More reproduction cr-p

[TonyM]

Originally Posted by TonyM

I ordered the wrong two pieces from Drake on Monday. The stuff just got here. I figured it out a couple days ago but by then the pieces were on their way. Called Drake's and they said wait til the stuff gets there and then call back. I have ordered from Drake several times--haven't had a problem and the service was good. I hope all goes good on this return.

TonyM.

Note: Karen and Jerry at Drakes helped me with my return. So far so good.

I stupidly ordered the wrong parts from Drake's. I called Drake's and the staff was helpful getting me my refund. My account has been credited. I am going to order the correct parts now. Thanks Drake's.

Tony Mireles

[bart78]

My fatherinlaws company stamps a bunch of parts for windmills. He told me that they try to make every part as close as they can to the original part. Like he said every thing cant be perfect. Over time tools and dies wear and allso when you are talking about something made that long ago they were not all made perfect. As you stated you did not buy the product and you say that you are able to put it together. Maybe the picture is just to show what part it is. If they showed a bunch of parts and said these parts are a battery box some people might not know what they are looking at. They do take returns and if it was not what was needed it schould have been returned. But coming on here and talking about a man and his business without talking to them and giving them a chance to say their part is wrong. Nothing is going to fit perfect or be perfect on any of these old cars.

[Bob Drake Repro]

Continued entries to this site by Bob Drake Reproductions, Inc. will be strictly informational and educational, as the founder and current moderator(s)/owner(s) intended. The Ford Barn (and sites like it) can be a valuable resource for our hobby when kept on course of their vision.
We don’t monitor this site 24/7 looking for the entry with the biggest and boldest font, but look over the posts every couple of weeks to see if we can add something of value or help someone out.
We will continue to do that and let those that feel the need to use this site for something that it wasn’t intended for, be dealt with by the administrator.

[uncle buck]

Bob, Thanks for your support of our hobby and taking the time to publicly respond to Kube's complaints. Some may consider your response a bit abrasive, but I feel your response is in the same tone as the way Kube asked for it. I appreciate all you provide to us.

[TonyM]

Happy with my latest Drake order, which arrived this A.M. from FedEx.

[Fourdy]

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Having built my 40 dlx tudor with 95% BD parts I have come to the conclusion that most parts bought from any supplier is a "good start". I am thankful for the Drakes of the industry for their effort and expense in bringing us products to build our cars with.

I see Bob frequently at our local shows and told him that I would appreciate him telling us whether something is a perfect fit or will need some modification. I expect quality of material to be less than original but I really want to know if it will fit.

I worked for two solid days trying to install the rear quarter windows in my tudor with new glass channels from Drakes. I would get it all together but when raising the window it would all fall apart. The window didn't roll back for venting as it was supposed to.

I finally took it all apart and fortunately had kept the old channels. (should have just bead blasted, painted and used them again) The following pics show the discrepencies I found. Brackets were welded on in the wrong location that then made part of the track too long and the other end too short. Brackets in the wrong place meant that the rollers fell out of the channel. Tore the new ones apart and rewelded to fit the pattern of the original. Then I noticed that the new part did not have a rolling sleeve on the stud like the orig. Seems like a lot of wear in store so I replace the new with the old. Another 1/2 day and I had two perfectly operating quarter windows.

Like I said, "a good start".

I am thankful but cautious when buying repops. Just my .02 worth.

Fourdy

[FHFD]

It was refreshing to have a supplier respond, when called out on a forum such as this. Yes, he may have responded slightly "abrasive", which only reconfirms that he is passionate and pridefull of his business/products.
I've bought a lot of items from BD, and will continue to do so. Is it a perfect world?, no. I am just grateful we have aftermarket suppliers, for our early Fords, or we would be like those unfortunate Dodge, Studebaker, IHC, etc. owners, who have a very hard time sourcing any parts.
Now Bob, if you are still out there, would you start reproducing steel '40/'41 pickup rear fenders.

[itstom]

OK Bob, care to speculate on which part of your quality program failed in Fourdy's case or do you think he ordered the wrong part also?

