Modifying cars is an expensive hobby. Therefore it is likely all of us try to save a few bucks whenever and wherever possible. However, are you doing so at the expense of quality?
Take a look at these AN fittings (Air Force-Navy). The blue and red anodized hardware is a recognizable feature under the hood of any performance vehicle. Anyone who has plumbed fuel or oil lines with AN fittings knows the price adds up quick. Aeroquip, Russell or Earls -8AN straight hose end fittings run from $7.25 to $7.88 at Summit. These companies make fittings to exacting tolerances and material specifications. They also utilize quality control methods and standards, such as ISO certification, all adding to the cost. It is the price to pay for a high quality product.
Now enter the spoiler. A company recognizes that many of us won’t think twice about the quality but will buy on price alone. They have the part reproduced overseas and can bring it to market for $5.88 - a whopping 25% reduction is price. In fact, they can do this and pull higher margins because they aren’t really bearing overhead or employee costs to make these things.
Think that cheaper red and blue AN fitting is just like the others? Take a closer look. That’s an Eaton Aeroquip -6AN socket on the left and a Summit brand on the right. The Aeroquip piece is made of 2024 aluminum. It is thick, uniform and flawless. The Summit $5.88 version is thin, the threads look shallow and stripped, and there is a large section of missing anodization (black spot inside.) It feels as if it was made from a recycled Coke can. Sure it is cheaper now, but any immediate savings will be offset when a fuel leak sets your engine on fire.
Be sure to check our next issue, we’re putting together a whole feature story on inferior parts and what is quickly becoming a very rampant problem in the automotive aftermarket.
It’s called “Bleeding America”.
By Gordon. April 17th, 2006 at 9:31 pmUnfortunately, most of the “Bleeding” is being done by our own countrymen.
People like Vic Edelbrock, and the owners of outlets like Summit & Jegs (not to mention J.C. Whitney).
That way they can afford to support their own hobby, like Vic does with his vintage sports cars, and Summit does by sponsoring high buck racing, like Greg Anderson’s 2 Pro-Stock cars.
And don’t think for a minute that a Summit/chinese fitting that costs you $2 less, is only that much cheaper to buy.
Typically, a chinese part is less than ten cents on the dollar of what a like name brand part costs.
I personally have been contacted by several chinese manufactures to handle their products, or for me to supply samples of what I would like them to copy.
And in the long run, this is hurting us all.
Every chinese manifold, crankshaft, and throttle body that we buy, is another that the sellers do not have to pay an American to make.
That means less income to the working class of this country.
And the ones that are selling us this junk, are making larger profits at the same time.
I think that anyone that is selling, or distributing the chinese junk should be told that we, the American worker don’t appreciate it !
Write Summit, Edelbrock, BBK, and anyone else who is part of the “Bleeding”, and tell them you don’t like it.
You know, part of the deal here is that in a lot of cases regulating bodies make decisions that do not match reality and force us into making these kinds of decisions, even more so when we know the truth about this stuff.
For example, I’m not sure what braded lines and AN fittings are really saving us from. The fact is that there are much cheaper, reliable and MORE DURABLE solutions used by OEM’s that are not legal for use in race cars in most classes. Instead we’re forced to use these things that seep gas (use standard braded line on a car and then park the car in a garage, you’ll always smell the gas lines making it through the inner rubber liner) and are only rated for use exposed to petroleum products for 8 years and then should be replaced. More recently most governing bodies have allowed a few other reinforced hoses (mostly referred to as “push lock†hoses) and some new fittings. Well great, this stuff has actually been around forever, we just haven’t been able to use it legally, and for that matter, most if it isn’t any more durable the braded stuff, and has jacketing on it that falls apart much faster. In the mean time OEM lines are cheaper, cheaper to run and hook up and last pretty much indefinitely, but we’re not allowed to add that stuff on our own. Same deal with hard lines, a lot of European imports use hard lines that are much easier to run and connect then the rest of this but they aren’t legal for most of us to add anyway (copper alloys…).
The end result is that there are tons of us that are doing our best to avoid the expense of something that is basically unnecessary and costly for no good reason…, no wonder that cheap knockoffs of questionable quality sell. I for the most part try to stay away from the whole mess and use a lot of aluminum hard line knowing full well that the stuff isn’t as durable as most of the rest of what we’re talking about, legal and not class legal, but also cheaper, it’s legal and won’t need to be replaced unless it’s damaged (the durability issues can be taken care of by properly supporting it…)
Now don’t get me started on roll cage/bar regs, which are insane to the point of being dangerous.
