So is this reasonable for Sniper Install?

[mbrew2]

OK, here's the deal. I have looked far and wide for a Holley Sniper unit to replace my old Edelbrock. Problem is the are on backorder EVERYWHERE I  have tried. Going to Holly's site and searching for authorized installers, I found a place fairly close to me. Called and they had just received 2 units after a 7 month wait. Due to scarcity, they would not sell me just the unit, which I understand, so I asked for a price for them to to the installation. Came back with a price of roughly $2500, which include an in-tank pump, complete installation, and allowed for a full day of chassis dyno time for tuning. 

for another $275 it included a MSD pro billet distributor which they said was needed to control timing in place of my old Mallory unilite. At first glance, sounded like a lot to me, but I'm an old guy and although have built/restored several Mustangs, I've never had to pay anyone else to work on my cars. Now my health is failing and I just can't do what i used to do. I had roughly estimated that it would take $1600+ for me to do it myself but I'm not sure of that with all misc. things that might need. So, hope some of you guys that have been through this can chime in and give me you opinion. Other thing is, I'm about to take my grandson on an approx 3000 mile road trip the first couple of weeks of August in this old '73 vert so I would really like this done, but its not like money is no object.

 

[jowens1126]

I would say that's fairly reasonable. I can see an avg home mechanic spending 20 or 40 hours on everything depending on how fast you work and having every tool you need. Add in the dyno day which could be a $300_$500 value depending on how much time they give you and it sounds fair to me.

 

[Fabrice]

on backorder EVERYWHERE. Yeah looks like Holley got itself a winner here...

$1600+ is realistic being on US continent, for us europeans, that doesn't even cover the cost to get it over here. Mine, unit+fuel kit, was at my door for $1700

The question is more how do you want to install it.

if you just want to install/run it, yes budget is enough. In a professional environment, with a lift, basic install should really not take more

than 2 working days. That's for a basic install.

If you want to install it 'right', depending on car condition you will probably need more time. There are tons of brackets to be custom build, safe routes for fuel lines require

extra plumbing connections, lots of redo/changes to do on the previous configuration. relocating older wires, redo paint, protect the lines etc...

Even if the in-tank solution will greatly reduce the extra work, it still depends on car condition and how nice you want it.

Like, dropping/replacing the old tank is one thing, but how do you resist to the idea of placing a new tank underneath a rusty or dirty trunk floor?

On the bronco demo video for instance, they put the pump ground wire on some rusty frame after some basic sanding.

While it indeed suffice to make it work, on my side it made my eyes bleed, i'd first ensure the entire frame is rust free/repainted before even think to ground the pump...

That's probably why my car is still in garage tho ...

 

[Don C]

I don't disagree they have a winner, but I suspect some of the old bait and switch going on. Get people to their website or dealers in hopes they'll choose a more profitable (expensive) unit. This is also why the dealer won't sell just the unit, not enough profit for them unless it's part of an installation package. I'll bet the dealer will gladly sell them a Terminator for $2,500.

The only reason Holley came out with it is in response to FiTech's unit. I'm glad I already had my mind made up to go with the Fitech.

 

[Fabrice]

I suspect some of the old bait and switch going on

I wouldn't bet my head on this for sure

tho for their defence, I have ordered mine beginning of the year and there was already a shortage. I had to wait a month from summit to deliver.

The only reason Holley came out with it is in response to FiTech's unit

I'm really no Holley fanboy and considered the FiTech unit, but here I kinda disagree.

While its of course important to compete with other players in own market (they surely bought concurrents solutions and learned from them),

its here a matter of survival. I mean there is no to little future in carbs aside the hobby people like us (and not even that, as we already both moved to EFI).

Fuel based systems in general are not going to be really around for decades.

Volvo announced full electric production by the fall of 18, tesla grows by the day, most car companies offer now a few 100% or hybride models... even Ferrari

So for Holley and any other manufacturer in combustion engine components bizz, they need to adjust and modernise quickly. Yesterday the better.

EFI is the closest short term evolution they had to make. And to me looking at what they delivered, they did it well.

 

[Don C]

Holley (and Edelbrock and Accel) were already selling a lot of $2,000+ aftermarket/add on fuel injection systems for replacing carburetors. I know I came close a couple of times but didn't want to spend that much, so stuck with carburetors and had decided to build my own system. And then along came FiTech with a system that cost less than half what the big guys were selling theirs for, and with a reasonably priced surge tank to go with it.

Holley and Edelbrock don't mind selling a lot of carburetors, either. R&D (Research and Development) costs paid for decades ago, minimal support staff required, cheap to make, high profit margin.

 

[Fabrice]

Sure, I mean it would be naive to think they do not think profit, strategy as much as tech.

Intendedly delay the Sniper offer to push their dominator and other terminator systems as alternative is a bridge too far for me.

Not for the moral aspect of it, more because the difference in cost is way too big to trigger a sale now that there are more options in the 1k range

that gives you same or better than their more expensive solutions. Not even to speak about the more easy install or the simple fact that the Sniper is the newest in town.

The few extra sales of more expensive units would not cover the loss in customers going elsewhere.

I think they simply have some badass luxe problem where they did not expect to have this kind of volume to produce.

On paranoid side, they could also have found some major flaw in past and current units and stopped prod to fix... which I would hate of course

 

[MeZapU]

Backordered from Holey because they are waiting on shipments from China. 

I am a FiTech supporter because of Holleys big business practice trying to muscle them out of business.  When when they couldn't buy them out they brought a product to market that is darn near a clone of function and price point.  It took them a almost two years to bring it to market but here it is.  Now because they have the Holley brand name  recognition and advertising klout, they are in the game biding for market share.

Don't sell FiTech short. They have a great product line and many more options than Holley does.  And they are not on backorder.

 

[Fabrice]

Don't sell FiTech short. They have a great product line and many more options than Holley does.

Not at all! In fact I did consider it as I wrote above.

Was arguing prod issues vs evil sales strategies, if your claim about shipment being held is true, you just confirmed that.

Not starting a mac vs pc war here

The young dog that became big vs young dog always been source of parties.

darn near a clone of function

Yeah but see, they cloned stuffs from others as well. It's not like they came with something totally new.

Here for instance this Ford CFI throttle is from the 80's, looks like Grandpa's sniper

http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/219393/fullsize/cfi-parts-004.jpg

My wife previous car, a piece of crap Ford called Ka, had a similar thing on it, just like many other asian and french cars.

It's really not new, what they did is refine so they could make one unit to adapt more engines. And Holley refined

and next brand will come up with even better. All good for us I'd say!

 

[EdM]

Interesting to read of folks not supportive of capitalism.