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Technical Scarebird brakes

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by BJR, Feb 20, 2023.

  1. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 10,496

    BJR
    Member

    I sent a technical question to Scarebird brakes about a disc conversion for a 1956 T-Bird. Their reply was "we are selling production rights to another company, should be available by mid spring." Don't know if it's just the T-Bird conversion or if they sold everything. Just a heads up.
     
    seb fontana likes this.
  2. uncle buck
    Joined: Feb 13, 2007
    Posts: 1,941

    uncle buck
    Member

    Interesting. They use to be based in the Seattle area for many years and moved south a while back I was told. Might be stepping into retirement
     
  3. lumpy 63
    Joined: Aug 2, 2010
    Posts: 3,126

    lumpy 63
    Member

    Too bad , Iv'e had really good experiences with Scarebird.
     
  4. Oh good lord I hope they aren’t selling to these clowns at Ecklers.
     
    nosford and scotty t like this.
  5. miker98038
    Joined: Jan 24, 2011
    Posts: 1,309

    miker98038
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    They bailed out of here and went to Albuquerque IIRC. But their website says done. If they’re selling the patterns to someone serious that would be good.

    https://scarebird.com/
     
    gimpyshotrods likes this.
  6. AHotRod
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 12,261

    AHotRod
    Member

    Due to latent supply constraints from Covid-19, we have decided to shut down operation effective end of 2022. Items still listed are available - those not listed will not be replenished.



    Phone is not is use - please email us direct:



    tech@scarebird.com



    We sincerely appreciate your patience. Website will revert to info only regarding kits previously sold in 2023.

     
  7. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,619

    Atwater Mike
    Member

  8. Shrinking hobby, grab 'em while you can boys and girls
     
  9. 62rebel
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 3,233

    62rebel
    Member

    This is exactly why I never liked the idea of depending on an aftermarket vendor to keep parts in stock or them having to depend on other vendors for supplies. I realize that they provided a valuable service for a specific time period, but market whims, life situations, and plain old bad luck can play hell with these vendors. Hell; I work for Mack/Volvo and WE are having bad issues STILL with the supply chain, three years into this crap.
     
  10. NWRustyJunk
    Joined: Jan 2, 2017
    Posts: 481

    NWRustyJunk
    Member

    It sucks! I have a couple future project I was going to use their kit on. I guess we should all start planning ahead and ordering stuff now while it's still available. Can't assume places that are here now, will be tomorrow.
     
    The Magic Ratchet and 62rebel like this.
  11. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,304

    73RR
    Member

    C'mon guys, you're hot rodders. Make your own.
     
  12. Hollywood-East
    Joined: Mar 13, 2008
    Posts: 2,022

    Hollywood-East
    Member

    Today.... Is as Good as it gets!!
    Interesting way to view life...
    The Plandemic, Changed the world...For ever!
     
  13. manyolcars
    Joined: Mar 30, 2001
    Posts: 9,343

    manyolcars

    scarebirds brakes did not fit my 1950 Ford spindles without grinding on my spindles and I dont want to do that. Scarebird is not recommended
     
  14. That figures. I had gotten a kit from them for one of my Buicks, and had planned on another one for the second car. I guess I will adapt a set of 90 fin drums instead.
     
  15. pirate
    Joined: Jun 29, 2006
    Posts: 1,136

    pirate
    Member
    from Alabama

    Well you can look at this two ways. If it weren’t for small companies seeing a need, taking a chance that there is a market then spending their own money to develop and manufacture there would be a lot of stuff we take for granted that we would never have. Large companies/corporations always look at return on investment first. A lot of large companies today started off in someone’s garage especially in the hot rod world. Lay down your money and roll the dice.
     
  16. bchctybob
    Joined: Sep 18, 2011
    Posts: 5,476

    bchctybob
    Member

    Yep. there was a time when you could only get a few db conversion kits, you had to make 'em. It's a great exercise in creativity and resourcefulness.
    I did quite a few oddball conversions for people at my little shop. Unfortunately, while it was challenging and fun, it was also time consuming and totally unprofitable, researching bearing/seal options, shopping calipers and rotors and making it all fit together.
    These days I could/would certainly do it for my own cars, but if a kit is available, I usually go that route. I no longer have my vast selection of good old paper catalogs, my mill or my lathe, but I do have a few bucks in the hot rod account. Too bad about Scarebird, another one bites the dust.
     
    Algoma56, X-cpe and gimpyshotrods like this.
  17. 62rebel
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 3,233

    62rebel
    Member

    Rod mags used to have detailed articles on how to go salvage yard scrounging for the needed parts, or at least a list of donor cars so you could try your luck with parts stores. Don't know why or when that stopped, but it sucks to not have those lists at hand today.
     
    coast40, Tman, Algoma56 and 2 others like this.
  18. They are still answering e-mails. Sent them one today inquiring about some bearing spacers and got a reply. Apparently the only whole kits available are the ones listed on their site, but bits and pieces you have to inquire about.
     
    bchctybob likes this.
  19. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 14,426

    Budget36
    Member

    Thing is the wrecking yard parts that were available are not there and ready to be pulled off anymore. Heck,,when was the last time you saw a carburetor on an engine in a yard?
     
