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Old 11-30-2013, 01:06 PM   #1
jkeesey
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Default Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I would like to have a little fun and see if anyone else has some really terrible reproduction parts they have pulled from cars. I don't mean parts that have the holes a little misaligned but rather the holes in the 100% wrong place or parts that would just never work.

Im going to start this off with a lovely all aluminum terminal box lid. I don't know how long this was on the car but as soon as it hit my shop it began sparking and the ammeter wasn't too happy.
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Old 11-30-2013, 01:18 PM   #2
BRENT in 10-uh-C
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I don't think you have been around long enough to have experienced some of the first Specialized Auto stuff (made in Argentina) which was only slightly better than Ricks of Shawnee Mission KS (ahh, the infamous "Rick's Pack"), ...which was even worse than the JC Whitney garbage offered before that. If only you could travel back in time to the 60's and early 70s to experience the 'Repro Replacement Revolution'!!

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Old 11-30-2013, 01:20 PM   #3
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I have one of the old Ricks catalogues. We found it when we were cleaning up after my Grandfather passed. My old man handed it to me saying I could use it. That was the funniest thing I had heard in a while.
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Old 11-30-2013, 01:52 PM   #4
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

In the past 100 years, I have not thought of "Rick's" catalog (and manual), but yesterday, I was looking for something in my Ford Model A Library and stumbled onto the 'long forgotten' "Rick's" Restoration manual. Hummm, I thought. And Now today, to have it mentioned again - what a coincidence !
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Old 11-30-2013, 01:55 PM   #5
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Much agreed, the Specialized Auto and Rick Pack's stuff was still in abundance in the early 80's when I first got into the hobbie. I still seen some in the JC Whitney catalogs of that era. I did most of my business with Masonville Garage during that time, so never really encountered the worst of the worse. Rod
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Old 11-30-2013, 03:36 PM   #6
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

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Old 11-30-2013, 03:46 PM   #7
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Oh yes, Rick's. I ended up letting my attorney handle Rick.
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Old 11-30-2013, 06:10 PM   #8
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Wick,
I love the Hubcap, I have never seen that before!
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Old 11-30-2013, 06:16 PM   #9
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I have a two bladed fan that was stamped (not stock, not fabicated) out of 16ga (Possibly 18 ga) that's about as chintzy as they come. I was wondering just who made this P.O.S.?
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Old 11-30-2013, 06:25 PM   #10
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

One of the first Model A books I bought. Was better than nothing. Kinda. LOL
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Old 11-30-2013, 06:45 PM   #11
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I saw that book on ebay one time, there were a lot of bids on it! I've got some more Ricks junk in the shed.
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Old 11-30-2013, 07:17 PM   #12
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Wow. Rick's. I remember buying some stuff from that place back in the 1970s and nothing I got was even close to what I needed. I was new at messing with my old car so I just thought I ordered the wrong stuff. I don't remember where I got the right parts. I am glad to see that it wasn't me but his cheap crap.
So, whats the story on Rick's? Whatever happened to him?
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Old 11-30-2013, 07:29 PM   #13
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I believe someone posted a while back, that Rick snuck off in the middle of the night to avoid the lawyer stampede that was bearing down on him! Don't know where he is now somebody on here might chime in-------------

And, wasn't he related to the folks that ran JC Whitney and Warshawski's (sp) same people?

I was just starting out back in those days too, and quickly learned my lesson on THOSE parts. Threw them away, was afraid somebody might actually try to use them after I wasn't around.
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Old 11-30-2013, 07:43 PM   #14
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

