Re: Disc Brake kits

[John Karasaki <johkar@teleport.com>]

At 11:25 AM 5/21/98 EDT, you wrote:
<snip>

>Holy Sh*t!!!  Somebody's making a FORTUNE on these parts.....  Anyone that
>pays these prices is flat out crazy!

I agree that it seems like the ancillary parts are expensive...

<snip>
>Once again Holy Sh*t!  I know for a FACT that you can get a Wildwood 4 pot
>conversion that works just as nice as this overpriced "Kit" for around the
>price of ONE SIDE!!  I know of 5 people that have the Wildwood mod and I
think
>they paid $1650 TOTAL.....  FOR EVERYTHING.  Custom Machined Hats and mounts,
>Rotors, Calipers, Pads, SS Lines and Aircraft grade mounting hardware......
>
<snip>

The Big Red calipers can't be compared to the Wilwoods.  One is a cheap
caliper (Wilwood) the other is VERY expensive and a Porsche only part.  The
REBUILD kits alone for the Big Reds are well over $100 EACH side.  In fact,
the rebuild kits are almost the same cost a Wilwood caliper.  So if you
were thinking about going the used parts route (like I am doing), there are
high costs associated with this too.

So the real question is: Why is the Wilwood kit so "expensive" at $1650
when the calipers are so cheap?  Could it be that the hats, rotors, and
mounting brackets are expensive?  Oh, and don't forget the hardware with
bolts and nuts that are about $3-$5 EACH.

I've been researching this for a couple of YEARS now.  I originally wanted
to offer V8 kits to the list.  However, in my mind, at $2500 there's not
much profit in the kit.  At least not near enough to compensate for the low
volume of sales (low demand) or the HUGE liability!

If you can't make the kit yourself, and still want better brakes, pay the
money.  I can't justify spending $2500+ so I'm doing it myself.  However,
since I also have a real job, I've had most of the parts I need sitting in
a box in my office for a long time.  I may finish it this summer... maybe.

Your comments about crack pipes, Vaseline, and suckers is definitely out of
line.  As I mentioned, there are great reasons ALL the people selling
street proven (the Wilwood is not) brake kits are in the $2000 to $2500
price range.  If you can build a kit comparable to the Big Red kits for
less, test it, and warrantee it, please, please offer it to the list.  Oh,
and by the way, please remember to include a copy of your insurance policy.
 Don't have one?  Wow, you rebel!  Most of the guys offering these kits
commercially have policies in excess of $1 million dollars.  I wonder how
much that costs?

Respectfully Submitted,

John Karasaki