The Inevitable Crash & Burn of Tim Richards and Speed Force Racing
So I’ve been pushed a little too far regarding Tim Richards at Speed Force Racing now. If you don’t know who he is, here’s his website.
https://speedforceracing.net/product/sfr-944tstage-2-header-system/
History: I knew what I was dealing with; a fabricator with supposedly very good skills that offered a product (State 2 header, intercooler, pipes, etc) for my 951 but with reportedly terrible business skills and delivery times. I took a gamble. To my surprise, and delight, he delivered my header in a week flat. I was shocked. The intercooler and pipes came a few weeks later and he included the pipes at no cost as a thank for you for being patient. He also sent me my Tial waste gate and when he couldn’t get my blow off valve in time for my build he refunded me quickly and told me where I could order. Done and done. Build commenced, went great, everything fit perfectly. That was late 2024, early 2025.
Fast forward to summer 2025 and the build for a 16V 3.0 turbo was being planned. I knew I wanted another set of headers and made the order August 5th, 2025, before any other part was ordered. I ordered another set of stage 2 headers with the 321 SS upgrade and a bigger outlet pipe from the crossover to the WG.
Here we are, almost nine months later, April 23rd, 2026, and the excuses have stopped and now only radio silence. Excuses have been:
- He broke an arm.
- the shop flooded
- yet a second friend died after his first friend died right before my first header set last year.
- his daughter has been sick.
- he was in a car accident and I think some other excuses.
At one point, I think in February, he sent me a photo of “the headers” to show me he was working on them. What he sent was a photo of some header runners and the exhaust flanges for an 8v motor, mocked up but not spot welded yet. When I pointed that out he said “oh yeah” and he’d have to order the correct 16v flanges. Then, he had to order the right flange for my Xona Rotor turbo. He said the turbo flange was the last part he needed and once it came in it would take an hour to finish the headers. That was three weeks ago. I asked him why he didn’t have these already in stock since he got paid for the build, and he told me he doesn’t order the parts needed until he’s about to build the product. Essentially he admitted to a pyramid scheme where he’s using the money from one build to order parts for the previous build. I don’t have proof but that’s my impression.
Today I initiated a dispute with my bank and submitted the proof of payment via the original receipt along with copies of my conversations. I have no ill will toward Tim as I feel he’s overwhelmed by terrible decision making skills but he doesn’t have the respect to keep clients informed about what’s going on. I’ve spoken with two other clients that are also waiting on product from Tim, including one builder that has an order for several sets of headers. Once I found that out, I decided that in the next few days I’d try one last time to speak to Tim before submitting my dispute because I knew there was no way I would get my headers in time for my build. More radio silence since Monday, so today is go day. All the parts for my build are either at the shop or en route, and I have to plan on shipping my car to the shop for the engine swap along with the 01E swap.
Perhaps the mods should consider this post as a sticky to warn others away from Tim till he gets his act together. He has a history of this type of behaviour spanning several years, and it has to stop.
**UPDATE**
Turns out his landlord filed to evict him and his shop from the property back in January.
