LANCER wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:04:If it turns out to be necessary I would be willing to act as the central ordering/shipping point. Nothing extra needed, just cover actual costs to everyone.
I do not know if it would be possible with this particular business, but since I am an authorized parts dealer for several companies already ... they MIGHT be willing to sell to me at a dealer/wholesale cost and thus saving us all some $$. It all depends on their requirements for being a dealer.
If so blessed, we could possibly save anywhere from 10-30% on the piston cost.
If the person who made the initial contact with this company can send the name/number I will check on it.
***To be perfectly clear with everyone here, if it is possible to be listed as a dealer with this company, then when making THIS order it will be on a cost only basis ... I would not want to take any profit on this. Every member on this website who wants a piston would pay the same wholesale price. After this order is complete I may list the pistons on occasion with a few of the other parts I put together.
If this sounds OK with everyone I will check on the possibility.
I can't speak for the guy who started
this piston discussion, or anyone else, but I'm okay with that arrangement. It seems that several people have been concerned about compatibility with your camshaft kit anyways. As a future possibility, myself included, in the prospect of a
mild low-mid torque cam grind.
I've been wondering if you would kick in here, as I see the opportunity for you to eventually offer stepped kits: Stage #1; Stage #2; Stage #3 ... With increasing degree of performance/cost. It's a common marketing strategy benificial too both seller and buyers, as it assures compatibility, and allows buyers to decide what level of performance/durability they are comfortable with.
But there is a point were this sort of thing gets a bit sticky, and I know this from ordering other custom parts with another group (In the other case it was music instrument speakers)...
Once someone has associated themselves with a design from a company, sometimes the company will refuse to allow anyone else, other than the person who made the original order, to order that design in the future.
IOW, that person has
exclusive rights to that design from that manufacturer. I'd hope this wouldn't be the case here. Though unlikely, someone else might want to order the minimum four pistons in the future, and it would be nice if the company didn't turn them away because "that design belongs to ______!"
Barring that one fluke, I'd think your offer would be a service to the group as a whole, and probably the most economical way too, IF they will allow you a wholesale discount. Of course, once this whole thing is a proven scheme, I'm sure there will be more folk want in on it in the future, and the ground work will already be laid.
Of course, you could always offer the people from this group some discount on future purchase, as I've seen you do in the past.
(To clarify: Discount as compared to what you might sell for $$$ on eBay or elsewhere.)