If those who remember that RICK'S had a large trailer at Hershey in the early 70's [1974 ?],,, I bought aluminum rain gutters for my 1931 Tudor. What did i know i was 20 at the time and my first time at Hershey...l.o.l.
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Old 11-30-2013, 09:58 PM   #15
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If those who remember that RICK'S had a large trailer at Hershey in the early 70's [1974 ?],,, I bought aluminum rain gutters for my 1931 Tudor. What did i know i was 20 at the time and my first time at Hershey...l.o.l.
Boy does that bring back memories. During the great flood of I think '74 at Hershey in the Blue Field, boxes of his parts were floating from his semi-trailer down toward the large drain at the corner of the field. In a way it was almost some sort of justice. The prior day I had asked him if whatever part was made in the US. While he said it was, I picked it up and the box clearly indicated it was made off shore.
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Old 11-30-2013, 11:34 PM   #16
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Because of the incorrect bend in the repro battery holder, the hole will not line up to mount the part to the top of the frame lip. To use the repro part you will need to mount it under the frame.
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Old 12-01-2013, 12:25 AM   #17
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Worst one for me was, repro taiwan transmission shift lever, sat on the shelf for one year, turned into a ball of rust.
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Old 12-01-2013, 12:45 AM   #18
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

All in one word---Vintique
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Old 12-01-2013, 02:03 AM   #19
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Because of the incorrect bend in the repro battery holder, the hole will not line up to mount the part to the top of the frame lip. To use the repro part you will need to mount it under the frame.
ONLY Buster T. would know, & he WON'T tell
Buster T.'s Pet Man.
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Old 12-01-2013, 10:41 AM   #20
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Quote:
Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C View Post
I don't think you have been around long enough to have experienced some of the first Specialized Auto stuff (made in Argentina) which was only slightly better than Ricks of Shawnee Mission KS (ahh, the infamous "Rick's Pack"), ...which was even worse than the JC Whitney garbage offered before that. If only you could travel back in time to the 60's and early 70s to experience the 'Repro Replacement Revolution'!!

.
in those earlier days, though, wasn't there a kind of inverse relationship in that repro parts were junkier but there were more NOS parts available?
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Old 12-01-2013, 12:39 PM   #21
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I have a Snyders Catalog from the late 70's, it is about 14 pages with hand drawn pictures of the item, and the prices are a bit different. I am not in any way saying Snyders is junk, just noting the catalog.

I always enjoy 'Exact Reproduction' parts with Phillips screws and Metric nuts.

From the past (circa 1976-7) I bought a $4.50 item from J.C.Whitney, the item was out of stock, they sent a refund, and the check bounced.
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Old 12-01-2013, 12:47 PM   #22
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in those earlier days, though, wasn't there a kind of inverse relationship in that repro parts were junkier but there were more NOS parts available?
I hate to sound like my father, but I bought my Model A just 40 years ago. Back then when the tranny made a noise, you would go to the club and 5 guys would say they have 6-10 of them in the shed, find one that works. Not like that any more.
I was recently contacted by a guy that has 5-7 trailer loads of Model A stuff his brother bought when a Model A place went out of business in the 80's. He wants $7k, I looked through it, massive undertaking, way too much. So it was sold for scrap. He would not dicker on the price at all.
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Old 12-01-2013, 01:03 PM   #23
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

A friend has a 30-31 Radcap from Mac's But when you try to put it on the Rad the mounting part underneath is to big and wont fit the Rad .

It wont fit because the mounting part is for a Gas Cap !!! But it wont fit on the Gas Tank either as the Rad cap top is too deep to fit on a Gas Tank .

IMO A Classic Example of a Crap part .
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Old 12-01-2013, 02:09 PM   #24
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

I concur with Brent, the early stuff from the 60s and 70s was really something. The reason I started the magazine was to point out some of the really bad stuff and see if we could get it fixed. I think I have made some headway but we will keep reviewing.
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Old 12-01-2013, 02:20 PM   #25
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I concur with Brent, the early stuff from the 60s and 70s was really something. The reason I started the magazine was to point out some of the really bad stuff and see if we could get it fixed. I think I have made some headway but we will keep reviewing.
John,

You have no idea the "headway" you have accomplished towards the hobby!

Keep it up...

