cost effective combinations

What is the most cost effective combination to run in a tafc ?

 

Just what do you mean by that?

 

....FONTANA,..
......Bob Minor Racing 526ci
................ALL THE WAY.

 

Back when I was first considering which way to go (1989) I happen to be having lunch with Kenny Mooers and Austin Coil when that same question came up.

Austin Coil asked me what I thought. I said in so many words "Brand A seems to work real well." He asked me what my budget was. When I told him the only reason I was able to go out to lunch with the two of them was because Kenny offered to buy he had this advice:

"Brad Anderson sells real good stuff and is only about 25 minutes from you. 95% of the people you race with here on the west coast run his stuff so chances are if you have a problem with parts at the races those 95% will be able to bail you out." He also pointed out that I didn't need to worry about having every nut, bolt, clip, washer, etc. in my trailer because chances are someone else has them, too. He said rather than figuring my trailer had to be the equivelant of a parts department I could rely on BAE to have what I needed in stock just down the road or a UPS truck away.

Almost 20 years later the only things that have changed are that Austin Coil has grey hair and he and I have both put on a little weight. But the reality is, that was the best advice I could have taken. Brad's stuff is easy to find, easy to sell, used stuff in good condition is easy to buy (BAE will check it out for you) if that's your mind, easy to get fixed, great customer service (we dropped a valve on Thursday at Pomona in 2006 and Jeremy had it fixed and back in my trailer by Friday afternoon), holds the top speed and et records and quality control is second to none. They fix what they sell along with being the factory authorized "fix-it" place for every other brand as well because they pump out the work quicker and better than anyone else.

You see a lot of BAE 5 and 6 stuff for sale right here and it never lasts long. I figure one day I might quit, and when I do I know selling it off will be no problem because "almost" everyone is running it or thinking of running it or switching to it as we speak.

Cheers,

RG

 

Randy,..are you saying BAE warranties their parts
if they break, when you are racing, and they will fix them
free of charge too ???.....

Yes BAE parts are readily available,....everywhere.

 

Sure. They do it all the time. Just tell Leigh Anne I said so.

 

Dont get me wrong,...Just conversating
BAE is the industries leader, and their stuff are, in the badest
and fastest cars in the world...
I was just asking,....but is this free of charge thing
for anybody, or just those
that spend $65,000 a year at BAE ??

 

Randy is right, lots of guys run the BAE parts. In May of this year I blew up my last WAR motor at the Mission BC LODRS event. When I got home I started calling everybody around to come up with a block or complete motor. BAE (Jeremy) told me a minimum of 12-13 weeks. Bob Miner told me 2 weeks and he delivered on it. And his motor was 2000$ cheaper than a comparably equipped BAE. So there you have it in my world- service, availability, and price. The three most important factors in sales. The motor was delivered to me already put together and it came with Bob Miner. I still consider myself a rookie in the TAFC world. Bob has been tremendous help to me.
I haven't ever done business with BAE but plenty of other guys have told me that when you are a little nobody you get put at the bottom of the list. Maybe when I can buy 5 or 6 motors at a time I could get one in the same season I ordered it? It is hard to argue that the BAE stuff is the fastest and quickest in the sport but unfortunately it is the slowest when it comes to getting it to my shop. Sorry, half a dozen drinks and suddenly I am Hemingway. Dave Germain

 

Plus,..
with a Fontana, you save thousands of dollars on parts (you dont
have to buy) or replace on a regular basis.
examples,.. 5.56 TO 5.70 ET`s
4 years on the same set of pushrods, adjusters and rockers,..verifiable
3 major events with out worrying about main bearings going away
from several severe tire shakes and they are still like new.
And if, (by chance a rod comes apart and hits the block,
you just change the lower pan skirt without even pulling the motor.
the time you save, to service the Fontana, is money saved in
the bank...pull a cylinder head off in 2 minutes, change 4 valve springs
and back on in 10 min...you dont have to pull the blower and intake
to service the heads.

So, as far as cost effective combonations..= FONTANA & BMR