SPLparts.com and Tougefactory.com quandry (sp?)

[Flybert]

Anyone else notice that they are selling the exact same suspension parts? It seems as though tougefactory figured out who is making SPLparts.com's product.

Their TC rods and RUCAs are the exact same thing and if I'm not mistaken, their subframe spacers are the same as well.

I bought my TC rods and RUCAs (vatos would think your talking about your woman) from SPLparts and fully support them but what's up with this? And just like undercutters pizza, it seems as though Tougefactory is beating SPL's price slightly.

[DRFT]

I noticed them too a while back. but haven't seen them in person to really comfirm it.

[Flybert]

Those RUCAs are definitely the same. They are that same navy blue paint with the same bushing and hardware. The TC rods are polished aluminum as well with the same bushing. I also believe that SPL sells their subframe bushings in blue despite the picture on their site.

[KiDyNomiTe]

So whats the problem?

Two companies in two different places selling similar items. It's not like they make the parts. They just sell em.

I plan on buying things from TougeFactory mainly cuz I know the owner, and he lives near me. Plus his prices tend to be the cheapest I've seen.

[Flybert]

I don't have a problem with it at all. I was just wondering what was going on, that's all. I've heard nothing but good things about both places but was just a little curious.

[KiDyNomiTe]

Oh, well ya I have heard great things about SPL Parts. And have seen a lot of TougeFactory's products in person. Drift catered shops are opening up all over, and most of them are really good quality products.

Next up is Works Yamaguchi (Indiana) which looks pretty promising.

[CoasTek240]

seems like some good quality competition to me. Thats exactly what we need to drive those prices down so that us poor folk can afford nice things too. lol;)

[transient]

It's always a good idea to keep an eye on who's making what parts. Usually it can help you find them cheaper.

[zero.counter]

Originally posted by Flybert
(vatos would think your talking about your woman)
Simone way....

Anyways, about the prices...competitiveness is what drives their business. Its great to see two good companies with the same parts for an almost equally matched price.

I like tougefactory especially because of the Charge Speed kit for the S13 coupe.

[Ryan of Velocity]

"Next up is Works Yamaguchi (Indiana) which looks pretty promising.


Lol. Thanks. We are actually working on our own line called D'Stage. We will be making a number of our own parts and have some contracted out locally. We're lucky to be where we are since we have plenty of sources for amazing products by companies who build parts for F1, Indy, etc.. Race capital of the world here. lol. Anywho...

The fact is that alot of the companies out there are getting their parts from the same place, I see it alot. There is nothing wrong with that, that's why companies who make a generic product are there. Companies put their label on them and sell them under their name brand. Alot of places have the same stuff but different name, paint, etc.. Alot of times your just buying a name.

Do you think that all those tuning shops in Japan make their own stuff? Carbon aero, exhausts, suspension, etc.. no way. They don't have the capabilities but that doesn't make the parts any lower quality.

The name is a big deal no matter what is being sold. If I had the choice between some Kei Office coilovers and a generic brand that is very similar I would go with Kei Office even if they were a few hundred more becuase, well, they are Kei Office. lol.

Anywho, I'm rambling. Oh and our first product to be released to the public will be front/rear sway bar kits. Our prototype kit wiill be done within' the week and Alan from Project240 is going to be taking them for a test spin (i.e., trying to break them) lol.

[Dousan_PG]

hey ryan nailed it
if you knew how much HKS had their exhausts made, trust me, you wouldnt buy them! haha

anyways, splparts does the research and they have the knowledge. the stuff they sell is top quality and well made

touge factory does the same, they sell a lot of cool stuff as well!!

who you buy from falls into loyalty and reputation. both are great companies, both sell pretty unique and high quality parts

so its up the the buyer where to purchase from. its like buying CHEX. buy it at the local super market or the corner mart, you get the same thing. so you just decided which one to buy it at. either way, you get the same great product.

most japanese products are just rebadged, ya'll heard of SECTION? hahaha...that's probably the msot 'well known' example. there are quite a lot more. :)


YO RYAN! when you release the sway bars i wanna check them out! i want to see your endlink design haha! so you use sotck endlinks or your own? or what? im so down for getting new sway bars!!!!
but i need a s14 rear one and s13 front one...i have s15 subframe about to put on car (waiting for my SPLParts.com rear arms to arrive and my zbrake drum stuff).....i need sways!!! :)
ill have to email you shortly about it! cant wait to see it! GOOD LUCK!

