Recent correspondence has dealt with peoples' excitement at finding new
sources for parts for our LBCs at prices lower than "the big three". Can
I offer a thought that I feel should be borne in mind when choosing
suppliers?
In twenty years of restoring LBCs, I have found that buying for less is
not always the best way to go. The smaller companies generally sell only
the fast-moving, most frequently purchased items. Volume enables them to
price these things lower. But when it comes to the hard-to-find parts
that are so often critical to completing a restoration, they don't have
them.
These parts, often NLS from the original manufacturer, have in most cases
been re-manufactured as a result of the investment of many thousands of
dollars by the big three (especially Moss Motors). Without this
investment on their part, I know our shop would not have been able to
complete a lot of the jobs we have done. If we buy only these
hard-to-find parts from the big three, their sales and profits fall, and
they will be less likely to continue the investment needed to keep
virtually everything we need in stock.
Doesn't it make sense, in the long run, to support the people who are
willing to tie up lots of their money in helping keep our cars on the
road, rather than putting money into the pockets of the people interested
only in selling the fast-moving bits?
Lawrie Alexander
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