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To Cortcomp,
Your idea works in theory but after working in purchasing for many years in various sized companies I have to agree with Fred. The "Soft Costs kill you". When I started years ago the rule was not to purchase anything under $60 as that is the cost to process an order. You learned to be inventive to buy small items. Believe me when I say I hate paying high prices but I kinda understand.
If we still disagree I can meet you at Locos Amigos and arm Wrestle you over Margaritas since I live in Fowler. I saw your car at the Packard Museum Show but never managed to find you. Nice ride.

Since I won't be able to make it to the arm wrestling contest if it occurs, maybe you could film it and post it on You Tube. I'll watch it here in Simi Valley with Margaritas of course and won't need a designated driver either.

What makes a capitalistic economy work is competition. Controlling cost is a part of the equation along with the buyer being aware of things. It would appear that this topic is a little off track. Since I don't hold much hope for the You Tube thing and since it is only 5:50 am here, my only medicine would seem to be a Bloody Mary.

Bye for now.

NAPA list them online for $1.29 if the hole span is correct for you. Part number PUJ 560LP

JT
Thanks. I almost forgot I started this thread and what it was about in the first place. The center-to-center span of the Napa part is about 1-10/16. I need 1-7/16. Close. Very close.

West - although it's advertised as for 51-54 models, perhaps the lock plate offered by the Minnesota Packards region of PAC might be adaptable to your needs. They're asking $10 a set, postpaid. Contact is given as <wkempfert@hotmail.com>.

"NAPA list them online for $1.29 if the hole span is correct for you. Part number PUJ 560LP"

That's more like it! Napa can get almost anything from the warehouse next day too, so no long wait.


Listen, i understand a business has to make profit. However, plates like these would be loss leaders, or something you don't make a killing on. Like was said, $160 is just not practical. Sometimes you have to put down the calculator and say "hey, yes, i could justify this 25 cent part being $10, but this is ridiculous. How about 4 for 5 bucks, 5 bucks shipping the whole set, or no shipping if you're buying X amount of other stuff"

It's what put circuit city out of business. People were getting wise that ink cartridges didn't have to be $80, and that they were buying cables for $2.50 and selling them to you with your new printer for $35. It's just obscene on the small parts, but then they'll take a loss or make 5% on the larger parts, which would be junk at that.


braspack46:

Hey! Right down the road! My shop is on main street next to the lions building, on the same side as Locos Amigos. Been there almost 10 years after moving from Orwell.

I'm not normally in the shop, i drive around in the white astro van all day working for different customers, so i only pop in and out of there between calls.

I left my car at the packard show as i had to meet another packardinfo user over towards canton to drop off some parts he had bought and to look at a late 30's pontiac he was considering buying. I had my partner drive the car back after the show was over.

We should get together at some point!



Edit: Just saw you have a limo, was it by chance at the airport car show, out on the grass towards the road, last summer, with a group of packards? If so, that is one fine car! I had my Pontiac there for that show, as the motor and tranny was out of the Packard.

I'll be at the CCCA Grand Classic in Canton with my car next weekend.

Dave
Thanks for the lead. I'll check it out when I get back from Chicago this weekend. AACA National Meet on the north side.

There are ujoints that do not use the bridge type lock , they use 4 small thingies with a hole where you bend one tab up and one down. All you need is bridge type iwth the correct hole size and yoiu just slice off the bridge.

I think you could take the napa ones and bend them slightly in the middle to take up the 3/16" difference. For a $1 it's worth looking at.

There is one more thing I neglected to mention on a large vendors overhead costs. You mentioned ordering parts in and getting free shipping as long as your order met the free shipping requirements. A lot of the parts sold for antique cars are not available from jobbers (hence this whole thread) The nos stuff out of old dealerships is in as found condition and a lot of the time the original parts tags are missing. It takes a lot of knowledge to identify an unmarked part and put a Packard part number on it and place it into inventory. This could be a small part like the lock plate or an expensive suspension part. The knowledge to ID and inventory unknown parts day in and day out is not an entry level shipping clerk position and pay grade. It all costs when you are trying to supply antique parts everyday.