Whatever happened to honor?

quit passing the buck. it all comes down to consumers not suppliers. if we researched and made sure that everything we bought was american made then we wouldn't even be having this discussion. there's a theory called supply and demand. we demand cheaper prices and they supply cheaper prices. we consume products at an alarming rate, there is alot of money in this country and we live well. we've been given so much that we've come to expect it.the fact of the matter is that we don't want to work anymore, we expect to get payed just to show up for work. things didn't used to be that way, a man earned his living. so can american manufactures even keep up the supply? i don't know. if they did all the overtime and triple time would eat up thier profits and most couldn't stay in buisiness. we expect the companys to give us everything they make, well their not in buisiness to provide you with a job, thier in buisiness to make money.now not everyone is lazy, there are people who work, but the people who don't know who you are. the people who hide in the breakroom for 8 hours hopeing no one finds you. now tell me you havn't found an item $10.00 cheaper somwhere and went with that product. did you ask where it was made? hell no you didn't. it was cheaper.

 

50mercfan is right -the responsability and blame is the consumers- They demand cheaper prices GREEDY COPORATE OFFICIALS move the jobs overseas to provide a cheaper product AND widen their profit margins. Unions are to blame for some instances but definatly not all. I went shopping today for my manufacturing business and most of the time price is not a concern. QUALITY IS. I however went shopping at 2 of the biggest evil corporations in the USA- HOME DEPOT and LOWES and everything except $50 worth of friction tape was MADE IN THE USA. I didnt sacrifice price, quality or have to go out of my way to buy anything. The problem lies in LAZY, CHEAP CONSUMERS. IF you want something made in the USA you can probably find it. JUST NOT AT WALMART OR MOST OTHER CONVIENT PLACES LIKE SPEEDWAY. (this does exclude the obvious stuff from other places like fine china)

 

For those that have asked. From www.roadsters.com:

Vern Tardel — Engine builder, and the scource for the book "How to Build a Traditional Ford Hot Rod", written by Mike Bishop and Vern Tardel, and illustrated by Steve Amos
464 Pleasant Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
Fax (707) 838-6065

 

By the way-
Vern is fax only. He's not a retail customer oriented deal. Usually he's working on cars, so send him a fax of what you want with the card # and everything (if he takes credit cards?) or fax him your phone number and he'll call you back in a decent amount of time. I think one of the reasons he sells his retainers and Stromberg 97 mugs (yes, those were his and Keith's idea) through other sources is that he's not really into retail.. He's into building cars! Just thought I would add this info so nobody gets peeved about the fax tone at the other end of that phone number...

jay

 

well it dont suprise me in the big picture of the hotrod world next speedy will have Von Dutch clothing made in indonesia and they will have a interveiw with Micheal Jackson in next months Garage Magazine on how him and Rubba wax a car in the latest swim wear for 2004 extra tight speedo`s

 

Let me see if I understand you, Grimlok . . . Vern deserves to be ripped off by Speedway because he doesn't pander to telephoning time wasters who can't read his magazine ads, send a FAX, or write a simple snail-mail order.

If Vern's primary business was selling parts instead of building old-Ford hot rods he would be able to provide better customer "service," like Speedway. Is that about it?

Of course he would have less time to create problem-solving bits and pieces that can be affordably reproduced to aid other rod builders. But that's okay, because service-oriented folks like Speedway will produce those bits and pieces -- just as soon as they know what's needed and how to make 'em. Now I understand.

 

Interesting thread guys, but if it makes you feel any better, that shit goes on as well, on the other side of the pond.

Lets just say that I know for a fact that a few performance component manufacturers here in Oz make the parts here, then they go to the US and are sold as " Made in the USA".

Whats worse, some of these parts come back down here and are sold as "Premium Brand" US speed equipment, from very well known and respected names in the aftrmarket game.

In every field of human endeavour(read business) its the beancounters that run the show....and EVERYTHING is COST driven....sad, but true!! My 2 pesos.

Rat

 

i learned from a wise man a long time ago about PRICE, QUALITY, and SERVICE.

and that a business can only provide two of them. ever.

if someone immediately answers your call, and sells you an item at a fantastic price, it WILL BE SHIT. every time. go to a cheap restaurant with nice food, the service is shit. go to one with great food and service, you pay! sometimes, the goods are REALLY cheap, and the service is shit too, then the quality will be REALLY bad!

unfortunately, business only ever provides two of the three theings we want, and much as it annoys me i NEED service, it's just the way i am... so i have to buy stuff that's expensive, for the quality to be where i need it.

honour? i'm sorry mike, but the handshake is an anacronism.

 

[ QUOTE ]
honour? i'm sorry mike, but the handshake is an anacronism.


[/ QUOTE ]
It's like the quote from Bad Religion "A handshake's nuthin' but a subtle 'FUCK YOU'!"

 

So... No one thought it was funny that Speedy Bill Smith looks like Truman Capote?

 

Went out to the shop and looked at my speedway retainers that I have not installed yet. Box says printed in Taiwan and the retainer also has a Taiwan sticker on it.
I was going to make them myself but after looking at the backing plate were they would mount I felt it would need and indentation to fit. They come with a spacer nut to over come this problem. Mike if you are still following this, is this how Vern makes his?? ( with the spacer nut ) Thanks Tom

 

"So... No one thought it was funny that Speedy Bill Smith looks like Truman Capote?"

Truman: White hat.
Speedy: Black hat.
Like, totally diff, man.
I never get them confused.

 

Grimmy,

check your PMs. I have a story that will make you look at this whole thing a little differently.

 

AV8 I thought about getting one of those 32 style crosmembers & pedal setups for my A from him for a while, but decided to go with a T-5 and build my own setup rather than buy a fax machine so I could find out if I was worthy of a call back. If he doesn't want customers, that's fine with me. There's always another way.

 

There has been a fact of life ever since the first cave man whacked out a wheel.

Engineers generally make poor businessmen.

Ive worked for several companies started by various genius level thinkers. Not a one is still around. Not a one knew how to properly sell a product nor deal with questions. They all had that superior attitude that turned off potential customers and investors.

OTOH Speedway has been around for a LONG time making customers happy while filling a genuine need for their products. They will be around a lot longer than the craftsman cum engineer trying to sell his product out the shop door.

I wouldnt know Vern or Mike for that matter if I ran over them so I'm not ragging on them. Just trying to illustrate a point.

Now, there is a solution, maybe. Select another large outfit to distribute the product on an exclusive basis. No mailorder or selling out the shop door.
Get a signed non compete aggreement or license them to produce the item. There is something to be said for staying out of the customer loop, the public can be real assholes at times.
This would seem a natural for Reds, MAC's or one of the other well known early Ford outfits.