[cgeise]

Tom -
Its a fine line here. Moldex's system ( as you use them as an example ) does not work well in todays enviroment -they are Super slow and seem very unresponsive to a "racer in need" . Today the companies that try to help are the ones that gain a loyal following. If a company - esspecially a large one takes that extra step to helpsome one in need they have usually won a customer for life - yet if that company piss's some one off they and ten of there friends will never do business there again -- its business 101. There are exceptions when the product or service is very unique but as a whole I stand by my comments.

[BruceWilkie]

Originally Posted by cgeise

Tom -
Its a fine line here. Moldex's system ( as you use them as an example ) does not work well in todays enviroment -they are Super slow and seem very unresponsive to a "racer in need" . Today the companies that try to help are the ones that gain a loyal following. If a company - esspecially a large one takes that extra step to helpsome one in need they have usually won a customer for life - yet if that company piss's some one off they and ten of there friends will never do business there again -- its business 101. There are exceptions when the product or service is very unique but as a whole I stand by my comments.

Curt, I agree. You can leave space in your schedule for exceptions... and if you know how to communicate to your customers, (that you made an exception that you cant promise a repeat of),(Something like "I just happened to be down the street" or something thats applicable to your service) the customer wont get mad if next time you just cant fit him in as fast... My years of serviceing equipment... I did plenty of juggling to help the one with the most need first without upsetting my other customers.
Most times it was first come first serve... Most exceptions the customer didnt know I made an exception... you dont volunteer that if you can avoid it... and the ones that knew I did make an exception never asked for another...(usually they only knew because they asked how I could possibly get there that fast) most got them without askin or knowing. My priorities were sometimes swayed by who just bought 6 million dollars worth of equipment vs someone who hadnt bought new in 20 years and not likely to need to buy anything anytime soon. (You dont tell your customers that!) But that same low spender would on occaision get priority service... I might be nearby... I might even work after hours on my dime just to avoid a ride out of my way for next days start. He did me and some other customers a favor stayin late... All he cared was that his machine operator wouldnt be idle the next morning.

Its all simply a matter of balance and not making promises you cant personally gaurantee. Fix the customer, the equipment could be a piece of crap in my eyes, but if they were happy with it and the service I gave them, they'd buy from us again.

Curt, you are absolutely correct on PO'd customers... they are mad and will tell at least 10 of their friends and anyone else who'll listen even the competitor they dont like... Happy customers might tell a couple people and any that may ask... they may not tell their competitor if they feel they have an edge over them with their new product or service. And all this is true for any size business from at home type to the corporate giants... I've seen it from both ends and everything in between.

[Ray Cox]

Anyone ever go to a store for a toy at Christmas and they are out? ever go to Autozone for a 5.00 part they have to order? Last few years I see Walmart and Menards run out of stuff they sell daily. so if large retailers don't and cannot keep 5.00 items on the shelf at all times, why would we expect someone to keep a 3k item ready to ship?

Has anyone actually talk to Bob or frank about what the delay was? and if it is something they could control? maybe some of you will get it when the new updated block is out, with smaller mains and other improvements that caused the delay when they sent the castings out. it wasent that long ago that you could "Not" order a block no mater how long you wanted to wait! I can remember fighting and scratching to get Indian adventures blocks and people offering more than they cost new, just to get a block that was stronger than stock and then IF you got one you still had to deal with all of the porosity and water leaks in the cylinders. water ran out of some of the tall decks with no pressure.

Thanks to Bob and frank we now have * multiple deck height options * screw in freeze plugs * registered mains * rear water ports * dual trany bolt patterns * smaller main journals * oil ports for turbos * stronger lifter Bores * thicker wall cylinders * doll pined mains * thicker deck height * dry decked * material to bush to .904 lifters * and probably a lot more items i am forgetting since my memory is as bad as my spelling,

But that's not good enough? we need them on the shelf ready to ship? In 2002 if you called Indian adventures they said IF we get enough orders we might have some in 6 months, and I think you had to Pre pay to place the order. But I for one was still glad that Dick duclow was trying to get orders and trying to produce blocks, I still have Block number 21 from dicks first run sitting here in the garage, it had issues but I was glad to have it,

I can remember being so excited to see DCI do all the research on the original heads, they helped move the heads to the market, the CV head was another big step but everyone seams to forget where we were for parts 10 years ago.

in 2001 Rick Jonson did an ausum job of preping a stock block for me, I took him the block and new 4 bolt caps and still had a bill of $1,200 but it was done right and was as strong as he could possibly make it then add in the lifter bore brace and main studs to replace the stock bolts, all together you end up with 1,800-2k in a stock block that you would wonder not if but when it would break, it was either scott rex or jack gadosh that told me in Norwalk that year you should get 75-100 passes from that block if your careful and lucky.

