just curious, whats going on with the new block?

Discussion in 'Race 400/430/455' started by staged2ny, Mar 29, 2005.

  1. 10inchbuick

    10inchbuick Midwest Buick Mafia

    I agree with Danie.I was told at the PRI show we would have blocks in January now it's April and nothing.I think we have a right to know whats really going on.There are people involved in this that have big $$$ invested in this deal I myself have 4500.00 in the block plus the cam deal I'm trying to get done I need the block to finish the cam deal.If Dick would tell us what is going on instead of talking in circles I myself would feel alot better.
    Plus I changed my whole combination in anticipation of the block being finished.I sold my entire short block :Dou:.So when I get the car done which it will be What do I do? :confused: :confused:
    I'd hate to put another stock based sb together and then the block is released. :Do No:
    A honest answer to when we will see this thing is all we'd like.
     
  2. GS Kubisch

    GS Kubisch THE "CUT-UP" BUICK

    1/24/2005 - Begin accepting pre-orders. Order now!

    by 3/11/2005 - First sample run complete.

    by 4/8/2005 - Full production starts.

    This is the timeline for the Mopar block that their doing next..........
     
  3. buicksstage1

    buicksstage1 Well-Known Member

    ?????????????

    I've been waiting along time to see how things turn out before I lay any money out for this new block and I bet there's others out there just like me waiting and watching to get some feed back on this new product. I do not think this is a very positive way to do business.You can't generate new sales without a product......Chris
     
  4. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member







    Ok, here is what is going on. I'm tired of all the rumors myself.
    About 6 weeks ago, the foundry that was going to do the blocks , and in fact did the first prototype block decided to close it's doors. This was discovered when Dick went over to hoefully pick up blocks to take to the machine shop, he got there and found that equipment was being closed down and packed up, imagine the surprise.
    Now the search starts over for another foundry to cast these things. Then theat same foundry reopens back up in another location so things look pretty good at this point. WRONG! that foundry is no longer able to do these blocks, I cannot and will not go into why at this point.
    All the patterns are taken to a new foundry, they pour blocks, have some get ruined, that's not a big deal, part of the casting process. The real problem is that they only pour cast iron like twice a week, so they tell Dick they can sample a block once a week, that is 1 block per week.
    They pour about 4to 5000 pounds of cast iron at a time, which means they can technically pour 20 or so blocks at a t time, however , it's not a good idea to do this at this point untill they know the pour goes good and there are no problems, we don't need 25 junked blocks.
    I myself was not aware of these problems until just very recently. I too am quite upset about all of this because I feel I have been being left out of the loop. I understand the problems. My involvement from the beginning has been to help get this program moving along as quickly as possible.
    The ideas that the block broke , cracked , failed or whatever are all false, that I want to clear up once and for all. I have been told at this point that a or some castings are done, the machine shop is ready to go go, maching in the beginning will take about 1 day per block, faster after they get comfortable.
    My main gripe has been lack of information comming to me, I am sorry about that , trust me, I have been trying to get information on this for a while. I have even been planning on taking a trip to Indy to get to the bottom of this.
    Rod, I have not really been responding to your inquiries for a couple of reasons, number one, some of them all along have taken a negative tone towards me and number 2 , I am not even the one selling you your block, even though I am the one who has been in the early contact stages with you when this whole thing started, for whatever reason , you decided to deal with someone else, fine. I also don't think it is fair that you comming on board late in the game and being pushed to the top of the list is fair to some of my customers who were way ahead of you. Again that's fine, just not the way I like to do business. You are scheduled to get the first block at this point though. I'm not saying you would have been way down the list, because you would not have been, I've just been trying to be fair with people who actually paid for blocks long before you did. There are quite a few who were in early, but have said to move them down on the list because they were not completely ready to go yet. Don't get me wrong here , I have always felt that you should be one of the first people to get a block since you have your set-up already dialed in and putting a blower on top of one of these things would be an ideal thing to do. I just don't like the way it came about, but that's ok, I'm still working to see that you get your block asap.

    SO in closing, things got delayed, sorry about that. There is progress. I plan on trying to keep updates going , that is where some of the problems have been and one of the things I hope to get straightened out. I know that once these things actually get into customers hands, all these previous problems will all be forgotten.
    Just remember , I am obligated to respect Dick Bradshaws wishes as well. Jim Burek P.A.E ENTERPRISES
     
  5. GS Kubisch

    GS Kubisch THE "CUT-UP" BUICK

    JB
    It's good to hear something......Thanks for taking the time to explain,Hopefully things go forward from here.