By Silverback. April 15th, 2006 at 2:17 pm>Just like I ALWAYS said: Never buy ANYTHING that’s Summit brand!!
I’m on my thrid year racing with a Summit brand radiator and it’s flawless. I just bought another one for the Mustang and it too is a quality piece.
By ckelly. March 9th, 2006 at 1:59 pmYour comparison to the Summit Racing fitting is very interesting. Perhaps you should inform Summit of the lack of quality. Summit I believe attempts to provide quality items at a reduced price. They may not be aware of the lower quality of the item and after all why would a company of such standing want thier name on a sub-quality item?
By Ixtlan. February 19th, 2006 at 9:19 amagain thank you very much for the info on what not to buy out there, YES modifying cars is an expensive hobby
By omar. February 9th, 2006 at 8:54 pmafter all cars greately reflect their owners.
ok now now were on a completly different subject.
By 71hotrodpinto. February 4th, 2006 at 8:25 pmWho NEEDS a hotrod?? No one does who the heck needs an fittings No one.
This whole hobbie is about wants. And if you dont want ‘this stuff’ then hey great! Thats your issue. But I dont think that you need to beat up on people that do.
besides have you every worked with the Stuff? No i guess not. Its very reliable and is eaiser to use than bending steel lines and using brass fittings. Plus sure looks a hell of a lot better on a nice new engine. IMO
I can tell you one thing, i dont have issues with rodders that chose to use plain steel and brass for plumming an engine. Hell thats there choice for god sakes. I dont like it but you wont find me bitching about it.
In over 40 years I and several million others never had a problem with brass and copper. After all we aren’t building fighter aircraft. The article should not have been on the quality difference of two manufactures but, who needs this stuff anyway. Just got to have it syndrome. If it was colored ugly brown no one would want it.
By Retyler. February 3rd, 2006 at 9:11 pmRave??
Here is what we said about the origins of the intake-
“Now we’re well aware of the sociopolitical flood gates we’re opening regarding supporting companies that use cheap foreign labor. We’re not concerning ourselves with that debate, it’s your decision. In this article we are strictly focusing on reviewing the product and whether or not it’s worth the dollars. Or yuan. Or whatever.”
and we clearly pointed out it was not ready for bolt-on power, it needed grinding to fit properly. Now- if you can do that kind of work, the price is very attractive. Again, we leave it to you to decide where to spend your hard earned money and why.
Jim.
By Langley. February 3rd, 2006 at 2:51 pmYep, Made in china stuff has actually been “looking’ and performing better than 5 to 10 years ago. BUT its still very inferior when marketed as a X brand. Alot of stuff that is marketed by american companies is still made overseas. And can be of acceptable quality. Not great mind you.
By 71hotrodpinto. February 2nd, 2006 at 6:17 pmYes the details can be very important such as mentioned .Threads, anodize, material selection and type. Wall thickness etc. etc.
Im just as guilty as the next guy though for knowingly buying Overseas “CRAP”. I own a fold up engine crane that surprisingly is very stable and reliable. The welds are good and the hydraulic cylinder is rock solid. Even after test fitting the engine trans combo about 20 times.
Honestly i wouldlve wanted a nice USA crane but for about $700 vs $150 ( used ) with a load leveler. I couldnt justify the cost for the limited ammount of times i was going to use it.
I hate to mention this, but you guys ( Ford Muscle ) were just ‘raving’ about the Edelbrock China “COPY” Ford 5.0 fuel injected Manifold that you saved a bunch of coin on not too long ago. Yes I do realize that its just a story and giving us the ’scoop’ on it ,but we all have to realize that very few-to-none of us can stand on a podium and shout “foul” at import parts.
We can choose not to buy them and pay the extra for the quality parts.
A refreshing approach. Most magazines read like shills for the vendors. You guys are different. Thanks.
By sobill. February 2nd, 2006 at 10:12 amIt’s about time someone began to expose questionable quality aftermarket parts.
By papacito. February 2nd, 2006 at 6:25 amJust like I ALWAYS said: Never buy ANYTHING that’s Summit brand!!
By Brian. February 2nd, 2006 at 4:54 am