VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Vendor's Parts Availability

During the time I have been working on the 41 project I have experienced several annoying instances of parts not being available.

This has occurred more frequently than one would expect, especially for common enough parts that should be available without a supply hitch.

A couple months age, I ordered from FS some parts related to the doors. Dove tails, etc. About half the order was not in stock. Probably not her fault, of course. Can't remember what all I was ordering now. The young lady who helped me said that they would call me when the parts were in. As of yet, no call that I know of.

A couple days ago I ordered some parts from CoftF. Parts were:

a. Light switch nut. Part no. 1995041C. Not in stock.

b. Headlight attaching screws (clutch head). In stock.

c. Trunk hinge pads. Not in stock.

d. Flipper springs. 4112621B. In stock.

e. Light and horn terminals 1998756 In stock.
f. Headlight gaskets. 3722121. In stock.

Later that day the missus got a call and was told that some part(s) were not available after all. What parts? (Upon exhausting all the confession extracting devices down in the dungeon, I have to believe the missus when she kept screaming that she didn't know what part or parts they said they were out of. She did confess that they wanted to know whether to send what they had or to wait and send all together when the total order was available. She told them to wait. Of course she did. But wrong answer. It's now an open end situation. She knew that whatever she had told them would be the wrong thing to do, so after losing a couple bicuspids she blurted it out.

Anyway, my point is why don't these vendor's keep an inventory of common parts that move more readily than something obscure?

If they have a stocking warehouse person, then they don't seem to be preforming the full scope of their duties in a professional and conscientious manner.

Just me whining. But do any of you get frustrated when after selling your pet pig at the stock-market only to be told the part "babe" was sacrificed for is not in stock?

Never mind my frustration. And, please note that both the noted vendor's are on a slippery slope unless they get the inventory where it should be. Just saying.

Best,

Charlie

HI Charlie,

You should have tried ordering facemasks, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, rubber gloves, something delivered by the USPS etc.

I should have the light switch nut, and the clutch head screws. What else do you need???

Best wishes, Mike

This Covid mess has made each movement of your part slow and painful so the delays get passed on down the foodchain. Manufacturers are delayed or possibly closed due to non-essential services in their State. Then shipping is delayed. Then the vendor struggles with the order since they are working from home or worse they get sick. Then warehouse guys move slowly since half are laid off as they can't maintain social distancing. Boxes are backordered since amazon used them all up. Finally they ship it and the courier decides it's not essential so delays it and ships someone their masks and gloves instead...it's annoying.

I've had it happen to unrelated non-car orders and it's driving me nuts as I don't want to go to the store.

I live about 3 miles from Cot40s and about 75 miles from the FS. Take a look at each vendors catalog and guess the number of line items each carries and calculate the investment each has put forth. I am absolutely amazed at the volume of line items in each warehouse (I am in them frequently) and amazed at the number of items in stock and the percentage of orders completely filled.

I have numerous radio items fabricated and am constantly frustrated in the timeliness of filling my orders. So that is why I am occasionally OOS

So, hang in there, we are doing the best we can.

As both a customer and supplier of parts I can assure you that each of those companies tries to keep their stock up to date so 100% of the orders can be filled. It takes much more time to deal with back orders and for a business time is money. I sure am glad I don't own or run one of those businesses. Keeping the doors open and customers happy is a 200% job! We are truly blessed to have them.

A word to the wise: If you think you might need a part in the near future and it is available, buy it now. The part suppliers for the most part are individuals (I know a large number of them personally) or small companies. The individuals are not getting younger and there are very few young folks that know how or want to make those parts. Same can be said of the small companies. When we die off or quit those parts will no longer be available. Talked to one part supplier recently that had three parts left and was definitely not going to make any more. I bought all three!

It is the world we live in. The name of the game is turning over dollars as fast as possible to maximize how they multiply. Having a lot of money invested in parts that they may sell on a rarer occasion just for the sake of having all the bins full works against them. I remember the days of going to the parts store and they had what you wanted no matter how obscure it was. Now with next day shipping, vendors just want to know where to get it to be able to advertise that they sell it. Go in to a small town car dealership and look at their parts department vs. big city. 9 times out of 10, small town will have a much more impressive parts department. Big city wants to spend that money on a car that they can sell quicker rather than having "dead dollars" on a shelf that turn over much slower. So much for progress huh?

I appreciate Charlie's expression of frustration with parts availability. I agree that currently this whole COVID scenario has messed up the full supply chain starting at the actual source all the way to the retailer. To add to the problem shipping is totally unpredictable.

My experience is that this is not limited to collector car parts or even automotive parts. I have to echo Greg comments. I have adjuster my expectations such that whether it is a part for any vehicle (new or old) or an appliance or a lawn mower the best answer I will hear is "we can have it here tomorrow".

The financial game is "who has the carrying cost for the inventory?". During my working career I was amazed at the gyrations and accounting tactics used to keep inventory off the books in manufacturing organizations. Dealers face the same issues for products and parts.

Rusty,

I understand but screws for mounting a 41 headlight to the fenders are probanbly in the neighbor hood of 1K to the buck. You don't share my frustration when I was told that they were on backorder or out of inventory?

I think you do.

Hellava way to run a business. For any vendor. Just saying.

Best,

Charlie

Charlie,
If they are that inexpensive you would expect they would be available at your local auto parts, hardware or plumbing supply? McMaster-Carr, Fastenal, Granger are other sources of screws and bolts. How about Jim Carter? They sell truck parts. Maybe they use the same screws on the trucks as the cars?

Chipper,

I got hold of a truck parts book this afternoon. It's Truck Shop out of Orange. CA with a place in Charlotte.

I got home with the catalog at about five pm and they close at four thirty. I intend to call them in the morning.

Seems the 1947 1/2 ton is the same count as the 1941. The set of 16 clutch head screws with retainers is $12.00. A pair of headlight gaskets is $4.50. I'm ordering both owing to my friend (bodyman) wants to install them headlight assemblies (NOS with doors and all) before he turns the car back over to me. Primer painting the trunk is about the only thing left that he is willing to do for me. I'm rather cheap.

When the stuff I ordered from CoftFs comes in I will either sell it or just keep it for spares.

I will try Jim Carter if this place doesn't come through and/or if I need anything else.

Thanks for your help, I appreciate it. Do too!

Charlie

Helping each other is where it's at.