[Ryan of Velocity]

Yup even alot of the BIG companies do it to. Tomei's Trax LSD is made by Kaaz from what I hear and so and so on.

Anywho about the sway bars. The S14's will be done in a few weeks along with the Z32s (Mike from Grip will be testing those. lol). The sway bars will originally be coming with sustec end links while we are finishing up our nice adjustable design. The bar diameters are going to be 1.25'' (front) and .87'' (rear) but custom sizes are going to be available as well. If someone wants specific sizes we will be able to do that as well.

Other than the sway bars there will also be rear trailing arms, the mother of all tie rods (w/ends), tension rods, upper camber links, control arms, full subframes, ladder bars, roll cages, and one hell of a race-spec coilover system among other things.

Anywho, what made you decide to throw an S15 subframe on? lol. How much of a weight difference is there?

[Steeles]

stock are 27.2mm front and 15.9mm rear
ST are 28.6mm front and 20.6mm rear
Cusco are 30mm front and 21mm rear


annnnnd Im too lazy right now to convert and compare ryan's work ;) but just for comparisons sake thought I 'd throw that in...

[Dousan_PG]

mike is testingit? HAHA yeah he'll sure beat on them. that guys nuts. we went touge w/ him haha. INSANE :) but fun as hell. he knows me. ill have to call him later about them (after all the testing), my friend w/ a z32tt might go for them as well! :)

anyways, sounds good

weight of s15 subframe, NO IDEA! but it feels ligher, but ill find out for sure later when i gte it out and stop being lazy, i got all adjustable arms for it and rear z32 brakes..so just gotta get off my ass and get it on the lift! d'oh!

also s15 subframe was free and most of the parts are very very very cheap (sponsors) or free, so no reason not to try it. if i dont like it, just swap my old back. its nice having use of a lift and conning 5 friends to help hahahahaha!

[SittinOnDubsWGW]

Originally posted by KiDyNomiTe
Next up is Works Yamaguchi (Indiana) which looks pretty promising.

I'll be stopping in there sometime soon, hopefully this week or next, to check it out. I've kept meaning to swing in there sometime to check out the shop, but havent ever gotten around to it.

I've heard nothing but good things about the place, so I want to scope it out, and get some prices on some future purchases for the summer.

[PROJECT240SX]

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't it convert to 31.75mm for the front and 22mm for the rear? Bigger than Cusco by an 1.75mm in the front and 1mm in the rear.


Ivan

[Dousan_PG]

we need sway bars like LARGUS size! muhahahaha :)

(but right now, my suspensionw ouldnt match such well, i guess? how does one decide what size is appropriate? where's THX and Halz??)

[Ryan of Velocity]

Originally posted by SittinOnDubsWGW
I'll be stopping in there sometime soon, hopefully this week or next, to check it out. I've kept meaning to swing in there sometime to check out the shop, but havent ever gotten around to it.

I've heard nothing but good things about the place, so I want to scope it out, and get some prices on some future purchases for the summer.


Right on. We're open from 11am-7pm M-S. You wouldn't happen to be the guy from Ball State with the S13 with Advans would you?


We were debating about the sway bar sizes and ended up with those sizes on the reccomendation of a certain race teams head engineer. lol. They are fatties. lol. If the sizes seem too large for someone we have no issues at all with doing custom sizes.

I'm assuming you'll be at D1 Dousan? I'm actually going to be able to make it to this one. We'll have to hook up or something. I have a bunch of people I have to do the "meet and greet" with but since there are only two of us coming we'll be looking for someone to hang out with. lol.

