Art & Inspiration That Little Birdie That Bites You In The A$$

I think at one time or another we've all listened to that little Birdie in our head that's song is "Cheap Cheap Cheap". I do my best to surpress him and have learned some hard lesson's following his advice, bought one those new China GM distributors, 65000 volt coil at Jefferson last year, $69.00, put it in my new 350 crate and had some trouble, not running right and then, screeching noise from it, pulled it and shaft was tight, pulled apart and shaft was scored from an oil lite type bushing used, touched file to it, very, very soft. Had business card from vender, called him, no warranty, I must have done something wrong, he's never had any complaints. Rebuilt my old GM, put in, everything is good. I know better, Dam Birdie ! Got me Again.

 

I have a cheap ******* mentality and a good wife. She rags on me about cheaping out usually when she is tossing the tow chain in my direction. LOL

 

yes, sometimes it's best to step up. you can buy a new GM Performance HEI distibutor....the same one used in some of their crate motors....for about $150

 

porkn******, yer funny

 

am too.

 

My grandfather used to say the best is barely good enough. He always bough the best and if he couldn't afford the best, he couldn't afford it at all. That's why his tools lasted his entire life. Rather than buy something twice because the first one broke, he'd buy the best and never have to buy another one.

I've never regretted buying better quality, but often regret buying a cheap one. Especially that cheap used starter I had to change a week later on the street I front of my girlfriends house during a snowy winter day.


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I think the bigger issue is getting quality at ANY price. I have had so many failures on new parts no matter where I get them it's about got me ready to throw in the towel. 3 Fuel pumps (Carter) on a customers 40 Ford before it even had a 100 miles on it, how can I make a living that way?

 

Yep tightening the bottom line at lots of companies has been at the Quality Control level and left that responsibility on the production level and that is a recipe for what we are seeing and experiencing. Not good...and its not always offshore...as eluded.

 

I remember a guy saying one time "Never acquire a taste for ****." And like my daddy says, "It costs no more to go first cl***." It is hard to resist a "good deal".

 

There's a saying that "in the long run the good costs less". Price doesn't equal quality, and sometimes the best is overkill. It's all a balancing act.

 

It really galls me to buy a new part and have it fail.
Awhile back I replaced the module in a HEI distributer and then had problems with the engine randomly quitting. I figured that it had to be fuel related since I had just "fixed" the distributer. After replacing the fuel pump and other frustrations I discovered that the new ignition module was at fault.
This was a name brand part bought at NAPA. I got a free replacement but that didn't cover the frustration or expense of the other parts.
I hate doing the quality testing for the manufacturers.

 

Thats what we all say while opening the door to Harbor Freight!

 

Imagine that most everyone has had new replacement parts fail, or had to be modified to work. Happens with name brand or no name. Even for those that decide to have a shop do the work for them there is no absolute guarantee that it will be done right. A major headache, and sometimes expensive, helps keep us on our toes and learn to take nothing for granted.

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The only thing to walk out of Harbor Freight with is the cash register

 

Actually I had a Harbor Freight angle grinder that I used for over 10 years. But when it gave up the ghost there was no repairing it. What do you expect for 17 dollars.LOL

 

I'm not Ford vs. Chevy guy, but I decided to put a Ford in my Ford, just for fun.
The 302 was a craiglist used motor, but after a teardown, it looked real nice inside. Installed it, and had a vibration from day one. Not real bad, but enough that you could feel it in the wheel. It drove me nuts trying find it. The 302 block was a 1980, but it had a 50oz. flywheel and front balancer. Pulled the pan to check the crank casting number. It was indeed a 5.0 (50oz) crank. OK now what could it be? Tried this and that, and even indexed the pressure plate (after reading on this forum for possible causes). Finally, after 2 years of it, I had enough. I pulled the motor and did a complete teardown. Sent it out for balancing. When it returned, it was discovered everything had already been balanced at one point.......until my new pressure plate was mounted. Totally whacked. When I put my truck together, I thought I was being smart by putting a FORD Racing clutch in front of the new T5. I checked the box it came in, "henco en china". Probably can't find one made in USA, but I expected more from the name.

 

I bought a couple of 14' tow chains there a few years ago that haven't broken yet. Come to think of it, I don't ever remember hearing of a tow chain breaking so I guess there actually is one thing that the Chinese can make that won't break....

 

The Chinese can make good products just like anyone else. it is just that Americans don't want to pay good stuff prices. You really do get what you pay for.

 

I will Never forget what My Farther said to me when I was
Old enough to know Better
always by the Best & it will Never let you down.!

Just my 3.5 cents
My Motto is
Live, Learn, & Die a Fool.

 

Part of the "paying," at last for us, is parking our own QA/QC team or agent at the overseas factory. I work with a Chinese engineer who became a US citizen a few years back. Ever since I first met him he has encouraged, practically demanded, similar detailed oversite, and does not hesitate to state that is in large part due to cultural differences .

It is also true we have to do the same danged thing with several of our US suppliers. Our weld processes are often subject to ASME boiler codes etc. There is no fooling around with that stuff. Some suppliers think nothing of swapping welding personnel every day. When our folks are on site, the welder-de-jour better have the right paperwork. Not all do.

 

Funny how people love Harbor Freight because it's cheap, and people hate Harbor Freight because it's cheap.

 

I shake my head every time I read a HAMB post stating I want to buy or do something on the cheap. The one that amuses me the most is which radiator to buy for $130.00. How about the $69 distributor or lowering a car by heating the front coils instead of using drop spindles? If I can't do the job right I don't do it at all. Cheap will leave your *** stuck on the side of the road.

Gary

 

I know what you mean. I love Harbor Freight. My garage is full of Harbor Freight stuff. I laugh when I am in a H.F. store and hear some idiot berating Harbor Freight stuff as he's standing in line waiting to purchase something. I'm the guy who will tell any whiner to shut the **** up. It happens a lot.

 

Gary,
In my mind Hot Rodding all about doing it on the cheap with repurposed/recycled stuff. How many back in the day had the cash to buy all new stuff? What about all the JC Whitney, Almquist, Mr. Gasket, etc., cheap **** they used to sell (most/much made in the US of A)? There's a tradition of frugality & innovation here, too.

 

Many have said it "the bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of low price"

 

"I want a good, cheap distributor"- So which one do you want, the good one OR the cheap one? I work with a lot of Chinese people, who go back to visit often. They reckon you can actually buy good quality stuff in China, it is not exported, and it is not cheap.
Basically the cheap stuff is "dumped" onto overseas markets.

 

As has been said many, many times:
"The bitterness of poor quality lasts longer than the sweetness of a cheap price."
Or something like that

 

I have just as much trouble with so called quality parts theses days ,it wasn' t always that way

 

I actually have good luck with those grinders. I bought one with the 2 year replacement warranty, then bought a second for the shelf. That way I've always got one to use and every now and again, I have to stop in and swap one out. They ask no questions, just take your broken parts and hand you a brand new one.

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LMAO...My Wife came with AAA Premium...Couldn't live without it!...or Her!