No Politics or slamming distributors. I have always tried to buy at extra cost the best parts available. Just so they last longer. About 6 years ago I posted a rant about no USA made motor mounts for a small block chev. I just returned $650 in parts because I feel safer with 55 year old OEM parts than new Off Shore parts. What I'd like to see is a Post of What is made in US of A. We have a lot of small business owners here and a whole lot of buyers on this board. if you build or run across some QUALITY MADE IN USA PARTS I'd really be interested
I just had a 2 week old USA made condensor leave me broke down on the side of the road!! My China made points were fine.. Just sayin.. John
Just bought some chome steelies from Rally America about a month ago...they were stamped "Made in the USA" on the inside edge of the wheel.
I hate that everything is made in China. With that said, I don't believe where it is made has any reflect on Quality. I too am at a point of trying to find true NOS parts. Yesterday I was putting brakes on my 28, I was short one adjusting cable guide so I ordered a self adjuster kit. Bendix, Made In USA. I was going to use the new adjusting mechanism, just because it was New, but after looking at it, I decided to use an old one I had. Visually you could see it was ligher in construction. The threaded portion was sloopy, and the end where it rotates also very sloopy. I put it up just for an emergeny use. The Dorman wheel cyls (made in China) on my 48 looked good, and have held up just fine for over 2 years. The only thing I didn't like was the Metric bleed screws. Now Again, I hate we ship everything overseas, but most all of the companies are cutting corners one way or another, and alot of what is still made in the USA is getting worse. All the Federal regulations, EPA, Osha, and the like costs. Wages are higher here, don't forget Workers Comp, matching FICA and the like. So the place where they cut is on the product itself. As a whole we wanted it cheaper, and we got it. Quality products are getting fewer and far between. Even those of us willing to pay more for the quality, are having a hard time finding it. Just like Wal-Mart most manufactures, retailers believe it it's not Cheap (Cost) then they can't sell it.
It is agreed that all of us want quality built parts that are made here in the states, but where are the manufactures of these parts? When this hobby first began, people like Jot Horne and Vic Edelbrock built the parts people wanted. These guys built these parts in small garages in their back yards or where ever they could find space to work their trade. Two things I often think about is where is the innovation this country once had, and has the availability of mail order or internet order killed innovation of the back yard guy? There is plenty of unbelievable craftmanship here on the HAMB, but where is the desire to make mass produced USA made quality parts from the little guy?
The problem is that even buying from 'name' USA companies, you have no guarantee that the stuff they sell is still made in the U.S.A. Lokar product is well made in the USA....
Lucas Oil is still in Corona, they all have a USA stamp on the bottle. ive noticed theyre a bit more pricey, but the quality is waaaay better.
"'These guys built these parts in small garages in their back yards or where ever they could find space to work their trade"' And do you think they would like to do that again? Fat chance..
Resist, resist! Made in China parts are crap! The steel is crap, the rubber is crap,etc. Insist on made in USA parts. Spend the extra couple of percentage points and keep our industries going. It is up to the consumer. Don't be afraid to be vocal either. All of the HAMB members appear to be have patriotic zeal. By denying Chinese parts, you can validate that appearance. USA, USA!
I agree, most stuff coming from Foreign manufacturers into the US is junk. Having said that, just having parts that are made in the US is no guarentee that the parts are equal caliber of NOS or NORS parts. Hell, even aftermarket parts back in the 50's & 60's were not always up to the quality of OEM parts. As a matter of fact, even OEM parts could be poor, if they slipped through the inspection process. You have to look at each particular part, regardless of country of origin, and decide for yourself if it's useable or not.
Just because a product says "Made in USA" doesn't mean ALL of it is. To be certified Made in USA a product has to be at least 50% made in USA. The other 50% is whoever. The Buy American Act requires that a product be manufactured in the U.S. of more than 50 percent U.S. parts to be considered Made in USA for government procurement purposes. For more information, review the Buy American Act at 41 U.S.C. �� 10a-10c, the Federal Acquisition Regulations at 48 C.F.R. Part 25, and the Trade Agreements Act at 19 U.S.C. �� 2501-2582
The shame in all of this is that you'll never know how good the part is until you get it. Dealing in the insurance biz, I see a lot of GOOD offshore parts. I also see a lot of bad parts. Some of the USA made stuff can be crap too. This is really the fault of the retail sellers. Many know exactly how good the part is and continue to sell it. Dealing with restorations, hot rods, etc., I see a lot of bad parts. If they wouldn't put it on their own car, what makes them think I want it on mine? If you get a crap part, return it. Shops don't make money on part returns.
When I bought my sbc from GM I also bought a GM HEI distributor ...paid $210 for it. It failed several times before I had 1000 miles on the car. I took it out and replaced it with a Speedway unit ( made in China ) that I believe I paid about $100 for. I've got about 9000 miles on the car and the made in China distributor hasn't let me down. I don't think you can say the just because something is made in the USA its going to be better.
Blocks: KB Donovan Brad Anderson TFX Heads: Stage V Brad TFX Donovan Milodon Enderle Hilborn LSM Areoquip ARP Callis Valasco Crower Wiseco Diamond CP Littlefield Hamptom RCD P&P Weld Hogans Wilson Wineberg GRP Sonnys Indy many many many more but they do not make cheap parts.......for the SBC/budget crowd
For me its OEM parts or nothing. At least you know they will fit. Chinese repops just don't fit like original parts. The 56 Chevy repop tail light assembly's at over $400 a pair are 1/4 inch shorter then OEM's and had poor chrome. Returned them and waited until I could find an OEM pair which fit perfectly. Won't use AC Delco filters anymore as they are now made in China by small children. I'm a Walker radiator fan. They are made in the USA, they bolt in and they last. Pricey but worth it. The last one I had was 10 years old and still going strong when I sold the car.
O'Brien Truckers cast aluminum parts made right here in Massachusetts. Also, we're a HAMB Alliance Vendor so HAMB Alliance Members can save 10% while helping the economy here in the USA. Check our new web site for all of our new parts like our new Fenton Nailhead valve covers, finned Nailhead valve covers and 7 1/2" wide universal valve cover oil breather: Dennis
ATP, Automatic Transmission Parts of Elk Grove Village, Illinois. I just purchased a Ford C-4 rebuild kit and shift kit of theirs from Rock Auto. Both boxes said Made In The USA.
We've been working with TechAFX Fuel Hoses & A-N fittings & we've been really impressed with these parts! ALL their stuff is made in USA by companies that supply the US Military or the OEMs.
Trique Manufacturing makes their own stuff - here in the USA. They make bear claw latches and A/C vents and door handles/window cranks. Nice stuff. They used to buy the bear claw mechanism from a wholesaler, till they started having failures - found out the wholesaler was buying them from china, and the internals were thinner and of softer steel - now they make their own!
i just bought a couple of 4" body grinder wheels ( knotted wire wheel 19.00 and a 80 grit flapper disc 9.00 to clean up this ibeam front axle for my project.. its finally cooling off some hope to do something instead of hiding in the house bored out of my mind )from ace by a company called weiler, says made in the USA on the packages. chris.
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