Does anyone know what the deal is with this D1? Are US drivers being invited or is it all D1 teams only? I was talking to Kelly from HPI not that long ago and they are supposed to be sending their S15 to D1 where Koguchi will be driving it. A shop in Oki is supposed to be shipping a car and driver over too (Techno Speed is their name I think). Anywho it's a full tune S15 with the frugly Veilside kit.

[Steeles]

ooooh nice! :D when will these be ready? I need sway bars lol. they been on the back burner for WAAAAY too long

[Dousan_PG]

yeah im there for sure
definately meet up and hang out. if i had a place to stay for you, i would, might later thru a friend (i just rent a room in a house, no room really--its tiny). HMMM. most of my close friends and LOTS of people im sure youve been talking w/ online forthe past years that would be super great to meet up with. if you need a hand, let me know, i should be free (so far so good)
drive you around and such if needs be and all.

from what im told, its invite only to be a driver (meaing probaby have the same US drivers as last year and maybe a fwe more---i hope chris, signal usa driver---can participate!!!). meaning you have to be probably connected or well known drifter. but that's all ive heard, and thats' just hearsay, no REAL info but whats been pasted onto me!

now the drifting.com site says (see what i bolded):

Friday February 27, 2004 - Trade set-up, Drivers Search and Media Day

10:00am Vendor and pit set-up begins
10:30am Vendor and pit set-up, cont.
11:00am Vendor and pit set-up, cont.
11:30pm Vendor and pit set-up, cont.
12:00pm Media orientation
12:30pm Media orientation, cont.
1:00pm Demonstration runs, media ride-alongs, driver interviews
1:30pm Demonstration runs, media ride-alongs, driver interviews, cont.
2:00pm Demonstration runs, media ride-alongs, driver interviews, cont.
2:30pm Demonstration runs, media ride-alongs, driver interviews, cont.
3:00pm Car Show early registration open
3:30pm Demonstration runs, media ride-alongs, driver interviews ends
4:00pm Close track





driver searcH? but no info elsewhere (d1gp.com or club4ag.com)

the only info the club4ag site gives is this:


Later in 2004, a Drivers Search event will be held in the U.S. to allow
local drivers to qualify for the 2005 D1 Grand Prix series. Details of this
Drivers Search event will be made available by the February 28th D1 Grand
Prix.


later meaning end of 2004??? for 2005 event??


soooo no idea quite yet :( i wanna try again!

[KiDyNomiTe]

Originally posted by Dousan_PG


later meaning end of 2004??? for 2005 event??


soooo no idea quite yet :( i wanna try again!

I read somewhere that info on the D1 Driver search would be released on the day of D1. So most likely the Driver search will be sometime in 2004, for the 2005 season.

Ryan - How far are you guys from the South Bend Drift event, if you aren't too far I might try and make it to your shop. And will you guys be there?

[Ryan of Velocity]

Yeah they seem to be really good at withholding information on exactly what it going on. lol. We'll be flying in on the morning of the 27th and renting a car so transportation is taken care of:) Probably gonna find some cheap as motel room to stay in and we'll be leaving on the first.

Kiddynomite -
We'll definantly be at the south bend event, that's the US drift one right? I'm hoping the have the Z ready for all these comps but it all depends on my money situation. The S13 will be ready for all of them though. We had to pull the "big turbo" off because of a seal problem and need to get that straightened out, we yanked the motor out to freshen it up and just went ahead and threw the stock turbo back on to get emanage dialed in with the stock injectors and then pick big nasty back on and tune it for the big injectors. Anywho, our shop is probably about 3 hours away from South Bend.


The S13/S14/Z32 sway bars will be ready for purchase by the end of this month. All the prototypes will be ready at the end of this week and will be given the run through to test their performance/durability. The projected retail price at the moment for front and rear with all hardware (endlinks, etc.) is around $215.00 and they will come powdercoated our signature purple. lol. We have a two hour debate (i.e. argument) on what color we were going to go with. I wanted safety cone orange but we ended up purple. lol.

[KiDyNomiTe]

Ya its the US Drift one. I guess I will see you guys then, bringing the ClubFR noob fleet with :D

Good luck with that Z32, by S13 I take it you mean the coupe on the site right.

