DIY vs. Pro Restorers
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
DIY vs. Pro Restorers
Us DIY guys don't stand a chance obtaining rare parts. Seems like everytime a rare part I need comes up on that auction site it either gets taken on a ridiculously high Buy It Now or the high bidder has bid it up so high I'm forced to watch them take it.
From what it looks like, the buyers are often restoration shops who will either restore the part and then sell it for even more or use it on a restoration project.
Case in point, I have watched several 1972 big block manual trans carburetors and fan blades w/ AC go almost as soon as they show up. No sniping necessary just big bucks.
I'm not one of those guys who has to have the correct date, just the correct part but I don't see it happening, at least not for either of those two parts.
Ok, I'm done whining now. I'll go back to my corner and shut up.
cc
From what it looks like, the buyers are often restoration shops who will either restore the part and then sell it for even more or use it on a restoration project.
Case in point, I have watched several 1972 big block manual trans carburetors and fan blades w/ AC go almost as soon as they show up. No sniping necessary just big bucks.
I'm not one of those guys who has to have the correct date, just the correct part but I don't see it happening, at least not for either of those two parts.
Ok, I'm done whining now. I'll go back to my corner and shut up.
cc
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,986
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From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
I hear that complaint a lot with people who don't win the stuff they want on ebay. Usually it means they don't have a lot of bidding experience.
If you want something, bid high and bid late. I don't lose ebay auctions if I really want/need something, whether its a Corvette part or something else. I think you are underestimating the market for what you want. Apparently the parts you need cost more than you thought. Pros don't have any "magic" buying that you don't have. Bid higher.
If you want something, bid high and bid late. I don't lose ebay auctions if I really want/need something, whether its a Corvette part or something else. I think you are underestimating the market for what you want. Apparently the parts you need cost more than you thought. Pros don't have any "magic" buying that you don't have. Bid higher.
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
I dont think that it has anything to do with "Pros".
Even if pros buy a part for a project, the customer is paying for it.
It has to do with wanting the right part for your car and be willing to pay what ever it takes to get it. (A rule I DONT personaly follow)
EX : I have been looking for an affordable carb for my 1968 427 390HP man. trans vert. I havent been able to find a nice one that wasnt near $1000.00. You know what? I will keep on waiting till I do or I wont have one on my motor
At least i have the rest of the car!!! Better to be missing the carb than the whole car
s
Even if pros buy a part for a project, the customer is paying for it.
It has to do with wanting the right part for your car and be willing to pay what ever it takes to get it. (A rule I DONT personaly follow)
EX : I have been looking for an affordable carb for my 1968 427 390HP man. trans vert. I havent been able to find a nice one that wasnt near $1000.00. You know what? I will keep on waiting till I do or I wont have one on my motor
At least i have the rest of the car!!! Better to be missing the carb than the whole car
s
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
I dont think that it has anything to do with "Pros".
Even if pros buy a part for a project, the customer is paying for it.
It has to do with wanting the right part for your car and be willing to pay what ever it takes to get it. (A rule I DONT personaly follow)
EX : I have been looking for an affordable carb for my 1968 427 390HP man. trans vert. I havent been able to find a nice one that wasnt near $1000.00. You know what? I will keep on waiting till I do or I wont have one on my motor
At least i have the rest of the car!!! Better to be missing the carb than the whole car s
Even if pros buy a part for a project, the customer is paying for it.
It has to do with wanting the right part for your car and be willing to pay what ever it takes to get it. (A rule I DONT personaly follow)
EX : I have been looking for an affordable carb for my 1968 427 390HP man. trans vert. I havent been able to find a nice one that wasnt near $1000.00. You know what? I will keep on waiting till I do or I wont have one on my motor
At least i have the rest of the car!!! Better to be missing the carb than the whole car
sRather than pay $900 or more for a 72 carb, I bought a 73 BB Corvette carb for $99.00 with Lars guidance in making the selection. Then I sent it to him to be built for my car.
It's just frustrating to see something you need and know you won't get it because you can't match the financial resources of others.
There were something like 3913 BB 72 Corvettes made and the carbs come up for auction about every couple of months. Now 72 is not high on the list of chrome bumper cars when people are looking for one because of the low HP number. So where are all these carbs that are being bought going?
The values aren't up high enough to warrant spending $400-$700 on an original fan or $900-$1200 on an original carburetor.
Oh well, guess I'll just keep searching through the carbs at swap meets hoping to find one that ended up in a pile with a bunch of others.
As markdtn said Carlisle or Bloomington.
cc
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,327
Likes: 16
From: Fl
cc,
Those two items are always going to be silly expensive, mostly becuase they are not reproduced.
