More ripoff tactics from Speedmaster / ProComp Electronics / AT Racing World

[Hemikiller]

If you ever considered buying parts from Speedmaster / ProComp Electronics / AT Racing World, please rethink your plans. Their latest is ripping off Broader Performance's C4 vale body, and even putting Broader's name on a Speedmaster product. They've been doing this type of stuff for decades, but this is a new low.

 

[Stanglover]

There was a time when it was said "Imitation was the best form of flattery" or words to that effect, but stuff like that is inexcusable. These rip off artist know damn well a small company will not sue them, but companies like Summit Racing ought to know what they're selling is an illegal knock off and not sell it as the legit item.
However we can't go buy almost anything these days that is NOT made in friggin China and we ought to blame ourselves because our industries have been allowed to ship our products, work and wages offshore just to save a buck. Even if a company does not have their product made in China, there's a good chance it will get copied and produced there anyways. China was always known to copy anything they could get their hands on and that goes back to before my life started on the planet.

 

[NOT A T5]

PISS on China!!!

 

[Spike Morelli]

I was aware of just how crappy the "Pro-Comp" aluminum heads are, years ago, when doing engines at Valley Head Service. The guys in the cylinder head department would always show me destroyed cyl heads, a lot goes sideways when racing, but the Pro Comp heads had issues right out of the box. As enthusiasts, we should know that you get what you pay for 99% of the time. Still, there are those out there who want to have a "racing engine", but don't want to pay what a "racing engine" actually costs. Cheap, Ignorant, and poor representatives of the serious hot rodding fraternity buy this crap. Henry Ford once was quoted..." Anyone can make a thing a little faster, and a little cheaper, and the man who considers price only, is this man's lawfull prey ...". I am a sales person at The Blower Shop, a company that today, makes, in house, some of the finest Roots superchargers and components available today. Our quality is second to none, and the owner is adamant about building the best you can buy. Enter Speedmaster.....they have been outright stealing The Blower Shop's unique designs for a while now, shameless poor copies, made in China. I've gotten phone calls where a person who bought one of their Blowers wants to return a part, When I ask "Did you purchase it from us?", they might say "No", the internet, or Summit. Speedmaster even offers a 289/302 6-71 intake manifold that has bolt holes and ports slightly off, requiring further machining to get it to fit . Really crappy . To anyone out there reading this, take heed, do not buy Speedmaster or Pro Comp. Save up a little more and by quality.

 

[Hemikiller]

@Spike Morelli I work for Moroso, we get that occasionally. "Your part did X" - sir, that's not our part.

As a follow up, Summit did the right thing and completely booted Speedmaster from their inventory.

 

[Sheriff41]

Good to see Summit's response on this.

 

[351c1971]

It is encouraging to see that a few businesses still value
Integrity over bottom line. That is becoming rare today.

 

[Stanglover]

That is excellent news, not that is a product I'd ever need, but it shows commitment to supplying any and all products are the genuine part.
The back question is, why did they buy that product in the first place?

 

[mrgmhale]

I have purchased parts from Summit in the past, and it was always a good experience. Given how they decided to handle this situation they can be assured of being given the first opportunity to provide parts I need. Kudos to them.

 

[Cleveland Crush]

I see Speedmaster recently joined forces with the NHRA to market each other's products:

https://www.speedmaster79.com/blog/...ces-with-nhra-to-ignite-the-drag-racing-scene

 

[MAD IRISHMAN]

Yep those money grubbing butt holes at NHRA will slink as low as needed to fund their outrageous pay packages.

 

[cjstaci]

Yep those money grubbing butt holes at NHRA will slink as low as needed to fund their outrageous pay packages.

Everything is about the money, ethics, integrity and pride are out the window. There are some businesses that still have it, but you have to hunt for them.
I used to like weiend manifolds until they started producing them in China. I’ve read reviews where people that bought the knockoff stuff had issues with fitment and poor machine work. Bottom line, I won’t trust knockoff parts in my engine, especially at 6000 rpm.

