What's the appeal of an aluminum engine block?

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Well, I don't know enough about the engine building business to know how far you can successfully "hedge your risk." You know a certain percentage of a certain type of build will incur problems. If you hedged all of those builds, with a surcharge, that charge, combined, could cover the costs of fixing the occasional crapper. That's how you do it in most markets. But from a business perspective, you don't turn down business. Instead, adopt this mantra: If you throw enough money at me, I will do it. I might not succeed, but I will do it.

EDIT: and more often than not, you will succeed.

Engine building doesn't have actuarial tables with thousands of customers ranging from the age of 1-100. Nothing wrong with managing risk as a business person. If alloy blocks have issues and cause Brent warranty problems, and he'll sleep better at night, then I have no problem telling customers that he won't build any more engines with alloy blocks until further notice. He'll suffer a loss of business, but then he's backed up anyway.

These engines are $20,000-ish +/-, so having a few go bad, could bankrupt a person.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

... and he'll sleep better at night, then I have no problem telling customers that he won't build any more engines with alloy blocks until further notice. He'll suffer a loss of business, but then he's backed up anyway.

Well, alright. I just hate to see a dollar slip through his hands. That's just my nature.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Well, alright. I just hate to see a dollar slip through his hands. That's just my nature.

A lot of folks can wait a year for their ERA or KMP to be built. I have a sense that when it's time to build an engine, buyers don't want to wait a year or whatever for their engine to be built. So, it's probable that Brent would lose those customers anyway since he's backed up now anyway and there's an alloy block shortage.

Brent, BTW, not too long ago, BBM had no blocks available. I remember a CC member inquiring here in a thread. Are they available for immediate purchase now?

[blykins]

I texted Doug from BBM last week and asked when the blocks would be arriving....he said next week. So.....he should have blocks as we speak from what I gather.

I don't know if I have an exact answer to the OEM foundry question. My guess is that some of the big names such as Ford, GM, etc., have their own foundry. I know Pond was casting his stuff at a foundry in Ohio and last year left them because of quality issues. It seems as though every time a new foundry is sought after, it takes months and months and months. I've seen this time and time again from suppliers such as Pond, to the guys who are trying to get a new product up and going.

I know BBM's blocks are cast by the Hyundai foundry in South Korea. However, I lean heavily on the thought that an outsider such as BBM, who's asking for 200 pieces takes a huge back seat to someone who's asking for 250000 pieces. That's where we get back to the SBF, SBC, BBC, etc., aftermarket blocks. Those are sold by fairly high quantities. FE blocks just don't have that big of a demand.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by blykins

I texted Doug from BBM last week and asked when the blocks would be arriving....he said next week. So.....he should have blocks as we speak from what I gather.

WiltWallace put his name on a list for a BBM block back in June. This is the thread I was trying to recall:

FE builder / Pro in NC?

They were out of blocks in June and they're out of blocks in November, did they ship anyone blocks in the between June and November? I'm not sure how reliable they'll be getting customers their blocks, at least quickly. That would frustrate me A LOT, if I were waiting.

I haven't heard anyone moaning about the alloy Shelby or Pond blocks here, are they having problems that we're not aware of?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

They were out of blocks in June and they're out of blocks in November, did they ship anyone blocks in the between June and November? I'm not sure how reliable they'll be...

What? A supplier making delivery promises that they can't fill? No, that never happens. I'm shocked, shocked I tell ya....

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

What? A supplier making delivery promises that they can't fill? No, that never happens. I'm shocked, shocked I tell ya....

Exactly my point.

I just searched the FE Forum just a minute ago and Brent posted that EVERYONE is out of blocks, BBM, Pond, Shelby, etc.

Does anyone have an FE block available? I know mine just went up in value.