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[Mustang Matt]

Ditto to what Paul said, well spoken as usual. As an SVO owner, I have seen the parts he made for them first hand and always wondered how he was getting his money back on them. I know that Daniel Carpenter is not real hot on the SVO parts anymore and he will be very hesitant to reproduce any in the future, that does not bode well for any of the other niche Mustangs either. Bringing parts to the table is always a gamble and when the tooling costs become a serious commitment it is enough to make or break your business. Lots of people will commit to buying them, but not as many actually shell out the bucks when it is time to pay up, leaving people like Paul footing the bill. If tooling costs can be kept low then it is a chance worth taking, otherwise it is a better business move to sell what is available.

We have several restoration processes, like side molding restoration- that is so labor intensive that we arent making money on it or dont have the time to do them, it is a constant struggle to balance the time and the return on investment.

[svopaul]

Originally Posted by Mustang Matt

We have several restoration processes, like side molding restoration- that is so labor intensive that we arent making money on it or dont have the time to do them, it is a constant struggle to balance the time and the return on investment.

I know that feeling, we restore quarter window trim and side moldings in house but do not offer it as a service other than on in house customers due to the time involved in doing it.

At least there are still SSP parts out there at any price.....we are doing a full restoration on a 1987 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe right now and there are many parts on that car that are simply made of unobtanium and there is an even smaller market so there is zero hope for any reproduction parts for that car....so it's search and search and pay the price when you can find the stuff.

I've spoken with Daniel Carpenter many times and I know he is less than enthusiastic about niche markets. I think the problem is that when a part is reproduced everyone has the thoughts of "Great, it's available...I'll get it one day" and they assume it will always be there. You CANNOT have that attitude...when something is reproduced and you will eventually need it, you should go ahead and buy it and put it away....at least that shows the manufacturer that there is a demand for it.....and I can promise you it will not always be there. I used to make leather upholstery kits for the Mark VII Lincoln guys....it was the best available and nobody came close. Then my supplier stopped production and outsourced to South Africa and stopped all my restoration kits. I retained the patterns but have yet to find someone to pick it up for me on the same level and I heard a TON of people complain..."I was gonna buy a kit next spring.....or in 2 months....or whenever"....they waited and now they have been gone for about 4 years and people still comment how they wish they were still available. If you are restoring a car where parts are hard to find or limited suppliers then you need to prioritize your list and get what you can, while you can......because you can't just assume those parts will always be there .

[NoDrama43]

Paul,

exactly why I built a barn as big as I did. I have as much money in tires, wheels, seats, trim, body panels, engines, transmissions, and on and on and on.......as I do in the cars.