 

[Fabrice]

Summit has a great reach, they should post a video/ad showing the destruction of all the products they have found to be fakes/copies.
As a clear signal to the industry. Doing this as they say in their facility and post a msg on their own site won't reach enough IMO.

 

[351c1971]

Perhaps e-mailing an update of their qualification criteria for their vendors to all customers might have a positive effect. Usually the publishing of proactive product/service improvement bulletins is well received by the public.

 

[Don C]

This made it to the news:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...1&cvid=e62dd8f5d77f4517a836a753637efec1&ei=14

 

[Spike Morelli]

The elephant in the room, is that rip-off Chinese companies are not going to just say "Oh, Sorry, we won't do that again. We've destroyed all of the tooling...". Oh hell no, these rip-off Chinese companies are making too much money to just stop. They'll re-name, re-package, and they are certainly NOT going to stop outright, blatantly STEAL ideas and designs from American companies, let alone the income lost to imported dis-honest companies. I'm very concerned with the state of performance parts currently. I grew up in the San Fernando Valley, a northern suburb of Los Angeles. When I was a kid, it was all there. I could, and did, walk into Engle Cams for stuff, and talked with owner Jack Engle. Reath Automotive, Joe and Della were there to help you. Edelbrock? Walk right in, Vic was there. Iskendarian Cams...Isky was there, and still is, one of the last. Milodon was in Van Nuys and Don Alderson was there to answer any questions. Header companies, wheel companies , chassis companies, Hilborn Fuel Injection ,Keith Black, Ed Pink, Dave Zeuschel, Valley Head service, Hydro head, the list goes on and on. TODAY however, many of those owners, the ones who actually knew their **** , have been taken by attrition due to their passing, others are lost to corporate buy-outs and run by suits, not hands-on knowledgeable enthusiasts. A former President warned us of the Chinese. Not enough listened. I don't know where all of this may end up, but I'm glad I grew up in a time when all these companies were still owned and run by their hot-rodding fore-fathers. This stuff matters. I hate to see the blood and sweat of that generation sold out. We end up paying for it in every way. Buy American whenever you can. Photos below are Stuart Hilborn and I at a boat race, and Ed Iskendarian and I at one of his Christmas partys.

 

[cv_72mustang]

It doesn't stop at car parts!

 

[Spike Morelli]

Yeah, I'm hip, just go to Lowes or Home Depot, and try to by something NOT made in China. Even brand new American cars are built with outsourced parts. I'm not going to say my view on when and where this took a wrong turn, but Politics are at the stem of it. Worse yet, there are people here that don't even give a damn. Those responsible for this are not hot-rodders, or car enthusiasts, rather corporations and business people looking to make a fast buck on anything they can have made in a Chinese sweat shop dirt cheap, and sell here. No scruples, lack of character, no consideration of the future . There,....let me step down off my soap box.

 

[351c1971]

There was a time when it was said "Imitation was the best form of flattery" or words to that effect, but stuff like that is inexcusable. These rip off artist know damn well a small company will not sue them, but companies like Summit Racing ought to know what they're selling is an illegal knock off and not sell it as the legit item.
However we can't go buy almost anything these days that is NOT made in friggin China and we ought to blame ourselves because our industries have been allowed to ship our products, work and wages offshore just to save a buck. Even if a company does not have their product made in China, there's a good chance it will get copied and produced there anyways. China was always known to copy anything they could get their hands on and that goes back to before my life started on the planet.

 

[351c1971]

In the 80s and 90s most large companies had MBO (Management By Objective) goals now they all have Management By Bottom Line goals (make your profit goals or you are out). The problem is systemic, going all the way to the executive offices and will only change when the American public smartens up. Then add DEI to equation and you have Bud light losing $1.4B and alienating a majority of their customer base. Sad to, say, I think we have lost our way and things will get worse, before they get better. In this case, I surely hope I am wrong.