Harbor Freight Dart Block??

[Turbo302]

Anyone hear much about the Chinese Dart 351 knockoff?

I saw some literature, and if cheap enough, it would make an affordable big cube Windsor.

Here is what I saw...

http://www.racingpartsmaximum.com/files/RPM.Blck.FlyrKRS.pdf

I'm thinking I may do a large N/A Windsor with a 4R70w someday to replace the Turbo 302/C4 combo in my '90 GT, keep my '88 a Turbo 302 5-speed, and finish my '92 LX off with the Novi 2000 on a fresh 302 or 331 5-spd.

I have always been a Turbo guy, but something makes me want a bit of variety, and I'd have the spectrum with N/A, S/C, and Turbo.

I dont know if these knockoffs have been around enough for any feedback if good or not.

Tim

[Mustangmatt]

how much are they?

[kineda]

i stopped reading when i saw chinese dart knock-off.

[Turbo302]

i stopped reading when i saw chinese dart knock-off.

Thats what I was first thinking

In reality though, most of the Scat, Eagle, Probe etc.. rods and cranks are made by these Chinese foundries and seem to be holding up ok.

I guess time will tell.

I dont know what they are selling for, but I saw a guy on corral that sold a complete machined 434ci shortblock w/Diamond pistons, balanced etc for $2500 http://forums.corral.net/forums/show...ck.FlyrKRS.pdf

[Fosters]

Do they come with a big hammer to help you put the 4.155" bore pistons into the 4.125" bore block?

[94fobrah]

You get what you pay for.

[Max Power]

I wouldn't trust it, at least initially.

[Turbo302]

You get what you pay for.

I agree 100%. It only seems like everything we buy from my Dewalt drill, LCD's, brake pads, tools, fishing lures, and even canned mushrooms at Cub are from China.

I think the Chinese were the pioneers of cast iron, so they have had centuries to perfect it.

I figure if the cast material is good, then it all lies with the final machining.

There labor rate is hard to beat! I should have taken Chinese as a foreign language

[CAMSS30]

The knockoff companies use the same molds/templates as the real shit, the knockoff edelbrock intakes are exactley like the real thing except the name stamp. The only thing you that might need to be done is grinding the slag down. On a block I would not waste my time to save a few bucks because it will cost you on the back end I'm sure. Even if its identical to the real thing the materials used will not be as good as the real thing id bet.

[T BONE]

The knockoff companies use the same molds/templates as the real shit, the knockoff edelbrock intakes are exactley like the real thing except the name stamp. The only thing you that might need to be done is grinding the slag down. On a block I would not waste my time to save a few bucks because it will cost you on the back end I'm sure. Even if its identical to the real thing the materials used will not be as good as the real thing id bet.

MARK MY WORDS????

[kineda]

The knockoff companies use the same molds/templates as the real shit, the knockoff edelbrock intakes are exactley like the real thing except the name stamp. The only thing you that might need to be done is grinding the slag down. On a block I would not waste my time to save a few bucks because it will cost you on the back end I'm sure. Even if its identical to the real thing the materials used will not be as good as the real thing id bet.

is solo a knockoff dog?

[CAMSS30]

MARK MY WORDS????

Indeed.

[CAMSS30]

is solo a knockoff dog?

Yeah he was made by the "real doll" people, in the testing stages right now should be approved for world wide distribution by june.

[gutlas5]

people on speedtalk have discussed this and have seen some shitty stuff from them. theyre cheaper but not "cheap" cause if u put decent stuff around it and it still blows apart u end up spending more money in the long run.

[TitaniumGT]

people on speedtalk have discussed this and have seen some shitty stuff from them. theyre cheaper but not "cheap" cause if u put decent stuff around it and it still blows apart u end up spending more money in the long run.

Yeah I just read that. Some guys are claiming the hardness of the material isnt there like the Dart block. And Ive seen prices claiming $1200-1500

i did full machine work on 2 of them already . There align hone sucks ( both of them had .001 variation ) . The deck isn't suare with the main and side to side . When i bored the block on one of them it had a shiny peace in the middle of the block about half inch long (like a diferent metal ) . I personaly don't like them but they are cheap (like half the price of darts) . The are RPM and are cast in china .The both are running and making under 600 whp . If it is something for under 700 hp i think it is a good deal , but if you want to go big hp , get a dart . You still need to do machinework on them but the quality is alot better . Tthe rpm block is sopused to be race ready . Yeah right , you need to machine everything again .