Technical Comp Cams Disappointment

I'm building a couple of 500 Cadillac engines. Plan is for one to go in a 32 Ford and hopefully have some modified valve covers adapted from a 60s style head. I chose to go with a roller camshaft because they give more performance and are less likely to have break in problems. Parts for assembling the Cad are quite a bit more expensive than for a small block Chevy, so I want quality parts when I assemble it and expect it to last a long time. In that vein I decided that I wanted one of Comp cams rollers. They actually had them discounted at Jegs when I placed my order 2 1/2 months ago. I usually do business with Summit, so I contacted them and they matched the price and said Comps expected delivery was the end of November.
So today, Dec 9 I decided to call Comp Cams and check on my order. After initially being told that my order number from Summit was not something they could access, I asked how many orders they had for this particular part number. I assumed if they had several orders that one of them would be mine and I could get some vague idea of when they might start shipping some. I want to point out that this is a standard part number in their catalog and not some custom one off order. After checking, apparently Comp cams only has one order on record..........duh! I'm the only guy in the whole USA that wants to buy one. A little more checking showed that the order was being held up because they do not have the material in stock to make it........and my guess is they don't even plan to order it because they only have one person wanting one. Further the fellow explained that they were also waiting on material for their Chevy and Ford products and obviously they would be addressed first. They have no idea when they might get the material in stock and no idea when they might ever be able to fill my order........if ever.

Now, I have been a fan of Comp Cams for a long time but I have to say that their total lack of concern about filling an order and helping a customer is pretty disconcerting. Apparently No one at Comp sees anything wrong with unfilled orders or not contacting the expectant customer to let him know something. I plan to cancel the order, but their short sighted way of doing things is going to cost them not only this sale, but I have two more Cad engines and two brand new (off topic) aluminum Chevy blocks that I need cams for. I also planned to buy two (off topic) engine control systems and was looking at the (expensive) ones they market under another name. So now I plan to look elsewhere and spend my money elsewhere. Anyone who has a part back ordered from Comp might want to get on the phone and find out if/when they might ever get it.

So now I'm in the market for a roller cam from some other company. Who do you currently do business with that dependable?

 

For custom roller cams go to Schneider. Jerry is a top notch guy and makes a premium cam. Schneider Racing Cams: Performance Proven Cams & Components. (schneidercams.com)

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I've recently switched to Howards Cams, but have used Comp Cams quite a bit in the past. I went with Howards because I also wanted a roller cam and they had one with the specs closest to what I wanted. Lots of lift, not too much duration, and a middle of the road 109 LSA for my SBC build.
I'm extremely pleased with the cam, but also with the help I got from Howards techs prior to ordering this camshaft.

Cadillac roller cams:

https://www.howardscams.com/products?search_api_views_fulltext=500+cadillac+roller+camshaft

 

I have had very good outcomes numerous times dealing with competition products . give em ba call or check their site ..

 

I’d call Elgin Camshafts in Santa Rosa California. At least they will tell you the truth.

There’s also Isky, they do all the steel cams in the back on their own machines and have been very, very fair to me.

As far as I know a steel bar is all that’s needed as heat treating brings it up to the Rockwell hardness needed for rollers and the ability to grind the dist gear on the blank.

Some times it’s roller availablity, I know with a GMC 6 no one will start the job for a roller cam unless you have the rollers and supply them the cam blank.

 

This covid thing has f'up everybody. I realize that's no excuse for not informing you. I've had the same issue even with Home Depot. Relax.

 

Over on speed talk some folks, who are in the cam business and really know, say good quality cam core stocks are now badly depleted and delivery of replacements are probably months away. No comments on WHICH cores that I recall.

 

We run a Hot Rod Shop and getting parts has been a big issue for months now because so many manufacturing companies have been shut down or put on major reduced personal.
As for Camshafts, we have all ours made by Bullet Cams, all custom made for each specific application and use.

 

I agree with the covid statement, manufacturers and businesses of them are running with a short work force.

 

You should have checked with Summit first, that's who you ordered the cam from. It is their chain you need to be pulling. I'm sure with the amount they buy from their vendors, they have more pull than you do. You tried to back door the problem and now you are upset.

 

Bullet is the answer.

 

As Roothawg says, Bullet. Custom ground, quick and not too pricey. Normally about 2 -3 weeks.

 

I see more issues with Retro rollers then any other cam..

 

Does bullet have cams ready to go in stock or is it all custom grind stuff?

 

All Custom to each engine, you won't be disappointed.

 

I personally have had good luck with Comp Cams. I have a 331 blown stroker that needed a special cam and I called them about it. They told me they did not have it in stock and no blanks to grind one. They checked with Summit and they had one in stock which I purchased. Covid has messed up every ones inventory and we need to be patient.

 

Go to Bullets website and look at every lobe profile, duration, lift, etc... you choose intake and exhaust and lobe separation..from thousands of them.

