The price range would indicate they do weld them up in house. I forgot to add C & R racing to the above list. They do a lot of stuff for circle track and nascar.

 

These days, the savings for stuff made in China is in the materials, not the labor. The wife brought home some Bandaids (suppose to be Johnson & Johnson) and they were made in China! We all know that the amount of labor to make a Bandaid is near zero. Just someone to push the 'GO' button on the machine.

Gary

PS: You'll be happy to know that if you buy a car or truck from one of the Detroit 3, it will have an ABS unit made by my Company right here in Michigan, 5 miles down the road from Dewitts.

 

You definitely get what you pay for. If you have pride in your car, seek out a local shop that takes pride in their work. Keep your money in your community when you can.

 

China owns a piece of paper, a promissory note, nothing more, if we as a country decide to repudiate the debt....ALL the note holders are screwed....that damn simple, what they going to DO about it? drop nuclear bombs...yeh right, nullify any possible future gains forever....NOT!!!

not just WW, but all the junk in every store, except maybe a 2x4 those we still make here in N/Amer ......it would probably add 10-20% to all the prices, almost immediately....STILL undercutting any American bases manufacturing.....NO, we want to get OUR JOBS back, we need kill the EPA and all the weenie whiners, they are killing the economy over nothing at this point, fish and lizards before progress and industry....that mental condition has to change, and THAT requires cleaning house in our colleges and universities.....

 

I bought DeWitts...USA any time - ANY TIME it's possible.

I was a machinist for 25 years - I took pride in what I made. My parts were always perfect or they went in the scrap bin...they dont do that in China or Mexico etc...

And for the record - my DeWitts rad/fan combo fit perfect the first time, works perfect, and will out live me.

I work hard for my money and I buy the best stuff I can.
And I'll always buy USA even if it costs more...

"Frankly, I don't give a damn".

 

China has an economic "strategy", we don't. Not a very comprehensive one anyway. When they said "Free Trade" this is what we get. More costly items will always be undercut by inexpensive with all things being equal. Quality counts. But in the case of China, the quality used to be really poor, but they raise the quality level just like the Japanese did in the 70's-80's. They are capable of producing very good quality items that exceed ours in many instances.

I was in china last year because I wanted to see what was going on for myself. Spent a month all over the place. The construction and improvements are incredible. Every DVD player, smartphone, toy, and now Radiators they sell is powering an economy that is amazing. What you see going on there is what we had going on in the 1920's-1950's only in a much more compressed timeline. It's going to be a marker in history, I'm sure. The incredible rise of China. Their new infrastructure is TOP NOTCH. Make no mistake about it. Their roads, new buildings and new subway (airports, bus, etc) stations put ours to shame. They can, because their labor is very cheap yet.

Where Shanhai is newly rebuilt, it is thoroughly the most modern city I've ever seen, and I've definitely been around. Coming home it was like stepping into living history. You don't know how our infrastructure is stagnant and crumbling until you really see some good stuff and then transport back a few notches. We used to have good stuff back in the 80's when I believe we reached the zenith. What bothers me are these things:
1) We just 'GIVE" them our technology like idiots. Show them how to put up the best factories. For years we had special programs and exchanges to help them out.
2) All those years we battled against the spread of comunisim, the Russians, Viet Nam, Cuba, missiles, spies, Berlin, proxie wars, you name it, and we willingly give our economy away to the Chinese in the greatest transfer of wealth ever known in human history. They don't have any love or connection to our country. I'd rather trade with Cuba or Russia and make them more powerful. Makes no sense.
3) I don't think our gov't will ever muster the political will to confront the Chinese and slap on an import taraff. Ultimately our economy will have to crash before things get SO bad we will change our ways. We are like drug users addicted by people giving us cheap drugs. Can't stop ourselves. Our country is fast slipping to the role of Brittian and Fance in world if we don't reverse the trend soon. I mean, we are already on our way there. We are simply coasting on 50 years of built-up wealth, but it's running out of gas, therefore the debt.

When we returned from China, wife and I had planned on all new appliances. Guess what, you go to Sears or anywhere and you will see LG (not chinese but..) and other brands flooding and taking over THAT market as well. I made sure and bought all appliances made in USA. The only cordless drill I could find made in the USA was a Makita (ironic?). It helps but people in general will buy the less expensive products regardless of where they are made.

Mark G

 

We need to seriously consider downstream implications when we buy our parts. China is the USA's largest creditor. All of this talk about national debt can be confusing, but it's China that has bought the most bonds. Every time we buy anything from overseas, we perpetuate our national debt problem by virtue of transferring wealth overseas. Buying from China magnifies the problem.

The more we purchase products from overseas, the more we reduce our own manufacturing base in this country. Manufacturing is the baseline and serves all other industries; banking, IT, service, government, etc. When manufacturing shrinks so does everything else. China understands this.