And to show that this is not just a Bob Drake problem, the following email was sent to Macs after I received three faulty wiring harnesses. I have also included, in its entirety their response:

All three of the wiring harnesses purchased from Mac's did not fit as the original. All three had issues with the length of some of the leads. On the 11A-14305, the wire marked 1R was too short by about 10 inches and would not reach to the resistor. On this same harness the wire marked 5B was too short and would not reach the temperature sensor.
The 51A14405 had a short wire that goes to the fuel tank sending unit. The original had a wire of about 20 inches long and the replacement harness had a wire of about 10 inches long.
The 11A-11653 had multiple issues. The sections of harness feeding up to the "kidney cover", foot switch, and back to the 14405 harness were all shorter that the original, preventing it from being routed as the original. Perhaps as a result, the sections feeding the headlights are a bit short preventing them from being routed as original and in an esthetically pleasing manner.
Returning the harnesses is not an option. The originals were destroyed in removal. The problems with the new parts were not evident until the were installed (and the foot switch soldered in). Trips are planned. The 14405 harness took 2 weeks from time of order until arrival.
On a related note; one week from receipt of order to shipping is poor customer service, period. If you will ship same day for a fee of only $3.50, you are telling me that's it's really no big deal, you just don't want to do it. Perhaps hiring some high school kids during your busy summer months to pick orders would help you expedite some orders and retain customers. Excellent customer service would not make my wiring harnesses fit any better, but I may think of these issues as unfortunate incidents instead of further evidence that Mac's just doesn't care about the customer.

Their reply:
Thank You for submitting your valuable feedback.

Apparently the calm, reasoned approach doesn't get results either. I have since thrown out their catalogs, unsubscribed from their emails and deleted their bookmark in my browser.

Tom

[swoopNZ]

I have had plenty of dealings with Bob Drake's Company and Mike Kubarth.
Both have been first class to deal with.
Chris Tompkins
New Zealand.

[Cecil/WV]

I have had little complaint with Bob Drake parts.

[TonyM]

These Re-pro headlight buckets from Bob Drake were a perfect fit.

[uncle max]

Originally Posted by TonyM

These Re-pro headlight buckets from Bob Drake were a perfect fit.

Bob Drake Poster Child!

[okiedokie]

Hey let's try some Argentina made stuff, yeah that's the ticket.

[Vic Piano]

The anonymity of the internet gives people the opportunity to cast aspersions without fear of reprisal in any form but the written word. I find it both amusing and disturbing that people take what can only be referred to as "heap shots” at those who have made the investment in time and money to provide parts and/or services to the hobby. I've never had a problem with fit, finish or function with any part I've gotten from Bob Drake or Dennis Carpenter, (one possible exception being the trunk supports for our '47 Convertible). I’m no expert in fabrication nor do I have any of the necessary equipment to facilitate fabrication of parts. I do try to find NOS or good/reusable original parts however, when they are not available, I rely on people like Bob Drake and Dennis Carpenter.

[Roger/Sacramento]

Dealing with parts suppliers is like dealing with others in life. The wife, children, workmates and friends are not perfect. Deal with the situation and continue on with life. I too have had some issues with parts. I know that the world has had to deal with me at times. I am thankful that I am not the only person in the world.

[Gumpy]

In the old days I had to fabricate or weld my old parts now I am glad I have a supplier like Drake to go to....

[FL&WVMIKE]

Any manufactor, of parts, has to send a pattern, overseas, for the part to be made. These parts need to be inspected, before the sale, to determine if they are correct. This should be a basic rule of ethics.
The manufactors, who immediately offer these parts for sale, and let the consumer be the inspectors, is just not doing the right thing. Case in point, the new water pumps, that would not bolt up to the engine.
MIKE

[bbrocksr]

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE

Any manufactor, of parts, has to send a pattern, overseas, for the part to be made. These parts need to be inspected, before the sale, to determine if they are correct. This should be a basic rule of ethics.
The manufactors, who immediately offer these parts for sale, and let the consumer be the inspectors, is just not doing the right thing. Case in point, the new water pumps, that would not bolt up to the engine.
MIKE

I'm not sure but I thought these pumps were okay in the begining and then had some kind of a pattern shift later that caused the problem.
I have a pair of the later ones on my 36 (37 engine) pickup and they fit, work great and solved my heating problems.
Bill

[Lawrie]

I fitted a set of B/Drake running boards to my 33,
Was I pleased,you bet,the only way you could tell they were not NOS ford was they had B/D on the box.
Fit, perfect,
We are lucky to have reproduction parts avail,I had a mate who had a Vauxhall,what a drama to get ANY parts.
Lawrie

[al pa.]

Bob,as long as you are reading the posts,and responding,I'm still curious about the closeout throttle,and choke cables I ordered for my 47 merc.They were a closeout,then on backorder,then my money was refunded,and shortly after,they reappeared at the presale price.Comments?