Parts for restorations

[Woodie1]

Am I right in saying it looks like we are losing our parts for restorations? In looking at one venders site for 1939 Deluxe parts, I see a lot of "out of stock" in the lastings. I don't need some of the parts that are out of stock, It just looks like I may never get my project done.

[alchemy]

Buy what you need now.

[19Fordy]

It does seem that the good old days of plentiful parts are fading away.
However, let's hope that the "hoarders" will decide to "let go" of parts they really don't need and will never use.

[47topless]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

It does seem that the good old days of plentiful parts are fading away.
However, let's hope that the "hoarders" will decide to "let go" of parts they really don't need and will never use.

As the old guard dies off, there will be more and more "original" parts coming available. There will be an oversupply of good, original parts and old (well made) reproduction parts. Just stay active and try not to die before the "rhapsody". There is a GREAT DAY A COMIN'!!!!

[Texasroadkill]

I gave up looking for a good nos or lightly used front leaf pack for my folks 38 sedan and ordered a new one from Eaton Detroit spring. We play with model It's as well and that hobby has lost quite a few good people that would rebuild parts in the last few years.

[Seth Swoboda]

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The worst is the loss of an affordable interior upholstry supplier. That pretty much killed my '40 Ford restoration project. Now I have a beautifully restored chassis that I have nothing to do with.

[34fordy]

Originally Posted by 47topless

As the old guard dies off, there will be more and more "original" parts coming available. There will be an oversupply of good, original parts and old (well made) reproduction parts. Just stay active and try not to die before the "rhapsody". There is a GREAT DAY A COMIN'!!!!

I dunno about that. When an "old guard" passes away most of his offspring is late middle aged and have no idea what all that "junk" is. I suspect either the landfill or the scrap man deals with it. I believe restorations of early V8 vehicles is tapering off fast as parts and decent project cars get almost impossible to find. Even folks that have a desire for these vehicles get smaller in number daily. I know this is a very pessimistic attitude but sometimes we must be realistic.

[Kurt in NJ]

I recently found a nos front spring in a neighbors trash that would fit 36-40
I have made the tin cover for the windshield header bow on 35-36 cab and conv sedan I could make more money installing brake pads but have been told the part I make is too expensive.
I have the metal prepped to make a few more but after that I would have to buy a new sheet of metal at twice the price the original sheet cost—- I have a good one for my car

[tubman]

If I was younger, I would consider starting a business that liquidated the estates of deceased "car people". It would be a tough start-up, but if you could establish the proper connections (probate lawyers, old car organizations, etc.) and reputation (so that owners of large amounts of cars and parts would add it to the directives in their will), I believe that people would jump at the chance to utilize the service.

Anyone wants to do it, all I want is 10% for coming up with the idea.

Alas, I am of the age where I would be an excellent client.

[Charlie Stephens]

If you haven't done so already be sure there are instructions to the executer of your estate telling them what to do with your old Ford parts. Left to my wife she would probably give them to the scrap metal guy that drives around on trash day looking for scrap metal. If you can't find a friend or club at least give them to a business that specializes in Ford parts.

Charlie Stephens

[Seth Swoboda]

The focus will shift to preserve and maintain over restore. There are a lot of good cars that are older restorations around. These are the cars guys like me will look for. 34fordy is correct in a lot of what he says. I'll keep on going as long as there are decent cars out there to purchase and enjoy. The folks who will be left with "dad's" old Ford, will mostly have no interest in the car. Just last week my 10 year old daughter came home from school with this story. In class a discussion came up about the 3 Stooges. No student in the class, except for my daughter, knew who the 3 Stooges were. Wrap your mind around that.

[Texasroadkill]

Originally Posted by Kurt in NJ

I recently found a nos front spring in a neighbors trash that would fit 36-40
I have made the tin cover for the windshield header bow on 35-36 cab and conv sedan I could make more money installing brake pads but have been told the part I make is too expensive.
I have the metal prepped to make a few more but after that I would have to buy a new sheet of metal at twice the price the original sheet cost—- I have a good one for my car

Lucky you. Shipping is probably the biggest cost. I'm in South Texas.

[WarbirdPhotog]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

The worst is the loss of an affordable interior upholstry supplier. That pretty much killed my '40 Ford restoration project. Now I have a beautifully restored chassis that I have nothing to do with.

