.... but why is Dick's website still up ? I second your thoughts ^^^ .... but was soberly wondering about Dick's website availability on the interweb, while the man is clearly no longer with us. Just bought a drag link, and perch pins from San Dimas too. Atta' boy for second post. ^^^
Have you tried Dennis Carpenter. He usually has lots of early Hot Rod parts. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
No Mac's for me either. Try C&G or All ford--have had good luck with them-recently ordered a very large amt from Allford but they are still searching for a few things--mostly Drake stuff which may never turn up. Have had good luck with Carpenter as well. Parts are getting much harder to find for 40's-some near impossible! Have done many 40's and am doing another one-some items I cannot find that used to be readily available-very frustrating. I have a friend who owns a Rod Shop and he is having the same issues with many companies as well-not in stock and loooong lead times!
Irant--understand the grille issue--Deluxe available but no stds. Have been stockpiling pts for the next 40 well ahead of time.
I started ordering 1940 Ford parts for my bosses street rod that Bobby Alloway built for SEMA about 1 year in advance . Back order Bob’s production is that slow. Some trim and rubber parts were hard to find - even working over one year in advance. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
I have a different take on it. I don’t think it is slow production, it’s the time between orders to his suppliers. Don’t get me wrong, I get it. We want parts when we want them, whether it is for a repair, a new build or to be put on the shelf for the future. I wonder if it is more a situation where $$$ in inventory enters into it. Look at the size of the catalog and consider keeping every item in stock all the time, just because somebody might need one. I have no idea how many glass channel kits for ‘36 Ford Fordors (for example) are required before his supplier will make them but it has to be substantial. The last set goes out the door and in our perfect little world one might think that would generate an order to the supplier. But does it? Maybe Bob gauges how long it took to sell the last costly bunch he had made, but then he considers what else is in demand and what to have made. Do I want what I want when I want it? Of course, but I’m just trying to make sense of the situation. Here’s another thing. Dale’s Manufacturing made an extremely nice ‘32 grille and it was priced very fairly. Hasn’t been produced in years, why? Honestly I don’t know but could it have been the Chinese knock offs that flooded the market at a much cheaper price point? Why would Dales tie up a bunch of money in inventory when sales tanked? I want stuff too but there are a lot of different factors involved. If you think I’m an idiot then flame away, but I’m just trying to make sense of the situation.
The key with any successful business is customer service and good communication. Mac's failed in all aspects with another HAMB'r that just posted about his transaction. It's not the customers fault that they called your business to order parts. It's not the customers fault that it took over a year to get the part. Good customer service is communicating to the customer that the part is not in stock at the time of order so there is no confusion or expectations. Good customer service is keeping the CUSTOMER informed how long it will be or update them from time to time on the progress of the order. If it's a Special made - non returnable item that the customer knows that before it is ordered. Sorry but to take a year to get anything is BS. If I were the business, I would be embarrassed and asking for a 25% restock charge is a insult. How much do you think in a 25% restock charge are they going to get in bad adverstising ? A hell of a lot more than 25%. Just look at what you fellas are posting. That being said on the customers side - if you sold the car - you should have cancelled the order. Still this to me is on the business. They did a BS job of monitoring back orders in a timely manner and a BS job keeping in communication with the customer. Customer service is number 1 And if you don't think so - your customer will think you are number 2 ...... YEA that number 2.
Sorry but to take a year to get anything is BS. [/QUOTE] Bob Drake and most others tell you up front that they sometimes back order parts and that you can cancel your order if you get tired of waiting due to the catering to a hobby business and not a mainstream customer of things like groceries that have a constant flow of sales to keep steady inventory. They as a post above says have to wait for many reasons before they can get enough orders to make or have things made and yes it can take a year and even longer sometimes. Customers seem to quickly forget that the hotrod manufacturers are rare and few and far between if not we wouldn't have to get parts from other states or even countries. Every time we lose one we get dangerously close to not even being able to finish and build our cars unless you are building something pretty generic that doesn't require anything other than mass produced parts that have very little impact or significance . I waited 3 years to get my set of ET III wheels several years ago when they first brang them back out. The ship date kept being delayed for one problem after another. They did not babysit me or constantly tell me where they were at with them, they simply told me once that they would not give up till I received them or I was told they couldn't come through and that if that happened they would return my money. As is the case with most hotrod parts, No one else made those wheels and I wanted them bad from the first time I saw them on dragsters in the 60's. My thoughts never went to being mad about how long they would take. My only fear was that I might never get them. I constantly called and encouraged them. I would have never considered complaining. Supply and demand controls all business and our hobby is in a very fragile place.Our conceptions of how many they sell is usually way overated. Many of the people that make our parts do it mostly out of the same passions we have knowing there are easier and more profitable ways to make a living.I know many guys who quit making awesome parts because they got sick of dealing with complainers that didn't understand. I believe that most builders don't finish their cars as quickly as they could beacause of lack of time or finances and yet they expect better from this small industry. There is a big difference between intentionally ripping someone off and just taking a very long time to come through. I realize not everyone has the same level of patience but this is a hobby of patience. Nothing we are doing on our cars requres speed to feed our famlies or pay the bills. Complaining only hurts our hobby. Be patient and glad that the people you are needing parts from are there. No one has to buy from anyone. At least not in our hobby.
The Jalopy Journal