But most importantly, they are corvette only parts (fan) and corvette only part numbers (carb).
some of the other year vettes, shared parts and part numbers with other chevrolet vehicles, making them more available.
The 7043200, 201 carb was used on a pile of chevy cars and trucks.
Thats why they are so cheap and easy to find. The 2217/2216 carb is a one year only, BB carb for a corvette only - PIA to find.
Bill
Those two items are always going to be silly expensive, mostly becuase they are not reproduced.
But most importantly, they are corvette only parts (fan) and corvette only part numbers (carb).
some of the other year vettes, shared parts and part numbers with other chevrolet vehicles, making them more available.
The 7043200, 201 carb was used on a pile of chevy cars and trucks.
Thats why they are so cheap and easy to find. The 2217/2216 carb is a one year only, BB carb for a corvette only - PIA to find.
Bill
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
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From: walpole ma
Well, there will always be those that may have more than us and there will be those who have less. I guess we should be thankful for what we do have at any given point and time.
As far as Carlisle etc... in the last couple of years I have run into this response when I went to negotiate a price on a part :
If I dont sell it here ,I will sell it on EBAY.
It is a bit more difficult to get a good deal now adays but there are still good deals out there.
The problem with the particular parts you and I are looking for is that they are rare and most of the time the people who have them know what they have and want top dollar for them, which I guess isnt all that bad if you want to spend that kind of money. It is bad when you dont want to spend it
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Melting Slicks
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From: Pensacola FLA
Bryan
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Lakeland FL
I know how you feel. There's always somebody out there that is willing to pay big bucks to get what they want. Even if it is the customers ultimately paying for the parts, they are generally the ones with the big bucks.
That's what is nice about owning an '81; nobody cares about the original parts. There aren't many people trying to rebuild these things back to their 180HP factory glory.
I bought it because I grew up with these and the fact that nobody would care if I modded it to my likes.
That's what is nice about owning an '81; nobody cares about the original parts. There aren't many people trying to rebuild these things back to their 180HP factory glory.
I bought it because I grew up with these and the fact that nobody would care if I modded it to my likes.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 2
From: walpole ma
This car we finished last year is a parfect example of spending what ever you have to to get the right parts. 72 442 W30.
Long story short:
Got car as a bare shell and did a nut and bolt resto to factory correct. The car was mostly complete but was missing some "correctly "dated engine components among other things. The customer was adamant
about having every screw, nut etc...correct so he started hunting for the right parts.A lot of the 72 w30 parts are one year only and very rare. I cant count the dollars he spent on these. Try well over $1000 for
a distributor over $1000 for a carb, etc... etc....
This was a VERY expensive resto. It hit the 6 figures.
Long story short:
Got car as a bare shell and did a nut and bolt resto to factory correct. The car was mostly complete but was missing some "correctly "dated engine components among other things. The customer was adamant
about having every screw, nut etc...correct so he started hunting for the right parts.A lot of the 72 w30 parts are one year only and very rare. I cant count the dollars he spent on these. Try well over $1000 for
a distributor over $1000 for a carb, etc... etc....
This was a VERY expensive resto. It hit the 6 figures.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,278
Likes: 4,372
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Stan,
Boy, that some beautful car/ restoration. You and your crew certainly know how to do incredible work. If a car is going to cost that much it might as well ' look like a million bucks '. That sure looks like quite a difficult color to paint. I can just imagine the paint wanting to leave all these matallic bands in the hood, roof, and trunk lid.
I'm still thinking about your new car sitting next to those Mustangs. Everything I could say seems cruel. I'm sure those guys were happy with their cars and that's what matters.
Regards,
Alan
Boy, that some beautful car/ restoration. You and your crew certainly know how to do incredible work. If a car is going to cost that much it might as well ' look like a million bucks '. That sure looks like quite a difficult color to paint. I can just imagine the paint wanting to leave all these matallic bands in the hood, roof, and trunk lid.
I'm still thinking about your new car sitting next to those Mustangs. Everything I could say seems cruel. I'm sure those guys were happy with their cars and that's what matters.
Regards,
Alan
Former Vendor
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From: walpole ma
For example, the NCRS is all about the brain part and your foot would be the last body part considered.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 3,802
Likes: 61
From: Wichita KS
I'm just not about that. I don't think I could enjoy driving a car that I had gone to such great lengths to restore. That's when I start worrying about everything and everyone that even comes near it.
I'm willing to bet that when Lars got done with that 3201 carb there was no physical difference between it and a 2217 other than the stampings.
cc