Pure crap!!!!!!!!!

[Roadster62]

I really wonder if Stock Model A's become Hot Rod poojects because of the PURE CRAP reproduction parts that main line vendors sell? Case in point headlight sockets that were bought to replace other crappy repo sockets only to find out the conduit was also repo crap and will not connect. I HATE Electrical work, but this was mechanical, the crap was made Not to fit. Rant is over, I feel better, did wet sand and buff a tank so there was one good part of my day.

[Fred]

Why buy re-pops when there is plenty of originals of both to be had, & in many cases cheaper than the re-pops ??..

[Rowdy]

I agree. Many new to the hobbie people think that buying new repop is easier and cheaper than using the original stuff,, seen it too may times. Any more I do not buy much. Just bearing and bushings and some general services that I am not equipped for yet. Rod

[rmak]

I think hot rodders are born and not made. I have never been able to leave well enough alone with any car, truck or motorcycle I've owned in the last 45 years. It's an aberrant mental condition.
I'm working hard to stay somewhat original with my new Model A.

So it has nothing to do with crappy parts. I have boxes of repro parts left over from my classic bike restoration efforts that were so bad I just tossed them aside as soon as I saw them (think ebay)
Crap is everywhere. It's one big thing that's wrong with the world. People don't have pride in what they make and sell anymore.

[Cider Mill]

Roadster62, I have the same damned problem! Bought repro conduits and headlight connectors. Nothing fits together and I have a dead short now.

[Dave Mc]

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The repo problem is why we all have so many wallhangers,that is where most of it works best

[fritznbud]

I'm new to the A's and was very impressed when i attended my first swap meet here in SC, so many original parts, alot cheaper than repop chi-parts. Anything you could think of was there, and more. Also new parts, which i bought a few of. Makes a big difference when your standing there with a "new" part in hand looking it over, rather than getting it in the mail. Try tri-five Chevy parts....wanna talk crapola

[pat in Santa Cruz]

repop headlight stuff is among the worst or the repro hall of shame, another being the door dovetails for SW sedans. If you can get an original and re-wire it, you will be happier in the long run. Forget entirely about repop switches. The headlight bucket sockets are difficult to re-wire with those tiny springs. Usually the trouble with the old stuff is the wire insulation has fallen off. One trick is to sleeve it with heat shrink tubing...it leaves the original wiring a bit stiff but you do not have to mess with soldering wires into used wire tips. When faced with repro sockets in the bucket where the conduit affixes, I cut the tips off the socket side wires, clip the ends and outer insulation from the conduit wires and run the wire through the springs and wire nut the wires in place inside the buckets. Leaving the springs gives the support you need on the plastic piece to give tension to the conduit bezel. But it means you must open the buckets to remove the conduits.
I have also cut the tips off the socket side, soldered on extension wires and run them back through the springs, through the conduit, using bullet connectors to the harness inside the radiator shell. I don't like crimping important electrical stuff, so I solder the bullet ends to the wires which usually means cutting off the insulated housing they come with. You can tape them up ( which I hate the look and reliability of) or you can heat shrink tube them with a seam at the disconnect point. None of these fixes will be any good in a fine points restoration, but they are more functional then repros as they come.

The repro bulb sockets are a bit more functional. The springs are weak and the contacts can slide aside and short against the socket base, but if you install the bulb with a gentle jiggle to seat them they will work most of the time. They get their ground through the small hinge at the spring seat, which is usually so poor they flicker. Soldering a pigtail ground to the socket and either running it to the frame through the conduit system, or replacing a headlight bucket base rivet with a small carriage bolt and grounding it there will solve that.

I used to pray Al Lepore would start making headlight wiring, but theres no hope of that now. Perhaps someone else will.

[spike]

The best thing to do with head light wire is to use Brattons main wire harness with the flat end for the head lights that was orig instead of the bullit ends and use his connector that goes into the head light socket and you will stand half of a chance that it will work. I use orig. parts on the bottom of the stear. colm. and on the conduits I use a & L,s ferrio on the end going to the headlight socket. This will help a lot-----learned just like you ....the hard way....good luck

[CWPASADENA]

Just this week I threw out the Re-pop Headlite harnesses that I got with my car. I scrounged around and found enough original pieces to make up a set. No big deal to re-wire them.

I also used Bratton's Main Harness and was VERY PLEASED to find the flat brass ends on the H.L. Wires. Luckly, I had original conduits. Everything went together as it should and worked right the first time. I was sort of sweating this job but everything worked out well (after I got rid of the Repop Stuff).

I also am having the original reflecters re-silvered. I feel this is going to be much better then re-pop stuff.

I have a re-pop stop light switch but will be looking for an original. To get the re-pop to work, I had to do some re-work and it is still a piece of crap (but it was noted in the catalog that this was not a first class part, They were right).

My Experience,

Chris

[JeffM]

Originally Posted by rmak

I think hot rodders are born and not made. I have never been able to leave well enough alone with any car, truck or motorcycle I've owned in the last 45 years. It's an aberrant mental condition.
I'm working hard to stay somewhat original with my new Model A.

So it has nothing to do with crappy parts. I have boxes of repro parts left over from my classic bike restoration efforts that were so bad I just tossed them aside as soon as I saw them (think ebay)
Crap is everywhere. It's one big thing that's wrong with the world. People don't have pride in what they make and sell anymore.

Well said.
Now im worried as ive just brought new wiring for my A.
Sure dose look nice in the packet though.
Good thread for us new the As. Ill look at buying more original parts now.

[pat in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by JeffM

Well said.
Now im worried as ive just brought new wiring for my A.
Sure dose look nice in the packet though.
Good thread for us new the As. Ill look at buying more original parts now.

most wiring harnesses are good. As mentioned, Brattons harnesses come with the correct ends. I'm sure some of the other vendors harnesses do as well, tho its clearly a case of getting what you pay for. The principal trouble makers are the headlight bucket internal wiring and the repro switches.

[Wick]

Add the Light Switch cover at the end of the steering box to the list. I learned real quick if you find one covered in grease and dirt,give the seller .50 or a Dollar and take it home with you!
Wick

[eystein]

What about Snyder's harnesses ? Any experience with them ?

[2manycars]

Originally Posted by pat in Santa Cruz

I used to pray Al Lepore would start making headlight wiring, but theres no hope of that now. Perhaps someone else will.

Several years ago I asked Al about producing the headlight wires and sockets. He said the cost of the dies would be $10,000, and for what he could sell the sockets for, it would take 10 years to pay for the dies.

[banjobrad]

If the reproduction parts you buy are crap, send them back for a refund or credit. If everyone does this without hesitation, eventually the vendors will have to find someone in the industry that will produce quality, or, the parts become unavailable. Either way you wind up with a good part since you have to restore an original at worst case.

[Model A Man]

I just bought a tool (lighting rod)from one of the vendors and It didnt work at all. Into the trash it went. waste of $10.75
other parts I have bought that didnt work or fit.
Trunk hinges (the USA made ones) did not fit
alum. fan. (out of center)
the blue/green color manifold gaskets. (lasted 1 week)

[Art Bjornestad]

I think that many of us don't know that they need parts until the week after the swap meet is over and then need to rely on aftermarket sellers. The quality of repop parts are getting better each year.

[Richard Wilson]

The worst repo I have personally seen was a 28-29 radiator that the filler hole was at least an inch off set that my dad ordered from a well know Model A parts vendor. Dad got mad and cut an oversize hole in the recently renickled radiator shell so that it would fit rather than go to the trouble and expense to take the radiator off and return it. On the plus side it did hold water.