My rebuild kit today and I am so excited.:love
Here are the pics

http://dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189279

what makes that a so-called stage 3 kit??? looks like your standard incomplete regular rebuild kit, unless you didnt photograph everything?????? :shrug

stage 3 just means you got a reground crank. eh

prices are better then howell on the reg stage 2.

im starting to think that all these posts about concept illusions products are from the actual company and not members of the board.

They're not, so stop thinking.

on thier sight, they offer "remanufactured" cranks. how the hell do you "remanufacture" a crank shaft? isn't it a solid peice of metal....?
and yes, what makes this a "stage 3 kit"?

James that is the most stupidest thing you said all this board. Come on James they operate in PA and I am Kissimmee, FL so working for them is out of the question.


This is what their stage 3 kit comes with. It maybe not be a stage 3 to your standards but thats what they are saying it is okay!!

JE Pistons w/ Rings
Eagle Rods
Main Bearings
Rod Bearings
Remanufactured Crankshaft
Melling Oil Pump
It comes with a lower gasket set but I went with a complete with includes valve stem seals(Did not expect those though)

Come on you guys what ever happen to good job keeps us posted with your setup????

By "remanfactured", i sure hope they mean "reground" crankshaft....cause i dont see how you remanufacture a solid crankshaft. Are these "kits" much cheaper than just buying the parts (like pistons, whatever rods they use etc.) themselves? Maybe im outta the loop from not being on the site much lately, but ive never heard of concept illusions. I still think Race Engineering in FL is the BEST place to buy internals for an engine at.


1997 Silver RS
Built
T3/T4 BB Turbo
20psi
Most current 1/8th mile time: 8.1@93mph 2.015 60'
1996 Black Supra TT
2004 Silver Snake

Good job. I want more pics. For some reason it is popular belief to jump down Concept Illusions neck. I haven't gotten much from them but atleast they send you what you order. That is more then what could be said for some of the people/companies that come and go. They offer it in different stages I am assuming much like Hahn offers his kit in stages. Add products, increase price, stage+1 attribute.

If that is a stage 3 kit, I would hate to see what they consider a Stage 1 kit... lol. Do they ship you an empty box and call that a stage 1 kit?

Originally posted by prop7459
This is what their stage 3 kit comes with. It maybe not be a stage 3 to your standards but thats what they are saying it is okay!! Come on you guys what ever happen to good job keeps us posted with your setup????

first off... we aint baggin on you, dude. its the whole CI thing popping up again... your just not seeing the "questionable" nature of how they say/do things that makes us the way we are. and you have not searched this sight for posts about them, because i assure you... there are many.
For example, why are they calling this a stage 3 kit when the only thing thats different is a gasket kit thats semi-pointless, and a "remanufactured" crank. think about that for a minute, how do you remanufacture a crank? especialy when there is no need for one. its no more special than the one that was in your block in the first place.

and its not about "our standards" af what a stage 3 kit should be. its an industry standard. stages, when used by knowledgable people and comapnies refer to the progressive upgradeing of performance and quality of parts.

so we will reserve our "good job, keep up the good work" comments until we have seen what you paid for this "stage 3 kit" and compare it to other "rebuild kits" that no one else conciders "staged". and if you got a good deal, and there is in fact some reason why its worthy of being called a stage 3, then we may dole out the good jobs, yadda yadda yadda.

but untill then, your backing up a company that is of questionable reputation on this sight, and making yourself look silly in the process by plugging thier product that makes those of us who know better, laugh.

how much did you pay for this "stage 3" kit?

Looks like it's $1270 with the crank and oil pump. Howell charges $1199 without a crank. CI's stage 2 or whatever doesn't come with an oil pump but everything else and it's $922. Pretty good deal imo.

Not trying to be a smart ass or anything....but the Howell kit is cheaper....but without the "remanufactured" crank, which is TOTALLY useless, unless your current car has REALLY bad spun bearings, so that the scars on the crank cant be machined out. I know jack about this CI place....but the fact that they add a "stage" to something, by throwing in a crank....is kinda weird. our cranks are VERY strong from the factory....noone is gonna make enough power to need anything different. but, to each their own i guess....i wish you luck with your setup. i just always try to go with "established" companies when makin a 1500 dollar or so purchase. in all honesty, id like for someone to ask them whats different about the crank they offer....id be interested to hear their response.


1997 Silver RS
Built
T3/T4 BB Turbo
20psi
Most current 1/8th mile time: 8.1@93mph 2.015 60'
1996 Black Supra TT
2004 Silver Snake

For what it's worth, when I built engines we would sell a "remanufactured" crank. It was basically a stock crank cleaned up and ground, if necessary. It was checked for "trueness" but NOT balanced. Those were the requirements of the company that I worked for (which incidentally were VW engines). I don't know if that is what CI meant but that was the definiton that this company used.
MB

Originally posted by bullettdsm
For what it's worth, when I built engines we would sell a "remanufactured" crank. It was basically a stock crank cleaned up and ground, if necessary. It was checked for "trueness" but NOT balanced. Those were the requirements of the company that I worked for (which incidentally were VW engines). I don't know if that is what CI meant but that was the definiton that this company used. MB

i think the point is that its stupid to call a part "remanufactured" when you dont actualy re-manufacture anything! and then to do it in the context of saying "its better than stock because its been remanufactured" seems a bit cheap and manipulative.
thats like me trying to sell a glass of water as being "remanufatured" just because i poured it out and filled it up again.
not to mention, that still doesn't justify why its a "stage 3" kit.

i dont know if i missed someone of if no one took the time to look at this. On the CI site..assuming you got the JE kit then they arent in fact "stages" that we are all arguing about, instead they are simply different packages, each package comes with something different. I just thought i would like to point out that as far as i see they are packages and arent claiming to use the "stage" system.

