Fair price for a NOS rear axle housing.

[37 Coupe]

Is it hard to find axle housings in NOS condition? I know a person who was left some Model A parts from his father and he has a pair of NOS axle housings and does know that one is an earlier one with ball not replaceable and one is the later replaceable type. He does not know what to ask for price. Could they be used together if they are a left and right or is the differences notable once installed? What I really need to see is if the bearing surfaces are protected or rust pitted and dinged up.Thank You for any advice.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

NOS on a rear end housing $400-$500 is realistic. About ½ that amount to restore a used one correctly.

[37 Coupe]

I didn't realize they would be that much.I think for that amount I will wait for the next streetrodder selling the entire rear end.

[Terry, NJ]

I bought a USED, not NOS, rear for $100 when I did mine last year. This was a complete rear with backing plates, brakes, axles etc. It had been lying outside and had acquired some rust, However, internally it was good. I was redoing my other rear and needed a few parts. May I suggest for some real improvement to your car, you rebuild the old one using a new 3.54 - 1 or if your engine's in good shape and it's not too hilly, get a set of 3.27 - 1 gears. You're gonna love it! Kinda Pricey though, With new bearings etc around $700 and a lot of work! But the results are worth it!
Terry

[Joe K]

I just bought a $5 trumpet housing. Externally rusty but restorable. NEEDS the wheel hub bearing segment replaced as most used housings do.

NOS is a different breed of cat entirely. Imagine if you will, an entire car made up of NOS parts. Marco comes to mind.

NOS is almost into the category "too good to use" and "They're only original once."

Joe K

[Purdy Swoft]

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The outer axle housing race often wears out on one side . I have always used good used axle housings . NOS axle housings or having the old race turned down and replaced is just TOO expensive for my use !!!!!!! NOS axle housings are difficult or near impossible to find . Good luck .

[Tom Endy]

Be careful when buying a rear axle assembly. people have a tendency to store them by leaning them up against a fence with the open end of the torque tube open to the sky. They will fill up with water and turn every thing inside into a rusted mess. Even if not rusted things could be busted up inside. You take a chance no matter what you pay for it.


I picked one up at the San Diego swap meet in February for $50. The seller had $100 marked on it. When I mention $50 he jumped on it.


The brake drums, shoes and backing plates were a rusted mess and I had to cut them off. However, the axle housings, axles, ring & pinion and the rest were all in good serviceable condition.


With $300 worth of new bearings, races, seals, and gaskets it could be restored to serviceable condition. However, a fully assembled rear axle assembly is difficult to sell for reasons stated above. I intend to use the parts as needed in future overhauls.


Tom Endy

[ronn]

I scrapped a complete very nice rear with all the trimmings, because it was in the way. got 20 bucks.............


most guys are glad to dump them cheap, because of the room they take and pain to carry around to fleas.

[Joe K]

Of course those that don't have the spring perch shackle eyes "clapped out" I would keep. Even shackle eyes cam be repaired if one is a welder.

My first experience welding with a 'copper chill.'

The wheel bearing seat is not insurmountable if one has a 14" swing lathe. And a 20 ton press.

Joe K

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

Is it hard to find axle housings in NOS condition? I know a person who was left some Model A parts from his father and he has a pair of NOS axle housings and does know that one is an earlier one with ball not replaceable and one is the later replaceable type. He does not know what to ask for price. Could they be used together if they are a left and right or is the differences notable once installed? What I really need to see is if the bearing surfaces are protected or rust pitted and dinged up.Thank You for any advice.

Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C

NOS on a rear end housing $400-$500 is realistic. About ½ that amount to restore a used one correctly.

Might I ask what you feel is a fair price for a NOS housing?

And, if the housing surfaces are rust pitted or damaged, then it probably is not NOS is it? Buying a used one from a street rodder really is NOT a NOS unit in my view.

Also, to be clear, a 'restored' housing generally consists of straightening the housing, repairing the hub race, replacing the tubular link ball, replacing the spring hanger bushing, machining the gasket surface for the diff housing and truing the brake housing plate flange surface. Hopefully you can see there is a fair amount of work involved in restoring a housing which is why most hobbyists don't do it.

[37 Coupe]

I asked the question first because I have no idea and only thing I could compare to is Snyders sell a rebuilt one for exchange at $395. As far as NOS being rust pitted and not being NOS well I have seen many parts over the years technically labeled NOS because they still have the original parts # tag on them.The wire may be rusted away on the tag but still called NOS. Some parts fair better laying around for 90 years than mechanicall parts exposed to just air like a NOS housing with a bearing surface that has never had grease on it same as an engine block.

[37 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Joe K

I just bought a $5 trumpet housing. Externally rusty but restorable. NEEDS the wheel hub bearing segment replaced as most used housings do.

NOS is a different breed of cat entirely. Imagine if you will, an entire car made up of NOS parts. Marco comes to mind.

NOS is almost into the category "too good to use" and "They're only original once."

