know the ins and outs of that, but any additional layers of complexity to the business probably doesn't help. Could the purchase be part of the reason for the latest dry spell? So, there is something to chew on, for those who follow such things (more folks than it might seem, since they're the physical source for what we use). The main mystery I'd like to solve is, why would Chrysler allow a million dollar + tool to sit idle and not produce any parts? Is something wrong and needs to be repaired, or is our market considered dead/unworthy?
Rich H.
Esse Quam Videri
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: ZIPPY]
#2688368
08/16/19 11:03 AM
08/16/19 11:03 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,478 So. Burlington, Vt.
fast68plymouth
I Live Here
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I Live Here
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Posts: 14,478
So. Burlington, Vt.
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Nothing there sounds good.
68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123 Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: ZIPPY]
#2688369
08/16/19 11:03 AM
08/16/19 11:03 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,642 So Near, Yet So Far
topside
Too Many Posts
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Too Many Posts
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,642
So Near, Yet So Far
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The way I read it, it sounds like Dalton is relocating MC to Indiana, basically consolidating the two foundries. Whether there's some product/technique education, tooling/manufacturing issues, or even transportation delays, who knows? For years, Chrysler and its owners sure seem to have had the least-favorable view of the vintage-car world. Wonder if they're trying to sell off the tooling, or there's some trademark snafu, or a cost/profit/benefit analysis is going on?
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: topside]
#2688403
08/16/19 01:07 PM
08/16/19 01:07 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,237 North Central, Indiana
Roughbird72
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,237
North Central, Indiana
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For years, Chrysler and its owners sure seem to have had the least-favorable view of the vintage-car world.
That's because they want to sell new cars, not parts to the do it yourself crowd.
72 Plymouth Roadrunner 11.08@123.25
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: topside]
#2688414
08/16/19 01:29 PM
08/16/19 01:29 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,237 North Central, Indiana
Roughbird72
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,237
North Central, Indiana
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^^^ Yeah, I get that. And I'd bet Chevy's support for their old cars has paid off for decades, driving the old cars' popularity and brand loyalty for their new stuff. GM has always had the largest market share and part of it is the younger generation would rather buy a car that's already fast/quick from the showroom floor, than build one.
72 Plymouth Roadrunner 11.08@123.25
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: hudsonhornet7x]
#2688426
08/16/19 02:08 PM
08/16/19 02:08 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,478 So. Burlington, Vt.
fast68plymouth
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 14,478
So. Burlington, Vt.
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There is a local Bulldog Hemi Block ordered....... we’ll how long it takes.
68 Satellite, 383 with stock 906’s, 3550lbs, 11.18@123 Dealer for Comp Cams/Indy Heads
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: ZIPPY]
#2688433
08/16/19 02:35 PM
08/16/19 02:35 PM
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,540 Milwaukee WI
TRENDZ
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,540
Milwaukee WI
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Im no more than a few blocks from there. Haven’t heard anything about that locally. Ill have to go dumpster diving and look for core boxes!
"use it 'till it breaks, replace as needed"
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: ZIPPY]
#2688444
08/16/19 02:54 PM
08/16/19 02:54 PM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,205 New York
polyspheric
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,205
New York
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Waiting for "Mahindra Industries of Mumbai announces new block castings for $995.00". How so cheap? No unions, zoning, haz-mat, clean air, health insurance, safety equipment, unemployment, pension, diversity training, transgender quota, child labor laws, etc. Labor $3.50 per hour ($2.00 for children under 12). Material: re-cycled locomotives, luxury cruise liners, etc.
Not yet, but it will - if China doesn't get there first. No one in Congress has any interest in American industry.
Boffin Emeritus
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: polyspheric]
#2688456
08/16/19 03:20 PM
08/16/19 03:20 PM
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116 PA.
pittsburghracer
"Little"John
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"Little"John
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 20,116
PA.
