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Michael,=20
Someone, somewhere, will appreciate your horn rims.=20
When restoring our BN2, I heard the aftermarket rear reflectors--the ones o=
n the 'plinths'--were different than original. Don't remember how, exactly,=
but a connoisseur of Healeys--think the late Rich C. or Curtis A. (still a=
round, I hope)--would know. There was a man, I think he was a lurker on thi=
s List, who was making them from scratch. He was retired from Pratt & Whitn=
ey Propulsion--yep, an honest-to-god rocket scientist--who was making them =
as a hobby. He made custom molds for the rubber 'grommets,' exactly replica=
ted the chrome rims--in brass--and had them plated to perfection, and sourc=
ed original Lucas reflector lenses from somewhere. I bought a pair, for $12=
5 or thereabouts, and was glad to get them; after all, this was a genuine '=
factory' 100M bought for ... well, you don't want to know. Last I heard he =
was studying steering boxes in order to create a new, scientifically-design=
ed worm gear that would eliminate most play (maybe D. Welsh beat him to it)=
.=20
Bob=20
Bob I could not agree with you more!=20
The horn rims that I have had made are a prefect case in point.=20
http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=3D1335=20
I have had many many inquiries from owners interested in them but when they=
hear that they will cost $89 each including shipping I frequently hear bac=
k that there is a UK supplier who sells them for less.=20
The rims from across the pond are for made for an earlier model horn, will =
fit with a bit of work and with shipping in they cost a few dollars less ho=
wever, they are "made to a price" and actually really don't look correct, b=
ut that is where the money goes.=20
As the saying goes...."You get what you pay for."=20
The car that I have just finished has a very large proportion of restored u=
sed parts in it because I have found that it is easier to replicate an orig=
inal by starting with one.=20
Michael S=20
BN1 #174=20
On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 11:21 AM, Bob Spidell < bspidell@comcast.net > wrote=
:=20
In defense of Moss--sort of--like any business they try to offer what their=
customers want. Face it, most people buy on price (even classic car fanati=
cs). I have had extensive conversations with Moss people--Michael Grant in =
particular--and they would love to provide perfect quality at WalMart price=
s, but they are at the mercy of their suppliers and customers (although it =
appears they are starting to manufacture some parts, like upholstery and br=
ake parts). They are also offering different grades of quality; Kilmartin v=
s. No-Name sheet-metal, for instance. The abject failure of WalMart to make=
a profit proves people want quality at any cost (NOT).=20
I'll recite again the conversation I had with a local, small, LBC parts sup=
plier. He had a NOS Big Healey front bumper--he wanted $300 for it--and no =
one would buy it, preferring the crappy, flimsy off-brand versions at about=
$100. Then, the people who bought the cheap bumpers bitched about the qual=
ity.=20
Bob=20
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<html><body><div style=3D"font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; color: #0000=
00"><div aria-label=3D"Compose body">Michael,<br></div><div aria-label=3D"C=
ompose body"><br></div><div aria-label=3D"Compose body">Someone, somewhere,=
will appreciate your horn rims.<br></div><div aria-label=3D"Compose body">=
<br></div><div aria-label=3D"Compose body">When restoring our BN2, I heard =
the aftermarket rear reflectors--the ones on the 'plinths'--were different =
than original. Don't remember how, exactly, but a connoisseur of Heal=
eys--think the late Rich C. or Curtis A. (still around, I hope)--would know=
. There was a man, I think he was a lurker on this List, who was maki=
ng them from scratch. He was retired from Pratt & Whitney Propuls=
ion--yep, an honest-to-god rocket scientist--who was making them as a hobby=
. He made custom molds for the rubber 'grommets,' exactly replicated =
the chrome rims--in brass--and had them plated to perfection, and sourced o=
riginal Lucas reflector lenses from somewhere. I bought a pair,=
for $125 or thereabouts, and was glad to get them; after all, this was a g=
enuine 'factory' 100M bought for ... well, you don't want to know. La=
st I heard he was studying steering boxes in order to create a new, scienti=
fically-designed worm gear that would eliminate most play (maybe D. Welsh b=
eat him to it).<br></div><div><br></div><div>Bob<br></div><div style=3D"col=
or:#000;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;text-decoration:none;font-fami=
ly:Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12pt;" data-mce-style=3D"color: #00=
0; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; font-fam=
ily: Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br><div><br></div><div =
dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms=
,sans-serif;font-size:small" data-mce-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms,s=
ans-serif; font-size: small;">Bob I could not agree with you more!<br></div=
><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif=
;font-size:small" data-mce-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; =
font-size: small;">The horn rims that I have had made are a prefect case in=
point. <br><a href=3D"http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=3D1335" target=
=3D"_blank" data-mce-href=3D"http://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=3D1335">h=
ttp://www.netbug.net/blogmichael/?p=3D1335</a><br></div><div class=3D"gmail=
_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small" da=
ta-mce-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; font-size: small;">I=
have had many many inquiries from owners interested in them but when they =
hear that they will cost $89 each including shipping I frequently hear back=
that there is a UK supplier who sells them for less.<br>The rims from acro=
ss the pond are for made for an earlier model horn, will fit with a bit of =
work and with shipping in they cost a few dollars less however, they are "m=
ade to a price" and actually really don't look correct, but that is where t=
he money goes.<br>As the saying goes...."You get what you pay for."</div><d=
iv class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;fo=
nt-size:small" data-mce-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; fon=
t-size: small;">The car that I have just finished has a very large proporti=
on of restored used parts in it because I have found that it is easier to r=
eplicate an original by starting with one.<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_def=
ault" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small" data-m=
ce-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Micha=
el S<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans =
ms,sans-serif;font-size:small" data-mce-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms=
,sans-serif; font-size: small;">BN1 #174<br></div><div class=3D"gmail_defau=
lt" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-serif;font-size:small" data-mce=
-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br></d=
iv><div class=3D"gmail_default" style=3D"font-family:comic sans ms,sans-ser=
if;font-size:small" data-mce-style=3D"font-family: comic sans ms,sans-serif=
; font-size: small;"><br></div></div><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div cl=
ass=3D"gmail_quote">On Thu, Jun 4, 2015 at 11:21 AM, Bob Spidell <span dir=
=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:bspidell@comcast.net" target=3D"_blank" data=
-mce-href=3D"mailto:bspidell@comcast.net">bspidell@comcast.net</a>></spa=
n> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;b=
order-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex" data-mce-style=3D"margin: 0 0 0=
.8ex; border-left: 1px #ccc solid; padding-left: 1ex;"><div><div dir=3D"lt=
r"><div>In defense of Moss--sort of--like any business they try to offer wh=
at their customers want. Face it, most people buy on price (even clas=
sic car fanatics). I have had extensive conversations with Moss peopl=
e--Michael Grant in particular--and they would love to provide perfect qual=
ity at WalMart prices, but they are at the mercy of their suppliers and cus=
tomers (although it appears they are starting to manufacture some parts, li=
ke upholstery and brake parts). They are also offering different grad=
es of quality; Kilmartin vs. No-Name sheet-metal, for instance. The a=
bject failure of WalMart to make a profit proves people want quality at any=
cost (NOT).<br></div><div><br></div><div>I'll recite again the conversatio=
n I had with a local, small, LBC parts supplier. He had a NOS Big Hea=
ley front bumper--he wanted $300 for it--and no one would buy it, preferrin=
g the crappy, flimsy off-brand versions at about $100. Then, the peop=
le who bought the cheap bumpers bitched about the quality.<br></div><div><b=
r></div><div>Bob<br></div><div><br></div><br><div><br></div><div><br></div>=
<div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></blockquote></div></div></div><d=
iv><br></div></div></body></html>
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_______________________________________________
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive
Healeys@autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys
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