Russ:
Yes, as you said they have changed hands...many times. When I designed them
after our meet at MO in 2002, Mrs Summers still owned the company, and
retained it through the first two or three orders. After that it went to
another group whom I had no problem getting good product from. After them, in
about 2006, it went to two guys with manufacturing backgrounds. It was at this
time that things started to fall apart. It took about 6-8 months to get the
last pair from these guys. It may have sold again since then.
Just to clarify things; Summers can build good stuff. When Joe Siam started
with his design, about the same time I was trying to get the last pair, Joe
was bringing his design out. His axles were being made by Summers, and we were
competing for production time. I don't know if Joe still uses Summers to make
the axles for his conversion, but, the axles were not the weak point of my
design. It was the bearing change. Besides, Joe's axles are designed with a
much greater safety margin. The axles I designed filled a need until someone
was willing to jump in with something better.
-Ed-
--- On Thu, 1/17/13, Spitfire Racing <Spitfire_Racing@twcny.rr.com> wrote:
From: Spitfire Racing <Spitfire_Racing@twcny.rr.com>
Subject: Re: [Fot] Spitfire axles
To: "'Diesel Performance Parts - Info'" <info@dieselperformanceparts.com>,
fot@autox.team.net
Date: Thursday, January 17, 2013, 7:48 AM
It's my understanding the company "Summers Brothers" has been sold a number
of times in the past 10-15 years. What they sell today is not what was being
offered back in the day. At one point their one piece axles were the stuff
you could put on a coffee table in the living room as art work.
Russ Moore
Spitfire #49
-----Original Message-----
From: fot-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of Diesel Performance Parts - Info
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2013 7:59 AM
To: 'fot@autox.team.net'
Subject: [Fot] Spitfire axles
I have to agree with Ed Barnard, I am the guy that bought new Summers Bros
axles on the advise of past buyers and they changed the design even again
and didn't tell me. Currently I have a old SCCA Square tail that I loved to
race that is in 1000 pieces as the axles failed at Savannah and I did 4.5
rolls and that was in two different left and right directions. Luckily it
was on the back part of the track vs the long last turn sweeper at WFO in
4th gear or the slow down for the 1 corner. I might not be able to type this
if it had been there.
I am currently converting this car to GT6 type axles with CV joints.
Hopefully it will work out great. With the GT6 stuff even if an axle breaks
the wheel stays verticle and you can drive out of the situation safely.
Mark Craig
Diesel Performance Parts, INC.
411 Allied Drive
Nashville, TN 37211
866-455-7788 Phone
615-834-9923 Fax
www.dieselperformanceparts.com
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