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Old 12-01-2013, 03:26 PM   #26
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in those earlier days, though, wasn't there a kind of inverse relationship in that repro parts were junkier but there were more NOS parts available?
Yes the NOS stuff was still available however fewer in between ...and at a much higher price. In the instance of Tommy Trayler, he got his start by scavenging NOS parts from small TX Ford dealers and from aftermarket parts stores (Western Auto, etc.). His grandparents had empty dairy barns that he filled with parts. Tommy's downfall IMO was he really didn't know Model-As like Marco and different ones who have researched design changes. When Tommy would have something 're-made', he would find a part (often a NORS item) and send it down to Argentina (the back then version of Taiwan) to have THEM reverse engineer it. :O This became Specialized Auto which later became affiliated with MACs when they bought Tommy's tooling & parts and started offering the same parts as he had been making. Based on my own experiences, I believe MACs is still using some of that tooling to make parts!!

Now to bring this back to a positive spin, I realize that many here do not see the direct benefit that Fine-point Judging has/had on the hobby, but I believe it is directly through the efforts of Marco, Doug Clayton, and a super large list of people who have studied prints and releases tirelessly to establish a timeline and to document what the vehicle was originally. Their work has also been published not only in the Judging Stds & Restoration Guidelines but in both club's mags. and some websites. This has educated the hobbyist (albeit sometimes subliminally) where they demanded better quality. When there is a market, folks like Steve Becker, Don Snyder, Walt Bratton, and others have done their best to produce a much more authentic item to fit the need. I guess everything has to start somewhere and build on that. Therefore maybe we needed Rick's and Specialized back in the day to start supplying where we could grown on making it better. I know that I recently had the opportunity to work on a car that I restored back about 14 years ago, and throughout the entire vehicle I kept seeing little details that I couldn't believe I/we did like that back then. Now some 50 Model-As later, we have learned to be better so I guess that is a step in the right direction.
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Old 12-01-2013, 05:06 PM   #27
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I hate to sound like my father, but I bought my Model A just 40 years ago. Back then when the tranny made a noise, you would go to the club and 5 guys would say they have 6-10 of them in the shed, find one that works. Not like that any more.
I was recently contacted by a guy that has 5-7 trailer loads of Model A stuff his brother bought when a Model A place went out of business in the 80's. He wants $7k, I looked through it, massive undertaking, way too much. So it was sold for scrap. He would not dicker on the price at all.
In the mid '50's, at our hang out shop, we had a standing deal with a scrapper, he'd sell us complete Model A & Early V-8 transmissions for $5.00 & rear ends for $7.50! Sometimes, the rear ends even had wheels & once in a while, a usable tire Bill W.
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Old 12-01-2013, 06:26 PM   #28
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hasn't Gaslight Auto Parts been around since the 1960s and while my perception has always been that their inventory was somewhat limited, I never heard anything negative about their business practices....
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Old 12-01-2013, 06:50 PM   #29
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Becker Parts....I've got a suit case full of that stuff! Very nice Parts!!!
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Old 12-02-2013, 06:19 AM   #30
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My coupe came with a 1986 Rick's catalog; didn't read it til now. They must have been composed by whoever did the JC Whitney catalogs. I like how they would put Rick's picture in the listings to show how sincere they were.
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Old 12-02-2013, 09:18 AM   #31
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In 1972, after buying a $12 fire wall mounted sediment bowl that wouldn't seal at the tubing flares because of a shifted mold, and after buying a genuine A roadster front seat upholstery that was none returnable (it looked like a hot stamped vinyl rain coat) for $79 from Rick's. I mentioned it at our Bellingham Antique Auto Restorers Club meeting about how bad a rip off that Rick's parts really were. My report accidentally went down in the meeting minutes and they were printed up in our monthly club bulletin, The Spokesman. One of our members, who also was also on a rant about Rick's parts, sent Rick's our Bulletin as a testimony of how bad Rick's parts really were. Rick call me one evening and chewed on my butt for saying such bad things about his business. He said that he worked long hours at night to keep his business going and that I had no idea how hard it to have a business in the market place. He also called our club president, Ron Harriman, and chewed on his butt with the same complaints that Ron allowed me to say such things at a meeting and then have it put into print. I threw the sediment bowl into my scrap barrel. The hot stamped seat covers I gave away to a member that had a rat rod type of a model A roadster, and he wouldn't even use them either. I am still pissed off at Rick's.
