oh, and the reason i say these manufacturers get their castings/products from china is that is what their reps tell me when i talk to them at SEMA.
add proform to the list.

 

These photos below, though a little hard to see clearly, show crankshafts being "whittled" out of "ingots" about 12" round by 24" long. These are NOT automotive but the process to manufacture them is identical. They are "roughed" in on mill (Matsurra) and then finished in a standard crank grinder. These happen to be part of a "contract" for some 50 pieces (a total of 5 runs, 10 at time). You would be amazed to see the entire process being performed. These would actually be considered "billet" shafts. Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Many of the cranks sold here are now made (forged) "off-shore", Eagle's, Scat's, Cat's, Callies, and others and then machined over here.

(Add) I want to a take a minute and add this, we don't use "Scat's" at this time due to the fact none of their shafts are cross-drilled. This is a much disputed area on the "playing-field". But being we're somewhat
"old-school" and have followed G.M. for many years we feel this is STILL a necessity. We're seeing much bearing fatigue with non-crossdrilled shafts. Someone recently stated up that G.M. stopped this procedure also, but we have over a dozen new ones in stock, all drilled, AND they are listed in the 2006 perf. catalog as being drilled. So for now we stay with the Eagle line of cranks, as they still have that
option. Now that the brg. mfr's. are offering 3/4 grooved mains, this may solve the cross-drilling "problem". Thanks again, Gary in N.Y.

 

Not trying to be PR&C either. The point I was trying to make is that many manufacturers are forced to purchase raw materials overseas either due to their inability to find it in this country or the cost of American raw materials. In the case of SCAT I believe it was both if my memory of the letter serves me correctly. I also think that if the company then performs all of the operations to produce a good product that has good quality control and performs well, it shouldn't be held against them. Face it, the days of having everything sourced in this country are long gone and won't be coming back. I still applaud SCAT for keeping the job of actually manufacturing their cranks in the USA regardless of what legalities prevent them from saying.
And BTW, I never said China was our friend nor do I think any other country (possibly with the exception of Great Britain) is our friend. But the fact still remains that those countries still produce goods that we buy. Check your sneakers or shirt or pants or just about anything else you use for origin and I'll bet most of those articles come from a non-friendly or dirt poor nation. What should we do about that? Buy $3000 really really made in america cranks suitable for a stock rebuild? Buy $100 really really made in america shirts? Before you start to wave Old Glory in front of me you're going to have to come up with a viable alternative. Oh yeah, and just for a sanity check, I've worked for 35 years helping to produce missle combat systems for the Navy and you wouldn't believe which countries use our stuff.

 

I have one in my 406, I just tore it down after 140 passes and 15,000 hard street miles. I run it to 7300rpm, and everything looks peachy...

 

well i grew up with my mom working at the Norfolk, Va Ford assembly plant as an electrician and she was always telling my brother sister and I be american buy american and help keep our people in this country employed and i still live by that today and that is why i go out of my way to buy parts for my vette that are made here in the good old U.S.A so when i see places like VB&P, Van Steel and BIG632 making quality and very nice parts i will always spend the extra bucks to buy from people like them. i was very disapointed though when i got my new GMPP 350 block and it had a made in mexice tag on it it also has mexico stamped on the back driverside where the numbers are last time i ever buy one of those again. lets just say i was a little pized off.

 

Depending on the application, I wouldn't hesitate to use some of Scat's 4340NT cranks. I used a pair in the 540's I built for my boat and I have never worried about the cranks and these offshore powerboat engine's take alot of abuse - either they're being run WOT for extended periors of time, or the the throttle icontinuously being modulated on and off WOT when the water is rough. Valvetrains are what I worry about.

Additionally, I know of many competitive and championship winning cars in NMCA/NMRA that use forged Scat cranks and those engines are making up to 2000hp or more with turbos, blowers or nitrous.

With that said, I'm a big fan of Crower and used one of their billet Ultralight's in my 1200hp twin turbo SBC427 engine and will probably use one of their cranks in the twin turbo LS7X I'm building.

 

vettfixr, i understand. believe me, i'm not one of those "buy American" kool-aide drinkers. if we don't make a good product, then we don't deserve the business. i'm also not refuting your ascertion that there are many factors precluding the manufacture of goods here in the states. however, i would rather buy a product made in mexico (they're not exactly our friends either, but they're not exactly an enemy), korea or taiwan. just not china. i hold china in the same catagory as iran. how many of you would buy iranian products? either way, why?
i am fully aware of the reality that there is hardly anything NOT being made in china. anybody ever wonder why? anybody ever wonder how a company can pay to have a bag of plastic forks (for instance) molded, packaged and shipped across a 7000 mile ocean and still make more profit than if someone, anyone, in north or even south america did the same job? one thing is for sure, it ain't because the poor sap in the factory is making bank every day.

 

I think we're in violent agreement. I too try to buy american whenever I can. My car has the full VB&P suspension, Van Steel trailing arms, Crane cam, SR Torquer heads, etc. It's just becoming very hard to get good quality parts that aren't outsourced to foreign companies. I think I have to blame the government for some of that. I want clean air and safe working conditions as much as the next guy but the extremes that the government goes to just makes it near impossible to start a viable manufacturing business anymore. I feel sorry for kids getting started today with such an uncertain future. I've only got about 7 years to go before retirement. I'd hate to be facing job decisions today with 40 or 50 years still left to work. I have two Japanese cars now and next year when the leases are up the wife and I were planning on getting a new Lincoln Zephyr. Guess what, it's made in Mexico. I guess I can't understand how we're sending all our work there but the mexicans keep crossing the border in droves to work here. And what I was saying about my job is true. About 10 years ago I was sitting in a meeting sponsored by the Navy to sell one of our premier weapons systems to a foreign land. As I sat there I had to laugh because the pitch was being given by a German fellow and we were trying to sell the system to Japan. Go figure.

 

Another VW fan.
Here's one of my '67s.

and the motor (not quite complete)

 

Since we are of topic: I am a hardcore Chevy guy But In 1982 I bought a 1978 924 Porche because it had a rear seeat and I wanted a sports car. Raced a stock base engine 1978 Corvette straight up 1/4 mile and BLEW HIS DOORS OFF!! With a 4 banger. Sorry vette guys! I have changed my ways.