Thanks to Bob & Franks Business sense we now have "Several" products that other people made great efforts to bring to the market but weren't able to.
As valid of an effort as some other people made on some of those products it is a fact that they are not only better now they are much easier to obtain as well.

Not to mention Standing behind the products they produce.

[johnta1]

Not the same thing.



Ask all the Tribal Tube header guys how that 'waiting' for headers thing works.
Spend your money and never get anything.

[chiefbigb]

You will get your block and it will be a quality piece.If there were any issues with it they will back it up 110%.Thats what you are paying for and waiting for. I ordered a crower billet crank years ago and waited 9 months for it. Was told it would be here in 6 months. The crank was a work of art.Next time order 2 then you wont have to wait on your next build.LOL

[Ray Cox]

Originally Posted by johnta1

Not the same thing.



Ask all the Tribal Tube header guys how that 'waiting' for headers thing works.
Spend your money and never get anything.

your seriously going to compare a company that took money never shipped product and wont return a phone call to a company that gave 100% refund including shipping no questions asked?

About the only reply to that is you cant fix stupid * you cant argue with idiots and common sense is not so common any more.

[cfmcnc]

Originally Posted by Ray Cox

your seriously going to compare a company that took money never shipped product and wont return a phone call to a company that gave 100% refund including shipping no questions asked?

About the only reply to that is you cant fix stupid * you cant argue with idiots and common sense is not so common any more.

X2.Bill C.

[johnta1]

original poster said:

Is 6 months too long wait time for a replacement IA2 block that has been paid in full since January?

I guess you all think that's OK.



Now he is still out a block, the time to build it, and more time to get another one, hopefully a KRE block.

[PonchoV8]

Please quote where he said it was "okay"? He said it's pretty ridiculous to compare the two companies. And he's right.

[R 70 Judge]

I got my IA2 in about two weeks if I remember correctly. It all depends on when you order. They had just finished a run at the foundry and were already machining them.

Block number APSJB05060188

[Skip Fix]

"Now he is still out a block, the time to build it, and more time to get another one"

That "street" has run both ways in the past also, something about a recall about the non splayed cap block some other folks like OMT had to deal with.

[mgarblik]

Very long wait times for Pontiac specific parts are more the norm than the exception. It just comes with the territory of wishing to build a niche engine. We waited almost 14 months for our Crower 4-disc clutch, 2 weeks for our first Crower billet crank but 9 months for the second one. As has been said it depends when they run a batch. With the lousy economy, companies stock very few parts they can't turn quickly. The Pontiac market is so small, they usually run the parts out, then wait for a backlog of orders and run another batch. I remember a few years ago, Mr. Gasket was out of ultraseal Pontiac oil pan gaskets for over 6 months. We are fortunate to have choices for most of our parts now. I waited right at 13 months for a Moldex crank. Once during that period I called only to find out the business was closed for an entire week so everyone could go fishing! Granted it was only 1 week but really? My next crank, we ordered from Crower. Moldex, excellent product, possibly the best, I don't know, just couldn't deal with the drama. As far as blocks go, It's time VS reputation VS customer service and so forth. If you are part of the Kauffman "club" and have a good relationship with their business and they have a block in stock, they are a viable option. I an certain All Pontiac through Frank and Bob will do everything in their power to provide product. After all, that's why they are in business. Their situation is a little different than Kauffmans in that everything is farmed-out. Kauffman is only held hostage by their foundry. Once blocks are poured, they finish them in-house, as fast as their little set-up will allow. All Pontiac is not only at the mercy of their foundry, but also a large commercial machine shop that does the machining. That shop is huge and does hundreds of blocks and heads for many different large manufacturers. It is very costly to tear down and tool up to run a handful of Pontiac blocks, especially with all the options All Pontiac offers. It is wonderful that All Pontiac works so very hard to make everyone happy and "custom machine" blocks so many different ways but it does slow the production. If you can wait, you won't be disappointed. The blocks are just super tough.

