[Healeys] Another Rant on replacement parts

[editorgary at aol.com]

 Frankly, I don't and never have accepted the lame excuse from Moss Motors (in whatever ownership/management incarnation) that they have to provide ill-fitting, unsuitable poor-wearing and out-of-spec parts because a contingent of our hobby "won't pay the higher price for quality parts."
In my view, the near-monopoly supplier of parts for our hobby should be providing replacements that in fit, material and quality match the original parts and that is the only level of quality that they will sell. When they sell poor parts just because the supplier makes them for less and charges less, then they undermine the respectability of the original marque around which the hobby was built and leave people believing that Healeys -- and by extension all "old English cars" were of poor quality and reliability when they were originally built. 

Provide good quality that produces good performance and it will be reflected in the prices of the cars on the market. There is a reason why Mercedes-Benz models that once cost the same as our cars of the same vintage are now worth more on the market than our cars. It's because the primary supplier of replacement parts for Mercedes-Benzes is Daimler AG and they will only sell parts that are of equivalent quality to the originals. For those hobbyists who find those prices unacceptable, they can substitute sweat equity in hunting for parts off unrestorable examples. 

Just one person's opinion, mind you, but I have first-hand experience in restoring, driving and buying/selling both brands.
BestGary Anderson
 
 

 

    As far as repops go, I asked a Moss rep one time why a lot of the reproduction parts and the rubber was so bad and did not fit well.  He told me that he could sell better parts for our cars but very few people will buy them.  If he lists both a premium part and a cheaper version, almost 95% will buy the cheap part. It would be foolish to inventory such slow moving parts, so they sell what the majority will buy.  Everyone wants the parts to be cheap.  S

    So, I guess you get what you pay for.

Mike MacLean

 

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