...we'd all be driving 'Belly-Button' ("everybody's got one"!) cars, & 'restoring' them, with our checkbooks, and catalogs. As it is, we are VERY lucky, to have the likes of Gary Goers, & SMS, & others, now, which can accept phone/fax orders, and provide us with otherwise unobtainable like-new parts and accessories. That said, there are still many pieces which can only be had via concerted searching. The fact that Ebay prices are sometimes 'ridiculously' high only serves to prove that demand vastly outweighs supply. The more cars you've got, the less resources you can devote to any one project, so, it is important that you can afford to maintain all your cars, or, at least, protect them, until you can work on them, or sell them to someone who can afford to take care of them. Anyway, John, and everybody else: are we 'crazy' to love/hate our relationships with these Forwardlookers, or, does our relationships CAUSE us to go/become crazy, in our zeal, to find that one 'best/perfect' part (like Dave Homstad's NOS 57 Dodge Horn-ring??--OR, my own mint/NOS 58 D500 emblem?) Everyone probably has a unique part, or 4, that he's hoarding, for his retirement. Re: re-plating; the polishing/copper/nickle -plating (which is what you are really seeing, as the chrome is transparent, right?) usually destroys and/or fills fine-detail, in a part , such as 'in' the eye-slit, in Dodge Lancer-helmets, etc etc...so that a re-chromed part is typically as obvious, as most people's facial cosmetic surgery. btw, NOS bumper-plating has quite noticibly a semi-matte finish, and may have apparent flaws in its finish, as opposed to the pristine mirror-deep finish that you see, on show cars. My advise is: take "it" slowly, enjoy the ride, & keep-on seeking-out the best/cheapest parts you can find, on a car that you will live with for many years. Neil Vedder ************************************************************* To unsubscribe or set your subscription options, please go to http://lists.psu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=l-forwardlook&A=1 |