[chiefbigb]

John I was out a block that was paid in full at one point also. It was not a IA2. I own a IA2 now and will more than likely get another one next year. Please tread lightly here.

[Robert C.]

Hay guys. I have been very busy latey.

I will explain more later. But we are bring out a whole new designed IAII short deck block. It will have the ability to have 2.500 mains and as low as a 9.200 deck height. When we started this change we had to use the IA II standard deck molds to make the new molds. As you can guess the tool and die shop and the pattern shop promise delivery dates that were not kept. They put us off many times.

We are in the last finish stages of a 12 bock run and will restart shipping ina week.

I am out of town and will up date more later.

We do apologies to the few that are delayed shipping.

This new block style in bad ass.

[Robert C.]

Hay guys. I have been very busy latey.

I will explain more later. But we are bring out a whole new designed IAII short deck block. It will have the ability to have 2.500 mains and as low as a 9.200 deck height. When we started this change we had to use the IA II standard deck molds to make the new molds. As you can guess the tool and die shop and the pattern shop promise delivery dates that were not kept. They put us off many times.

We are in the last finish stages of a 12 bock run and will restart shipping in a week.
The
I am out of town and will up date more later.

We do apologies to the few that are delayed shipping.

This new block style in bad ass.

[Ray Cox]

Originally Posted by Robert C.

Hay guys. I have been very busy latey.

I will explain more later. But we are bring out a whole new designed IAII short deck block. It will have the ability to have 2.500 mains and as low as a 9.200 deck height. When we started this change we had to use the IA II standard deck molds to make the new molds. As you can guess the tool and die shop and the pattern shop promise delivery dates that were not kept. They put us off many times.

We are in the last finish stages of a 12 bock run and will restart shipping in a week.
The
I am out of town and will up date more later.

We do apologies to the few that are delayed shipping.

This new block style in bad ass.

Nice new updates, Ap blocks are becoming like computers and Tvs. Every time I get a new one the next version comes out making me want another. I just got this new block home and not even assembled yet and a new and better one is available!

[Tom Vaught]

I have purchased 3 IA-2 Blocks from Bob C and Frank G so far.

All were the normal deck height. All checked out great. Each one was going to be used on my Chassis Car and then a PY member would need a block
for a panic build and I would sell the block to them as I was not ready for my engine build.

Have always liked the Smaller Main, Lower Deck set-up for a race block.

So it looks like at least 12 people will have a new short deck block to play with on this first run. Thanks Bob and Frank!

Tom Vaught

[Robert C.]

Originally Posted by Tom Vaught

I have purchased 3 IA-2 Blocks from Bob C and Frank G so far.

All were the normal deck height. All checked out great. Each one was going to be used on my Chassis Car and then a PY member would need a block
for a panic build and I would sell the block to them as I was not ready for my engine build.

Have always liked the Smaller Main, Lower Deck set-up for a race block.

So it looks like at least 12 people will have a new short deck block to play with on this first run. Thanks Bob and Frank!

Tom Vaught

Tom,

We casted two short deck blocks and 10 STD blocks. We did not want to tell anyone about this until we had them machined. This is why the STD blocks were out of production. We now have stand alone molds for: IAII, IAII Aluminum and now the IA Short Deck blocks.

As we have done in the past, we will check them after machining and send them to a engine builder to have them built. The mains are connected high up in the block inter cavity and the deck can be cut to 9.200. All stock Pontiac parts fit except the valley pan. We will be cutting our Cast Valley Pan to fit the new blocks.

We will have a brand new thread with pictures on this Short Deck IA short deck block soon.

We think we should have some sort of a contest to name this new block. What do you think?

[Tom Vaught]

The "FORD BLOCK?" LOL! Let the war begin!

Be a nice package with the new "FORD TUNNEL PORT HEADS" from Don

Tom Vaught

[darbikrash]

Sorry for the noob questions, but how is the new short deck IA II block intended to be configured? First, what is the intended purpose, drag race, blower motor, nitrous etc.?

What are the benefits of the 9.200 deck and what rods, stroke, piston would be utilized to take advantage of this short deck?

Same question of the 2.500 mains, what are the advantages and which crank(s) are used?

This new block sounds interesting, just want to understand the benefits.