You may think that paying less for something made in China or someone else may not have that much impact or that it is saving you money. However, remember that downstream, the more we lose manufacturing, the more the government loses high-level manufacturing based taxes and the more money it has to borrow. This means higher taxes - for everyone. Also, as we lose manufacturing, we lose manufacturing jobs which pay the most (except Wall Street bankers who gouge investors, get federal bail-outs and then give themselves bonuses). Downstream, that means less wealth for services, computers, TVs, etc., etc. That means job losses or at least lower salaries. An economy cannot be sustained on service industries, because if nobody is "making an actual something" who will the service industries service? Manufacturing is the basis for everything. Again, China understands this as does India and South Korea. We used to unerstand this and then we got smug, greedy, and soft. The bottom line is that you may save $25 on a radiator, but it's going to cost you more than that in the bigger scheme of things.

We need to suck it up as consumers and be willing to pay what it costs to buy American as much as possible.

PS - next time you're in WalMart, check out the "Made in..." labels. You'll be shocked at how much they import from China to have those super-low prices. And WalMart is supposed to be the ultimate American company.

 

I hear ya, and I have to say that on the face of it, I agree - just tell them all, "Hey we spend billions every year defending the world from unstable idiots. Consider the debt paid!" The problem is that if we renege on our debts it will have a major impact on the world markets and we need to be able to export to rebuild our economy.

What we need to do is slowly build back up our manufacturing base and - like it or not - it means each one of us as individuals has to take responsibility for re-creating demand for Made in the USA. The nice side effect of this is that if our manufacturing base builds back up, then things made in America will come back down in price. That not only helps our wallets, but it makes our "Made in the USA" products more competititve worldwide for exporing, which itself reverses the transfer of wealth and builds our economy. There is not quick-fix, but we can do it if we stick to it.

 

Well stated! But I don't think it will change people. There are those that care and will do that, and those that say they care but look the other way when it comes to saving a buck, and then you have the ones that just don't give a zhit.

The point of this thread was to try to inform the Covette public as to what's going on behind the scenes. If anyone must purchase a $250 radiator for whatever reason, that's fine. Just don't fool yourself in thinking it was made in the USA or has the same quality controls. If you don't buy my product, buy it from one of the companies mentioned above. At least you will be supporting our economy.

 

Right. And just remember that you may be saving a buck at the point of sale, but don't fool yourself into thinking that you're not paying for the difference in many other ways that may not be so apparent in that moment.

 

I purchased recently (Haven't received) a new Dewitts radiator. I based my purchase on
(1) The feedback received on CF, and other Corvette forums. (2) Dewitts mantra of (Value, Quality, Customer Service).

I had researched and was aware of other made in the USA radiators, but ultimately made Dewitts my choice. I have a favor to ask of Tom Dewitt. I have e-mailed your company (twice) following the directions on your website to check order status.

When that failed to get any response, I PM'd you (twice) while you were online. That also failed to get any response. I did this over the course of 4 days, and was always courteous in my question.

Since I failed to get any response I was forced to cancel an appointment at a local (USA)Corvette shop. When they asked when I could make it in, I was forced to tell them I had no idea at this point. I need to install the radiator to drive down to the shop as mine developed a leak.

So Tom will someone please answer my question as to when I may receive my radiator. I just need 30-60 seconds of someones time.

 

Tom you should add C&R to that list. Make many NASCAR and custom race only products very good quality and not a competitior to you.

 

Speaking of Chinese products, I used to know of a company in Michigan who had the GM tooling for the storage compartment doors for our C3 Vettes. They sold that tooling off and now it is over in China making products that are poorly made, Tom you did a BIG! disservice to the community selling off that tooling and I for one would have gladly paid a higher price for a quality product for my Vette. All your former products are JUNK! now that they are being made by our friends in China.

 

i sent you email

 

I did, top of the page

 

Back in 2000, I installed a "lessor" quality original radiator in my 72 BB. Within 6 months it was leaking. I saved my money and in 2004, I replaced it with a Dewitt's Aluminum while living in Los Angeles. The car sat on the 405 during a Dodger game without overheating. I then shipped the car to Hawaii and cruised Oahu without any issues. When I shipped it back, it ran in subzero temperatures across Arizona and New Mexico.
Here's the bottomline: If you want to pull your hood and radiator every two years, please buy cheap foreign products. If you want a product that keeps your ride operating optimally, buy a Dewitt. PERIOD!

 

I hate buying foreign products and will not unless I have no other choice. Right now I am wearing Diamond Gusset Jeans, Wesco boots, Gildan t shirt, Snap-On socks and a leather belt all Made in USA. When I need a radiator it WILL be a Dewitt's. It's time for us to take charge in America.

 

The Iphone is not manufactured in china. Foxconn is a taiwanees company. Plus the parts come from all over the place. Final assembly is by foxconn. My .02

 

Was watching National Geo the other night, and they showed how the Chinese workers eat, sleep, crap, etc. @ the job. They live in small cramped quarters, built onto the factory, buy and shop at factory sites, you name it. Their entire life is focused on the one factory where they work, and for cheap wages. That really sucks, but if they don't know any difference?

 

Isn't it time this thread is moved to Off Topic ?