All I Want For Christmas Is My Bulldog Block!!!!!!!!

Discussion in 'Race 400/430/455' started by GS Kubisch, Dec 24, 2005.

  1. bostongsx

    bostongsx Platinum Level Contributor

    That why I ordered one a few years back
     
  2. JEFF STRUBE

    JEFF STRUBE Well-Known Member

    At the PRI SHOW in Dec.13,2004 I put my money down on one where is it?.
    At this Rate I will have my Stroker Crank Project Done and will be sitting
    on 6-10 Stroker Cranks 3.250 Main Journal size is stock and everyone
    wont's something like 3.000 or 2.750 what are you going to Put it in see
    my point.
     
  3. buick46270

    buick46270 Well-Known Member

    TA's might be out sooner but at 6000, that hits the wallet hard. Only for high hp street or all out race.
     
  4. JEFF STRUBE

    JEFF STRUBE Well-Known Member

    They would not sell that many if they were $6000 each
    Like i always say this 20 years behind
     
  5. buick46270

    buick46270 Well-Known Member

    $6000 is what i was told today from Mike at TA.
     
  6. mltdwn12

    mltdwn12 Founders Club Member

    $6000 is high, but you have to consider what the investment is compared to 2 things, the size of the company selling the block and the number of blocks they can reasonably expect to sell.

    Looking at Jegs for some aluminum blocks, I found these prices;

    Ford Racing 351 - $3521
    GM Performance BBC - $4686
    World Products BBC - $4399

    IMHO, comparing TA to these guys isn't close. Mike's charging about 25% over the big boys, I don't really think it's that far out of line given how long it'll probably take him to recoup his investment.
     
  7. mygs462

    mygs462 Well-Known Member

    Again he has the buick world by the balls so he can charge whatever he wants, makes ya wonder if Bulldog was gonna sell em for 3600 each why are ta's SO MUCH MORE???? ANYONE??? BUEHLER??? :af:
     
  8. northcorner

    northcorner Guess what I'm thinking..


    That's Bulldog's iron block price vs. TA's aluminum block price. I believe Bulldog's aluminum block was supposed to be priced between 5 and 6k.
     
  9. David G

    David G de-modded....


    Shawn, I'd think Mike would be the person to ask. It's just possible that TA put a lot more R&D $$ into their project than Bulldog and Jim B did. If you really want answers, go to the source. jmho.
     
  10. JEFF STRUBE

    JEFF STRUBE Well-Known Member

    You are right on Shawn. That is you People wanting to get away from Building
    and Running Buick Power Plants. It is costing to much Money.BBC Dart
    Blocks and world Block Iron is like $1900- $2800. most Aluminum Blocks
    are $4000-$5000. I can see more people in the Buick Camp losing
    interested in the Buick Power Plant if the Aftermarket Blocks cost $6000.
     
  11. JEFF STRUBE

    JEFF STRUBE Well-Known Member

    It is a Rip off for the Customers and Write off for the Business owners
     
  12. Jim Weise

    Jim Weise EFI/DIS 482

    Why is TA's more?


    Maybe because it's a vastly superior design (ya, there are blueprints and a cad design.. imagine that!!) That stuff cost money.. money not spent on other block projects. So the end result is they have a lower cost product. Design costs money, and it's a key factor in seperating good products from bad.

    Maybe because the entire project integrates other things like matching cylinder heads, oil pans, camshaft belt drives ect.. something that's not even an option on the competitors product. More development costs.

    Maybe it's because TA invested all the money for the project.. Capital requires a return on investment, or you don't stay in business. It will take TA Years to recover the investment in this. The true "cost" of investment capital.

    I might suggest that if you have a problem with the cost of this piece, that you send TA 50K to share in the burden.. I'm sure you will get a hell of a deal on a block, but will have to wait years and years to get all your money back, as TA recovers their (and your) investment money.

    Please spare us the vendor bashing. Serious racers have waited years for this, and it's right around the corner now.


    4, 5, 6 K???

