Vendors - where parts come from - was RE: Need reference for Windshield Gasket

[Steven Charette <stevec@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 Gary,
	You hit the nail on the head - with very, very few exceptions one
vendor has a part made, then distributes it to others.  Some of the catalog
houses claim to make parts, but they do in fact simply have the parts made.
You will find very few who actually build the parts themselves.

	A good portion of these parts are made offshore.  This means large
batch sizes and long lead times - a vendor may have to buy hundreds or
thousands of a part to get them produced at a marketable price.  Bear in
mind that when you look at a part and think "I can't believe this part costs
$X", that the person who had it reproduced probably had to buy many
thousands of dollars worth of these parts in order to sell you one, and that
there is a good possibility that they will go to their grave with these
parts sitting on a shelf.

	As we embrace the new "world economy", the parts are easier to have
made, and turnaround time is quicker.  Some new parts are made with the same
tooling and molds as the previous batch; some parts get new, improved
tooling, usually at significant expense.  In the case of a new part or a
remake requiring new tooling, this process seldom takes less than 9 months.
Part quality (materials, fit and finish) has become easier to control with
improved communication and fierce competition among manufacturers abroad.
There are some instances where an unhappy previous supplier will build parts
and flood the market with cheap, often inferior parts once they find they
have been replaced.

	If you've seen any of the new body parts (trunk floors, floors,
etc.) you know that the new parts are a huge, huge improvement over what was
previously available.  You would also be stunned at the money that has been
spent to make these parts, even though they are made overseas.  There is a
huge list of new, high quality body parts headed our way for the '62-'65
cars that represents a massive investment by a few individuals - you can
actually build a whole new '69 Road Runner unibody today, should you so
desire.  These folks have gambled that these parts will sell - if they sell
well, more parts will follow.  If the parts languish on the shelves, chances
are good that additional part development will cease.

	Some parts sell too few to be worth building overseas.  These parts
provide a market for myself and a few others who hand build parts and
distribute to dealers and catalog houses.  Generally these parts are made to
order, which keeps inventory cost down and allows more part numbers to be
made at less investment.  Most of us are small "mom and pop" type outfits
and everybody working there wears a number of hats... when you're not
getting an answer on the phone there's a good chance whoever is on the
phones is running a machine or out picking up supplies.

	The bottom line is that most generally, vendors sell the same parts.
In some instances you may find that a supplier has a batch of older
generation parts that may or may not fit, look, and last like the newer
pieces.  You will find alot of these "deals" on eBay.  When you order a new
part, be sure to carefully remove it from it's package and check it out as
soon as it arrives.  Make sure the fit and finish meet your expectations,
and be sure it will fit your application.  Compare it to the old part or
parts on yours or your buddies' cars.  If you're not happy with the quality,
contact the vendor BEFORE you discard/destroy the packaging, or make
modifications to the parts.  In the vast majority of cases, the vendor will
take the part back and refund your money if the part is in new, unused
condition.  If the packaging or instructions need to be replaced, or the
part is modified, bent, shelf worn, dusty, dingy, etc., expect to pay a
restocking fee.  Often the best thing to do with these parts is to list them
on eBay.

	And that, boys and girls, is where parts come from.

SC

-----Original Message-----
From: Gary H. [mailto:spigot2039@xxxxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 11:14 PM
To: 1962to1965mopars@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: Need reference for Windshield Gasket


The Accessories - Trim - Rubber Parts - Emblems - Misc. section lists
several vendors in the
http://1962to1965mopar.ornocar.com/restoration-sources.html  section.
You can check with Jim Kramer too; Kramer Automotive Specialties is in the
"One Stop" section there.

A lot of times one vendor makes the part and many distribute it. Don't know
where Year One bought what they distribute. 

Thanks,
Gary H.

-----Original Message-----
 
>There are a few venders who carry them, I purchased mine from Year-One 
>mostly be default as I had one of their coupons to use up. My wife and 
>I installed the windshield with no major problems, the seal fit well.
>
>I redid a 67 GTX some years ago and the seal we used then was horrible, 
>I can't remember where it came from but it was lousy. Good Luck!
>Joey
>
 
>----- Original Message -----
 
>> Any recommendations on who to purchase front rubber from, for 65 
>> Satellite? The windshield?guy told me to get one that was close to 
>> OEM as I could get and that some aftermarket mouldings don't fit 
>> right. Thanks in advance.
 
>> Vic Raz
>>
>> 65 Satellite


----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person --
directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations
as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to
the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy,
reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar
topic.  Thanks!

'62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html. 


----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

'62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html.