I'm in the same boat. I found a door/pillar fabric at the Los Angeles Fabric District that will work (it's 'close enough' to pass even though it's not mohair), but I'm struggling with the seat upholstery fabric for my '40 Deluxe Fordor. There is a company in Ohio that sells the only 'striped mohair' I've seen that matches the original fabric on my seats, but they want $140 a yard. To do both seats, armrests, robe rope, and the rear handle loops... it'll be close to 9-10 yards needed to make sure I have enough just in case there are mistakes. That's $1,400 just for fabric. Yikes.

A lot of people recommend SMS fabrics, and I ended up getting a headliner from them because they had the closest to the original (not perfect, and they messed up completely on the first attempt), but the fabric they said was an 'exact match' for the seats was so incredibly wrong that I didn't even entertain the idea. So I'm actively trying to find a modern equivalent that is also 'close enough'.

And that's just what it's going to have to be for us who got into this restoration game just a few years too late. I think we're all going to have to just settle with 'close enough' instead of exact.

[Darrell S]

I blessed the new owner of the 48 with everything I had accumulated over the years. It kind of surprised me how much stuff there was. My wife nor the kids and grandkids would have had a clue about any of it. Probably would have ended up in the dump.

[34fordy]

I spend time every day on our FordBarn and the Hamb parts for sale and wanted sections. It is amazing how most parts are advertised so many times without results. Sometimes the asking price is unrealistic in my opinion but evidently I am guilty of the same. I have tried to give parts away for free but there have never been any takers with a need or a willingness to come and get them, The demand is just not there anymore. I believe that very few folks have the resources for a restoration and are more likely to make a hotrod or restorod. The cost to do a good rebuild on our flathead V8 engines is much higher than an abomination OHV from a salvage yard. I only came back to this wonderful hobby a bit over 10 years ago. The change in supply and demand of project cars and parts is tremendous. It is what it is, I guess.

[Oldcarbearings]

Decent quality USA made ball&wound journal roller bearings used in FORD manual transmissions/gearboxes i.e. B7118/B7121 cluster gear/mainshaft, countershaft bearings &8A-1225 rear axle/hub/wheel bearings are getting difficult/hard to find especially here in Australia as the direct importers of known USA ball bearing brands DON'T manufactuer wound journal roller bearings in USA nor do the USA ball bearing manufactuers i.e. BCA/BOWER (part of NTN-SNR), RBC (Roller Bearing Company) DON'T make wound journal roller bearings i.e. HYATT spiral groove drive/prop/tailshaft/rear axle/hub/wheel bearings, BALTZER are now made in china!, i think BOWER cylindrical roller bearings are still made in USA TORRINGTON now owned by KOYO are made i assume/think in japan, FORD C20W-1177-A NLA/MADE in USA both C/R)/Chicago Rawhide (owned by SKF) &NATIONAL Oil seals (part of FM) DON'T manufa ctuer that particualr size oil seal anymore ...... sigh

[Newc]

My relatives [all girls] don't want or care for my V8 stuff- so it's all going to the Ford V8 foundation in a few years. Best option. Newc

[ScubaChief60]

This is a topic that hits home with me too.

I have been looking for replacement front and rear bumpers for my '35 Fordor Model 48. Lot's of out of stock notes . I could have mine re-chromed... but even those folks are becoming scarce and the price for that service is high.

I bought my '35 in 1991... put it in my barn... raised kids... grad degree.. underwater missions... ball games... adventures... then at age 55 I realized it was time to get cranking (pun intended) and get my ole gal restored. The internet has been a lifesaver over last ten years in this restoration process... but I too am seeing fewer parts available.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by Seth Swoboda

The focus will shift to preserve and maintain over restore. There are a lot of good cars that are older restorations around. These are the cars guys like me will look for. 34fordy is correct in a lot of what he says. I'll keep on going as long as there are decent cars out there to purchase and enjoy. The folks who will be left with "dad's" old Ford, will mostly have no interest in the car. Just last week my 10 year old daughter came home from school with this story. In class a discussion came up about the 3 Stooges. No student in the class, except for my daughter, knew who the 3 Stooges were. Wrap your mind around that.

Seth, those kids probably did not now Groucho Marx either.

[Seth Swoboda]

Originally Posted by TJ

Seth, those kids probably did not now Groucho Marx either.

No chance. The teacher probably wouldn't either.