Camcraft Newsletter
January 1, 2007
Editor: Charles Reichard
Dear Customers,
Christmas holidays are but a memory and a New Year is upon us. We had a great holiday here at home. It was nice not to have to go anywhere for a change. Betty & Stan went to Sarasota to be with my mother and we stayed home and celebrated with Victoria.
December has been a busy month for us as well as many of our customers. While December has never been among our worst months, it is usually well below average. This has been the best December in many years. We have heard a lot about a slowdown in the economy but if this is a preview of 2007 then let’s get on with the show.
Over all 2006 was a pretty good year for us and we want to take this opportunity to thank all of you that contributed to our success. We are a company that relies on many small customers with repeat business rather than several large customers. All of you are important to us.
Two more champions
We just got word that Brandon Ward won the UARA-STARS series championship with a Camcraft cam. Clark’s Automotive in Reidsville, NC built his engine.
Paul Motherwell just e-mailed us to say he had won the English national championship in the Pro-Rod class with his #167 Nissan Bluebird. Paul’s company Motherwell Ovalrace Engines built the engine.
Our cam prices will increase this year about 5% on average. This will take effect on January 15th. Orders received before that will be billed at the current price. Lifters and other parts will increase as our cost goes up.
UPS prices will go up Jan 6th. Be sure to allow for that in your quotes to customers. We don’t know how much it is but expect at least 5-10%.
Antique Performance cams & Factory Performance cams
Sales continue to be brisk in our Antique Performance Cams line as well as our new Factory Performance Cams line. The antique cams catalogs are online for easy downloading at www.camcraftcams.com. The factory performance cams catalog will be online very soon. For those with no Internet access we have a few printed catalogs available. I can also e-mail them to you if you e-mail me requesting them. Be sure to put something appropriate in the subject line. They are in Microsoft Excel format.
We have had a few customers who seem to have had less cam wear problems in small block Chevys using the P-55 castings. As a result we will be stocking more P55 material this coming year. We are having them roughed in like the K-15s, which means they will be as fast to grind. I still feel the wider lobe on the K15 offsets the slightly harder material in the P55. If you are not having wear problems there is no particular reason to change. Cost differential will be about the same at $7.00 more than the K15.
We had problems getting P55 castings for the 2.3L Ford engines last year. We have them in stock now and have future orders in place. They are primarily used in the APBA 2.5L stock class. We make the Ford OE marine cam, which is no longer available from Ford or the aftermarket. It is a legal APBA part. We also have special heat treated OE style rockers to go with them.
E-mail communications
I consider myself pretty good about answering e-mails promptly. If you don’t get a prompt reply it is usually because I didn’t get it or accidentally deleted it along with the 200+ junk e-mails I get every day. To minimize the chance I may delete it, please be sure something appropriate is in the subject line. Keep in mind the word “cams” usually means a web camera at a nudie web site. Since I have no time for that it gets deleted. It also helps if you request a read receipt, as it will call attention to it if I try to delete it. Also keep in mind I do e-mail from home and may need to get information from the shop. That adds a day to things. If you don’t get an answer in 2 days max, then please resend. I check e-mail mornings and evenings every day unless I am out of town.
My race car has been sold. I do still have my 1996 Chevy 1 ton dually for sale. It is Light Autumwood, 6.5 turbo diesel, 5 speed, Heavy duty suspension, 10 ply tires, full length running board, visor, & Turbo Wing only 85,000 miles and well maintained. Get it today!!
Harriett and I will be at the AACA (Antique Automobile Club of America) annual meeting in Philadelphia Feb 9th and 10th. We will be promoting our Antique Performance cams and Factory Performance Cams to the restoration market. I will give a presentation on “Increasing the efficiency of your antique engine”. The meeting is held in the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center Hotel.
We appreciate your support!!
Charles, Harriett, Clarence, & Chuck,