Thread: Total Performance out of business?????

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There always was some business relationship between Speedway and TP, even if it was just that they sold each other parts. For example, the chrome Corvair steering arm that we had snap in half was bought from Speedway, but it was sold to them by TP. Speedway was a little upset when that happened because they immediately pulled the arms from inventory and stopped selling them, but TP refused to make any changes, and continued on selling the same arm.

Don

Originally Posted by Itoldyouso

...For example, the chrome Corvair steering arm that we had snap in half was bought from Speedway, but it was sold to them by TP. Speedway was a little upset when that happened because they immediately pulled the arms from inventory and stopped selling them, but TP refused to make any changes, and continued on selling the same arm.

Don

I remember that... It makes we wonder about the spindles I bought from TP... hope they don't follow suit!

I think you will be ok. For the most part Mickey carried some pretty good stuff. He knew his market and focused on it and stayed away from trying to branch out into too many areas that might not work for him. I do think they were experiencing cash flow problems at times though, as they would sometimes be able to ship you some of your order but "their vendors were backordered" on some others. That seemed to be happening more frequently in the past couple of years. No sin in that, most small businesses experience those lean times when vendors ask you to clean up some old bills before new orders are filled.

However, I did notice a decline in the quality of a couple of the items he was carrying lately............most notably the bodies. They have always been on the thin side, but the 2 or 3 he had stacked at Turkey Run were about as bad as I have seen anywhere. Huge parting lines, and seams where the various panels fit together. I walked up and looked at them and was pretty shocked. You always get those vendors at swap meets who are selling T bodies that they popped out in their home garages or small shops, and they look like they will take a ton of work to get them 1/2 way decent. That was the impression I got from seeing the ones he had on display at Daytona..........very cheaply made.

He does seem to have a fairly good product with the King T he is selling. Not a bad little track type T, and as with all the stuff he sold, you can buy every little piece to complete the car.

Don

Speedway is hiring more help because of the buyout. Lots of help wanted ads in the paper.