  20. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,861

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    It's a shame.

    I have installed several dozen sets of brackets from them, and have never had a single issue.

    I hope their work is allowed to continue on, and is not lost.
     
    bchctybob likes this.
  21. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 34,839

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    That sounds easy until you actually set out to do it. 90% of the guys on here just flat don't have the equipment in their garage to make the brackets.
    Then just for shits and giggles sit down right now and list out the steps you would have to do to mount a disk brake setup on a spindle that no readily available kit is out there for as most of the Scarebird kits are. Just write down the steps as if you were explaining how to do it to someone else and were telling them what they needed to do to build their own front disk brake setup that actually worked right. There are a lot of steps involved and several have to be precise. Then you come down to figuring out what rotor is going to work and if it has to be modified to work and if you find a hub and rotor you have to figure out how to get the wheel bearings (inner 90% of the time) to work. That is why we need Scarebird or someone who is capable of taking their patterns and their info and keeping on producing the kits. Looks like somethign for Hellsgate Hot Rods to add to their line even if the kits are made to order after they are ordered.
     
    Budget36, seb fontana and bchctybob like this.
  22. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,861

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I have all of the equipment, and it is still a large undertaking, just to make them, let alone the R&D that goes into the design.

    Scarebird stuff was precisely made, fit right every single time, and was plated for corrosion resistance.
     
  23. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,304

    73RR
    Member

    Fair enough.
    Sometimes I forget that not all on this board have the needed skill set and a shop that goes along with it. But, please keep in mind that the single biggest issue that small manufacturers face is the time and financial investment to make a 'special' part or assembly compared to the ROI. It is simply not practical to make 10 or 100 or how-ever-many dodads if they can't be sold in a reasonable period of time. No one I know is willing to park inventory on a shelf and then hope that a customer wants to buy it.
    A recent customer did say that he would rather be looking at a part than be looking for a part so he was willing to buy in advance. I have found few like him, most just expect to have 'x' available when they need/want it.
    One of the best examples I have seen is the SS/X intake manifold project from the late Roland Osborne. Four of us sat down and designed the best manifold that we could come up with for the venerable 318. There is no shortage of guys building the 318 A-engine (Poly), several making 500hp, but Roland's $100k investment never saw enough return to make regular production runs. Basically, the project died with Roland.
    So, for those who have a Mechanical Engineering degree and need another project, get busy. Maybe you'll be the guy that actually makes money.
     
    bchctybob, Algoma56 and Desoto291Hemi like this.
  24. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,861

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    The sun is setting on this hobby, irrespective of people wishing that it would not.

    There may be no money left to make, unless you are big player, catering to the masses.

    We ain't the masses.
     
    bchctybob, Budget36, AHotRod and 2 others like this.
  25. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,861

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    ROI (return on investment) is a big deal, and one thing that most people either or both do not consider, or even understand.

    I needed a collection of parts to make a project that I was building work. It took 6-months (about 1,020 hours) from zero to finished to make reliable working ones.

    I cannot tell you how many people have now asked for those parts for a few hundred dollars, or the CAD files FOR FREE!

    I cannot sell this collection of parts. The market is too small (maybe 5 people on the planet). There is no way that I would ever recover the R&D costs.

    Zero ROI. Now, people have tried to use the fact that I cannot monetize this to get me to give it to them!
     
  26. 73RR
    Joined: Jan 29, 2007
    Posts: 7,304

    73RR
    Member

    Very few people understand the efforts required to design, market and make money on 'special' projects....
    You might be right about the coming sunset.
     
    Desoto291Hemi likes this.
  27. gimpyshotrods
    Joined: May 20, 2009
    Posts: 23,861

    gimpyshotrods
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    My shop switched over to 5-axis CNC machining, business-to-business.

    Making car parts is like grabbing the chain of an anchor that was tossed overboard.

    You let go, or go down with it.
     
    bchctybob, AHotRod and Desoto291Hemi like this.
  28. 0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Joined: Nov 12, 2010
    Posts: 1,807

    0NE BAD 51 MERC
    Member

    Just the insurance liability of running a shop is an ever-increasing financial investment. Designing and manufacturing something as what seems to be as simple as a brake kit, would be astronomical for a small business. All the custom chassis work I did back in the day when I had my shop would have my insurance company dropping me like a hot potato today. I closed up shop in 2012, couldn't imagine the cost of doing business verse profit margin today.
     
  29. 62rebel
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 3,233

    62rebel
    Member

    the question of liability may be the single element killing the hobby. When we have accidents, attorneys want to sue somebody for something and they will question home built parts every last time. Nobody wants to foot that bill alone.
    This may be why my beloved "lists" and rod mag articles went by the wayside. Brakes and steering are nothing to be experimenting with. If it won't go, big deal; if it won't stop, now that IS a big deal.
     
  30. Budget36
    Joined: Nov 29, 2014
    Posts: 14,426

    Budget36
    Member

    I agree, I see many parts listed as “off road only”. I used to think it was smog related, but why the heck would non-smog parts be “off road only”. Probably like you say, covers some legal thing.
     
    X-cpe, 62rebel and 0NE BAD 51 MERC like this.

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