[Dousan_PG]

Originally posted by Ryan of Velocity
The S13/S14/Z32 sway bars will be ready for purchase by the end of this month. All the prototypes will be ready at the end of this week and will be given the run through to test their performance/durability. The projected retail price at the moment for front and rear with all hardware (endlinks, etc.) is around $215.00 and they will come powdercoated our signature purple. lol. We have a two hour debate (i.e. argument) on what color we were going to go with. I wanted safety cone orange but we ended up purple. lol.

damn that's hot! what type of enlink are you using? same as stock style??? or whiteline style? :(

purple is hot! :) hehehe...love it. still wish i could paint my car that color (LV4)

[SittinOnDubsWGW]

Originally posted by Ryan of Velocity
Right on. We're open from 11am-7pm M-S. You wouldn't happen to be the guy from Ball State with the S13 with Advans would you?

Well... yes I go to Ball State, and yes I have an S13 (green fastback), BUT its on Gram Lights (gold), NOT Advans, and I have not seen any other s13's here on campus with wheels at all. I have seen a red pignose with exhaust, but doesnt look like it has anything else done to it.

What / When is this "drift event" in South Bend, I have not heard anything about it.

Also when I come down to the shop, I might come w/ Jason (evil s14) if he has time to swing by w/ me.

[Steeles]

woot sounds like I just found my sway bars!! mmm purple.

[CoasTek240]

RyAn- i'm in for a set of sways. i've been meaning to get them for a while, but was saving out till i foudn a set a lil beefier than ST not as expensive as Cusco or largus.

so what do i need to do to get these asap?
pm me

[wanganwonder]

so back to tougefactory . . . anybody else noticed the rear upper brace thing? Perfect harness bar for $100, and i could have a friend weld on a camera mount easily. simply awesome.

[KiDyNomiTe]

The pillar bar you mean?

My friends getting that soon, looks like a good deal for the price, but I can't figure out why it wont work for 89-90s.

[Steeles]

Originally posted by wanganwonder
so back to tougefactory . . . anybody else noticed the rear upper brace thing? Perfect harness bar for $100, and i could have a friend weld on a camera mount easily. simply awesome.

hmm I can see it as a camera mount but I dont thinkI'd trust it as a harness bar....

[Ryan of Velocity]

"Well... yes I go to Ball State, and yes I have an S13 (green fastback), BUT its on Gram Lights (gold), NOT Advans, and I have not seen any other s13's here on campus with wheels at all. I have seen a red pignose with exhaust, but doesnt look like it has anything else done to it."


I meant to say Volks, lol. I remeber seeing your car a few times. If you saw a dirty VR4 with a front mount that was my car. Anywho, Jason is here all the time. lol.


"damn that's hot! what type of enlink are you using? same as stock style??? or whiteline style?
purple is hot! hehehe...love it. still wish i could paint my car that color (LV4)"

At first they are going to come with the Sustec endlinks while we finish up our nice adjustable design after they are finished. Purple is cool, but I still like safety cone orange. lol.



"Ya its the US Drift one. I guess I will see you guys then, bringing the ClubFR noob fleet with Good luck with that Z32, by S13 I take it you mean the coupe on the site right."

Yeah we'll see you there. The S13 is the one on our site. Motor goes back in tonight and it should be ready for the dyno in a few days then we need to dial the suspension in real well.

[formeRiceR]

Originally posted by transient
It's always a good idea to keep an eye on who's making what parts. Usually it can help you find them cheaper.

hahaha... I know where tougefactory gets their stuff...found out on my trip to tokyo, don't worry though....the source seems very reputable...

[swifty949]

Originally posted by Ryan of Velocity
Anywho it's a full tune S15 with the frugly Veilside kit.

you mean this one???

http://www.veilsidejpn.com/at04/img/s15/S15_front.jpg

The red one is a full carbon fiber widebody 540hp time attack car. A yellow one will be a factory D1 drift car for Veilside. It was unveiled at TAS.