Bud
I agree with you 100%.
I have told suppliers about a problem, only one listens and actually
checks it out and either tells me I am wrong, or he finds a suitable
replacement or corrects the problem. He is a lister too.
If I make a mistake in my ordering, I'll eat it. (I have)
For me it is NOT the money, I rarely even ask the price, I just want the
part, and the correct part that will last longer than a month.
I try to get most of my parts at swap meets. Carlisle was a good source
for NOS but that too is drying up. As are most of the meets. But if I
see it, I'll buy it because I know I'll use it somewhere down the road.
I am restoring an average of 2.5 Spridgets a year. (for the past 3 years
now) so I spend a lot of money on parts. I have not, nor will I ever go
to moss directly. I have never bought from TRF, LBC car co, Scarborougho
fare, because I have seen their vendors booths and all the cheapo repros
they are selling. Yes moss crap filters thru the channels and I get
stuck with it from time to time. But I have been moss free since 1989.
I even met Rube Goldberg CEO moss motors in 1992, I didn't know who he
was, and he non chalantly asked me where I get my parts, I told him
anywhere but moss. then he asked why so I told him. He said he would
personally look into it and get back to me. Well 12 years later, I'm
still waiting for him to get back to me.
I had a problem with a water pump that fits ALL "A" series motors that I
bought from a lister/supplier. I told him it didn't fit "All" A series
engines and I told him why. OK, I had a thin flanged 12cc 1275 and the
universal water pump would not fit that block. He found one that would
fit. He didn't know, now he does.
When I got an A+ engine timing gasket in a gasket set from another
supplier I called to tell them they had a problem. they told ME that the
part number was correct and my engine was wrong. It was not me, nor my
engine, it was their part. They lost about a 1000 a year from me.
I am NOT right all the time and I will be the first to admit it when
proven wrong. But don't sell me crap and don't tell me i am wrong
without proof.
Back to the original message. I do drive my Sprites, I also have a
modern car (02 X type Jaguar) and a 01 Ford truck for work. But when the
day is done and I have to go somewhere, I will jump in a sprite or A40
long before I hop back in the truck or Jag. I never worry about
reliability in an LBC. I drove an LBC 50 miles one way to work all thru
the 70s. Rain, snow, dark, and yes even on sunny days. I was never
stranded. My 87 Taurus stranded me in 1989 and had to be towed. Never in
an LBC except once down in MD when the gas pedal linkage broke on the
A40. I did ask AAA for a welder but they sent a flatbed. Thank goodness
the Land Rover guys knew how to weld with a car battery and a coat
hanger. They got me on the road again.
I will drive any LBC anywhere in the US anytime. I will check the oil
before I depart, and I might grease it up and throw the road trip spares
bag in the boot if I am going 3+ hours from home.
Should the next Spridgetfest be in California, I will be there and I
will drive my sprite across the country. If it breaks, then I have
something to talk about when I get there. I am not going to worry about
it breaking down. What if my pick up breaks down? It happens, You deal
with it when it does.
--
Frank Clarici
Toms River, NJ
Back up to too many sprites again.
http://www.exit109.com/~spritenut/
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