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Old 12-02-2013, 04:27 PM   #32
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"..... I did most of my business with Masonville Garage during that time.............". Rod
Oh man, that's a blast from the past ! I bought almost all of the parts for the first A I restored about 30 years ago from Masonville Garage. I hadn't thought about them for a loooong time!
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Old 12-02-2013, 09:15 PM   #33
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Guess who built companies like Vintique , Bob Drake , Ricks etc. When you find a part you want you say "How much is it ? These companies are trying to give you what you want at as low a price as possible so you will buy from them and not use American parts, which may or may not cost more.
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Old 12-02-2013, 09:23 PM   #34
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I can't find a photo right now, but some of the repro Murray Body number plates (the yellow on brass ones) from the early 1970s said 'Detoit', not 'Detroit'. Better check yours.
Must have been made out East
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Old 12-03-2013, 04:11 AM   #35
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Guess who built companies like Vintique , Bob Drake , Ricks etc. When you find a part you want you say "How much is it ? These companies are trying to give you what you want at as low a price as possible so you will buy from them and not use American parts, which may or may not cost more.
Good point! Some one once told me you can have quality, quanitity and price but you only get a choice of any two. Most dealers opt for low quality low price or large quanity low price -Very few opt for high quality high price .-Karl
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Old 12-03-2013, 11:53 AM   #36
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I agree, you will only get two out of the three. A few vendors sell low quality at high price. I won't name names. I think that most vendors offer the Vintique products because they are the only people that make them. Same for some of the sheet metal body parts that are made by another firm.
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Old 12-04-2013, 02:56 PM   #37
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I hate to sound like my father, but I bought my Model A just 40 years ago. Back then when the tranny made a noise, you would go to the club and 5 guys would say they have 6-10 of them in the shed, find one that works. Not like that any more.
I was recently contacted by a guy that has 5-7 trailer loads of Model A stuff his brother bought when a Model A place went out of business in the 80's. He wants $7k, I looked through it, massive undertaking, way too much. So it was sold for scrap. He would not dicker on the price at all.
Bet he didn't get $7K for it.
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Old 12-04-2013, 05:12 PM   #38
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I agree, you will only get two out of the three. A few vendors sell low quality at high price. I won't name names. I think that most vendors offer the Vintique products because they are the only people that make them. Same for some of the sheet metal body parts that are made by another firm.
Well, Purdy, I just got a locking handle for my R/H door & rumble from Snyder's, made by VINTIQUE, & they both fit & work perfectly! YES! the Dog advised me to save the originals Bill W.
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Old 12-04-2013, 08:57 PM   #39
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Guess who built companies like Vintique , Bob Drake , Ricks etc. When you find a part you want you say "How much is it ? These companies are trying to give you what you want at as low a price as possible so you will buy from them and not use American parts, which may or may not cost more.
Ya,know, this kind of nonsense has gotten really old. Bob Drake started out making his own stuff himself (and besides, he doesn't do A parts-Deuces and up). But beyond that, business has always been about the best quality for the best price. Competition drives the prices, so suppliers always want to be the least expensive, but at some point, if you cheapen the quality, customers will leave.

