A&L - Are they still making parts?? 2025

[montanafordman]

What is the word on A&L parts these days? I know they went to exclusively wholesale a few years ago, but I've noticed the main vendors seem to be out of stock with some of their best parts.

The 30-31 brake light switch for one, that has brass bushings. Also I belive they made the better tail lights? I've been trying to find a set of tail lights for my second model A and some of the recent reproductions available right now are very poor quality compared to what I was able to get 10 years ago. Phillips screws, modern PVC insulated wire, poor fit between the rim and body, etc. Brattons notes back in stock maybe march or april 2025 so I guess that gives me hope if thats where the "better" ones come from.

Is this because A&L hasn't been able to produce after loosing key people? Is Allen scaling back or retired? Any word? There were so many great parts they made and you knew they were quality. Seems a crapshoot with a lot of reproduction small parts these days.

[Hitman]

Originally Posted by montanafordman

Is this because A&L hasn't been able to produce after loosing key people? Is Allen scaling back or retired? Any word? There were so many great parts they made and you knew they were quality. Seems a crapshoot with a lot of reproduction small parts these days.

Supply, demand and capital.

Using the 30-31 brake switch. It just one of over 5000 parts on the car, and this obviously only fits half the A’s. What about the 28-29 cars? It might take $50k to produce 1000 30-31 switches. That’s $50k tied up in brake switches that are correct for half the cars. How many years would it take to recover the initial investment? That’s $50k that can’t be applied to hubcaps, drum tail light housings or or parts they make.

If you think you’re facing supply issues, talk to the early V8 guys. Suppliers are quitting left and right. Look for an interior supplier!

[Joop]

Allen is working hard to get orders filled but supplies only to the parts vendors. So when ordering ask if it is an A&L part.

[nkaminar]

In the future, restoring Model A's may mean rebuilding original parts.

[Bob Bidonde]

Ditto nkaminar. As the market for parts diminishes, fewer reproductions will be available for service and restorations. In my opinion, the hobby will trend towards what we did in the 1960s to restore parts rather than buy new ones.

[Incognito-A]

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Originally Posted by nkaminar

In the future, restoring Model A's may mean rebuilding original parts.

For some of us it has ALWAYS been about finding and restoring original parts.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Incognito-A

For some of us it has ALWAYS been about finding and restoring original parts.

But, ...some folks have this misconception that it costs a lot more money to 'Restore' instead of replace. Afterall, they just want a Model-A they can drive & tour with.

[montanafordman]

Originally Posted by Incognito-A

For some of us it has ALWAYS been about finding and restoring original parts.

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

But, ...some folks have this misconception that it costs a lot more money to 'Restore' instead of replace. Afterall, they just want a Model-A they can drive & tour with.

True, and I'd prefer that also. In my case I'd like to find a right side tail light without glass on the bottom for the license plate. The right side wasn't original anyway and the A&L ones seemed to fit and match the best. Also the brake light switch - why mess with a worn out original or a cheap reproduction when A&L made a great one. No home lathe needed to machine my own bushings, looks great and functions reliably.

Some of us can't spend all our time at hershey and ebay overpaying for something that turns out to be less than represented. We'd all love to be master craftsman, expert metal refinishers, fabricators and tool and die makers but sometimes we'd just love to source good consistent parts to keep our cars on the road. Nothing wrong with that. There is a "holier than thou" attitude that comes across sometimes, either intentionally or unintentionally that does little to further the hobby.

For now my job and career involves flying an airplane - taking you all to weddings, funerals, vacations and business trips. Once I retire I'd love to find a cottage industry or side hustle contributing to the Model A hobby outside of my personal projects, but in the meantime I rely on picking the two best of: "cheap, fast, and good" from the rest of you to keep my projects going forward.

This was simply an inquiry into one of my percieved best options for some simple small parts if they're still out there. For those of you that help the rest of us whether thats selling original parts from the hoard you've aquired over the years, restoring original parts, or making good new manufacture options, and our usual suppliers - I salute you.

[bobbader]

Montana ...................... One of the things you mentioned was a right hand taillight. If you're talking about 29-31 teacup lights, A&L has not had them for years and the only other US manufacturer was Snyder's. I don't believe they have them anymore either. It's very hard to compete with the price of the foreign made lights and most folks won't appreciate the difference in fit compared to the US lights enough to pay the difference. The "outward appearance" quality of the foreign lights fit what most folks are looking for. As long as they work "out of the package" there won't be any problems with mechanical/electrical performance for quite a while ................. UNTIL THERE IS! Then, the poor fit of the bulb sockets, the lesser quality of the cloth covered wire, bullet ends, or wire gauge might air themselves. It becomes a question of "IF' or "WHEN" these issues may cause a problem. Otherwise, these lights fit the "cheap, fast, PRETTY good" characteristics you outline. Good luck with your endeavors.

[JayJay]

So as an aside, was there ever an original right side taillight without the license plate light lens, or is that a modern/repro fabrication?

[montanafordman]

Originally Posted by bobbader

Montana ...................... One of the things you mentioned was a right hand taillight. If you're talking about 29-31 teacup lights, A&L has not had them for years and the only other US manufacturer was Snyder's. I don't believe they have them anymore either. It's very hard to compete with the price of the foreign made lights and most folks won't appreciate the difference in fit compared to the US lights enough to pay the difference. The "outward appearance" quality of the foreign lights fit what most folks are looking for. As long as they work "out of the package" there won't be any problems with mechanical/electrical performance for quite a while ................. UNTIL THERE IS! Then, the poor fit of the bulb sockets, the lesser quality of the cloth covered wire, bullet ends, or wire gauge might air themselves. It becomes a question of "IF' or "WHEN" these issues may cause a problem. Otherwise, these lights fit the "cheap, fast, PRETTY good" characteristics you outline. Good luck with your endeavors.