I can understand what you guys are saying what is so special about because the crank is the only thing that’s separate it from the stage 2. I was not worrying about the stage their offer but I was looking for packaged deal including the things I needed and to save on shipping. The reason I went with that package with the crank because I know my internals including the block are in bad shape. I am pretty sure I spun couple of rod bearings plus the car knocks. So that why I went the crank and also looking for a block in good condition to build with. You guys always say take things slow. Do things right and patient. So what If did not need a crank, I did this just in case if my crank was in bad condition so I won't have lot of down time to look for another crank while the car is the shop.
That’s why.

But you guys are asking the person why this is called a stage3 kit. You guys need to pick on Shawn AKA CONCEPTILLUSIONS OKAY.

IMO if the crank is cleaned up and ground, then checked for true-ness how is that NOT better then putting in your stock one? I don't know if it should be referred to as "re-manufactured" but...Also on their site they do not mention anything about "stages". It says "package 1-3" This is an error on the posters part. Basically they are offering different packages for different prices. Pretty typical.

if its been touched by a tool/ground or whatever its been remanufactured. if its left one manufacturing facility as done and these guys add some final touches to it its remanufactured. maybe you haters are confusing reengineered or something

Originally posted by mcgyvr
if its been touched by a tool/ground or whatever its been remanufactured. if its left one manufacturing facility as done and these guys add some final touches to it its remanufactured. maybe you haters are confusing reengineered or something

so then why are cams called re-grinds instead of "remanufactureds"?
By the logic you stated above, if i send my bare block to the machine shop to have it decked, honed, bored, whatever, i can sell it as a "remanufactured" bare block?
Disc brakes are "remanufactured" everytime they are turned?
What about a TB, is it "remanufactured" when its bored out?
a head is "remanufactured" when its been ported?
now honestly, tell me, what would you think if i put up a bare block on ebay, or any of the other examples and said it was "remanufactured"?

Tim, stop being a bone head. The things you listed would be classified as modified. Remanufactured is something that has been restored to original factory specifications and/or working condition. I sell remanufactured electronics for a living, so I know. Those of you that don't know what you're talking about, shut up. Stop turning every post about Concept Illusions products into bullshit. I like that they've included a spec'd crank, as nobody else if offering that with a 420A rebuild kit.

It's pretty sad that the posts in this thread look more like DSMtuners, and the posts at his DSMtuners thread looks more like 2GNT. :thumbsdown

some people dont seem to realize, that if you go with stage 2, pakcage 2 whatever it is, its cheaper then howell. and prolly have better customer service.

and if you think about it, if they have any customer service at all its better then howell's. i like the way this place has thier shit set up. ill be looking at them when buying any more mods for my money pit.

all right, im done. i have no life....;(

Wow guys i see we are a argument starter.. let me clarify a few things since some of you cant understand... our cranks are remans.. which means they have been reground if needed, cleaned and looked over basically as good as new.. some people do need these if they have really messed up theirs.. we have not claimed anything sayin these were an upgrade part.. i know myself id replace my crank when doing an engine rebuild just because the cost isnt really that much.. and for our staged rebuild kits.. our stages mean packages.. Those who know us will understand .. and for those of you that dont know us ..you will ..very very soon ;)

Originally posted by ConceptIllusions
Wow guys i see we are a argument starter.. let me clarify a few things since some of you cant understand... our cranks are remans.. which means they have been reground if needed, cleaned and looked over basically as good as new.. some people do need these if they have really messed up theirs.. we have not claimed anything sayin these were an upgrade part.. i know myself id replace my crank when doing an engine rebuild just because the cost isnt really that much.. and for our staged rebuild kits.. our stages mean packages.. Those who know us will understand .. and for those of you that dont know us ..you will ..very very soon ;)

Not to contribute to any drama (which I have a reputation for doing around these parts ;) ), but don't you think it might just be a good idea to stick with the industry standard of referring to your "stages" as packages? When the average Joe sees "Stage 3," he's thinking it's going to be better in some way than "Stage 2." Blame the popularity of Gran Turismo for embedding the stage mentality in all these damn kids today. Package 1, 2, or 3 would spare everyone a lot of confusion in my opinion.

And you'd have to really put your engine through hell to require the replacement of the crankshaft in these engines. I doubt I would ever replace the crank unless my neighbor stole it off my bench to support his mailbox. That ain't gonna happen, as I don't live in the country with the bumpkins. :)

Just my two cents. This is your target market, I think you would want as little confusion as possible among us regarding your products/services. Then again, any publicity is good publicity...