[kd4lok]

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

Geez, quite a few companies sell "unfinished" products, don't they?


Sheetmetal patch panels come unfinished and require shaping prior to welding in. New doors for roadsters & phaetons are only partially assembled and tack-welded together, and require fitting & finishing before painting. Wood kits come unfinished and require holes to be drilled and notches to be made. Bushings for many items in a Model-A require finishing. Brake drums must be machined before using, and brake shoes require arcing prior to using. Floor mats require trimming, window channel requires cutting to the correct length, Upholstery components like windlace, panels, etc. all require cutting to length and finishing. Fender welt requires cutting. Frame welt requires cutting & punching holes. How about radiator hoses, or fuel lines, or...?? I could go one, but so much of our hobby is designed around finishing or modifying what we purchase. Rarely is anything ready to install right out of the box or package. Now understand, it could be ….however Model-A people are too cheap to pay the price to have it come 'ready to use'!


In the case of the radiator, I guess I just don't get what folks are bitching about in this thread. There are so many components in Model-A restoration where the manufacturer will custom-make to exacting fits if you provide exact measurements and specifications of your needs HOWEVER it requires effort and pre-planning on your part. It seems most here are too lazy and are seeming expecting/demanding a little too much without the willingness to put forth a little effort.


For example, if you want a glass kit, you can order one and hope it fits (-which all of them usually don't) -or you can send the Glazier detailed measurements and they will cut each glass piece for an exact fit. The same goes for upholstery. You can have the kit supplier sew-up a generic kit and when you receive it you hope it fits, --OR you send them the measurements of your springs, panels, bow locations, etc., and they will custom sew a kit that looks perfect when installed. How about a wood kit, you can let them custom cut to your body, --or you accept the wood however it comes. As mentioned above, in the case of the radiator, if you send your radiator shell and hose sizes, you will get a very nice piece. Blaming someone else for something you were "hoping for" or expecting should have never been a reason to start this topic from my vantage point.

Brent,
I have enjoyed reading and learning from your posts since joining this forum. However, I find your position on this thread disturbing. You have criticized the Model A community as being too cheap to pay for a component or assembly that correctly meets the need with respect to form, fit, and function and stressed the need for customers to become more involved in accurately specifying what they really want or need. For a vehicle that has been around for 90 years, is it really too much to expect that a part ordered from one of the several suppliers will be received as advertised. Unless customers complain about parts that do not fit and/or poor service, nothing will ever improve.
Sorry, my fellow Tennessean, but I must disagree with you on this one.