    I think Rod's anxiety is amplified by the fact that he has new car to try out as well.
     
  6. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member



    Gary, Yes , I know that. Believe me, I want nothing more than to see someone lay down a really good pass with a 455 Buick, blown or other wise. 6's for the new set-up in Rod's car? Jim Burek
     
  7. 10inchbuick

    10inchbuick Midwest Buick Mafia

    Thanks Jim
    We all needed this.Things have been stressful lately.
     
  8. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member



    I wish there was something more I could do to move the process along. The one thing I have been trying to do is make sure the project was not held up due to financial reasons, and at least that is not the problem, we have done extremely well there guys, I am impressed with all of you on that.
    I should have some more good info sometime Monday. Jim Burek
     
  9. 10sec 455

    10sec 455 Well-Known Member

    You guys aren't they only ones waiting for stuff from Dick. I was suppose to have my heads at the end of February, ordered them I think FEB. 2nd. I have been bugging the hell out of Jim every week because Dick keeps telling Jim they will be there this week. This has been going on for months now! I want to appologize to Jim for being a pain in the a$$, but who else do I have to ask? I have no way to contact Bulldog. I email them and get no response! I purchased a set of Bulldog heads because My stage 3 heads were old style bare castings and needed alot of work and would not have time to get them ready for this year. Well, the stage 3s are just about done and my Bulldogs are nowhere in sight, but I did just get word from Jim ,they will be there this week!:Dou:
    Jeff
     
  10. blown455

    blown455 Pit crew



    WHAT???

    Jim Burek.. I'm not sure where this lashing out came from or why you felt the need to post it on the V8 board. But I want to clear up a few things for you or anyone else. The quote you were replying to of mine was directed to "buickboy714554" response on us giving it time. I was trying to explain why we (not just Rod and I) are anxious. I didn't think he knew where we were coming from. If you and "buickboy714554" are one in the same I did not know that. I still feel I didn't nothing wrong by explaining why there is frustrations.

    Never once have I talked negative about you or to you. If I have please PM me and let me know what it was.

    As far as Rod getting the first block.... He had nothing to do with it. Believe me when Rod got the that this block was really going to happen, we clearly thought he would be towards the bottom of the list and had no problem with it. So, if you have an issue with him getting the first block take it up with Geof or Dick, but don't take it out on Rod or I. We had nothing to do with it.

    If you recall Rod called you a year before this project actually got rolling. He was ready to buy one on the spot. At that time you didnt feel it would be done anytime that year. You also gave him specs that his stuff wouldnt work with this block. So, apparently you feel he should have forked over money for a block that wasnt going to work for him. Rod was always clear on where he stood with this block. If it was really going to happen and he knew when to expect it he would send the money. But he was not going to have that kind of money sitting out there on a maybe or something that wouldn't even work for him. Things have changed since then and Rod could get it to stock specs. To the best of my knowledge Rod is the only one that got it that way. Maybe that had something to do with why he got it first. I also understand it as most of the guys getting block have a running motor and are waiting to sell their stuff until they have a block on the way. Just because Rod has his set up figured out shouldnt be anything held against him.

    As far as asking you questions early in the game... we were told you were the only inside connection at the time. We are grateful to you that you were willing to answer our questions. We never thought we were tied to you to buy a block from you for that. Sorry if you felt we were imposing on you, that in no way was the intent. The way your coming off though is that if Rod wasn't going to buy a block from you, you might not of answered our questions. I thought this Buick community was all about helping each other out. But maybe it's different if it has a $ attached to it. I've asked others questions in the past and not bought something off of them. To the best of my knowledge they don't have a beef with Rod or I,,, but then again I didn't think you had one either.

    Sorry you feel we took advantage of you or were negative to you in some way. We have never had a bad thing to say about you, and always felt you were a great help in out questions early in the game. Sorry again.