Our major suppliers try to buy the best they can. Sometimes that American, sometimes they have to go overseas-things like giant metal presses don't exist here anymore. Folks like Bratton's will tell you the quality of their parts-and offer a variety if it's available. Sometimes, only crap is available, but they'll offer ti as the only alternative.

You make it out like suppliers are not only anti-American, but also out to get you at the expense of making a dollar. That's just not the truth.
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Old 12-04-2013, 10:38 PM   #40
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Well, Purdy, I just got a locking handle for my R/H door & rumble from Snyder's, made by VINTIQUE, & they both fit & work perfectly! YES! the Dog advised me to save the originals Bill W.
Well, Bill, I also use the Vintique parts on some of mine. The door handles fit and work good. The thing is that they are cast and don't don't hold up as well as the originals. I had the handles break off on both sides of an early 1930 AA. The handles were cast pot metal Vintique and the only handles available new from the vendors. I haven't had any problems with the ones on my sedan, they seem to be stronger than the Vintique early truck handles . I also keep it inside, unless we are driving it. My roadster had a good original stainless steel clad handle on the drivers side and I found another good original handle at A's and more for the passenger side. I really don't care about judgeing. I just wanted a handle that was real model A for my pride and joy, roadster.
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Old 12-05-2013, 01:07 AM   #41
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Purdy, Who is "A"'s & More? Bill W.
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Old 12-05-2013, 12:04 PM   #42
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Bill, A's& more is located in Stafford Springs Connecticut. Eric Emhoff is the owner and is one of the best model A guys ever. Eric was a big help with good original parts and info when I was rebuilding my model A coillection in the 90s . Eric advertised parts in
Hemmings motor news before we got a computer. A's & more has the repro parts and also has NOS and good used parts. he also has V8 and T stuff. A's & More is a small business but is sort of like Berts because he sells new repro NOS and used parts. He also rebuilds engines. Deb put my catalog up so good that I can't find it for the phone number. Maybe one of the guys in his area will chime in with a phone number
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Old 12-05-2013, 12:25 PM   #43
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

Saw this on Google:

A's & More
Address:
56 W St
Stafford Springs, CT.
06076-1338


Contact:
T(860)684-6532
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Old 12-05-2013, 01:37 PM   #44
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Thanks, Carl !!!
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Old 12-05-2013, 02:27 PM   #45
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I know that many repro parts aren't as good as originals, but sometimes the repro parts will suffice until a good original can be found. Looking at the price of repro parts, I don't imagine there is tons of margin there. That along with all the operating costs, all the returns and other BS, the only way the parts vendors can do decent business is to find the best part than can be produced at a marketable cost... and sell a decent volume of it. I'm thankful that so much repro stuff is available, otherwise I couldn't keep my A's on the road. Making or finding parts would take too much time and money.

That being said, in the spirit of the original post, there is some stuff out there that makes me think, "Why would anyone buy that?"
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Old 12-05-2013, 02:43 PM   #46
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Back to the OP ?, not really dumb, just been caught off guard.

The Repro ammeter that's poorly assembled, loose internals.
The 30-31 brake light switch- Takes a whole can of "rework".
The Repro 30-31 Dash-- They just don't fit.
The back of the terminal box that has screw heads proud of the case that eventually short to the firewall.
The radiator shell that don't fit without some elbow grease.

But you know, it's better than nothin'
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Old 12-05-2013, 03:12 PM   #47
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I agree, and If you are good you can make most of it work.
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Old 12-05-2013, 03:17 PM   #48
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......and as Mr. Terry pointed out a while back------ could you imagine the sales of a to-factory spec new mfg. gas tank for the Model A? But the huge cost of doing it?

hope someone on here wins the Powerball lottery and gets to feeling' froggy!!
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Old 12-05-2013, 03:18 PM   #49
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As far as the gas tanks, I wonder if the original stamps are somewhere out in the universe?
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Old 01-10-2014, 05:59 PM   #50
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Originally Posted by Purdy Swoft View Post
Bill, A's& more is located in Stafford Springs Connecticut. Eric Emhoff is the owner and is one of the best model A guys ever. Eric was a big help with good original parts and info when I was rebuilding my model A coillection in the 90s . Eric advertised parts in
Hemmings motor news before we got a computer. A's & more has the repro parts and also has NOS and good used parts. he also has V8 and T stuff. A's & More is a small business but is sort of like Berts because he sells new repro NOS and used parts. He also rebuilds engines. Deb put my catalog up so good that I can't find it for the phone number. Maybe one of the guys in his area will chime in with a phone number
Eric and his wife Barbara are very nice. He has so much old stock, but it's all organized on shelves. To go to his place it like going back in time. He is very honest on any price, I never barter. He has sold me many things for "a couple bucks". Every time you go there he has something different.
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Old 01-10-2014, 10:39 PM   #51
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Did anyone else buy one of the repo gas cutoff valves for under the tank that works backwards? Clockwise is "on" and counterclockwise is "off." It's still on my car.

