[Larry Navarro]

I go with SUMMIT, for the simple reason of dealing with Scott. Personalized service and customer support.

1973 SD455 T/A
1979 S.E. T/A
http://community.webshots.com/album/16587603rOyvmFCiHs

[GoatRider]

Pete,

Don't you still work for L****'S out there in Glendale? I would hope they are giving you an employee discount!!!

"Nothing Beats an Ol' Goat..."

[Marty Phipps]

I've dealt with other companies besides Summit in the past.
I'll end up paying a considerable amount more then if I had purchased the part through Summit.
Scott previously sold me the parts to rebuild my 428 lasy time.
He'll be getting my order again for the new pistons and such.

[ponchopete]

Goatrider,

Yep, I still work there. The discount is very fair, but there's still a lot of stuff we can't get, especially Pontiac specific stuff, so I have to shop elsewhere too.

"My car would be fast if it had an engine, transmission, and rear axle in it."

[A.W.Dille]

Even though I didn't get through all the letters but I deal with Jeg's exclusivly due to the fact that they are racers. Being a native of Ohio before moving to North Carolina 8 1/2 years ago I lived in Columbus for 4 years before moving south. I knew each of the Coughlin boys personally and the assistant manager (Mike Digham) at the 11th Ave store was a Pontiac man and always gave me good advice on parts for my 71 GTO. Also I know and have raced with on of the guys in the fab shop and even though he runs Mopars he also was helpful with questions I may have had at the track (National Trail Raceway). I have only ordered from Summit one time and friends of mine order from both places and have had pretty good service from both. But awhile back I was looking through a Summit book at the newsstand and they had an article on building a 400 Pontiac engine and I questioned the distributor placement and got told by someone at Summit that it didn't matter where or how the distributor was set. Sorry but I have found that distributor placement on a Pontiac is critical (better known as phasing) and if the factory meant for a distributor in a Pontiac to be set up like a Chevy they would have made it that way. Nothing against Summit but I'll stay where I'm happy, and my name goes back for over twenty years in Jegs computers and hopefully will be there for twenty more.

[Rholmes]

Alan I understand your loyalty to a company that works with you,but you just can't beat that Summit customer service.Just today I called regarding a possible flawed hyd roller cam from comp and after losing my receipt,they said send it back and we'll exchange it.Two thumbs up for summit.Hope you're feeling better Alan,Roger

[poncho455]

I always deal with Summit and have never had a problem with them. Fast shipping, most items in stock, no hassle returns. I can't say the same for Jeg's I had a problem with them a couple years ago and have not dealt with them since.

[sandmanjoe]

i bought an engine stand from jegs last year, (i really needed one FAST at the time,

they shipped it to me in the manufactures box,(you know it even had the picture of the engine stand right on it)

needless to say, by the time it came to the house, most all of the parts fell out of the box, i only had 1 wheel and 1 or 2 bars, i called them up and they told me i needed to ship it back to them, and if i wanted a new one shipped out now, i would have to give them my credit card again....


needless to say, i was upset and ended up buying one from a different store, they should have put the manufactures box in one of there jegs box’s so this wouldn’t have happened... poor packing on their part!!!

i still buy parts from them, but only little parts because their prices are pretty cheap.

ps: the store that sold me the 2nd engine stand packed it in 2boxs:]

http://gto.1colony.com/

[liljg]

hey scott, does summitt carry the dynomax cerama-coat headers? i know jegs does but i would prefer to buy all of my stuff from summit. i have '68 gto w/air and p/s. also, i was wondering if they(any headers) need to b e put on prior to isntalling engine or after-- i am shipping the engine out) thanks

Dave Whipple

[A.W.Dille]

Well what really turned me off on Summit was when I sent an e-mail a few months ago concerning an 400 Pontiac article they have in their newsstand book and it showed the distributor turned like a Chevy with a backwards vaccum diaghram. The response I got was that it didn't matter how a distributor was set in an engine for it to run. Sorry but after nearly thirty years of turning wrenches for a hobby and living I have found that distributor placement is very critical on engine performance, now matter what kind of vehicle it is. Those out there that may know me, know how particular I am with the work that I do, especially tuning. Another pooint to prove this fact is a 400 Pontiac that I did about a year ago. The engine only had about 400 miles on it. The engine had standard bearings on a .010-.010 crank, 501 lift Comp cam. late model pistons ( the block was a 70 model) the distributot set backwards,(like a Chevy) and 3.90 gears and didn't have the power to even break the back tires loose at a 3 grand drop of the clutch. After proper machine work and setting the cam at 4 degrees advance (which I have found to be the best setting for this cam in a Pontiac) and setting the distributor correctly this engine would turn the car sideways at just the touch of the gas. I have spent countless hours properly setting the distributor in my 71 GTO for proper performance. Mr Holmes knows me personally and knows how well my 71 runs and I have helped him set up some of his projects. And Mr Holmes has had some very fast Pontiacs here in recent years, but he can also tell you that not many basically stock 3800 lb GTO's can pull the front wheels on launch at the strip with a 3.55 open rear-end. The key, proper tuning, attention to detail and setting the suspension up right. So when I notice something that doesn't look right to me, I question it. and when I get a response to a technical question and get told it doesn't matter, that lessens my faith in the people giving advice for that particular company, and thus lessens my faith in that company. I'm not saying that Summit is a bad company to deal with, I just personally don't have much faith in their tech advisors. And yes Roger I'm starting to feel better, hopefully be back in action in a few days.

