Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

Despite warnings about their oil pans leaking and to go with Olson, I still went with Stef's after a rep was nice enough to come to my trailer at the Toyo's and size up my oil pan. I've heard mixed reviews about their pans but when don't you? He got the dimensions, and was going to rebuild the one I already have instead of making me order a new one. Saving a college kid money so I liked them.

They say get it to them asap so I send it out to them and 2 and a half weeks later I call and can't get anyone on the phone because they are busy in the shop. No problem, leave a message but no call back. A few days later I try again and I do get someone. They had totally forgotten what they were supposed to be doing to my oil pan and they also lied and said they were done with the internals. Weird.

Another 3 weeks goes by and I decide to call again to see what the hell they are doing.. can't get anyone on the phone because they are busy in the shop. Leave another voice mail with no call back. Today my oil pan arrives in the mail, NOT ONE THING done to it and they didn't even send my oil pickup back. Call them up to see what the hell is going on (I finally get someone on the first try) and they say they didn't want to mess with it and I have to buy a new oil pan.. Thanks Stef's for holding it for 5 weeks and doing nothing..

Anyone want to build me an oil pan?

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

WOW! Business must be real good for them to turn away work like that! NOT! Jim

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

That stinks! I thought you guys might be at Atco this weekend. Hope you can get it together for Maple Grove. Stopped in the old mans shop last month and saw all the work you did on the car. Looked good, also congrats on the article by Bob Frey. Thought that it was cool. Good Luck - E

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

charlie gilbertson in Oh.
330 825 3586

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

Like jumping from Frying pan into the Fire!!!

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

Maybe he is not so good on Ford pans but all the Mopar guys seem to really like him.

I have one of his pans that is not on an engine yet but it sure looks nice in the box!

Bill Lamb

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

The oil pan on my super stocker was built by Stefs. I sent them all the measurements they requested off the car, engine location, size of cutout in the k-frame,location for the tie-rod tube (taken off the old pan which fit the car). When it arrived, it sure was nice looking, excellent workmanship and welding.....very well engineered. Then I attempted to install the motor in the car....about 1 inch too wide for the cutout in the k-frame and the tube for the tierod was in the wrong location. I rechecked my measurements and drawings that I had sent.....Their mistake, not mine. I had it modified locally rather than wait 6-8 weeks for them to correct their mistake. Of course it isn't as pretty now with a couple of patches to correct their mistake.

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

Thank you! Thank you Charlie Westcott for the recommendation.

Hey does anyone used Canton oil pans?

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I was just going to suggest Canton. They built a nice one for Alex Denysenko's SS/LA 1965 Mustang Superstocker. Heck, he's on the Canton Catalog Cover, also doing a wheelie across their Trackside page on the Canton Website. Call Alex 708-805-0000 and talk to him about it. We have been very happy with it. He is on his way home from North Carolina, so if you call tomorrow, he will have time to talk while riding home. :)

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

canton on both of my cars!!! Sorry for you issue with Stef


Stephen Johnson #2162
Horace Johnson #2167
SS/D 427 Ford Fairlane

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I'm still waiting for my oil pickup hahaha they said they were sending it out last week but I'm too smart for that answer now.. lol I called today and they still hadn't sent it..

(Italian curse words)

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

as they say theres two sides to every story . Mr farios pan was from the ed hamburger vintage about 1984 1990. it had seen a couple engine explosions, had many contacts with the race track with many all ready repairs done. Pan rails were warped etc, etc. It was time for a new one, i could not see putting another $300-$400 into a pan to "up date it " when it should of been replaced. It would be $200 + just to fix it. I will have to apologize if you had a hard time reaching my company as we have been short handed. I had told one of my sales guys to give you a call and advise you on what we saw and what should we do. If that didnt happen or maybe it did, ill apologize. If you needed a new state of the art oil pan to begin with i dont thing either of us would be on here. thanks joe stef

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I have done business with Stefs, and Charlie Gilbertson since I have been racing, either of them usually takes 3-6 weeks to make a pan depending on their current work load. I recently bought one from Joe Stef for Lloyd Woffards new hemi I am building, and it was real nice. I dont typically have dimensional problems when I order parts, I have learned from experience to keep the discussions short, and to the point when ordering something, and draw a picture with good dims when it comes to oil pans. I know people that have had to order 3 sets of pistons before they were right for instance, and oil pans are no different. I will say one thing, there is a hell of alot of work in an oil pan for what they charge for them, and if you have to many problems getting what you want, than you should learn how to do it yourself, which is why I do everything myself that I can. (although oil pans isnt one of them).
If you want to buy a new pan, call stefs, or charlie. Either of them can do you a good job.
cw

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

A good friend has a nasty habit of hurting engines over the years.......Most of them had Stef's aluminum pans on them. Small block and big block Chevs...They have fixed them everytime and did a pretty good job considering the mess he sent them......The last one was on a 540 that sent a rod out the side....pan looked like an alien got loose in there! The alien was a rod that exited.........I was just about ready to scrap it but we sent it down to them anyway.....and they fixed it nicely....That pan is on his current engine and doing fine

My BB Chev has a Stef's on it as well.......

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I'll second Rich's comments on Joe's pans...have used them for many years..no problems..always ran fine for pressure...have nothing bad to say after at least 5-8 pans...

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I have to agree with Charlie, he makes very valid points. Joe has been making pans for my 289 and for a number of my customers for over 15 years. Slight modification corrections are sometimes required, but the construction is superior and the design is well thought out. Additionally, Stef's does a ton of R&D and dyno testing on Pro Stock, Comp and Super Stock applications. My experience is that they consistently improve performance with every generation of oil pan produced. I believe the Fabio's circumstance is the exception and not the rule. Joe and the team certainly appreciate the sportsman racer and customer satisfaction is paramount. I'd give them another try.

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I too have been using Stef pans for years with zero problems. Another reason to go with Stef is he supports us racers with contingency and always pays in a timely manner.

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I understand why you would not repair his old oil pan,but why would it take a few weeks to return his oil pickup?

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

I believe the last few who have commented have confused the meaning of my post. I am not saying a Stef's pan performs poorly or does not fit correctly. I do not currently have a Stef's pan so I am in no place to make that judgment, nor have I. You can read my original post. For all I know they could be great pans.

I am calling them out on the piss-poor customer service I received; Telling me they've done things that they hadn't, not one phone call in a 5-week span informing me at all that my pan was not repairable so I could get on the ball towards building a new one, not sending my oil pickup back, etc.

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

bobby if you read my responce i did apologize for my internal problem. your pickup will be shipped out today. if you need to purchase a new pan with all the bells and whistles give ME a call and ill personally take care of it. what else do you want me to say ???? 732-367-8700

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

Sorry you had a bad experience Bobby. Stef's always took good care of me when I've needed anything. I think its cool that Joe himself has taken time to come on here and respond. Hope its all smooth sailing from here for you Bobby.

Re: Should have listened/stayed away from Stef's...
 

Joe, thank you for your response and your willingness to personally help me. My previous post was not an attack at your company. I wanted to make sure Mr. Scardelli, Mr. Westcott, Mr. Worner, Mr. Beibel, and Mr. Dagostino knew that I was not badmouthing the quality of your components, but the customer service, for which you have already apologized. As of this moment I am at a standstill and as soon as I find out what I am going to do I will be sure to let you know.