W. Michael
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Old 01-10-2014, 11:25 PM   #52
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Did anyone else buy one of the repo gas cutoff valves for under the tank that works backwards? Clockwise is "on" and counterclockwise is "off." It's still on my car.

W. Michael
Did it work well? If not, oh well, typical old repro. If it DID work well then there is more to the story and you get the last laugh.
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Old 01-11-2014, 10:58 AM   #53
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Eric and his wife Barbara are very nice. He has so much old stock, but it's all organized on shelves. To go to his place it like going back in time. He is very honest on any price, I never barter. He has sold me many things for "a couple bucks". Every time you go there he has something different.
I agree!!!!!!! Eric helped me quite a bit and usually had parts that I would have been hard pressed to find elsewhere. I bought lots of parts there and Eric usually put a free surprise part in the box with the parts that I ordered. That kind of service CAN'T be beat!!!!!!!
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Old 03-06-2020, 06:15 PM   #54
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I bought Antique Antique of San Diego in 1983. We sold reproduction early Ford Parts and Original Parts as well. The Model A Ford customers bought more parts in the '70's through the '80's than anyone. It was a huge business. In 1984 I published and distributed "The Complete Model A Parts Catalog" 1928-31 Ford reproduction parts by Mail Order. We offered the Best parts and also the lower quality priced parts. I had both types in my catalog and noted the differance. The catalog and sales did well but not great and in the late '90's was over. The internet and eBay has surpassed the walk in stores. Macs Ford Parts outdid them all by selling with lower prices mostly the lower quality cheaper stuff. However some of the reproduction parts are excellent. Vintique reproduces a lot and also Snyder's Ford Parts. Bob Drake Ford Parts reproduces mostly great parts. Kyle Allen at C & G Early Ford Parts 1932-72 has a great inventory of Bob Drake Parts along with Dennis Carpenter Ford Reproduction Parts. Kyle Allen at C & G surpasses them all in service and inventory and he worked for me first in the mid '80's where I trained him well.
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Old 03-06-2020, 07:55 PM   #55
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A cowl band for a 30 coupe from Ricks comes to mind.
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Old 03-06-2020, 10:13 PM   #56
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I think that I still have four rusty "FOOL" hub caps that I bought from Warshawski back in the 60's

Joe B
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Old 03-06-2020, 10:47 PM   #57
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I think that I still have four rusty "FOOL" hub caps that I bought from Warshawski back in the 60's

Joe B
I don't know if this is true or not but I am sure I read or was told that Rick Freeman of Rick's of Shawnee Kansa was a nephew or son-in-law of Warshawsky / JC Whitney co. What I do know is this Rick sold more than Model A parts he also sold later Ford parts or I should say took orders and money for parts. In the eighties I ordered a pair of 1953 Ford F-100 bedsides,supposedly NOS Genuine.I knew from past experience that he had the tendency to backorder and kept money quite awhile,I made sure the parts were in fact in stock with a phone order. I doubt even in the eighties that I used a credit card back then I usually sent a postal money order. As I remember it wasn't cheap probably $500-00-$800.00 for them and freight.Well never got them,same song and dance that they were currently out of stock even though I explained my phone call guaranteed they were in stock and marked for my order. It later took help from Kansas attorney general to get a reimbursement before he declared bankruptcy or whatever he did. I was very lucky but I did loose about $80.. on a JC Whitney order later I think on their first bankruptcy.I believe that what Rick was doing was making money on money at a time when the interest rate was very high in the teens back in the eighties. He would have your money go in earn on it until he had to refund and do this over and over.I am sure their is a legal term for this.I don't know if he was charged with fraud or income tax evasion but I do think he served some time.
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Old 03-07-2020, 05:20 AM   #58
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Wick,
Can you repost the hubcap picture, it's not showing up for me for some reason. I have a funny looking one that came with my car and I'm wondering if it's like yours?
Thanks,
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Old 03-07-2020, 07:19 AM   #59
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Originally Posted by BRENT in 10-uh-C View Post
I don't think you have been around long enough to have experienced some of the first Specialized Auto stuff (made in Argentina) which was only slightly better than Ricks of Shawnee Mission KS (ahh, the infamous "Rick's Pack"), ...which was even worse than the JC Whitney garbage offered before that. If only you could travel back in time to the 60's and early 70s to experience the 'Repro Replacement Revolution'!!

