VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions NOS Definition

Over time, it seems the definition for NOS has become a loose term. Years ago when you spoke of old car parts, it meant that the part was what the marquee made for the car. A marquee factory part, i.e., Ford, Chrysler, GM, etc. You get the picture?

Nowadays, I see stuff made by Western Auto and a bunch of other makers such as New Old Replacement Stock (NORS) on eBay and the seller says they are NOS and not the formerly (?) correct NORS.

What is going on? We used to know better. I guess I'm just barking up the wrong tree and "preaching to the Choir," but it does irritate me some.

What are your thoughts?

Best, Charlie

Charlie,
I agree that the term NOS is badly abused today. Years ago, within the hobby, everyone knew what NOS meant, but now, particularly with the advent of on-line markets, all kinds of people who are not very familiar with the hobby are selling parts and mis-applying the term NOS.

And, NOS isn't the only term that gets mis-used. Others are "mint", "like new", "excellent", "restored", etc., etc. The potential for getting burned is pretty high these days. Just today, I received from an Ebay seller, two piston rods for a 1940 Chev. The seller had put "6" in the item title, and in the description, indicated the auction was for a "set" of piston rods. Since when does a "set" of piston rods for a six cylinder motor consist of two piston rods?

Bottom line: Caveatt Emptor!

Mark Yeamans
VCCA #35724

Yeah, I reckon you are right about the use of NOS, New Old Stock NORS NewOld Reproduction or just REPO, and NOAS New Old Aftermarket Stock, and OJYS Old Junk Yard Stock or just OUP. Old Used Part.

Maybe VCCA should set up a National Committee to run down and define all of these Abreviations used in TOCCRH (The Old Chevrolet Car Restoration Hobby). What do you think?

That is real mean, saying that 2 connecting rods is a "Set of Rods" for a six cylinder engine....

I totally agree that the meaning of NOS has become abused, blurred and often misued. Since I buy alot items thru the mail, I now ask tons of questions and I rarely buy anything without a picture to go along with it.
I have seen vendors selling NOS GM parts that are rusted badly and they still use NOS in the description without mentioning that the part barely represents what it once looked like.
I also get irratated with some vendors show a picture of an NOS part sitting by the original GM box and they don't mention that the box is not included with the part.
The bottom line..... Let the buyer beware or.....Trust but verify.

dtm

and there are vendors that use NOS in the header then procede to tell us it's a new manufacture, made like the originals. I can almost understand the confusion of NOS and NORS but not NOS and reproduction.

Just a few minutes ago, I was searching for old Chev parts on Ebay and found a heater switch titled "1939,40 41, 42 NOS Heater Switch". Then, below in the item description it says, "Nice used heater switch". Maybe he meant to title his item NUS--Nice Used Stock.

Mark

I've always took the meaning NOS (New old stock) as just that. It's new, but it's old stock from the supplier that supply's the item for sale. Not neccisarily meaning it is a genuine name brand replacement but meaning that the part IS NEW, but it is OLD from OLD STOCK that is no longer in production or being called for.

Now i will agree that terminology looses it's meaning through the years. I think the un-educated contributes to this but it is up to the guys that know better to teach them. (If they'l listen) Which is the trouble with modern society today.

Trust me, i know exactly what your saying though. I use to be in the small engine biz and the terminology, "Barn fresh" REALLY gets burnt out when they are representing something as barn fresh and it's just an old restoration that someone lost intrest in and it's set in the barn for 20 years untouched. When really barn fresh terms MEAN that the engine or item or car likely hasnt been seen, touched or moved from it's original spot by the original owner for 60 plus years and add 30.

Another term that gets heavily abused is the term ORIGINAL. This term i see heavily used in the car hobby. Advertising the car or item or engine as "original" when it has actually REALLY been restored TOO LIKE the original state. Original is suppose to mean that the item in question has never been altered, changed, or replaced and is still there and/or still in operation to this day WITHOUT any repairs that would alter it's originality. Simply put, unchanged.

N.O.S. means exactly what it is saying ....a new GM part, manufactured by or for the auto manufacturer, under that specific GM part number, in our case.

N.O.S. is NOT a new part, which is manufactured by an aftermaket company. That falls under the heading of a "reproduction" part.

Bob

Parts made in the period by an aftermarket manufacturer for replacement and not for the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) market are "New Old Replacement Stock" (NORS) parts.

Copies or facsimiles of parts made for the antique car market
are "Reproduction" parts.

By your definition, does that say NORS parts are not manufactured today?

I'm really liking this larger print !

I think your Semitics are messed up. The part is NOT new, but is OLD.

I dont think so. That is what O is for in meaning it is (NEW) as in never been used (Vergin part), but it is >old< meaning it is an old part FROM -stock- to the shelf FROM the factory that USE TO make that part, TO the distributor, dealer and or vendor that now has the part but it has set on the shelf for quite a while without any call for it. = NOS. New old stock.