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How many guys are old enough to remember Brandon at 440source plans years ago to have blocks made overseas. I was on the list for 2 of them
1970 Duster Edelbrock headed 408 5.984@112.52 422 Indy headed small block 5.982@112.56 mph 9.42@138.27
Livin and lovin life one day at a time
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: pittsburghracer]
#2688489
08/16/19 05:20 PM
08/16/19 05:20 PM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,541 USA
hudsonhornet7x
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2012
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USA
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How many guys are old enough to remember Brandon at 440source plans years ago to have blocks made overseas. I was on the list for 2 of them I remember when 440 source was going to do a block, but I don't remember why it did not happen. Perhaps it is time for them to give it more consideration?
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: hudsonhornet7x]
#2688494
08/16/19 05:42 PM
08/16/19 05:42 PM
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,825 NW Indiana
fbs63
top fuel
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top fuel
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,825
NW Indiana
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Iirc he had to order a very large number of blocks for them to make them. Lots of cash outlay. The problem has always been the desire to make both Hemi and wedge blocks from the same casting. That's where all the casting problems come in.
Last edited by fbs63; 08/16/19 05:46 PM.
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: ZIPPY]
#2688500
08/16/19 06:02 PM
08/16/19 06:02 PM
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 614 Michigan
Get-X
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 614
Michigan
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Mopar Performance has always been the red-headed step child of the corporation. When Galaxy was casting blocks the bean counters would never let MP order more then 50-100 blocks at a time. This caused a whole #%$@load of problems and eventually drove production into the toilet. There's a huge lead time to get everything at the foundry and machine shop up and running, and the starting and stopping of production doomed block supplies to never be stable and created all of the shortages seen over the last 25 years. This same problem killed the World blocks.
A similar problem existed with Koleno blocks, which were being machined by Roush. Roush's CNC machines run non stop, and after Koleno brought them a couple blocks at a time to machine, Roush had to quit doing them as the set up time and expense to get those huge CNC machines programmed and tooled up only to run a few blocks made no sense. Roush was looking to do a trainload, and Koleno showed up with a pick-up truck full.
In the end, the lack of a huge market and the resistance of MP to warehouse real numbers of blocks is the underlying issue that I don't see getting solved. No foundry wants to get a line up and running to cast 50 blocks, shut it all back down until MP sells it's inventory and reorders 50 blocks again months/years later.
'65 Belvedere '68 GTX '57 Dodge pickup
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: ZIPPY]
#2688551
08/16/19 08:51 PM
08/16/19 08:51 PM
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,110 Usa
A39Coronet
super stock
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super stock
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,110
Usa
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440 source has trouble making oil pans, NO WAY I'd trust them to build a block.
Ram produces half a million trucks a year, and who knows how many Dodge hemi powered cars on top of that. That is a whole lot of new, cross drilled mains, big headed engines that you can make work as well as, if not better, than what you're asking for. After 16 years of the Gen3, there is still a shortage of parts because people are instead trying to find a foundry to recast a 50yr old block, in China no less. Just my (unpopular) opinion.
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: A39Coronet]
#2688569
08/16/19 09:41 PM
08/16/19 09:41 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,394 The Pale Blue Dot
Skeptic
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,394
The Pale Blue Dot
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Adapt or die The main mystery I'd like to solve is, why would Chrysler allow a million dollar + tool to sit idle and not produce any parts? Chrysler has been dead for decades. Daimler gave zero about MP or the obsolete junk we run Cerberus gave less that zero FCA is making money tuning old (Gen 3) Hemi motors to staggering levels in aging, but capable old chassis, and (let's face it mostly) selling Jeeps and Trucks. Our old junk was never even a consideration. That million bucks was written off L O N G ago and means nothing to the new boss.
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Re: Foundry news, the more I learn, the worse things seem.
[Re: hemi-itis]
#2688649
08/17/19 08:57 AM
08/17/19 08:57 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,237 North Central, Indiana
Roughbird72
pro stock
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pro stock
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,237
North Central, Indiana
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That may be true, but casting a good block and CNCing a billet block are two completely different processes and the billet one will be more costly. Core shift and porosity isn't an issue with a billet block.
Last edited by Roughbird72; 08/17/19 08:59 AM.
72 Plymouth Roadrunner 11.08@123.25
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