[firebird69droptop]

hey all i ordered a clutch set up from summit years ago got a piece of junk rebuilt clutch disc...cost $289.oo. The box said remanufactured by the makers of Zoom...Could have got the same thing from napa for $89.oo.... have used Jeg's ever since and will never use Summit again. i had a problem with Jeg's once...ordered 8 Pistons..got 1 BUT They sent me 8 pistons that were much better then the set i had ordered..i called them and they said don't worry about the cost difference it was on them for the original screw up. Icalled Friday and talked to ??? Brian??? he answered all my questions even though i wasn't going to buy anything that day. Great company they got and i will gladly pay any piddle price difference between them. P.S. to the summit guys "if you are good to someone they will tell 3 people if you treat them wrong they will tell 10"

[poncho455]

firebird69droptop/pete;

Just curious - what happened when you contacted Summit to complain about the clutch set-up you received?

[Hot Rod]

Hey,
Allen FYI #1 could care less where it's at as long #1 on the distributor cap and the rotor match up, as you stated they had the vacuum advance in like a chev, who care's where it's at the engine doesn't care, it just wants fire when the fuel it there!
#1 can be anywhere you want it to be as long as the firing order is correct. "We are not talking about new vehicle DIS systems and computer controlled system now, just run of the mill GM that's all".
The one vehicle that comes to mind is some of the Ford electronic ignition systems that have one vain that is thinner than the other ones so that the computer can sence #1.

ASE Master Technician, and College Automotive Instructor NVCC!

Outlaw Pontiac Racers Association
"For Those Who Live the Legend"

"WELCOME TO THE NO SPIN ZONE!"

[This message was edited by Hot Rod on July 28, 2003 at 07:34 AM.]

[SCOTT ESTERLE]

What Hot Rod said. The Dist has no idea where its at as long as the fireing order is correct. When you installed that cam 4 degrees advanced that most likely fixed your problem not the dist.

[Ron]

Yes, what Hot Rod and Scott said.

Ron

[A.W.Dille]

Well if ya'll want ot believe that ld wives tale go ahead. I have found that as much as 2-3 tenths can be gained by doing it right. I learned that years ago on a small block Chevelle I had several years ago. Set it in and wired it accordingly, ran fine but not the power it should have. After about 2 hours of working to reset it and get in right , I fried a pair of H-50X14 Mickey Thompsons with no problem. Before that it would hardly turn them over on a wet road so that is all I have to say on the subject. Besides the performance of my Ram Air IV cammed stock 400 is proof of the theory of doing it right.

[Hot Rod]

Alan,
So if you are correct about that then my
10 second TA should not be running the ET that it runs!!!! Or it might run 3 tenths quicker!!!!LOL!!! And I only know how to do things right, you need a base line and go from there.
Alan talk to any PRO engine builder, any race tuner and they will tell you the same thing. I guess that you can only use #1 plug wire to set the timing correctly? It's all about the firing order dude. Until you get into distributor phasing will it make a small change. I am not hammering you on this but you had to have had another problem causing the poor performance.
You can make #6 in the distributor cap #1 and run the firing order 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2 and I run the same no different. Use some common sence here
this is real easy stuff, just trying to give you some help here. My MSD Unit is set up where #1 is the closest to number one and have never had one
problem. This board is a place to learn and not to bash other people and I try very hard to help those who would like to learn and gain knowledge and for those that do not, NO PROBLEM!!!!!!
Have a nice day and if you have the time go talk to any of the Stocker and Super Stocker racers they would be glad to answer this question and when you get the answer you can say that "this was no wive,s tail", as you put it!!!!

Rodney

Outlaw Pontiac Racers Association
"For Those Who Live the Legend"

"WELCOME TO THE NO SPIN ZONE!"

[Ron]

Allan you are talking about setting timing and Hot Rod is talking about which hole to make the #1 plug hole on the distributor. They are entirely two differernt subjects. What Hot Rod says is correct. As in his example, you can make the #6 hole in the distributor the actual #1 plug hole and go from there and set the timing.

Ron

[gto_guy]

liljg,Summit does have the Dynomax ceramic coated headers,but I`d advise you to stay away from them the fit is horrible.

www.cardomain.com/id/gto_guy

[Goatmon]

JEGS S--ks!!
When I started they were the ones I was going to use. With alot of Money in the Block & Crank I went to them for the fully groved Bearings.Well the day came to assemble the engine and they had sent me 400 bearings for the crank and the correct 455 rod bearings.I had the right people to ensure the bottom end was right so I had to get bearings elswhere and build it. So,the next business day, I called checked the PN's and JEGS admitted wrong part sent! No Refund ! Those Bearings are still displayed on my peg board as a reminder to never trust those persons again. Summit on the other haas sastified my every need build this 67 Goat for 6 yrs.