 

For custom grinds I'm a huge fan of Delta Cams!! Great customer service. a couple of my "M-word" buddies have used them with good results. These cam companies are like porn stars.........just-cause-they-are-big.......don't mak'em the best!
6sally6

 

Seems like the OP's disappointment is misplaced. Comp Cams, like everyone else, has supply delays thanks to the global "situation." You aren't Comp Cams' customer... Summit Racing is. They even told you they had no way of cross-referencing a PO from Summit to "your" part... it was just happenstance they were able (and willing) to find your order based solely on what it was. And finally, that other orders-- bulk orders, are prioritized over your one-of-a-kind order that likely requires a costly setup change to produce.

I would be disappointed too... but probably more so with Summit for not communicating the situation with me, and possibly myself for not doing the research in advance to learn about other options like those people have already suggested.

/2 cents

 

Summit should have told the OP the issue, he may or may not have been fine with it. He shouldn’t have had to contact COMP.

 

It's all about the money, customer service isn't the same as it was.

 

I contacted Comp cams for a cam when I built my little Ford stroker and the motor has been built for almost a year and still haven't got an answer from Comp cams. That's why it has a Howard's cam in it.
I sent them an email on Saturday about the issues I was having and they sent me an email at 8 am on Monday morning plus a phone call.
when I raced dirt track Schneider was my go to for small block Chevy cams, besides they have the coolest decal.

 

Crane cams was the supplier to most cam companies for cores before they closed. I believe they were bought up for their supply chain value. They have been back in business for a few years now, and I would assume they still supply the cores to others as they use to. I would try Crane first. They would be likely to be the supplier of the cam core to begin with, and they can grind custom cams or they may have a “shelf” item.

 

Don't know why you think that contacting the manufacturer of a product is the wrong thing to do. I was told when I ordered the cam that expected delivery was late November. I never complained and accepted that. I additionally waited about 2 extra weeks beyond that. Now, someone had to tell Summit that date, and Summit simply relayed it to me. That someone had to be Comp Cams. If I had called Summit and some unknown soul at Comp replied with another incorrect generic reply, I would still be expecting delivery. Since I had specific questions I wanted to ask, I was able to get the real facts. The heartburn is that Comp cams apparently doesn't feel any need to update its customers or its distributors and see that customers get some type of status update. While this isn't going to have a major impact on my situation, I can see some other people who are actually being held up on building their engine being rather upset when they find the promised cam is not available and they can't make some event they planned to attend.

Another question might be why some of the smaller cam manufacturers have cores available and can make them on request while the largest manufacturer has nothing on hand. While I know they sell a lot more Chevy and Ford cams, should everyone else (BOPC/Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth ) expect to be forgotten till its more convenient?

 

Because manufacturers don't typically have end-user relationships on the manufacturing side of their businesses. You aren't their customer. The retailer is. They don't know who you are... and (again), couldn't have helped if they wanted to EXCEPT that you happen to be waiting for the only 'xyz123' cam they have in their queue. If you had been calling about a SBC cam, do you think they could have pulled "your" order out of their queue? Of course not... because they have a gazillion SBC cams in the queue from umpteen different retailers... none of whom are you.

Batch order inventory collecting dust versus big company's JIT manufacturing process? Specialty cam blanks (ie, Caddy) in low demand, and therefore sitting on the shelf at the specialty cam shop? Different suppliers? Specialty cam shops using cores instead of blanks? Coincidence?

 

I wonder if it's because you don't have an LS or a big dog ford small block, or need a nitrous cam, or a turbo deal. Lippy

 

I think the caddy engine might be the slow down

 

Beg to differ on that point. I am a customer to Summit and to Comp. Thats why they have a Customer Service Department. If I bought a new car from a dealer and the brakes went out as I left the lot and caused me to be injured............who would I name in the lawsuit? It would be the car company because I bought their product. Its just symantics that you are arguing, and any customer can contact the manufacturer as well as the distributor.

While the customer service representative might not have been able to tell me a specific answer to my order if I were calling about a small block Chevy cam, he would be able to tell me that ALL smallblock Chevy cams are also being held up or that a specific supplier had orders that were expected to start shipping on a certain date. On the other hand, Summit would not be able to tell me that Comp didn't have any material on hand. They also would not have been aware of the fact that I'm the only person in the whole USA with an order for that camshaft........which was nice to know.

Many many years ago I purchased (?) a Chevy van when they became enormously popular in the seventies. I gave an advance deposit to the dealer of $1700.....a sizeable amount in those days. Months went by and vans arrived and sold, but the dealer kept telling me lies about my order. They had in fact received my van and immediately sold it because someone offered them a higher price. They actually wanted me to cancel my order because the popular vans were selling like hotcakes for higher prices.
How did I find this out........I called the manufacturer.

Not implying that Summit would do anything underhanded, but sometimes you have to go to the source to get the information you want.

The unscrupulous car dealer went belly up shortly after that.

 

Order from someone else,Karen

 

One other thing...... theJIT (Just In Time) manufacturing process used by large companies is based on a steady supply and avavilability of the materials and components on a repetitive basis. When you don't keep supplies on hand to absorb any fluctuation in the supply chain, JIT just isn't worth a sh*t. Production ceases...........I know that because I worked for a company that found out the hard way.