Must be the Snyders ones I'm thinking of then. I bought a ride side tail light from them about 10 years ago and it matches the original on my left side perfectly. Now I have a second Model A and it had 2 left tail lights with the glass on the right painted over on the inside and a butchered divider bracket. What I am finding recently leaves a bit to be desired with poor fitment, poor quality wire, and Phillips screws. I'd rather spend more and get another like I have for my coupe. The sedan I purchased also has a worn out cheap reproduction brake switch with helper springs. I know there are many who'd rather buy the $10 import switch but for me the extra for the A&L switch is what I would prefer. As a side note I have a spare A&L switch I could use, but I wanted to keep an additional quality switch for a spare.

I don't blame the parts houses for a difficult problem to solve - balancing overhead, parts quality and cost and consumer preference. I like to order from different vendors for different reasons and many have their strengths and weaknesses, but if I'm putting together an order and one doesn't have something in stock - I might make a larger order from someone else to make sure I get everything I need and in one box. Joe hotrod or unaware Alex might just buy the cheapest part to satisfy a need - others might wait until the right part is in stock and pay extra, and another might pay someone or do the work themselves to restore an original part.

We are fortunate to have as many multiple choices to satisfy different goals and budgets. If only it were a perfect world with an endless supply of original parts, capable restorers, talented tool and die makers producing quality new parts, and parts houses with endless space, inventory, low overhead and lucrative orders.

[Oldbluoval]

JayJay yes! And I have a couple
They originated in Denmark. Whether assembled, made, shipped…dunno
But they are heavy and just like the original lefts I have with the right hand correct angle

[Incognito-A]

NOS 30-31 stop light switches are readily available for $40-50

[30Tudor]

I can't help but think about the huge quantity of Model A parts that are sitting on people's garage shelves "Just in Case". I am also a bit guilty of this - being a bit of a hoarder myself. It seems that sometimes the demise of one hoarder just increases the supply of another hoarder. I know a gentlemen who has a massive collection of Model A parts but either he doesn't want to sell the NOS/Original flywheel housing or camshaft or he can't find them. Worse the parts hoard ends up in a dumpster because the family doesn't want to deal with it.

Imagine if we all agreed to release our spare parts inventory? Chances are that if you actually needed that headlamp bucket or a NOS generator armature, then you could easily find another.

Just musing....

[Jeff/Illinois]

Speaking of quality... our '30 Roadster has an oval speedometer dash panel, yes chromed BUT on the inside it says 'Made in W. Germany' and it fits perfectly! The car was restored in 1972 I don't know where the guy doing the car got that from

[bobbader]

Jeff/Illinois, these Made in Germany dash panels were another "good fitting/decent quality" repo made in the early to mid 80's that fell prey to the
"I can make that cheaper" market. Quality/fit/higher price lost out to lower price and the company ceased manufacturing the "good ones". Unfortunately, misinformation often leads the public to believe "parts is parts". That, and the attitude that .......... "If Vendor B is charging me more than Vendor A advertises, Vendor B must be ripping me off!" Then they tell 2 friends and those people tell 2 friends, and etc. Before you know it, Vendor B can no longer do business. We are, collectively, our worst enemy when we buy into poor logic.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by bobbader

Jeff/Illinois, these Made in Germany dash panels were another "good fitting/decent quality" repo made in the early to mid 80's that fell prey to the
"I can make that cheaper" market. Quality/fit/higher price lost out to lower price and the company ceased manufacturing the "good ones". Unfortunately, misinformation often leads the public to believe "parts is parts". That, and the attitude that .......... "If Vendor B is charging me more than Vendor A advertises, Vendor B must be ripping me off!" Then they tell 2 friends and those people tell 2 friends, and etc. Before you know it, Vendor B can no longer do business. We are, collectively, our worst enemy when we buy into poor logic.

Bob, as a fellow vendor you know this all too well, ...but isn't it ironic how we/I seemingly always hear complaints from the hobbyists about how they would buy the better quality widget if only the manufacturers would make it. Ironically, when it comes time to make the better quality purchase, -they don't.

[bobbader]

Agreed Brent. But, to be fair, in today's rushed society, it's only getting worse. We're so used to pushing a button and having an answer right away that we treat every decision without thinking it through. We NEED what we need ............ and we THINK we need it RIGHT NOW. Indeed, vendors of all types of merchandise (and their shipping agents) want us to believe they can get something to us faster than "the other guy" ................ practically before we even complete the purchase ........... AND ....... for a cheaper price! Our human response is one of glee. It's oftentimes momentary glee yet we do it again the next time ........... once again looking for the diamond for the price of a rhinestone.

[SteveB31]

To answer the original question about A&L parts. Yes, he is still in business and making many parts. I won’t bore you with the long story, but the short version is he lost a couple long time employees due to retirement. He has not found suitable replacements, so is working mostly by himself, and thus quite behind on making many things. As a dealer of his for 41 years, he sends us products every week. We do not get all the product we want to get, but each week another item he hasn’t made in awhile shows up. He is roughly two months behind in shipping us what we order, so an order we sent in November shows up this week. Because we all know it will be a while,we order more then we need because we know more won’t arrive for a couple months. It sucks, but he makes all good parts and he made very few price increases. That being said, as others have stated there are alternatives that many don’t look into. You mentioned good stop,light switches. Last week I found two NORS 1930-1931 brake light switches on EBay and bought them to sell to two of our hood clients. Things are out there, you sometimes just have to look at alternate sources. eBay, swap meets, wanted ads on various websites like this and Facebook etc. hope this helps.

[P.S.]

Originally Posted by SteveB31

"....and bought them to sell to two of our hood clients."

What do you sell to your clients who live in the country?