Hot Rods vendors not stocking parts

Cut to the chase...............The problem is people being paid not to work and being told they don't have to pay their rent either. There are signs everywhere offering jobs, and many of them are offering very good wages. The problem is not so much the companies as the feeling of entitlement that people have. I always figured the only thing people are entitled to are the things they worked for.

 

It's bigger than that Danny. Most the manufacturers are in on this and are towing the "narrative". My brother was required to fill out an "interesting questionnaire" for the international corporation he works for. One of their lines is Automotive Paint....
Pledges to be carbon neutral...
The most interesting subject/question....The impending overpopulation/lack of sustainable viability of resources by...2050.
Why is a paint and body guy being questioned about....carbon foot print and "overpopulation"?
It's creepy.
Buy American???
From Holman and Moody...

$650.00 for a set of valve covers.
Smoke 'em if you got 'em....

 

During World War II, women went to work when the men went overseas to fight the war. Maybe it is time for all the people who are retired to go back to work to get this country back on track. That would be an honorable thing to do.

 

Its funny to watch car manufacturers TV ads especially 1/2 pickups discounted for Black Friday. The dealership I’ve used for the last 3 new ones I bought has 2 F-150’s in stock where they normally would have over 100. Their lot is a ghost town with next to no used cars or trucks either.

 

One of my buddies sells at a jeep dealership. They have 4 new vehicles right now.

 

Ordered Excelsior radials for my new deuce roadster in August and was told it could be as late as May of 22 before they ship. Ordered a dual exhaust for my 2022 pickup in Sept and it took 2 months. I can't say much as for the first time in a long time I've got customers waiting many months for my chassis, T5 kits, and transmissions.

 

^^^^Yea. I have customers complaining all the time on price, time and availability of parts. Some OT transmissions like CVTs are a month or more out. I am at a small shop however some of the guys at big dealerships I have talked too can not get certain parts at all right now. Its getting crazy. I told all my friends, if you need tires you better get them now, they are getting scarce around here.

 

I work at a custom fab sign shop by day, and we're REALLY struggling to get supplies of about everything - composite aluminum sheet, LEDs - and this past week our usual paint suppliers told us that both 3M and Sherman Williams have extremely low stocks of blue toners nationwide to mix any colors that would require them. Another place can't supply our usual red/black silicone wire - all they can get is white.

 

not only don't they stock parts, they are stocking inferior Chinese knock off parts. I bought 3 Pontiac dipstick tubes w/dipsticks. Not only did the tubes not fit the block, and collapsed when trying to press in with a special JBP installation driver tool, the dipsticks were off 1 to 1-1/2 quarts on the full and add lines. what a POS. I returned them all for refund, and made my own from copper 1/2" o.d. tubing, and used an old dipstick and acid dipped, painted it.

 

more- I bought 4 SETS of chrome valve covers new, Moroso, medium height Edelbrock, tall Edelbrock, and Mr. Gasket. they all arrive from 4 different vendors. all the covers are identical, stamped from the same Chinese factory. baffled, lines, etc. all identical. Only difference is script stamped in top. in the case of the Mr. Gasket, they have no script, all you get is a USA made box ! that they arrive in. they have a warehouse where all they do it box Chinese parts and put them in Mr. Gasket boxes. now the really bad part...all 4 pairs have drip rails off the gasket surface, that hang down too far and hit the Edelbrock intake manifold- you can't bolt them on and seal the gaskets ! and the tall ones will hit the power brake booster when installing engine, you have to sneak the drivers side cover in later. screw that crap I sent all 4 sets back, got refund, and bought a set of vintage M/T cast aluminum covers that bolted right on.

now the icing....you can get those same exact covers in the generic offshore box, without a historic American speed part name, for $35. same exact cover as Edelbock for $87, Moroso for $80, Mr. Gasket for $68. in the case of the latter, the Mr. Gasket and no-name box part are IDENTICAL. you're paying $33 for the Mr. Gasket name on the BOX. it says "printed in USA".

I could have ground the drip edges to clear the intake manifold ports, and also the drip edge hit a casting boss on rear and front of the head on the lower side, my point is if I'm paying $90 for valve covers, they should bolt right on. and I'd rather not have the Chinesium on my motor.