Billet Crankshaft Group Buy
WHAT: Right, I intend on placing my order of cranks in the next fortnight, so I need to work out how many/who is going to be after one and explain how this is going to work.
At this stage I am still finalizing manufacturer. Three stateside manufacturers have made themself available to me. Two at this stage are 'unnamed' by the people who have approached me about these manufacturers. If that remains the case and details won't be revealed then I am just going to stick with BC (they have been very good, and prompt with responses thus far) even if its going to cost a couple of hundred bucks more and have twice the lead time.
The crankshafts I will be ordering will be a billet 4340 crankshaft. At this time it, if I go through BC, it looks like someone else may be arranging standard stroke 3SGTE crankshafts through an Australian mob (
http://www.nitto.com.au/products/crankshafts.html?category=engineblock) who imports them from a USA supplier (and brands them as there own obviously). I have yet to talk to the bloke at Nitto though will give him a call early next week. From what the other guy that may be organising the 3S cranks has said they have to do a minimum of 10 order and I think the bloke looking at getting the 3S cranks has 3 or 4 of them spoken for. I find it strange that a company is willing to go out in a limb and produce 10 of custom cranks (they'll be 3SGTE specs, I dunno about rod journals though, Glenn uses a 45mm journal, and also runs a lightened crankshaft) so I need to have a chat to that supplier and see what the go is, see if they can supply different strokes & crank pin sizes etc. Seems strange that they'd let us order willy nilly, but if they do and are willing to only sell me the quantity I need and price includes GST and is landed in Australia (Glenn was quoted $1700) and they come from a reputable manufacturer, then sweet. When things seem too good to be true, however, they usually are.
Anyway, got a bit sidetracked there. The cranks I will personally be doing will be a 91mm stroke (so use of 3SGTE rods and standard stroker pistons will be fine). Standard 3SGTE main & big end journal sizing. Flywheel PCD to suit 3SGTE flywheel & bolts and also the 3SGTE rear main seal. I still have to confirm what they do to the fillet radius' etc, but at the end of the day, the best they can do will depend on the standard bearing width unless there is a skinnier or chamfered shell that will fit (hah, noone does stuff like that for the 3SGTE).
HOW MUCH: Anyway, initial pricing is as below, please ready carefully.
Cost of crankshafts is $1500USD each, shipping on 5 crankshafts is $795USD (to one address). There is then an additional 3% charged to me by my mastercard for international purchases. It is then highly likely we will be footing 10% gst on all of this, as well as probably some sort of broker fee for sorting this out (I think fedex or what have you throw a fee in to arrange the clearance paperwork).
On top of this there will be local shipping after they arrive, $20-30 if you aren't local to me, if your local, pickup or what have you is fine.
So, thus far we are looking at $1500USD each (x5 - $7500) + $795 freight ($8295). Which at current is approximately $7800. Add 3% for CC fee is then $8034. Add 10% GST is then $8800ish. plus a clearance fee, so say we call it $9000 neat +/- a bit (this is just to get rough approximation for interest purposes). Thats $1800 per crank + freight within Australia.
Now, as I have tended to get shafted in the past doing favours for people, getting people gear with my orders, fixing there cars, I will be doing this completely for free. After all, I've got to come up with all the cash, organise everything, confirm the specs are all good and I am happy with it. Organise freight once they arrive in AUS, etc. This additional fee will depend on how much you can foot at the required times (I've still gotta work out a payment schedule with the manufacture). If you have all the funds available as required by the manufacturer when they require such payment, I'll probably look at adding an additional $25 on the end price, just to cover my mucking around in getting these ordered and then forwarded out to you. I do not think this is too unfair? I am happy for you to disagree and give reasoning.
Now, if you can't foot the money as required it will work as below. This isn't set in concrete as I don't know what payment schedule will be required, but, say for example they wanted full $7500 deposit up front. If you could only come up with $1000 of your $1500 straight away, an additional $75 would be payable. If you could only come up with $500 toward the $1500, then an additional $125 would be payable. And if you just jumped on board after this was all over and done with, the cranks were all paid for, arrived in country etc, I would be chasing an additional $200 (so making it approx $2000 crankshaft all inclusive).
I am being completely upfront with my intents here. I am not doing this to make money, however, the threat of being stuck with 2 or 3 crankshafts for months, if not years, is a very real threat. Thats alot of money to have tied up.
If by some means we can by some means manage to find 5 people (myself included) willing to foot the cash up front, then I would be happy to waiver this additional charge altogether.
WHEN: From BC at least, these are a 16 week lead time item, yes
SIXTEEN weeks. As such, I intend to get these ordered up ASAP (probably within 2 weeks or so). I know this doesn't give people much time to organise funds, but I really want to start getting my car together. Its been apart for so damn long, I just want it together again.
WHAT NOW?: If you are genuinely interest (AND have the funding for this item) please post here or send me a PM. If you could also let me know how your financial resources are and when and how much you would be able to pay. I will push to have this a half up front, half on completion deal, but at the end of the day, I am at the whim of the manufacturer. There is no off the shelf alternative. As people contact me I will list interested parties, we can get more then 5 people, however, an order of 5 is the minimum. Those interested in the 3SGTE 86mm stroke billet cranks, also contact me, as I may or may not still be organising them as well yet, and if I am not, I can put you onto the relevant party.
1. -Totenkopf- - Full payment for complete order up front if required.
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