RE: {Chrysler 300} RE: Andy Bernbaum

When I got the FL floor mats from Chris last year for my F and told him I wasn’t happy with them, Chris refunded my payment and paid for the return postage - that’s a pretty rare thing these days

Keith

On Feb 16, 2024, at 8:38 PM, Ron Waters <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Andy is a good guy , he tries. He owns an F convert .

Just to clarify, Andy sold the business over ten years ago. It’s now owned by Chris.

Ron

From: chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx On Behalf Of John Grady
Sent: Friday, February 16, 2024 8:27 PM
To: James Douglas <jdd@xxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Al Macdonald <hemial@xxxxxxxxxxx>; chrysler-300-club-international@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: {Chrysler 300} RE: Andy Bernbaum

Hi ,

while all this true , no one among us is going to get rich making exact stamped air cleaner wing nuts for a 60 year old car . I still have a hundred G, J other year hub cap spinners ,— so far in $ hole as to be crazy . But i believe in these cars . just rechroming ONE is 35 $+’ today . Andy is a good guy , he tries. He owns an F convert .

I happened to see a Macs’s catalog for model A , 1/2”thick , 2 or three suppliers for the most obscure little cotter pin . Eye opening to me , lots of things we can use on 300 even , in that . They made millions of model A , or B — not a bad car really . Get a catalog , — it impressed me so much given hassles I have getting anything now for a 37 packard that I am in the middle of ( millions made) , — the restoring of a model A looks like child’s play . We are 2 % , if that , of packard’s junior car volume ,itself ? 5 % of model A — and the packard parts line is severely impaired , unless a 1000$! gas tank , 3000 radiator , 500 $ speedometer , 2500 wood grain job is fine with you . Guys just stop making things , not worth the hassle of dealing with someone who does not like the stitching pitch or color match and returns it . Gecko loved them passing on , no one steps up .

My first point is , at this point in time , we need to be exceptionally grateful in 300 land — we need to appreciate some nice guy (?or his wife!) somewhere who labors over a headliner for a 60 or 64 Chrysler maybe once a year . I’m not capable of doing that for 400 $ . Mainly because I cannot do it, period— even for 2000 $ and a week of my time with patterns , chasing perf pattern , finding and buying it , etc etc I know 2000 $ won’t get me his 400 one that he offered me . He might say , one day soon, “Do it yourself , then , none are available .” aka “ Get a life , dude, outa my face , you do it”

we can prevent that . Golden rule etc Be kind .

These are all more or less back room operations of a few people , whether in China or here . No one makes big money on Chrysler lettercar parts in 2024 . And it’s going to get tighter . Quirey is a godsend, sure some problems ( you try to do that ) we need to help them be profitable . What they do is fantastic .

For a 300 , or 60’s anything , the parts are fading out , just like Hudson did ~ 10 years earlier . 65 years now ,,and unique 300 parts were obscure when new , Hudson 75

The fastest car of early 50’s was Hudson , great car really , a twin H power beat my brand new 318 dodge v8 in 1960 , not even close .. it has zero listings now in Hemmings , let alone parts . Nascar record not far from 300 in years before 300 . It would throughly surprise a 300 B 0-100 , the head on it looks like a sidewalk 308 cu in six, huge valves . 300 was only 331 cu in , did nothing till over 70 , Hudson GM hydra matic with 4:11 first gear made power flite look like the sad joke it was off the line in 55 . I only bring that up as factual high performance rep is not equal to longevity of parts .

See F plate frame hassle , I put $ 4000 into it , no success ( just in tooling ) I keep hearing others are doing it, -/ it’s been vaporware for 20 years . Still is , Copper radiators pass $ 1000 , piston sets $ 1000 . Without Don V we all walk based on my past experience with other cast iron transmission rebuilders . All claimed they could do it , taking it in and out and the long sob stories, gets old fast . Been there 5-8 x .

Second point is we must support these guys . Or do with nothing but wishful thinking and moaning .

I really believe above aka ,” beggars cannot be choosers” I can deal with that .

Even mc master carr chinese stainless wing nuts , — might even be a lot better than half painted stampings .

john g

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