changes at Talon

[TalonMotorFabrication]

I think my personal problems with the juggling act that is home vs workshop is fairly common knowledge on here to most people so I won't go over it again but lets just say it's got worse and leave it at that. October was make or break time and to the people that had enough faith to spend money on a products that nobody had seen (and still hav'nt till it gets delivered) you have saved Talon as a venture and my salvation that gives me a bolt hole....

Some times I have a real problem in that I know how to make parts/products to solve a problem/demand but don't always have either the time or funding to back up my ideas, a very common problem it seems. So I raised this issue with some people that are far more eddicated than myself and they pointed out the problem straight away...I started this mostly as a hobby as a temporary distraction and priced parts to sell just to cover my humble over heads. I under cut every other company/group that was producing fabricated parts by around 1/3, now they have mostly gone and I'm still producing parts at the same price.
After 5 years of struggling to cover the basic overheads and running costs during the quite periods dumb arse here has finally realised that maybe people are willing to pay for the parts I make.

This year I'm going for it as they say so after a few long discussions about how to make this work I've been told to stop talking about it just go and do it. So now that I've been given my slap in the face and told to grow a pair of business balls I will be working on £25 an hour which is going to have quite an effect on my prices. People have said in the past that my prices have been fair and that I'm about to price myself out of the market, true but then the people that can/will make their own parts are customers I've already lost.

As of the start of Feb orders that are taken during a bi monthly period will all be given the same delivery date, order between 1st March and 1st May and your order will be sent the first Monday after the 1st. This way I'm not worrying about new orders coming in before I've cleared the current ones it also gives me one date to aim at instead of getting in mucking fuddle over delivery dates.

A range of new TMXR or reworked products from both Vodou and SSC will be coming soon after I have cleared my current workload in the next 2 weeks and done some urgent jobs around the workshop. These parts will be produced in an effort to make Talon a one stop shop for all the various suspension designs to suit what ever route people have gone down with their builds. I have turned work away in the past where Vodou, SSC and Haynes 57's builders have hit a wall and have struggled to go any further with a 'not my problem' answer but in the long run it does neither me or them any favors.

One new addition to the workshop in the new future may be another pair of part time hands although that depends how sales go in the next 3-4 months, it will allow me to carry on with the type of work I'm known for and give me a chance to work on the new stuff. The Roadster has not had the research or development done to it the same as the Locost and every thing is a bit vague when it comes to how to set them up properly and get the most from them. Hopefuly if all said above pays off then the answers may start coming and Roadster builders will be able to find what these things are capable of.

Keep an eye on my website for new products and release dates as I'm planning on making more use of it from now on, I've found the statics section a few weeks ago and nearly fell off the chair when I opened it!

Happy New year all and keep on building.

Phil Eagle Talon Motor Fabrication

[K4KEV]

Good luck Phil...I hope it works out for you.

[TSM Locost]

Good luck and all the best for 2015, The year of the Eagle.

[NeilW]

Good luck mate, an idea that maybe of interest is group buys. From the other post of progress reports there are a few whom are not yet started or near started, could be useful for you to offer group buys on the premise that it will bring a constant work load (especially after xmas) and for the builders it may offer a slight discount.
Just a thought.

[TalonMotorFabrication]

Originally Posted by NeilW

Good luck mate, an idea that maybe of interest is group buys. From the other post of progress reports there are a few whom are not yet started or near started, could be useful for you to offer group buys on the premise that it will bring a constant work load (especially after xmas) and for the builders it may offer a slight discount.
Just a thought.

I used to offer quite a lot of group buys on here to try and get the funding for the tools to produce them like roll bars and full rollcages, it got to the point where it was causing a few members on here to see me as a leach on this forum. If I run a group buy in the future it will be for bits like suspension components or other small parts that are not my own products.

[dubzter]

All I can say is all the best and I can't wait to get my hands on the stuff you're doing for me and to get a start on building it.

[gtipping]

Good luck Phil as others fall by the wayside your determination will pay off

[alga]

Phil, you're doing a great service to the community. Best of luck in the new year. Look after yourself, beware of burnout.

[Ianr]

You have already helped me with your products Phil - and as soon as you are up and running I will be looking for more (you make them a lot better than I can). I hope this move gives you the stability you need for a long term future in the manufacturing business.
good luck
Ian

[garyt]

good luck Phil and all the best for 2015,
Gary