Quality Control?

Hello Gents,
In an ongoing effort to rebuild an 8BA Flathead, There's been all kinds of sexy new finned aluminum parts arriving by UPS. I won't mention any manufacturer's names, and am asking a generalized question, but...Has anyone noticed poor Quality control among the more respected names in aftermarket Flathead speed parts? In the past few weeks I've gotten a warped intake manifold, heads with suspicious looking possible "repair marks", and just fitment issues in general. Is this a result of old molds, or just my sucky luck? Please advise, as I'm trying to get the damned thing running before summer's over, and back and forth UPS returns are not helping with the time frame.
Sincere Thanks
FF

 

There is a reason for the rising prices of old flathead aluminum ware...

 

I've noticed it too. I had a three pot intake show up that looked like it was carved with a butter knife.

 

I think the mfg'ers are just trying to get rid of the inferior parts they are stuck with hoping you won't notice.

 

No, you are not alone. I know a few people that have had trouble with the new heads.

I cast up '55-56 Mercury exhaust tips out of aluminum so I have some experience on the other (manufacturer) side. I think the problem is that low quantity production parts are poured by hand (gravity cast) with sand cores. It's an art that takes years to learn properly. All new high volume production parts are pressure cast by machines. There are fewer and fewer people learning the gravity casting trade and I don't know of any decent apprenticeship programs here. Since its labor intensive and the labor is expensive its the first to be outsourced. Double trouble.

I went to four foundries before I found one to take on my tips. The molds were made by an late 60 something German mold maker and poured by the "old timers" because the new guys don't have skill.

It's not going to get any better unless volumes pick up a lot, which I can't see happening. Maybe the $750 Navarro heads aren't such a bad buy afterall.......

 

49coupe: You have made an excellent point. Working in a hot foundry is not a job most young folks put on the top of their "career choice' list. Pattern making and pouring is an art and a skill.

 

My dad got a set of Offy v-8 60 heads that were really a shitty casting and the water manifolds were off drilled and would have leaked because they were not flat where they bolted to the heads