Anyone have information on the cast camshaft core availability? This shortage seems to be going on for quite some time. I'm waiting to have a solid flat tappet cam custom ground by Scott Brown but can't do it without a core. First we can't get toilet paper, ..... then we can't get cast cam cores. What's next? I may look into getting one of my old cams reground if that's possible. Larry
I'd imagine since innthe parts aftermarket world our motors are about the last to get parts made.......so I guess once they get everything else up to snuff then and only then will we get scraps. I think there are only a few places in the country making cores too. Hell we gave been waiting more than year for a multi port fuel injection setup for a bbc from edelbrock......about to go buy the parts separately and use a holley computer instead
Things are bad and getting worse. Now is not the time for tear downs or upgrades if your engine is running fine. Its going on two years now for my 350 aluminum heads that I have two grand down on, Also have my SRE oil pan to install, but gotta wait till I pull the engine to do heads, so its wait, wait, wait. With the state of everything right now Im sure the last concern is the automotive aftermarket, ESPECIALLY Buick, Olds, and Pontiac, LS guys should be fine tho since EVERBODY does an LS
Several week's ago I called. Comp or Crane. Can't remember which. Think one ownes the other? IDK. and several other online company's. About this very subject.. They blamed it on Detroit and Covid. In a earlier post, I think said basically the same as Ben and Mark. Supply and demand. I've had quite a few local Chevy guys say their having problems also. And a truck driver friend say their having problems getting parts for big rigs. Personally I think someone or company could be making big bucks right now. Can't believe all cores are made in Detroit. Really? My stroker build is waiting on a Hyd roller cam.
Very likely CWC (now Textron) in Muskegon, MI. https://www.kautex.com/en/automotive/cwc-textron-castings Devon
I don’t understand what’s going on these days. Did all the workers pre Covid die?? Nearly EVERYONE is hiring. How long are these people collecting unemployment?? Weren’t they ever called back to work?? What are the unemployed doing for money? Are there only a handful of Americans working now? Nobody wants or needs to work anymore? if that’s the case, let me in on the secret
The aftermarket industry will be the last to see the parts supply back to normal. I saw an article regarding this and manufacturers will first be concentrating on auto manufacturers and normal parts chains as they are the biggest customers. It's not going to end anytime soon.
Mark, Google "Why aren't Americans returning to work", and you'll get your answer. There are several reasons. It really is beyond the scope of this thread.
You Want to know Why I will tell you Why ....................!!! Americans are not going to work because..... not in this thread thats why!!
Ware else can I post such eloquence and laugh at myself? Buick V8 forum is the best out there in my mind .
A record number of people QUIT there jobs last month. The labor market is desperate for people. Many like my brother who is over 60, aren't able to get hired (this was true before COVID) due to age discrimination, so they have retired instead. It's wacky for sure.
Yeah, my thoughts too, but in the grand scheme of things there are many more players out there. Just not for our old stuff! Gotta realize that the OEMs get first shot, that's what keeps a biz alive. All are probably still suffering getting the raw materials. Devon
They supply 30% of the North American new auto market with camshafts. Who does the other 70% I wonder? Probably many companies combined?
It's global. But I think CWC is probably our best bet for our old/aftermarket stuff. To stay alive, they're probably focusing everything on the OEM production. Here's the camshaft production players, the other 70% is somewhere in there, I guess. ThyssenKrupp MAHLE Kautex Textron (CWC) Seojin Cam Precision Camshafts Linamar Musashi Seimitsu Zhongzhou Group Federal-Mogul Xiyuan Camshaft Riken ESTAS LACO Tongxin Machinery Nippon Piston Ring XILING Power Shenglong Schleicher Fahrzeugteile Hejia Industry
Sure. A bunch on the list are in China. I had a shot at visiting the Ningbo Shenglong facility, and was looking forward to it. One of my coworker's Chinese was good, but my Japanese and Italian was better, so he went to China and I went to Italy to negotiate with a company called Toyoda Gosei (Japan) regarding new tech on brake jounce hoses. Yep, speaking sales in Japanese with TG engineers, talking shop with a brake fitting supplier near Verona, Italy. First stop was a supplier in Germany, where we all sorta bonded because none of us spoke a lick of German. I'll say it again, they're mostly OEM (that's "original equipment manufacturer" for people like Anson who may not know) other than CWC. Like most OEM suppliers, current production is first, supplying service parts second, and that's about it. Aftermarket is always going to be last on the list. Such is business, such is life. Devon