.
Ric pac boy did you say a mouthful there my friend.
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Old 03-07-2020, 09:32 AM   #60
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Default Re: Dumbest Reproduction Parts

My phaeton had an exhaust manifold from ARGENTINA with 1/8" misaligned ports. That was one of the first things I tossed in the recycle heap.
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Old 03-07-2020, 02:25 PM   #61
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Ricks has been out of business for quite a while . About the only problem that I had with Ricks was that they didn't have a lot of the parts that they advertised . After having so many of my orders back ordered I changed vendors . I don't remember any real problems with the parts that I actually got from Ricks in the 70s . I think that a lot of the people didn't have a lot of experience fitting parts back in the day and blame it on Rick .
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Old 03-07-2020, 07:29 PM   #62
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Except for some early mechanical parts that were provided by western auto, Sears et al most early parts were junk
Thanks to a very few (Al Lepore comes to mind) parts have evolved due to quality demands and folks catching on to what is junk. Unfortunately a lot ot $$ has been spent on the useable.
There are currently are folks making quality parts. Modern techniques with CNC etc are helping
One big hinderance is break even quality to produce. If the demand is maybe 100 and the break even quantity is 1000 there's a problem! Underlying answer is a $100 valued part would have to cost $1,000. Won’t happen!
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Old 07-03-2020, 10:59 AM   #63
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In 1972, after buying a $12 fire wall mounted sediment bowl that wouldn't seal at the tubing flares because of a shifted mold, and after buying a genuine A roadster front seat upholstery that was none returnable (it looked like a hot stamped vinyl rain coat) for $79 from Rick's, I mentioned it at our Bellingham Antique Auto Restorers Club meeting about how bad a rip off that Rick's parts really were. My report accidentally went down in the meeting minutes and they were printed up in our monthly club bulletin, The Spokesman. One of our members, who also was also on a rant about Rick's parts, sent Rick's our Bulletin as a testimony of how bad Rick's parts really were. Rick call me one evening and chewed on my butt for saying such bad things about his business... I threw the sediment bowl into my scrap barrel. The hot stamped seat covers I gave away to a member that had a rat rod type of a model A roadster, and he wouldn't even use them either. I am still pissed off at Rick's.
Had to bring this thread back because I'm watching Hagerty's new YouTube series, in which a guy is doing some basic repairs on his dad's '30 coupe, and what should appear but a Rick's spindle bolt kit from 1972. We'll see if it works!
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Old 07-03-2020, 12:42 PM   #64
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I too have the beloved Ricks Restoration Manual it really wasnt that bad !!! Mine was well read you actually will read anything when you are towing an oil rig for weeks on end .Mine is disintergrating as maybe the spine binding glue was also made in Taiwan !!! . I keep it as it is nostalgia as well. I remember all those terrible repro parts in the seventies luckily the quality is vastly better now . Junction boxes ,rubber grommets which broke up when fitting to a rad shell etc etc and those headlight sockets .

John in windy Suffolk County England and congratulations on Independence Day . I blame the King he didnt have Skype to make it easier for both parties !!!
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Old 07-03-2020, 01:12 PM   #65
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Ah, yes. Vintique. Here is a set of '30 cowl light arms Vintique made and sold thru a major name vendor (and it wasn't Mac's) Not only this but they don't even point the light in the correct direction.




