I was wondering what you guys think about all these automotive parts being made in mexico, israel, india, china, etc... I mean my cloyes timing chain says india on the links, stroker cranks and rods from scat and eagle are chinese. Sinus in Israel makes valves for Manley. We are putting parts in our engines that are made overseas. It has been my understanding that japan and china don't use the quality of materials that we have in america. Everyone complains about japan ,china, taiwan tools, why because they are junk. Maybe my thinking is flawed though?

 

At my part-time job at AZ, I've had costumers come in and have me look up a part for them. When I bring it out, they ask me where it was made. I've had them walk out when they see it's from Mexico, etc. Honestly, I don't blame them but you'd be hard pressed to find anything made in the USA anymore.

 

Nah, Harbor Freight tools is my favorite tool store. Break a tool, just throw it away and get a new one!

 

thats a problem america has turned from a manufacturing country to a service country. We will build another mall, mac donalds, and wal mart while maytag, IBM, and joe's custom trailers leave. Then we have border jumpers stealing jobs that at least kids could have. Lou Dobbs is the only one who seems to give a **** because the government sure doesn't.

 

Yea, you're right. Our primary export is our jobs. We are transferring our production capacity to China and other Asian countries. So, I guess I feel a little guilty for buying chinese products. BTW, The US trade imbalance is now approaching an annualized $900 billion. Why is'nt the US dollar collapsing, because China is aggressively buying US dollars in order to keep the dollar overvalued against its own currency, the renimbi. In this way the Chinese can continue to sell the US their goods in enormous quantities and keep their expanding population employed -- and continue to build their country's infrastructure.
Also, the equity extraction from ever-rising property appreciation is being viewed as a substitute for real sources of labor or income generation and pressures consumers to go deeply into debt to monetize their windfall. Household debt is now 90% of the U.S. GDP. all time record... up 20% from the levels of the mid 90's. and not surprisingly our personal saving rate is virtually zero.

 

The bottom is going to fall out of this economy fairly soon I think. Imagine what happens when a cardboard box gets wet and you put some weight's in it.

Trying to keep it at least partly FE related so it doesn't get locked:

This is part of the reason I like to build engines with STOCK components. Where was the FE block, heads, and most other parts made? Detroit Iron Foundry or Michigan Casting Center, that's where! The old iron is plenty strong, no reason not to keep it turning. Why spend money on Chinese rods, for example, (cough... Russ...) when the stock components, with a little reconditioning, will work just fine.

Cloyes makes timing chains in INDIA??? So much for them. Back to stock I guess. Now where to find a NOS timing chain?

I just looked... The new set of valves I got for my 390 were made in Argentina. They're Clevite valves I got at Napa. Honestly, I'd much rather give my business to them than the Israeli's.

 

The term "Thank you Mr. Klinton for NAFTA" comes screaming to mind. Once they signed that everyone figured it was ok to screw America in the name of greed. The jobs for US workers started evaporating (but the economy is healthy, we wouldn't lie to you!) Then again the parts cost less, even with the long distance shipping. Are they as good a quality? Who knows.

 

Fordeverpower, You aren't mistaken. The quality in a lot of the foreign parts isn't what it should be. There are some exceptions such as brake parts and tires. They are more strictly regulated and held to a higher standard by the DOT. Still, I do wonder if they are always as good as they should be.

Since this is off topic, lets travel a bit farther off the path.
There is a parasitic drain on our country and society and not enough key people really care what the average U.S. citizen is dealing with daily because of it. They should pay attention to Lou Dobbs. My children are more aware of the steady increase in fees and the rise in the cost of just existing than those key people. Part time jobs that used to be available to high school kids are being filled by aliens and foriegners and is getting the attention of teens today. No jobs for them equates into them looking somewhere else for money which is usually not legal and this increases crime in some areas. I am not saying that just teens do this. Lost income is happening to all ages and no matter what the age when jobs are lost a percentage of crime is directly related to it.

