ordering parts.......

[ronn]

so I placed an order with Snyders this past week and am generally happy
with their products and quickness.
They didnt have control rods, so I ordered them from one of the smaller outfits.
all of the openings in the rods are too small........ what the heck?


I now need to spend time making them fit. sorry I ran out of originals.


let that be a lesson to ya! lol

[nkaminar]

I have good luck with Snyders. They answer the phone and emails.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by ronn

so I placed an order with Snyders this past week and am generally happy
with their products and quickness.
They didnt have control rods, so I ordered them from one of the smaller outfits.
all of the openings in the rods are too small........ what the heck?


I now need to spend time making them fit. sorry I ran out of originals.


let that be a lesson to ya! lol

Imagine owning a Model-A shop where a large percentage of replacement parts either do not work/fit when removed from their package, -or these parts require additional work (-often times significant amounts) to make them Serviceable. Imagine explaining this to the Customer.

Imagine trying to price the job to the Model-A customer with these unknowns.


So whose fault is this? Is it the Manufacturer -or is the Consumer? Easy to place blame on the Manufacturer however if the parts are manufactured precisely to the factory print, then generally the price-point is more $$ than the Consumer wants to spend. (...afterall, it's just a Driver!! )

[ronn]

well I empathize with you Brent. you are between a rock and a hard place with what you do. Literally between poor manufacturing and customers....... and you bare the brunt of it.


In my case I will, like many on this board, we will take the time to make adjustments, but in your case, it is problematic. Im retired so its only time..........
and yes, mine are mere drivers! I couldnt score perfection if I wtd to. (I dont want to!) as a matter of fact- I prefer rust...........lol

[Oldbluoval]

Yep….some blame for poor quality parts can be laid on the consumer demanding cheap cheap cheap. But USA laws, rules, regulations, litigation and wage scale is a bigger part of the equation. Now, the hobby has morphed to where an economical quantity to mfg far exceeds demand.

[gdmn852]

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Hello, I agree about some owners being more than “thrifty’. I had my share of reworking sheet metal parts so they fit correctly. Some of this I feel is because they are working off a finished part and not the blueprints for the dies to make the part. I am sure that Brent being in Restoration business sees poor quality reproductions and reluctant to spend money owners every day.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by gdmn852

Hello, I agree about some owners being more than “thrifty’. I had my share of reworking sheet metal parts so they fit correctly. Some of this I feel is because they are working off a finished part and not the blueprints for the dies to make the part. I am sure that Brent being in Restoration business sees poor quality reproductions and reluctant to spend money owners every day.

Yes maybe, but let me add this.

Where I tend to lose money is more about educating the customer because that is not billable. This involves showing the differences and truthfully explaining the options.

FWIW, most of my Customers have chosen us to restore their car because they want quality the first time. That is our goal, which is to give them a restored Model-A that Stops, Starts, and Steers correctly, -and everything Functions as it was designed without squeaks & rattles. For those hobbyists that expect that, they just need to understand how the hobby has trended over the years from Restoration of parts to Replacement of Parts, ...and how this has not necessarily been a good thing.

Ironically, we are seeing a trend where my customers are wanting us to Restore instead of Replace. Not trying to take food away from Model-A reproduction parts manufacturer's mouths, but take a moment to consider this. If two Model-As were hypothetically restored at the same time (-lets say 25 years ago) with equal quality craftsmanship, HOWEVER one Model-A was restored with all NOS parts, ...and the other one was restored with all Reproduction parts. Would you say after 25 years and them both driven 25,000 miles, that both cars would drive/function the same, -or would one of the Restorations be better in quality and functionality than the other?

I think we know the answer in this. It is my belief that the 25 year old reproduction plated parts would have prematurely corroded by now, and likely the Ammeter would have failed before the 25k miles were driven, and the repro Hoses would have cracked by now, etc. etc.

Additionally, after those 25k miles, what condition would repro brake parts be in, or the offshore repro transmission gears, or repro steering components, repro shocks, ...and the list goes on and on, and on comparing the Repro vs NOS items.