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Old 07-03-2020, 05:55 PM   #66
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Back in the 50s there was a Ford dealer in Croswell Mi that I could buy genuine parts
for my 29 tudor that he still had in an attic store room, mufflers, brake linings, dist.parts
etc.
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Old 07-04-2020, 10:37 AM   #67
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You are right ericr, In the 1960s, NOS was to be had at most any old Ford dealership. Even today, I know of a building in Georgia FULL of Argentine parts, but not worth a drive to me. Jim...
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Old 07-04-2020, 09:55 PM   #68
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I miss Mal's Model A sales and parts in Pacheo Calif. He sold quality and was willing to help. Late 1960's
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Old 07-05-2020, 11:32 PM   #69
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I bought lots of stuff from Tommy Traylor's Specialized Auto Parts in the '60s when they were available and a trip to Houston was not out of the question. We began to see that a lot of their stuff 'wasn't quite right' but used it anyway. I probably still have some on my coupe... We used a set of Western Auto pistons that were still in the car 40 years later, though.
Mercifully, I seem to have been spared the Rick's debacle as we were not active with the coupe again until about 1990 or so, and by that time Traylor had gone down the river on a drug bust. I never heard of Rick's until now.

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Old 07-06-2020, 01:31 AM   #70
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When I first started in model As Rick was all I new.
When I found my first Snyder catalog and placed an order I was in heaven when I saw the difference in quality.
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Old 07-06-2020, 08:26 AM   #71
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"The dumbest reproduction parts" IMO are all the ones that don't fit. Seriously, I just don't get it. When someone reproduces a part, it should be just as easy to make it right as to make it wrong. Like bolt holes that don't line up. You gotta put the holes SOMEWHERE, why not put them in the RIGHT location. The only exception that I can think of off the top is castings. If you are using an original part as the pattern, any reproduced casting will be a bit smaller. However, even then, since we all know that the reproduced casting will be a bit smaller, it shouldn't be THAT difficult to build up the original with a heavy paint or something to allow for the shrinkage. I guess another would be stampings like fenders where the dies wear and it is cost prohibitive to make new ones. Then there is bolts and screws that are sold as "reproduction" when, in fact, they are just hardware store fasteners that will work but are NOT like the originals.
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Old 07-06-2020, 10:04 AM   #72
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"The dumbest reproduction parts" IMO are all the ones that don't fit. Seriously, I just don't get it. When someone reproduces a part, it should be just as easy to make it right as to make it wrong. Like bolt holes that don't line up. You gotta put the holes SOMEWHERE, why not put them in the RIGHT location. The only exception that I can think of off the top is castings. If you are using an original part as the pattern, any reproduced casting will be a bit smaller. However, even then, since we all know that the reproduced casting will be a bit smaller.
I aree with everything you are saying. But in the case of the junk cowl light arms made by Vintique the repro part is actually bigger!! 2nd picture in post #65. Not only do the holes not line up but whole part is physically bigger, the arm is thicker.
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Old 07-06-2020, 06:25 PM   #73
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I didn't read through this whole thread to see if anyone mentioned this, but how about the crap roller bearings being sold for the transmission? The ones Tom Endy has posted about and I also fell victim to? Yes, most of the better vendors are still selling them. If you use them, be prepared to tear down your transmission in less than 500 miles.
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Old 07-07-2020, 02:16 PM   #74
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Backin 76 when I went through my coupe for the second time I bought new mushroom bolts for the running boards from Ricks. I'm not sure about the material but each snapped when tightening' Looking at the break it looked like they were pot metal. Good think I have kept all the "A" nuts and bolts I've taken off cars over the years(56) I've had mine.
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Old 07-08-2020, 10:58 AM   #75
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From Rick's in 1969, I purchased four new outer bumper clamps. They were pretty chrome and with their blue enamel paint already on them, they really looked nice. I proudly installed them onto our 1929 Tudor's bumpers. Later, the front bumper I found laying on the ground and there after I found one of the rear bumperettes was hanging from just it's rivets. With in a month, three of the bumper clamps had pulled their embedded hex headed capscrews out of their chrome plated CAST ALUMINUM faces. There after I searched out the original Ford "all steel" outer bumper clamps and I had them re-plated. Our Tudor is still wearing the "all steel" clamps today. Just another example of the poor quality reproduction parts that we fell victim to.
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