What a powerful negative message is being received by our youth today. They see the increases in the cost of things, little chance to get a poor paying job and then if they do, it doesn't make sense after they have to pay more than a quarter of their paycheck to just keep gas in their car. Of course parents are paying the insurance to begin with, that is a given. Add tires, brakes, oil changes, inspections fees and just one major repair and they are done for unless their parents rescue them by paying for it all.

If the above doesn't make sense to you it is because you are living in a bubble.

 

I second that Purely Ford. Again since we are way off subject...... Sending work offshores and the attitude of employers to get that allmighty in the bottom line is but a symptom of a much more major underlying issue. One of my favorite quotes in a speech by Samual Adams is "For if you love weath more than freedom, and enjoy servitude rather that the animated contest of freedom than go home in peace, for we need neither your counsel nor your arms. But, bend down and lick the hands that feed you, and may your chains rest lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you are our countrymen."

The average age of the world s greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence:
>From bondage to spiritual faith;
>From spiritual faith to great courage;
>From courage to liberty;
>From liberty to abundance;
>From abundance to selfishness;
>From selfishness to complacency;
>From complacency to apathy;
>From apathy to dependency;
>From dependency back into bondage.
-- The Decline and Fall of the Athenian Republic
Alexander Fraser Tyler (1748 - 1813)

The question is where are we???

 

Hey, I'm in that boat! Let me tell you, it's more than a message. It's a powerful raised middle finger to anyone just out of college. Especially those in the computer field, like me. I just got my Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Management last December. Every job I've applied for, has had at least 200 other applicants. So I continued to run my own little business, that I've been running throughout college. It makes me money, but it's still barely enough to cover my expenses, and I live at home, with insurance paid for 'till I turn 25 (I'm 24 now, turn 25 in December...). That's why the progress on the truck has been so slow, lack of funds.

My advice for kids is, start a business, and advertise the heck out of it. Treat your customers extremely well, and you might have a shot at success.

 

I dont resemble that remark!! (Kurt) LOL.. H-Beam Rods from Aussie Land..and Rollmaster timing set from Aussie Land (gears) and chain from Germany!!

Russ

 

Well I'll be....the cloyes timing chain I have here the box says clearly "made in usa" (maybe the box? lol) and the chain itself has " kcm japan"! Nothing on the gears..Hmmm looks like I'll be shopping for another. Rollmaster huh?

Hey Russ you getting picked on again??? LOL, G.

 

id say were on the downward side of complacancy.....

 

Yeah G, Its just the Peanut gallery (No Biggy) I have wide shoulders!! LOL..

The Rollmaster is made down under for Dove.....and so is the best Damper..the Romac....

The Rollmaster'sarent cheap..But htere not made cheap either..the only timing set that I know of with a seamless Roller German chain!!

I think it was about $125 there abouts..

Russ

 

I never said anything bad about the aussie's since I know they have rollmaster chains and the romac dampers are top quality. The aussie also make some good alloy cylinder heads for cleveland motors.

I hear you kurt on that college crap. I went 4 months and dropped $5800 of mine. I am currently taking a year off before I go to kirkwood for cnc machining. Where I work we make make products for eldon, rubbermaid, hunter specialites, etc. But the company name is no where to found on any product. It kinda opened my eyes as to you have no idea where stuff is made. There are plenty border jumpers working there, and I live in Iowa. IF there's a job opening anywhere there's 200 people like Kurt said applying also.

Then we have these better well off anaylst, t.v people, economists that are saying the economy is great. It might be for them but not all of us. **** if I was making 6 to7 digits a year i wouldn't care about gas prices or skyrocketing housing prices.

The economy is so good my temporary 40 hour work week with 8-16 of ot has been reduced to 2 or 3 call to see if there's work. So there's a company with an opening or two but wait 200 other sob want the job too. I'm fortunate i have to pay rent, insurance, cell phone only for the most part. That can be done 2 days but it leaves no money for anything else during the week and I need my beer. I have downgraded from my budweiser to busch lite.