    To fill you in on some of our frustrations on this block... up until three weeks ago we were still being told that the block would be done. We were still getting the line "It will be done this week, you'll get it this weekend" by Dick. The same story we have gotten since end of January beginning of February. From what I'm gathering now is Dick knew it wouldn't be done six weeks ago according to you, but for three of the weeks kept telling us next week. For whatever reason he couldn't be straight with Rod. That is all we have ever asked in this. If this project wasn't going to be done for a few more months all we asked was that he told us so we could get another block together, Rod told Dick that. Maybe you missed me mention that Rod's block is split. A few weeks ago he had no block, until Mike at TA stepped up and offered one of his personal blocks. He is sending us the block ready to go. On top of machining it he is also doing tons of extra stuff to it in hopes to help keep it together. Because Rod ran out of time in hopes of getting this new block in time.
    Again, our frustration was not with the production of the block it was the getting pushed off week by week and not getting a straight answer. Rod is willing to wait; he's waited this long just like everyone else.

    Again, I'm sorry if you feel put out, it was not the intent. If you have any more to say to me about this feel free to contact me.
    Danie'
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2005
  11. blown455

    blown455 Pit crew


    The new car really doens't have anything to do with it. It is more of a dissapointment that it isn't going to come out with the new block. He will have to just turn the boost down on the stock block back so it doesn't crack again. Rod is just not going to be able to run the times we were hoping for in this car with the new block.

    We would still be just as frustrated if it was going in the Hawk. It is the being left in the dark week after week that is getting to us. Rod has been holding off on building a new stock block for this year in hopes that this one would be done, because he was being told by Dick that it would be.

    I really have nothing more to say about this block. I hope it comes out in time to still run it this year. Until we get the phone call that it is done and will be on it's way.... I am not fussing over it anymore, just going to sit back and wait.
     
  12. 434 olds

    434 olds Well-Known Member

    WOW!! I cant belive that you guys are still waiting on the new block. I thought the Olds guys were bad with nothing but talk for 3 years on making a new block. Hang in there guys.
     
  13. GS Kubisch

    GS Kubisch THE "CUT-UP" BUICK

    Everyday that goes by w/o a new block has me looking more and more at a BBC..........I just want to race :rant:
     
  14. buicksstage1

    buicksstage1 Well-Known Member

    Chebby Talk????????????

    GARY, That's the second time I've heard you say that bbc crap :spank: Will someone back East give Gary a hug before he does something stupid, at least try a sbb with a procharger :Brow: I feel your frustration Gary, I've been waiting for the new block to come out and I've had enough waiting, so if you know anyone that might be interested in my 540 stuff, it's all brand new and for sale.......Chris
     
  15. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member




    As of 4-23-05, the new foundry has made a good casting. For sure 2 more blocks will be poured this comming Monday, as long as things go well with those, they will start pouring blocks to keep the machine shop going. I am guessing here that we should have a production block ready sometime this comming week, it should be heading for the machine shop early this next week.
    Jim Burek
     
  16. mdapperdan

    mdapperdan Well-Known Member

    Problems

    This question is for JB. With all the work that you have been doing trying to get the new casting in the works and finding a foundry to do the work. Have you been able to keep up with your engine building business? I'm sure there are customers that are waiting to have work completed by you. Also what is the turn around time for your shop to build a complete BBB?
    Thanks Dan
     
  17. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member



    Dan, We are getting a little behind on engines right now. Depends on what kind of build up we are talking about. We are catching up on some of the older stuff now. You'd probably be looking at a good 3 months at this point. Alot of the problems come from not being able to get parts, heads are the hardest things to get, timing covers are tough, even balancers have become an issue lately. Pistons and rods seem to be the easiest things to get. Jim Burek
     
  18. TA Perf

    TA Perf Member

    We have lots of heads, timing covers and balancers in stock. We are short on pump covers. We are having them reproduced, should be in by the end of May. Give a call sometime.
     
  19. RG67BEAST

    RG67BEAST Platinum Level Contributor

    You can pour a perfectly a good looking casting only to find out about gas porosity,shrink and broken core problems after the casting is machined or in the field. This is a complex proccess. I hope the first ones with this block will get some sort of Warranty from the manufacturer.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2005
  20. buick535

    buick535 Well-Known Member


    What? I never knew that! I thought if it looked good on the outside appearance , it had to be good all the way through, dang man. Maybe we need to cut them all up and examine them and then weld them back together.
    Sorry for the sarcasm here people, but I hate when someone only has negative things to say about a new project.
    This is not rocket science here, it's a block. Bulldog has years of experience with how to make a good casting. Through all this time, there have been several blocks cast that were not up to specification. There were some that the machine shop screwed up. All part of the process. Pretty costly when a block has to get scrapped. Jim Burek
     

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