Trickflow heads - gone for good?

[Urgefor]

I saw a posting in private classifieds looking for Trickflow heads last night.  I checked Trickflow's website after seeing the post and noted their lead time was August or so of this year.  Might have been September or October, but I can't confirm since their website now shows this for availability.  Did we just lose a nice option for cylinder heads?

[mbrunson427]

I talked with them at PRI. They had a supplier issue on heads and intakes, sounds like they use 15+ foundries for their products and a handful of them closed. That caused them to have to start back from scratch changing foundries on certain products.

He didn't tell us this, but any wise business you'd assume would start by getting their most popular products back on-line and work your way down the list.

[Urgefor]

He didn't tell us this, but any wise business you'd assume would start by getting their most popular products back on-line and work your way down the list.

I agree with that statement wholeheartedly.  The part that concerns me the most (I forgot to mention it earlier) is that along with the heads being marked as "Not Available", you can no longer choose FE as an option for their Ford head offerings on their website.  That tends to make me think it might be something more than just getting a product back online.  I certainly hope that isn't the case though.

[thatdarncat]

I talked to Trick Flow at the SEMA show last fall, pretty sure this subject came up last year and I replied there after my conversation with them, but yes, they confirmed at that time just big issues getting back up to “normal” after the pandemic. Same issues Jay dealt with for a couple years - foundries got super busy, they had to take care of larger customers, even larger than Trick Flow, loss of experienced employees and difficulties getting them replaced. They’ve tried switching to different foundries but that often requires trial and error at the new foundry to get the “pour” to work right. And often using a different foundry requires totally new tooling, which is a major expense. The Trick Flow guys assured me the FE products, both heads & intakes have been good sellers, and they didn’t have any intention to drop them, but they’re extremely frustrated too getting stuff back up to speed. I believe they’re telling the truth, since I’ve seen Jay and other local companies dealing with the same stuff. Let’s hope so.

[hwoods]

don't know if still available?


https://www.racingjunk.com/heads/184460773/trick-flow-heads-fe-390-428-power-port-175.html?category_id=1283&np_offset=54

[Fordman]

There are several sets left on eBay, both assembled and bare. It's not like there are NONE left out there. Just saying....

[My427stang]

I hope they aren't gone, but it's not only the FE heads.  I have a couple SBC customers and a SBF that we ended up going with other brands because of the sliding delivery date

I hope Trick Flow itself starts to get going, they have been a unique and affordable option for many engines for a long time.

[galaxiex]

There are several sets left on eBay, both assembled and bare. It's not like there are NONE left out there. Just saying....

Beware the delivery date on those Ebay parts.
If they say a couple or 3 months out, that means the seller does NOT have stock,
and they are projecting the delivery "when" they get them from the manufacturer.

[GerryP]

One of these days, everyone will be over their covid.  People are tired of the excuses.  Businesses that don't live up to customer expectations will be replaced by a business that can.  It's not a useful model anymore to be long on excuses and short on products.  Trick Flow needs to find a foundry...even if it's in Iran, that can make the product.  I fully understand manufacturing is a complex system, but money always lubricates the gears so companies who are not motivated and are eager to say they got that covid monkey on their back need to be replaced by the movers.  I mean Edelbrock too.  It seems all they have in stock is the gift shop merch, and they won't be in business long selling t-shirts and stickers.

[galaxiex]

I have a Trick Flow FE head saved in my wish list at Summit.
It "used to" say available a few months out.

It now says "Not Available".

Not a good sign....

[1968galaxie]

The Trick Flow used to be cast at the Edelbrock Foundry. You can see the EF round logo on the TF castings.
Perhaps Edelbrock/CPG (CPG - Comp Performance Group) does no longer want to cast cylinder heads for competition? Or raised the cost making TF look somewhere else for casting.
Perhaps someone knows?

[351crules]

i've been collecting parts for my build but crap like this is why i'm seriously considering jumping into a 460 based motor..

[cjshaker]

i've been collecting parts for my build but crap like this is why i'm seriously considering jumping into a 460 based motor..

It's still easier now to find parts than it used to be, even in the '70s and '80s. And there are still several good options for FE heads. It's hardly a 'make or break' deal.

[351crules]

no readily available single plane intakes, blocks aren't readily available, almost all heads live in the past. etc etc

[blykins]

Pond blocks are in stock, have Trick Flow Tunnel Wedges in stock.....