$400 Valve Covers...? Really?

[Franks86gn]

I know it's a free market but, dam! Not sure what's up with the sticker on them either. Seems like those would burn/peel/fall off after a heat cycle. These were going for around $280 - $320 or so and I thought that was high but thought okay, they do come with the fancy 45` breathers. Now the asking price goes way up.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BUICK-GRAND...ies&hash=item1e7d6714b9&vxp=mtr#ht_210wt_1162

 

[GerrywithaG]

those are the GN1 Performance covers. same price as on their website besides the "buy it now" part

 

[coach]

The stickers look real cheesy for sure. As for the cover, its the same ones Mark sells. His starting price is the actual selling price. Offering a Buy it now for a $100, well if you just cant wait for the auction to end...that's your fault.
Champion covers are $140 and a good polish job would cost more then $150 so Mark's are a good deal. The breather stands are nice too. If you buy the Metco 45 degree breathers...they are $45 bucks or so for one side. Add it all up.
$140 plus shipping
$150 or more to polish...plus shipping.
$90 for 2 Metco breather stands...plus shipping
$50 to weld the stands on because they do not fit that style of cover...
He is not totally out of this world by any means...sad to say.

 

[Franks86gn]

Thanks for insight on these Coach.
I've been looking for the plain champion covers and can't find any. The breathers I've got covered.

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[Grumpy]

I thought the China crap was suppose to be cheap ??

 

[dr_frankenstein]

thats a real poor polish for 150 bucks.

i wouldnt pay a penny over 50 bucks for a buff job like that...

might as well rub it down with a piece of cheddar cheese.

 

[coach]

thats a real poor polish for 150 bucks.

i wouldnt pay a penny over 50 bucks for a buff job like that...

might as well rub it down with a piece of cheddar cheese.

I'm not saying that it did cost $150, I said if you were going to try to do a set yourself...that's what you'd have in it. I just got my waterpump back from Mirror Finish Polishing. It was $257 with the protective glazing. Your not gonna get a pair of rough cast covers, like the Champions, done for less then $300.
The covers from Mark could be buffed to a great finish in about 30 mins each.

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[Franks86gn]

Wow! That is a good lookin water pump!!!

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[EVIL]

I just got my waterpump back from Mirror Finish Polishing. It was $257 with the protective glazing

Damn! What museum are you putting your motor in? That is going to shine for sure! I wouldn't mind seeing a completed pic.

D

 

[dr_frankenstein]

that water pump, Absolutly i would pay what you did! thats about on par as to what i would charge, but i dont use glaze... i use sealer. im always afriad of glaze yellowing with engine heat.

That pump is gnarly hard to buff with the amount of corners it has... ive done my fair share and im impressed with there work. I bet they have atleast 3 different 14" inch wheels with greaseless compounds to round it that nice... it would have to be a big wheel... the labor would kill em on anything under a 10"

But no pro shop period should charge more then 150 for rough valve covers... anything more is a total rip-off. Valve covers are flat, limited corners... thats a 1.5 hour job with a big machine. And thats hand sanding the casting to prevent waves! Im a little polishing shop compare to most and I only charge 125 shipped to and fro for any buick covers and im making a little profit. So a big shop is just taking somebody when they charge more especially with the larger equipment.

 

[coach]

Don't know for sure. Im having my covers chromed, not polished.
I'll PM you the quotes I got for a few other pieces and get your opinion.


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[dr_frankenstein]

Don't know for sure. Im having my covers chromed, not polished.
I'll PM you the quotes I got for a few other pieces and get your opinion.

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honestly i wouldnt worry tooo much, it shows your polisher knows what he is doing.... so his price is probably a reflection of his skill more then his service. I wouldnt blame him a bit for being on the high side! good buffing is hard to find, and being that good - he can get away with it.

now chroming... thats just beautyful, hard and scratch resistant!

im jealous!

 

[earlbrown]

Don't know for sure. Im having my covers chromed, not polished.

I've got a set of chrome plated stock valve covers and I HATE them. When I built my engine I wrinkle finished them black and exposed the chrome fins.... It looked killer the the black flaked off and flew all under the hood.

 

[coach]

I've got a set of chrome plated stock valve covers and I HATE them. When I built my engine I wrinkle finished them black and exposed the chrome fins.... It looked killer the the black flaked off and flew all under the hood.

I have no choice. They cannot be polished. I have modified them and no shop could ever do a sufficient job.
I only use Paul's Chrome Plating in Mars, Pa. They are the top chrome shop in the USA and have been for years.

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[coach]

Damn! What museum are you putting your motor in? That is going to shine for sure! I wouldn't mind seeing a completed pic.

D

Sorry Evil, I missed this post. I will post pics of the completed motor as soon as I get it. It's still at the builders. I have a few items at the powdercoaters and a few still at the platers. I'm hoping its all finished within a month


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[longball]

[quote="I'm hoping its all finished within a month."[/quote]

Cool. Can't wait to see it. I'll bet it will be so shiny that you can see it from the space station!

 

[Franks86gn]

eBay seller FEES!!! That's what it is! Do you guys know there was a huge increase? 10% flat fee... WOW!

 

[GerrywithaG]

eBay seller FEES!!! That's what it is! Do you guys know there was a huge increase? 10% flat fee... WOW!

just found that out the other day.... even on an item i didn't sell!

 

[EVIL]

just found that out the other day.... even on an item i didn't sell!

only on sold items. You only pay an insertion fee it it doesn’t sell. 35 cents or so.
There’s no way they can charge 10% on a $400 item you didn’t sell. No one would use Ebay.

D

 

[GerrywithaG]

i tried to sell one item for 300.00 buy it now, it didn't sell and then i got a bill for 3.00 for a "monthly fee". i don't remember there being a monthly fee but maybe i just haven't used ebay in so long.