ever improving quality of aftermarket parts

[71dusterdan]

so i remember reading an editorial a couple of years ago about the improving quality of aftermarket parts. is the aftermarket giving us better quality finally? are bolt ons really bolt ons or are we still modifiying everything to fit? how much do you feel the internet has helped to improve the situation? the reason i thought of this thread was yesterdays online purchase of a set of headers for my f250. hey we all need trucks to haul our stuff, and pull our cars, god knows are cars dont break!hahaha. so i ordered a set of summit brand shorties for my truck. i swapped a cracked manifold with a different manifold and couldnt get the y pipe to fit up. well summit claims these headers part#g9036 are a direct bolt on and mate with the factory y pipe! man i remember the days you just thought yea right. well they should be here in a couple of days and i intend to use this thread to either let everyone know they were as advertised or torch them. hopefully they live up to summits claims. anyways i would like to hear some other experiences with the aftermarket lately, are we being treated better, or is it still just as hit or miss. looking forward to sharing my headers with all of ya. Dan:box:

[71dusterdan]

okay i just re familiarized myself with the forum rules. i guess what i meant to say is that if necessary i would be sharing my trials and tribulations of my header install, with any constructive tips that helped make them work, if not quite as advertised. i wouldn't outright bash Summit, they have saved me a bit of money over the years. Dan:hammer:

[Bill Howell]

1. Summit didn't make the parts, just sold them.

2. The most common problem I hear from anyone that builds or repairs cars these days are the horrible problems with "bolt on" parts. If anything, I truely think the quality is getting worse, not better.
However, like anything else in this world, you ALWAYS get what you pay for, the cheaper the part, the more likely it is that it will not fit properly.
I know when we did the conversion on the malibu with the ATS stuff, there was absolutely no fit issues. So far the XV motorsports parts have been a dream to work with. DSE, AirRide, Hydratech, and others seem to get it and listen when there are problems and seem to get far fewer complaints than the run of the mill outfits..

3. Headers are always troublesome because of after factory engine installations, head changes, other aftermarket mods that all effect fitment. Take a deep breath, maybe a night off and hopefully things will clear up in the morning.

[streetk14]

It seems to me that parts are getting better, but maybe it's the fact that I am only buying higher-end parts from top companies these days (DSE,ATS,Stainless Works, etc.). When I was younger and couldn't afford these more expensive parts I did seem to have more problems with parts fitting.

Also like Bill said, headers are always going to be a tough item to always get to "bolt in" properly, especially in older cars. There are so many variables on an old musclecar and things that could effect the install process thet you, the current owner, aren't even aware of. Things get changed over the life of the car, etc.

Andy

[71dusterdan]

okay the ist chapter has started. i got my headers today, but it came without the gaskets that were supposed to be included. well this is Summit, so i made the call and within seconds of taking my name, the rep told me it was all taken care of and the gaskets were on the way. no questions no bs just a quick sorry and we have taken the steps to make amends, they will ship tonight. now that is called customer service, and the reason i buy a good portion of my stuff from summit. as for the headers, they are hohum, but for the price i didnt expect anything other. they are pace setter brand, nice thick flat flanges no weld bead or spatter to interfere with the gasket surface. will need to shoot them with some barbeque paint or other high temp paint but otherwise so far money well spent for the truck. Dan

[trapin]

The hood on my car is a Goodmark hood. My painter said he had no issues with it as far as fitment. The only thing he did to it was a few skim coats of filler in some areas that he thought were a little low. Other than that it bolted right on no problem.