[robscar]

well, it's been a couple weeks since the last post so i'm hoping for another update. my plans are starting to come together a little sooner than anticipated.

[mikejub]

Well...Ron called me on Wed, Aug 3 with an update. Poor guy certainly seems to be having his woes on this project. Assures me that everyone's money is stored in a separate account and has not been touched.

As for when the headers will start flowing (pun intended)...told me he had one small glitch left before he starts bending tubes. For the life of me now, can't remember what that problem was. But he did tell me at that time it could be perhaps as little as two weeks when product may be ready to ship.

I know, I know...not quite getting my hopes that high yet...but hope is all I can run with for now. Hope to get another update by the end of the week.

Mike

[Larry Navarro]

the supplier sent him 16 gauge tubing instead of the requested 14 gauge.

[73ta]

Anybody have an update? Ron?

[Formula8]

No update here guys but just wanted to give you an idea what you are waiting for. I was involved in the fitting of the original pattern set of the headers and due to the original configuration not fitting my 4 speed car, Ron made revisions resulting in the early set of "auto only" headers.

I've had my Tri-Y's for several months now while I have been assembling my 455 and finally put the headers on while the engine was on the stand. The fit is perfect and there is a ton of room around the starter. I can run a full size filter and now and the lowest part of my engine is my low profile Canton pan.

I dropped the motor in last night and although I have yet to see a set of header jump off of the floor and into the car, these came closer than I have ever seen. No need to trim motor mounts, no need to raise the motor or remove the steering shaft. Even the starter could have probably stayed on the motor although I had mine out. I didn't have the oil filter adapter in either but believe that would have to be removed. Both headers slid easily into place on the first try.

You can't even see the passenger side header from either the front or side of the car. The driver's side is a tad lower and probably could be moved up about 1/2 -3/4" or so to be perfect. I do have a caution though. The cool 3/8's head-header bolts supplied with the headers are likely to be too long. On my heads without gaskets, the bolts bottom against the head bolts on the ends of the cylinders. The gasket might make up the difference but I don't care to risk a leak and substituted 3/4" bolts for the 1" bolts Ron includes. Also, on the drivers side, I had to push a brake line out of the way by about 1/2 inch. My lines are from Classic Tube and just may not be in the same place as the factory lines. No big deal either way.

I have to still see if the Z-bar has sufficient travel (which I believe it does) before posting the final verdict but IMHO these clearly are the best headers available for an F body application. I waited for like 6 or 7 months but they are completely worth the wait.

[mikejub]

Great to hear of the high satisfaction level for those guys already with Tri-ys in hand...it's what has kept me in this deal since signing up in late February with what was originally supposed to be a short 4-6 week wait.

But great product aside...this process has become quite frustrating with an engine together and waiting on these headers being the big hold up. Especially frustrating is the fact we have no idea what is going on as phone and email messages to Ron W for the most part go unanswered.

I really do want to stick it out for this product as even Jeff Kauffman tells me they work great with his aluminum heads...which I have on my 455. But man...I can't wait indefinitely.

Has anyone talked to Ron lately?

Mike

[robscar]

i've stuck in for the same reasons. periodoc updates would do alot to alleviate everyone's concerns.

[RR67GTO]

Greetings, can I get these headers from Ron, in a car with an automatic? I was thinking of buying a set for my 455 in the 66 Lemans I have. Also, is the wait the same for auto only pieces? I'm willing to allow the several months if need be and keep what I'm using for now since I will always be making improvments to the car anyway. Just need a way to contact him and place an order for the auto only. Oop's does he make them for the A bodies?

Mike

[Larry Navarro]

latest thread on the TAC forum.....
http://www.transamcountry.com/forum/...ic.php?t=15890

[Ducks Goat]

Do the current Tri-Y's fit A-body's, and if not are there any plans to make a set for them? Thanks.

[mikejub]

Yup...the current run includes headers for A-bodies...in my case for an aluminum headed 455 in 69 GTO with 4-spd.

[gearbanger]

I talked to Ron the other day, and he has been bending tubing all month, but of course it was the wrong tubing and he is still trying to find the right tubing to use. He says if he gets the right tubing, then it will take a couple of weeks to get the headers to the coater.

I will be glad to see that day.

[gearbanger]

I talked to Ron again today and he seems to be making progress. He is bending tubes and having good luck. He tells me that he has figured out a couple of improvements that he is going to incroporate in the 4-spreed D-port headers that will make them bolt up easier and also streamline the process on his end too.

It sounds like he is on the downhill slope now, I think he should be able to turn headers out alot faster now, and as he gets better at it and builds a relationship with his pipe supplier and coaters, he should really be able to turn out some products.

Stay tuned!

[Larry Navarro]

Originally Posted by gearbanger

Well, it's just been too long now and I have been patient but I am ready for my headers. I sent $700 dollars away almost 5 months ago, and it's just lucky for me tht I have been building a house for the last several months and haven't needed the headers. But that's all prety much done now and it's time to salvage what's left of this season of cruising and racing. How about a little correspondence Ron?

A little different feeling of Ron now, huh?

[Robert Williams]

Originally Posted by Larry Navarro

A little different feeling of Ron now, huh?

Boy i'll say! Ron sent me a picture of the new bender he had to purchase, 7000 lbs of bender, all the tube they sent was wrong, can't use it, he is busting his A$$ to get this project going and he will. He has sold just about everthing he had, the Ram Air 5 stuff, his motors and shortblocks all sold so he could put the money into this header project. Ron has over 100k into this, he even got himself sick over all this. All i can say is if your on the list for a set of headers the wait will be worth it. Ron will get all this going very soon and the headers will be worth every penny, it will all work out.

[djife1]

A little communication with his customers would be nice instead of posting in other threads.

[robscar]

yes, i believe that with periodic updates a lot of the frustration that everybody is feeling would be reduced. some customers may feel that they are being avoided or have been taken advantage of. including them in your updates and they will (generally speaking) be accepting of the delays and problems. communication is a key part of any service and or product provider.

[djife1]

AMEN

[gearbanger]

Well, I don't know why Ron doesn't do that more, but I am kind of persistant and maybe even pushy, so I have pretty much forced him to communicate with me. So I am trying to convey it on to everyone else so that you all don't have to be in the dark either.

And, no I don't think any differently about Ron, yet. He still has my $700 and I still have no headers. He is in Cali and I'm here, and all I have is stories. But it "sounds like" he is about to break free into clean air, so to speak. So I am more optimistic now. Ron is doing a great thing for the hobby, and all this stuff seems to have been out of his control, but, most of the time when you see someone that has nothing but bad luck for months on end, it is a result of the bed that they made for themselves. I don't know Ron personally, but I have never even heard of anyone having as bad of luck as he seems to be having. He must have broken a whole warehouse full of mirrors, or opened up every umbrella he could find indoors.

[robscar]

maybe he kicked the black cat under the ladder!