As one who owns a Keith Craft engine I can attest to what a great experience it is to work with Keith and crew! He stands by his work and builds great engines.
Keith, it bums me out to know that you may sell out, but I totally understand where you are coming from. I've done dot.com startups for over a decade, the hours wear you down. It's nice to be able to spend time with those who you are working for. (Shelly and your children.) I fell truly lucky to have a Kirkham with a Craft engine! Thanks for all you do!
Sincerely,
len
__________________
Cobra: A weapon of gas destruction
Keith-all the best of luck however it shakes out. You've been a big factor in the FE resurgence and I doubt that Roush would have bothered if you didn't prove it was viable.
If you make a deal please stay as a 'consultant' or some such so that QC, R&D and machining techniques remain at a high standard. Your name is the gold that former and new customers will always seek.
Quote:
Originally Posted by patrickt
Well, the possibility of KC selling his business just put me in a retrospective mood for some reason.
Keith, you are too young to retire. Why don't you give it a few more years, then see if one of your boys has the talent and interest to take some of the load off you and eventually carry on the business in the family name?
Hopefully, Keith is feeling better today. Nothwithstanding, a line of succession in any business is a smart business plan. You never know when you'll need to "exit stage left" from the famous philosopher Snagglepuss:
A common affliction this time of year...da basturds!
I'm still trying to come to terms with you being "reamed in the butt by a plumber's helper." That must've left a mark. Do you get royalties for the video?
Keith, when's the last time you took more than a few days off...I mean really took off...no cell phone or laptops? Even a long weekend on a houseboat or camping. Hell...go to Disneyland. Clear the mind a bit.
Keith, when's the last time you took more than a few days off...I mean really took off...no cell phone or laptops? Even a long weekend on a houseboat or camping. Hell...go to Disneyland. Clear the mind a bit.
Yeah! ...and only think about how to get pump gas FE's to make about 750 or so...
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,527
Not Ranked
I suspect this is coming about as a result of the post done by someone on the Factory Five Roadster forum. Apparently, there wasn't enough satisfaction here in the FE forum before it was shut down, so he took it over there. At first he seemed to just be looking for confirmation of a problem or no problem, without naming names. But now it's all blown up crazy. As near as I can tell his only unresolved issue was loosing his shipping cost to return the parts for a full refund. Who knows - I think they are just greatly irritated and pissed off with each by now?
I placed an order for an engine with Keith about a month ago and got a nice tour of his shop and projects. I went to him for a couple reasons, 1) his reputation, 2) he's down the road about 70 miles, 3) he said he could be competitive on price with anyone, 4) he's an FE specialist, and 5) his reputation. In my limited experience in the Cobra world this is still the only instance of a dissatisfied customer of his I have found. I'll bet that isn't the case with the vast majority of other engine shops. How many folks are advertising the name of their engine builder as part of their car specs in their posts other than those who have Keith Craft motors???? I think that says a lot.
Anyway, I really enjoyed the visit and tour of his shop (which he conducted) and couldn't imagine having a problem with him that couldn't be easily and amicably resolved. Since then I bombarded them (and the forum) with a daily stream of email on the subject of what dual quad intake is going to fit under the hood of my "scoopless" hood street roadster? They took it all in stride without complaint. Now I hope I don't need to move up the assembly date on my motor.
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA 289 FIA #2100 Rio Red Wimbledon White Stripes 302 stroked to 331 Webers Richmond Road Race 5 speed
Posts: 782
Not Ranked
What a great opportunity for a younger person. To walk in to a turn key business and become a partner/trainee with one of the best engine builders in the world. I don't think you could put a price on that. This is better than any college education! I wish I was 30 years younger.
When I grew up, there was no UTI or Lincoln Tech, just your local vocational schools that my parents thought all the flunkeys from high school ended up. So today every one has to go to college and take a bunch of BS courses and when you graduate you still don't know S___t and it cost you over a $100 grand! Most kids don't belong in college. The trades are dieing off. Electricians, carpenters, masons, machinists, auto body repairmen, plumbers, HVAC, and the list goes on.
DanEC, I had a similar experience with Keith about a month ago. I drove to Arkadelphia to look at a Superformance that Keith was selling, my first Cobra, never met Keith before. He had put a small block stroker (427 cubic inch, 580 horsepower, 590 torque) and Tremek TKO-600 into a beautiful new SPF roller (Royal blue, double Wimbledon racing stripe). Keith gave me the full tour of his shop and two hours of his time, showed me the car, demo'ed the engine (no drive, it was wet), went over all paperwork (including Dyno data), and answered all questions. I bought the car on the spot. Keith is a big talent, hard working, honest, responsive. He and Shelly worked with me to resolve an SPF roller issue (no issues at all with the engine) and to generate all the paper work necessary to get a new title in Texas. Keith trailered the car to me in Dallas on his way to the Texas annual meeting in San Marcos. Car is great, engine is breathtaking. (Yesterday, a Corvette pulled up to me at a red light, driver rolled his window down, said "Now, that's a man's car, tell me about it." This was right after a cop waved at me, and a kid on a hot shot motorcycle challenged me (a challenge this brand new and inexperienced old man owner declined).) Keith gave me his cell number and has answered my phone calls at 8 PM at night. I can't speak highly enough of the guy and don't understand how any customer could have an issue with him. If he retires . . . our loss.
Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham 427 brushed aluminum with Keith Craft 527C.I. all aluminum FE
Posts: 992
Not Ranked
Not anytime soon
I want to let my customers know and hopefully and future customers that I am not retiring anytime soon. I more or less wanted to see if there was anyone young or old that might have an interest in getting thir feet wet in this business.
There would be no way I do not think that someone could walk in one day and me leave the next. I just want to slow down a little on my end and just wanted to see if there was anyone interested in getting into this business that had a true desire. This would take someone that had a love for cars and engines and wanted more than a job. It is getting harder and harder to find those kind of people.
I have good employees that could pretty much run the shop without me as long as the work was rolling in. Well as we know that does not just happen without talking with people and being involved with activities that put you in touch with car people. My engine assembler Jeff Henry has been with me 15 years and I would put him up against anyone anywhere. He is one of the few like me that when his name goes on something he wants it the best it can be. You have to have pride in your work and have a desire to be the best.
Like someone here said Roush has very little to do with the crate engine business. Pretty much got approached with an ideal to do the crate engine deal when his shop slowed down. Other people run it and he said do not do anything to hurt my name. They have done a pretty good job with that, but you will not call there and talk about a problem with Jack Roush, he has other things to do.
I started my shop about 17 years ago after splitting with a partner. I had a 3000 square foot building and myself for about a year and then Jeff came to work for me and then about 4 months later my brother-in-law. We three took it from there up to about a 12,000 square foot shop, ten employees and about 20 engines a month sold to about 20 different countries world wide.
Know with over 2 million invested and three children I will not retire in the next year but do plan to slow down some. So I hope that we can keep doing business with the Cobra community because it has been good to us. Just checking and looking for a few options in the future.
By the way the profit margins are tight in this business and I do not see how some of these others places can compete with us with our location and lower overhead. I tell people we are not the cheapest and we are not the most expensive but somewhere in between.
Thanks for the post and private e-mails and be sure we will not leave our customers high and dry.
Sent you a PM Keith, now that your "back in the saddle", I'm shopping for a 427 short block (just in case I might need one, a spare). Hopefully my current motor will make it through the summer, I been showing it no mercy lately.
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,527
Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dallas56
DanEC, I had a similar experience with Keith about a month ago. I drove to Arkadelphia to look at a Superformance that Keith was selling, my first Cobra, never met Keith before. He had put a small block stroker (427 cubic inch, 580 horsepower, 590 torque) and Tremek TKO-600 into a beautiful new SPF roller (Royal blue, double Wimbledon racing stripe). Keith gave me the full tour of his shop and two hours of his time, showed me the car, demo'ed the engine (no drive, it was wet), went over all paperwork (including Dyno data), and answered all questions. I bought the car on the spot. Keith is a big talent, hard working, honest, responsive. He and Shelly worked with me to resolve an SPF roller issue (no issues at all with the engine) and to generate all the paper work necessary to get a new title in Texas. Keith trailered the car to me in Dallas on his way to the Texas annual meeting in San Marcos. Car is great, engine is breathtaking. (Yesterday, a Corvette pulled up to me at a red light, driver rolled his window down, said "Now, that's a man's car, tell me about it." This was right after a cop waved at me, and a kid on a hot shot motorcycle challenged me (a challenge this brand new and inexperienced old man owner declined).) Keith gave me his cell number and has answered my phone calls at 8 PM at night. I can't speak highly enough of the guy and don't understand how any customer could have an issue with him. If he retires . . . our loss.
I saw your car up on a lift in his shop when I was there. A beautiful car. Glad to hear Keith isn't going any where soon.
6 or 7 years ago, I place an order for a 331 rotating assy. with Keith,told him it was for a road racer and what kind of rpms/use it would get, he put together the parts and pieces for me....I could have bought the same stuff from Summit/Jegs or any one of many other places, but Keith was about a 100 bucks less for the same parts and driving distance for me, so I saved another 100 bucks or so on shipping. Also, my flywheel was a 28 oz. balance and needed a 0 balance for the stroker,he said no problem, bring it when you come and we'll re-balance it to 0 for you while your'e here.......
They did so while Tony gave me the $2.00 tour of the shop, and what amazed me was every employee down to the 2 guys tearing down old greasy motors and washing them, would stop and say "hello" and shake my hand as we went thru each department and those folks didn't know me from Adam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Class act people down to the lowest guy on the totem pole.......first class shop with $$$$$$$ equipment too..........
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