If it is a genuine name brand replacment then it should be labeled as OEMNOS.

From the Internet:

New old stock (abbreviated NOS) are old parts for obsolete equipment that have never been sold at retail. Old parts that are still NEW.

The term refers to merchandise being offered for sale which was manufactured long ago but that has never been used. Such merchandise may not be produced anymore, and the new old stock may represent the only market source of a particular item at the present time.

Although not an officially recognized accounting term, it is in common use in the auction and retail industries. For example, owners of antique vehicles seek NOS parts from specialized vendors that are needed to keep their automobiles, motorcycles, or trucks operational or in factory-original condition. eBay uses the term on their auction website.

Another example is a business catering to vacuum tube enthusiasts that defines NOS as, any stocked item which is either A: out of production; B: discontinued from the current line of product; C: has been sitting on a stockroom or warehouse shelf for some time; or D: any combination of the above.

While damage to the original packaging is common, damage to its contents is generally not acceptable in determining if an item is NOS, as it should be presentable in the same form as when new.

Some people refer to such merchandise as new obsolete stock to further indicate that the parts have not been manufactured for several years. This describes parts that are used in obsolete equipment or the like.

Other people refer to new original stock meaning that they are original equipment parts that remained in inventory for a use that never came. Automobile dealers and parts companies often sell such slow moving stock at a discount. Other specialty parts vendors then market these NOS parts that may either decline or increase in value depending on their type and desirability.

Back many years ago, I can recall, while working for Chevy, the annual 'parts inventory" weekend.

Parts managers from various other dealers ( for a modest fee and food) would be called in to make a physical count of all parts and part numbers. It was a true "happening", back in the day. It normally took Saturday and Sunday to accomplish this feat, but it got done ... somehow.

After the physical inventory, all info was sent on to Chevrolet. In return, Chevrolet would tell us, by part number, what items were "eligible" for return to the factory for "credit" and what items had fallen into the "obsolete" file. Those "obsolete" parts could not be returned to the factory.

The parts manager then had a decision to make ...what to do with the "obsolete parts". Some parts managers tried to sell those nasty old "obsolete" parts .... made up flyers with the "obsolete" part numbers, a list that was distributed to various places, shops, etc., including swap meets.

Other parts managers simply took the bull by the horns and THREW OUT ALL THE OBSOLETE PARTS. Into the dumpster they all went, still wrapped, still in original boxes.

When I think back on all the N.O.S. parts that went into the garbage truck ..... well, it still makes me feel ill to think about it.

Bob

Wow, Bob --- that really is a "sad" story. Man alive, makes those of us in the hobby who now lust for such stuff shake our heads in amazement!!!!!!

B T W -- how are things down in GA? Any weather (yet) that's been nice enough to get your black 51 beauty out for a spin???

Bill.

Great story Bob....thanks for sharing that with us!

Your words are about the same as those from a friend of mine that used to be a zone manager for Pontiac. He used to tell me the same thing. He mentions one episode where they were cleaning out the zone warehouse of new "obsolete parts" and a dump truck was loaded with tons of parts, including body mouldings, and it all went to the dump. He said that those in power also made sure that the parts were crushed with a bull dozer before they were buried. He also said that he tried to save some of the parts but to no avail.

Well thats a heart breaker

The reason that the parts were destroyed is if rendered useless then they could be claimed as a loss on income tax returns. Too many times business would "discard" parts only for them to resurface at a "salvage" dealer for sale (or swap meet or ???). That was considered fraud by the IRS as they were not a complete loss.

Bill,

We have had 2 days that hit 89* a few weeks ago.

The '51' has not been out yet, this season. For this season, the carb and fuel tank have been replaced. The fuel pump still needs replacing ...... I have had a couple of health setbacks, but am hoping to get the pump on and enjoy the car this season.

Hope all is well out in the great northwest.

One additional item I thought of, as I was reading the N.O.S. posts.

The driver for the parts dept. was the guy normally assigned to take his B.F.H. and damage any "obsolete" N.O.S. part he could, as they went into the dumpster. He had no problem exercising his frustration upon those nicely wrapped and boxed parts !

As mentioned above, if this was to be a legitimate write off for the dealer, the parts had to be "write off material".

Truly a sad era and story. I shudder as I think back.

Bob

Bob,

Sounds like some nice weather down there already!! That's good.

Sorry I forgot to ask how the knee(s) were coming along. I hope you're moving better after the surgery a few months back.

Like all of us guys, I'm looking forward to some fun times now that the weather is getting better. Always fun to look out over the hood of a nice old car!!!

Bill.

Bill,

I'll send you a PM on Wednesday.

Bob

Thanks, Bob.

Please note, You've got mail --- from me....



Bill.