For the first roundtable of Expo 2024, Lake Speed Jr and Joe Castello sat down with a group from Andrews, Godbold Engineering, UEM, and Straub Technologies to answer the questions “why can’t anyone get flat tappet camshafts” and “why is everything so freaking expensive?”
The guys discuss the mess that is the post-Covid supply chain, the skyrocketing cost of raw materials, and the tradeoff between higher initial costs and the better reliability of roller cams as major factors affecting the industry.
The roundtable winds up with the conclusion that it might be the time for engine builders to be looking to move beyond the old and failure-prone flat tappets that haven’t been produced by the OEs in a generation. It might also be time for the industry to acknowledge the beloved small block is on its way out.
(Segment originally aired live on January 11, 2024)
↓ Have a thought about this episode? Scroll down to leave a comment below! ↓
Have a comment about this episode? Join the discussion!