| Budget build, what are you giving up? |
Subject: Budget build, what are you giving up? by jsup on 2008/11/27 13:58:14 OK, heres something Ive thought about for a bit. I even did a thread on it about a year ago on the other forum, you can go search there if youre not banned. Ill ask this question here as I think it is an interesting point of discussion and goes hand in hand with many of my positions. My background in business, sales, marketing makes this topic a fascinating study to me. Let me preface that Id like to see the world of hot rodding expand. I think its a great past time and many of us have commented how we want to see our kids driving our cars and enjoying them. Problem is as of late, there seems to be a shift to position that in order to get into the hobby if youre not investing in the most expensive parts, youre not getting the best equipment youre wasting your time. Why do you think ricer kids went to big wings, stickers, and fart can mufflers? Because its CHEAP! I am sure a lot of those kids would get into real American Muscle if it was shown feasible on a budget. I believe that this position, of having to have the PERCEIVED best parts tends to keep people out of the hobby, which is not what I would hope would happen.. I thought about this last night, as I came across Pinks. They had a bunch of snippets of people saying I saw Pinks and decided to go build a car. See, say what you want about Pinks, but if it is actually bringing people into the sport, thats a good thing. Question is, can a good motor be done on a budget, do you REALLY need to spend money on the best parts, and what do you get for the money? For example, I went with Comp Cams Pro Mag Rockers, since I felt they were the best product in the space, for my application. They were $300. Could I have used the SUMMIT brand, made by someone else of course, for $159 at the same ratio and gotten the same result? Harland Sharp for $200? Scorpion for $200? Serious, what would I have lost? I havent read anywhere that motors using these products are blowing up left and right. On the other side, my oil pan. I went to Kevko, $200. Compared to say a Canton at $400. Lets see, both are baffled, both are used successfully in racing, motors arent blowing up left and right with Kevko pans. My pan holds oil and does not leak, pretty much does what its supposed to do. Who in their right mind would spend $400 on a Canton pan and to what benefit? (other than ego?) Lifters, my LS-7 lifters, GM Performance, $121 for the set, why spend $600 on lifters for anything other than brand name parts? Something else to consider, as I had this conversation with Deakins before he left, companies like Callies ( he uses their real rods) for example will make a set of racing rods which are $2000, then they make a set of consumer rods that are $500. The $500 set have nothing in common with the $2000 other than a logo. Same with parts such as cranks, the $6000 crank has nothing to do with the $1000 crank, other than the logo. I think it is even subbed out to China. Kinda like buying the Home Depot version of John Deere and the real one. So why pay extra for the name considering those parts are not living up to the reputation they built in racing circles, basically cheap knockoffs using the company's logo, and no where near the quality standards of their professional grade stuff. So why pay more for it? Face it guys, a lot of the stuff we put together here is consumer grade were not running $2000 oil pumps, $2500 valve sets, and $4000 oil pans. So given that even what we consider high quality standards are actually only better quality parts. The other issue I tend to see is the concept of "overbuilding" (I'm guilty of this myself)why put 1000HP parts in a 600HP motor? Do you REALLY NEED that XXX part or is it overkill in your application? A good example is rev kits and 7/16ths rocker studs. Two things I betcha none of us here need, but have. Just saying its a matter of perspective. We tend to get off on quality what does that really mean? I guess my position is that if you took motors with the same cam and heads, for the sake of this argument lets call it Brodix IKs since they are sub $1000 and decent quality and a Comp Cams off the shelf cam for $250, these fit the budget theme and my original intent of the post. Now, Im not talking about going with the CHEAPEST parts available, dont get me wrong. Im talking about DECENT quality parts, second line stuff. What are you giving up for the money your saving? I found $100 in rockers, $200 in an oil pan, $500 in lifters, pushords can be $200, timing cover $10 vs $110 (if it covers the timing set and doesnt leak, who cares) and Im sure I can go on. Sure, you get what you pay for, to a point, and Im not talking about putting cheap Chinese crap in the motor, so dont get me wrong. At the end of the day, I bet you that under this scenario all things being equal, the second line parts perform exactly the same as the most expensive parts for an entry level racer or hot rod builder. Off the top of my head, theres probably $2000 between perceived top of the line parts and second line parts. AGAIN, SECOND LINE NOT CRAP. For that $2000, can anyone tell me what some kid getting into Hot Rodding will gain by spending it. Id prefer to see more people in the hobby with these parts, than being cut out of the hobby as a result of cost. Now theres the issue of going on EBAY and sourcing parts as you find them, used, etc builds never get done that way. Im talking going out and putting together new parts you can buy today and put together today, and start racing, today. I havent even touched on $3000 for fuel delivery vs an OEM solution, or even carb. Comments? |