    What does that matter in a 20-30K mega HP engine? It's cheap insurance, and because it's aluminum, odds are pretty high that you will only have to buy one..

    Throw a rod out of an iron block, an the TA block will start looking inexpensive.

    And if your trying to build a "budget" 1000 HP NA engine.. well, good luck with that.. :error:

    JW
     
  13. JEFF STRUBE

    JEFF STRUBE Well-Known Member

    What i am saying is make the Products sell at Fair Price you will sell more and
    your investment will pay for it self Faster. We Build Buick Engines we are not
    getting alot of return on them.
     
  14. staged2ny

    staged2ny Silver Level contributor

    i agree with jim, if you want to make big power and sport the aluminum with all the goodies its gonna cost . I for one thank TA for making the block...:beers2:
     
  15. buicksstage1

    buicksstage1 Well-Known Member

    Jeff, It doesn't matter if the bull dog block was $50 or $3600 if it's not on the shelf ready for shipment who the hell cares:Dou: I'm sick of people posting it won't be long now. Dick can't fill the outstanding orders let alone future orders so why even talk about bull dog on here any more:Dou: . I hate to say it but I'm not sure TA will ever get there investment back from this block. It does cost more to do aluminum over cast iron but I like the weight savings and being able to repair it if it blows up is big also. Yes we are paying abit more but the product will be second to none and most of all the product will get done in a reaonable amount of time and you will be able to buy it off the shelf. TA can have my $12,000 anytime there ready. Thanks to TA I am finally excited about whats around the corner for high performance BBB's. And Jeff don't try and pull the BBC thing I know you better then that:laugh: Chris
     
  16. mygs462

    mygs462 Well-Known Member

    Oh I'm glad hes making it but make it affordable is my point, I just sold my 525 motor for a 5k loss so I know what a GOOD motor costs. I'll pay for the right parts but dont over price it cuz yer the only supplier in town. I would think a 750 HP 525 BBB is a serious racers motor.
    P.S. no vendor bashing here JW.
     
  17. JEFF STRUBE

    JEFF STRUBE Well-Known Member

    We have talked about a Aftermarket Block for Years back in the 1990s and
    in years of the 2000s at Bowl Green at Buick Nat's at the Race Seminars
    Like i said before this is 20 years behind. $6000 for Block Machined out
    of Billet Ok Cast Aluminum $6000 no Cast Aluminum $4000- $5000 ok.

    I talked to many people years ago about Building a aftermarket Block
    they said it was not needed. No demand for it. Buickmotorsport stopped
    Building the Stage 1,2's V6 in the 90's The last 455 was built when in 1976
    They got right on the V6 Aluminum Blocks when in the 2000's.

    We were thrown under Bus again when that happen. Some one had to
    step to the Plate first build a aftermarket BBB then some else wanted
    to design one. They told me there was no need or demand for a Block.
    You is there a Demand now. The Stock Block was weak 20 years ago.

    It will be nice at sometime there will be aftermarket BBB will be out
    there to Purchase. The V6 Buick world movied fast and Still is.
    The BB Buick world movies Slow and always has. :rant:
     
  18. alan

    alan High-tech Dinosaur

    I think Mike will get his money back and then some, but it may not be in block sales (for a while, anyway). Selling the blocks will increase sales of parts to go with it, sales he may not have had otherwise.
     
  19. Buicks4Speed

    Buicks4Speed Advanced Member

    $6000 sounds fare to me. How much will it cost to replace your short block and valvetrain when you send a rod thru it or break a cam in half. Not to mention down time...how many races have Buick guys missed from "another" bad experience. $6000 starts getting cheep if you've been doing this Buick race stuff for a while.....Unless you own your machine shop....
     
  20. mygs462

    mygs462 Well-Known Member

    Well I'd think with 17k in my 750hp 725 tq 525 stroker, that I'd be one of those serious racers you speak of JW, I sold the motor cuz there was no end in sight for the car in the body shop. MY plan for the future was a TA block with jeff's crank and a procharger. for 1000 pump gas HP.
     

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