Thanks Stan,
I believe when we need something, we need to go after the right people to make it happen rather than just sit on our hands and complain about not having what we need.
For my favorite fuselage C bodies, I looked forward (note the similarity to my site name
) and I decided we needed a lot of vinyl/plastic molded products and gave some of my best dash pads and so many other items to Bob Baker and convinced him to make them and have continued to encourage him to make even more over time. He now has a healthy business as well but the virus is still holding him back due to so many material shortages to get parts back into stock but that should resolve with more time.
Then I worked with Global to make correct heater cores (along with Tim on this site
@sixpkrt) and a/c condensers despite some naysayers predicting we would fail.
Supplementing the Global efforts, then I searched for solutions for the Auto Temp II systems and along the way found Performance Analysis Company that solved that problem already in conjunction with Mercedes Benz, a company that is dedicated to making sure their older vehicles can still be restored and makes reproduction parts available for them even from decades ago. Chrysler sold Mercedes Benz the patent rights to copy the Autotemp II systems, which they made much better quality than Chrysler's original ones, and so they are now available along with the amplifiers and associted items in the system.
Performance Analysis | Climate Control | Diaphragms | Blower Motors | Pushbutton Panels | Vacuum Door Locks | Autotemp | Cruise Control | Engine Oil Analysis | Mercedes-Benz Parts | Mercedes-Benz Club of America | Oak Ridge | Car Care - Home | Performance Analysis Co.
@ayilar and I also keep on top of tire offerings for our cars and try to keep everyone informed of what is available and seems to work the best.
Then there are DMT and REM making splash shields and interior parts and more for our cars now that they did that on their own.
I also worked with Centric to make sure we got good replacement rotors, rebuilt calipers for our cars and other similar parts including wheel cylinders and more. They have a great production and quality center near me in Southern California and just fantastic representatives that know our cars better than our own home grown brands that also buy from them now and sell them under their old names.
One other common problem that our cars have is very old voltage limiters but I note that electronic replacement ones are now available from companies such as Herbs Parts which is owned by AMS Obsolete - which is the best supplier of original nos after market parts out there in terms of rare parts availability, but those are high priced but justified as a result. There is also our own Marty's Arizona Parts and Deception Pass Motor Parts as options for nos parts. Each of them is just great to work with too and have competitive prices.
Then we also have Legendary that has made the vinyl bucket seat covers for many of our cars that they have done on their own.
Also, very notable is the recommendation by
@Big_John on the best place for radio restorations and modern conversions of our original radios that preserve the original look and function of them (and also his many recommendations on electrical solutions for our cars):
garytayman.com
Then we do have available SMS Auto Fabrics out of Oregon that can make our door panels, but send them in about 3-4 years before you need them in order to avoid frustration. But their quality and attention to detail is excellent.
Then there is also Quirey that I have worked with as well to get further solutions to our needs as is the subject of this thread. I sent them the battery cable set to reproduce and Manny
@70 Sport Suburban sent them an excellent washer bottle to copy as I recall.
There are many others that have contributed as well.
In my previous job before retiring, I had to work with every vehicle manufacturer that sells vehicles in the U.S. to make a goal happen especially here in California and also relative to climate change over the last 31 years before I left in 2012. My group of 40 people got it done and we worked hand in hand very respectfully and in concert with every one of the vehicle manufacturers and their chief engineers and also many of their suppliers independently to get the job done. When you treat people with respect and work hand in hand to solve mutual problems and listen to their issues and work with them to resolve them, that leads to success I have learned. We need more of that attitude in the U.S. again.
All of this is why I very much appreciate this site as without its great success, all of this would have been very hard to accomplish. It takes a lot of combined effort from a lot of folks here to keep these cars alive, but it is still very doable. So that is why I support Joey and the moderators here a great deal. What he has accomplished is not easy but he has been successful where other mopar sites have essentially failed IMO. The site is so flexible and smooth running that it is a standout success along with his other related ones and should not be taken for granted.
I just wish we could all tone it down a bit and get off of our high horses and work together to do what made this country great in the first place - work together cooperatively and respectfully and do our best together.
So in terms of restoration efforts, there is pretty smooth sailing in terms of restoration of the fuselage models and some of the others.
