Which Model A parts are not Available/ Being made anymore.

[ETAModel]

I heard this conversation at Kerrville. I'm not talking about back-ordered or hard to get parts, what parts, big or small, aren't currently being made for the Ford Model A?

[ETAModel]

I heard front and rear axles... true or false?

[Synchro909]

I could fill the screen listing all the parts not available for RHD Model As.

[Tom Endy]

The three roller bearings used in the transmission are still being made, but the design has been changed and they have a service life of about 300 miles.

Tom Endy

[ETAModel]

Originally Posted by Synchro909

I could fill the screen listing all the parts not available for RHD Model As.

Synchro909... you got me...I left out the part about LHD... although there was a RHD A-400 at Kerrville. Talk about a UNICORN!

[Oldbluoval]

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There is a big difference in what are/used to be quality parts and junk. Much of reproduction sheet metal and patch panels are no longer available. Then there’s things made offshore and what used to be quality USA. Most bearings and gears come to mind.
It’s been discussed before but the demand has a lot to do with it. If 25 (RHD demand might be 2!) is the demand and the economic build quantity is 200….no one is going to make it and lose money.
As to patch panels, the good dies are MIA; likely scrapped in a bankruptcy.

[ronn]

gas tanks for sure and they will never be made.

[Colonial coupe]

Was told that the clock mirror that Snyders was selling will probably never be available.
Tried the other one that was available on Ebay with the modern watch movement, cheap plastic mirror watch didn't last long. Put my original back in and bought a wrist watch with numbers I could read while driving.

[Joe K]

Originally Posted by Tom Endy

The three roller bearings used in the transmission are still being made, but the design has been changed and they have a service life of about 300 miles.

Tom Endy

This true. The originals were based on the "Hyatt" spiral spring pattern and were contained to a cage. The replacement short lived are solid "needles" which are held in an assembled cage by cute little "nubs" on the ends of each roller.

The same "hyatt" pattern was used on the rear axle hub bearings - and these are not available either. One replacement option involves "bushing" the bearing/hub and using the later 32-34 "solid" roller bearings.



Joe K

[jack backer]

I had a discussion with a major vendor about this last month. He cited a number of reasons, including the restorer population shrinking, the change in the market for parts demand, for instance, reproduction sheet metal sales fell off and stayed low..and the inventory game has changed as well, suppliers demand and low “turn” on inventory creates tax problems..

He put it simply.. the model A restoration parts business is dying, both literally and figuratively..

[alexiskai]

Originally Posted by jack backer

He put it simply.. the model A restoration parts business is dying, both literally and figuratively..

“Shrinking” I would believe, “dying” is an exaggeration with five major and several minor nationwide vendors. If you predicted some consolidation in the industry within the next few years, I’d believe that. There’s some sort of lower equilibrium out there.

[Greg Jones]

With all that is going on with the "supply chain," I have come to realize just how good we had it before the pandemic. Can't get the cam I want, can't get the lifters I want, not to mention A+L parts isn't back up to production. Moral to the story, if you find a quality part that you believe you will need, you had better snap it up. Yeah, that gets hard on the pocketbook but if you wind up not needing it, quality parts can be sold.

[psimet]

Everything goes in cycles. There's still tons of A's out there. Fewer and fewer that need full restorations every day though.

The state of the hobby is indeed made up of very elderly individuals. More unfortunately leave us every day. All that means is we are naturally losing a lot of experience and through the processing of estates we are losing stockpiles of parts.

I inherited my A back in '95. I was still in college so I couldn't attend the estate sale but piles of parts were sold during the rest of the estate sale - leaving me with just the car. Even though I have had it all this time and am just now to the point where I can work on it and I'm just under 50.

My point is that while the demand is down we have a mature hobby that is about to experience a lot of changeover and a lot of restorations that were done in the 80's and 90's are soon going to need to be redone again by the next generation of owners who pick up the cars from estates.

As a man who has spent my life in manufacturing I understand the challenges but this one will absolutely come down to creating the ability for on demand production of quality parts when possible and just massive stockpiles of parts when possible. That's achievable through supplier consolidation for sure.

Gotta say - every time I hear that someone is no longer doing something (like rebuilding distributors) that this hobby relied on a part of me looks at my own warehouse and considers becoming that new source. Just one more business to add on.

[JohninKuranda]

Originally Posted by Oldbluoval

There is a big difference in what are/used to be quality parts and junk. Much of reproduction sheet metal and patch panels are no longer available. Then there’s things made offshore and what used to be quality USA. Most bearings and gears come to mind.
It’s been discussed before but the demand has a lot to do with it. If 25 (RHD demand might be 2!) is the demand and the economic build quantity is 200….no one is going to make it and lose money.
As to patch panels, the good dies are MIA; likely scrapped in a bankruptcy.

When I needed a rear panel for my 35A restoration I was lucky enough to to be the final customer of a quite elderly old school panel beater who really new how to shape metal and create exact replicas of the original vehicle panels using techniques and equipment that I suspect are now sadly gone. Watching him take a flat sheet of metal and create the curves and shapes needed was quite magical! Panel Beaters and repair shops nowadays just paint and bolt on massed produced panels rather than repair or manually recreate. In some ways sad; but a product of reality.

[Oldbluoval]

Most parts producers started small mainly “mom and pop”. If they grew and expanded, the car parts became the least profitable and smallest volume and, thus, expendable
Ezra, Girtz and many I can recall right now, went that scenario.
Then you get to those aging out and folding the tent!

Some of the best sources are hobbyist that have talents…
I still make certain parts for cabby, 180a and a400. But my sources of castings and cost of metals has pretty well made me take “a second look” at continuing…..
plus, those particular styles are rather limited and rare but it always amazes me about demand!

[Alwaysamopar74]

Just my 2 cents ...but I believe we as Americans have done it to ourselves regarding the big picture. It starts with little things and then escalates. Most people will think price first! And so manufacturers go overseas and sell the parts for cheaper and people buy them AND they make more money. We've lost the idea to pay for quality. Now we can't stereotype everything but majority of aftermarket parts are junk. Now the real enthusiasts..hobbyist..mechanical guys will buy old and rebuild..fix..repair and pick up extra parts as stated earlier. I work in a field where quality is a must and everything has to be right ..our young soldiers lives depend on it. And the quality of outside hardware and such we get is garbage. It's hard to find people who take pride in what they do anymore. Again I'm not stereotyping everything but it's not just in our "automotive " field. So next time you see something expensive...maybe research it a little bit. It might just be made by a American who takes pride in their workmanship and his/her product is top notch. we need to start recognizing and paying these people. Ok rant over. Thanks to all thr knowledge here. There is younger guys here soaking it all in as much as possible.

[Oldbluoval]

Always….there is a great deal of merit in your post
Yea, the rise of Big Business and squeezing small business has contributed to the issues.
The demand of lowest possible price has forced production overseas. But another issue, American prices are high, why? Regulations, high wages, lack of resources on and on…
You’re correct we’ve brought it on ourselves with the help of government and other organizations

[nkaminar]

The part that is not made anymore is the one that you need to complete your car and cannot find any used ones.

[ronn]

The part that is not made anymore is the one that you need to complete your car and cannot find any used ones.

we are talking model As here, not Mercer raceabouts!

[Oldbluoval]

Ronn
Generic to anything I’m working on !!!