The Inevitable Crash & Burn of Tim Richards And SFR
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2026 6:27 pm
So I’ve been pushed a little too far regarding Tim Richards at Speed Force Racing. I'm a nice guy, I'm an understanding guy, but this is too much.
History: I knew what I was dealing with; a fabricator with supposedly very good skills that offered a product (stage 2 header, intercooler, 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 wastegate 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. He even got me a refurbed turbo head in less than a week when no one else had one and I had an emergency issue that destroyed my original head. 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:
1. He broke one arm.
2. the shop flooded.
3. yet a second friend died after his first friend died right before my first header set last year.
4. his daughter has been sick.
5. 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. I found out he sent the same photo to another 951 owner I've been in contact with to show him he's working on his setup too. BUSTED! Then, he had to order the correct 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 readty to go since he got paid for the build up front, 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.
So what will I do? My builder is also a fabricator and said he can cut off the 8v flanges and weld some new 16v flanges onto my existing headers and get the right flange for my Xona Rotor turbo as well and just reuse what I have. I had planned on selling them to help fund the build, but it is what it is.
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 encourage anyone else that has something on order with Tim, just go ahead and do the same. He's extremely backed up, with one guy I know waiting over a year for his headers.
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. Maybe there is something wrong with him, I don't know. I’ve spoken with two other clients that are also waiting on product from Tim, including one engine builder that has an order for several sets of headers. Once I found that out, I decided there was no way I would get my headers in time for my build with so many other clients in front of me. 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 admins should consider this post as a sticky to warn others away from Tim and Speed Force Racing till he gets his act together.
I really hate to write this. I defended the guy when others were warning me against ordering from him, or when others were talking about ordering. My good will has bitten me in the ass.
History: I knew what I was dealing with; a fabricator with supposedly very good skills that offered a product (stage 2 header, intercooler, 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 wastegate 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. He even got me a refurbed turbo head in less than a week when no one else had one and I had an emergency issue that destroyed my original head. 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:
1. He broke one arm.
2. the shop flooded.
3. yet a second friend died after his first friend died right before my first header set last year.
4. his daughter has been sick.
5. 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. I found out he sent the same photo to another 951 owner I've been in contact with to show him he's working on his setup too. BUSTED! Then, he had to order the correct 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 readty to go since he got paid for the build up front, 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.
So what will I do? My builder is also a fabricator and said he can cut off the 8v flanges and weld some new 16v flanges onto my existing headers and get the right flange for my Xona Rotor turbo as well and just reuse what I have. I had planned on selling them to help fund the build, but it is what it is.
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 encourage anyone else that has something on order with Tim, just go ahead and do the same. He's extremely backed up, with one guy I know waiting over a year for his headers.
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. Maybe there is something wrong with him, I don't know. I’ve spoken with two other clients that are also waiting on product from Tim, including one engine builder that has an order for several sets of headers. Once I found that out, I decided there was no way I would get my headers in time for my build with so many other clients in front of me. 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 admins should consider this post as a sticky to warn others away from Tim and Speed Force Racing till he gets his act together.
I really hate to write this. I defended the guy when others were warning me against ordering from him, or when others were talking about ordering. My good will has bitten me in the ass.