Now in fairness, some NOS parts might be marginally better than quality Reproduction parts, -and some might be the same, ...however will there be a large list of items that are not the same quality of the ones that were installed as NOS? So ...did we really save money on buying reproduction parts when we consider the value differences of our Model-A today??

[Synchro909]

I understand the frustration of buying a part only to find it doesn't do the job. Money and time down the drain. We are at the mercy of American buyers (vendors) here. Yes, I rate the vendors as the customer. If a vendor wants a part made in Asia, say, and they send a copy of the original drawings, they are the customer (of the manufacturer). They then become the supplier when they sell on the part to their customers. IMO, it is both customers demanding cheap cheap cheap that is the problem. One to make a bigger profit when they resell the item, the other as the end user. Again IMO, it is the vender acting as the customer who, when they either don't verify quality before accepting the item or by accepting what they know is poor quality that is to blame. The manufacturer has cut corners to make a bigger profit, the vendor has allowed them to get way with it to make a bigger profit and we, as the end users cop it in the neck.
I have posted about this before buy for now, rant over!

[Joe K]

And - you could talk to Snyders. It's likely they don't know of the problem. AND - they may be able to check their stock and send you the right part.

As to return postage, I'll leave that for Snyders to discuss with you.

I have found their JOB ONE is a satisfied customer. Rare in this day and age.

Joe K

[nkaminar]

In general, the repro parts available today are better than they were in the 70's and 80's. But the times they are a changing. It is getting more expensive to manufacture anything and as a result a lot of that is going overseas and quality is suffering. It is hard to tell what may happen in the future but I think it will get worse. There may come a time when parts are rebuilt rather than replaced, as is the case with many other makes of cars. Just ask Jay Leno. Even with the occasional quality issues, we in the Model A, and Model T, community are very lucky to be able to click on a part on the internet and have it delivered in a matter of days. eBay and The Swap Meet on the Barn included.

[Wick]

The holes probably had plating material in them.

[ronn]

Joe, you misread what I wrote. NO problem with Snyders. they just didnt have those rods and I bought them elsewhere.


Wick, they just drilled them too small. A simple mistake that shouldnt be.
so now Ill waste an hour over stupidity.


I agree with Bill. Just not enough customers to justify decent runs and the problems
will increase, as we all age out.

[Kurt in NJ]

Could it be that you already have oversized clevis pins?

[ronn]

these are the control rods with the spring in the ends. only took 30 minutes.......


lol


I shouldnt be moaning, but the size of the drill bit does matter


I sympathize with you guys who have to fit a "new" fender.

[katy]

Originally Posted by ronn

All of the openings in the rods are too small........

Look at the good side, that the holes are too small and not too big.

[ronn]

right you are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


duct tape wouldnt work.........

[Chris Haynes]

Originally Posted by Joe K

And - you could talk to Snyders. It's likely they don't know of the problem. AND - they may be able to check their stock and send you the right part.

As to return postage, I'll leave that for Snyders to discuss with you.

I have found their JOB ONE is a satisfied customer. Rare in this day and age.

Joe K

You need to re read the post. He didn't get them from Snyder's.

[bobbader]

Here's the deal............ At least one of the USA Made control rods that Snyder and many other vendors sell has been out of manufacture for 2-3 years. I'm not out to disparage any small hometown vendors (especially since I am one myself!), but I believe there are still some foreign ones on the market and they may be lacking in the quality that the USA ones possess. Quality, price, availability are things that we all need to educate ourselves better about. Luckily, Ronn, you took a little time to get the ones you purchased to work. As you said, it didn't take that long. It also won't take that long to relate the problem with fit to the vendor you purchased these from ............... not in the form of a complaint, (because you did get them to work!) but to let them know there is a problem. That helps all of us in the hobby.

[gdmn852]

Hello again, I have dealt with Snyders almost exclusively and been satisfied with thier service. They will tell you straight out that some of the repro parts , like fenders, splash aprons, etc won’t fit without reworking, but it what is available.

[ronn]

I am happy with Snyders as well, but they were out of control rods.