Joe K

Local man here in Ohio told me a couple years ago he has a Model T roadster pickup made up over many years of NOS parts.I think it was a later one like a '25-27.I did not pay much attention as I was looking for a '30-'31 roadster pickup at the time,never found a good one close by and eventually bought the '31 roadster. The man who told me this is about 90 years old and said most parts was bought from one collection in the fifties and the rst from Ford dealers inventory for next to nothing.Frame,engine front and rear axle everything including body was NOS. He also said because of the parts and uniqueness it should bring close to $40,000. I don't care how unique it is about twice what it is worth at least to me,probably three times. I did notice everything he had was for sale at American Picker don't really want to sell prices.

[Joe K]

He also said because of the parts and uniqueness it should bring close to $40,000. I don't care how unique it is about twice what it is worth at least to me,probably three times. I did notice everything he had was for sale at American Picker don't really want to sell prices.

While I respect Marco his technical acumen, and admire his car greatly - which as I take it was assembled much as your friend's Model T, I might question the advisability of a similar route today. Marco was fortunate to be able to follow this path. Today the path would be a steep and dare I say it nonexistent one. Most of the "parts stashes" have now been sold off, or are $tratospheric in acquisition.

A critique here. Judging Standards are now SO high that it has become a matter of dollars. Buying NOS parts is now become just one of those dollars. Most cannot compete - and so don't really try simply because of the cost of admission.

Hence the formation of different "classes" to allow a wider competition - I support this way for the hobby going forward.

But, when one scores above say 450 in the original competition, one SHOULD expect to pay more for this car. Those who have paid the price of admission expect to recompense some of that price on the sale of their car.

Free Enterprise. Its a wonderful thing.

BUT - given the competition from "non-judged" and lesser judged cars, one might expect a high scorer might be held back in that recompense?

Think of it this way. If a car scores 425, does that justify a similar car that can score 450 should be double the price? How many buyers will actually decide to pay double for something which they could buy the cheaper option and then "correct" the mistakes at lesser cost? Thus market pressure for high scorers is always "downward" - not as much for NOS parts.

The downside of a high scorer in the marketplace is that it has LOTS of competition, both in scoring AND in market demand. The downside of an NOS part is "storage cost" - and potentially dwindling demand.

Joe K

[ronn]

Think of it this way. If a car scores 425, does that justify a similar car that can score 450 should be double the price?


As an example- A Martin guitar costs double what a Guild costs, but is perhaps only 10% better.


It always costs far more to get to perfection, then to get to near perfection. Such is life.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by Joe K

While I respect Marco his technical acumen, and admire his car greatly - which as I take it was assembled much as your friend's Model T, I might question the advisability of a similar route today. Marco was fortunate to be able to follow this path. Today the path would be a steep and dare I say it nonexistent one. Most of the "parts stashes" have now been sold off, or are $tratospheric in acquisition.

A critique here. Judging Standards are now SO high that it has become a matter of dollars. Buying NOS parts is now become just one of those dollars. Most cannot compete - and so don't really try simply because of the cost of admission.

Hence the formation of different "classes" to allow a wider competition - I support this way for the hobby going forward.

But, when one scores above say 450 in the original competition, one SHOULD expect to pay more for this car. Those who have paid the price of admission expect to recompense some of that price on the sale of their car.

Free Enterprise. Its a wonderful thing.

BUT - given the competition from "non-judged" and lesser judged cars, one might expect a high scorer might be held back in that recompense?

Think of it this way. If a car scores 425, does that justify a similar car that can score 450 should be double the price? How many buyers will actually decide to pay double for something which they could buy the cheaper option and then "correct" the mistakes at lesser cost? Thus market pressure for high scorers is always "downward" - not as much for NOS parts.

The downside of a high scorer in the marketplace is that it has LOTS of competition, both in scoring AND in market demand. The downside of an NOS part is "storage cost" - and potentially dwindling demand.

Joe K

Joe, good points. I would like to offer one counterpoint, and that is that it does not, -or should not cost a fortune to restore a car for fine-point. What has changed is the practice of 'replace' rather than restore mindset. It does not require NOS parts to score well like some folks believe. Using Marco's Roadster as an example, some erroneously think the reason why his car scored so high is because of all the NOS parts which in fact they overlook the two major components which were level of authenticity and attention to detail. Since neither of the two items are easily purchased, they chose to assume it must be the NOS parts that makes the vehicle win.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I asked the question first because I have no idea and only thing I could compare to is Snyders sell a rebuilt one for exchange at $395. As far as NOS being rust pitted and not being NOS well I have seen many parts over the years technically labeled NOS because they still have the original parts # tag on them.The wire may be rusted away on the tag but still called NOS. Some parts fair better laying around for 90 years than mechanicall parts exposed to just air like a NOS housing with a bearing surface that has never had grease on it same as an engine block.

NOS is a term that that both of us likely agree is often misused. If you have an original fender that was never installed on a vehicle however somewhere down thru history, something heavy (-such as an engine) rolled onto it severely damaging it, is it truly NEW old stock? In my view, even if it still has the original Ford tag, the damaged aspect removes the term new from the description.

[Joe K]

Joe, good points. I would like to offer one counterpoint, and that is that it does not, -or should not cost a fortune to restore a car for fine-point.

I would agree with your counterpoint generally. All NOS parts do is get you to that "original" condition faster. And USED to be more cost effectively.

Except now "NOS" has taken on its own cache - and its own pricing based on rarity.

As I say "almost too good to use and they're only original once."

Joe K