L-B Material Shortage

[bobpo]

The last couple of times I've placed orders thru LeBaron Bonney, they have been cancelled by L-B due to lack of parts/materials. What makes it even more frustrating is their attitude when they call back and I ask when the order can be filled. They say they have no idea. Maybe they could just say something like, "well, 2 weeks", or "1 month", or maybe "6 weeks". Nope, just "no idea". I guess I take that to imply, well that's tuff, you'll just have to wait.

I am looking for the windlace for the standard '30 coupe with the Tan checked material.

Does anyone know if this material is available from anywhere else?

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by Timothy Kelly

Personally, I would much rather a vendor tell me that they have no idea when an out of stock item will become available as opposed to stringing me along with responses like along the lines of what you are seeking. With accurate information I can look elsewhere as opposed to waiting for an item that mever materializes.

I agree!

I know it is frustrating to hear that they don't know. You are at the interior phase of the project, nearing completion, possibly years working on the car and now that you see the light at the end of the tunnel it goes black.

They don't make the materials that go into the kits, they rely on mills to do that. I would rather have the truth then leading me on week by week, month by month with lies!

[reek29]

But.... with as much $$$$$ as they charge for their kits, the proper thing to do would be to say "I'll check with my supplier and get back to you".
Sheesh... customer service sure goes south when you have a product that's in demand!

[bobpo]

I guess it's just the condescending nature of the response I've received from them. And by the way, I have the car done, just doing some replacement work.

Of course this has not been the first time in my life that I've been told by a supplier that they're out of parts/material.

[Mike V. Florida]

Originally Posted by reek29

But.... with as much $$$$$ as they charge for their kits, the proper thing to do would be to say "I'll check with my supplier and get back to you".
Sheesh... customer service sure goes south when you have a product that's in demand!

Another lie? They tell you that they will check with their supplier but since it is safe to asume that his not not the only order that uses the material they already have checked with the supplier and if they did call the supplier and called back the customer the answer would be exactly the same, true and honest answer, I don't know.

[Pa Joe]

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Check with Restoration Specialties and Supply in Winber Pa 814-467-9282

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

You know, life is difficult enough in this business but there are some things that some folks do not understand...

Sometimes we just don't realize how blessed we are to have the availability of reproduction parts that IS out there!! If you have ever restored a brass-era vehicle (Model T's exempted) or an orphan car, you will know that often times you get to make everything yourself. Imagine finding yourself making the entire front wheel bearing by purchasing ½" steel balls and carving out everything else to become a wheel bearing! Imagine making every gasket including a copper sandwiched head gasket! Imagine gluing up strips of leather to fabricate a fan belt. Or how about making a wood infrastructure for a body, or a set of fenders only from pictures because there are none available in aftermarket or reproduction.

And, while we know there are many things that are not available or being reproduced for the Model A at this time, often times we are at the mercy of our suppliers when they will ship. Many times these manufacturers use producing Model A parts as a sideline "filler" to help them be more economical and they pass that savings onto us. Imagine if L/B placed an order for something and they are getting the 'run around' from their supplier? A great example is Side Curtains for open cars. The fasteners that clip into the fabric are out of production and while promises have been made, there still is none on the market at present. Kinda hard to properly restore a Model A when it has been 2 years since there have been any on the market and none in sight. The honest answer in that situation is "No idea when they will be available.". Maybe in their defense, you only asked the one time "when & why" yet they get one person a day calling and asking the same "when & why". Sometimes we need to back up and think out how this would be if all of the little manufacturers that do serve us decided the punishment was not worth the profit.

[Herman Munster]

Give SMS Auto Fabrics a try. I had excellent results and customer service from them when I used them.