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I have to use some inferior Chinese repro/sourced parts to get my vehicle to operate.
It's apparent why some pay extreme costs to repair their crusty original ones. That's not easily in an engineer's vocabulary. Lesson learned.
It's not the destination but the journey...

A Chinese Packard, that's like swearing in church...

Oh, this made my day. I completely agree, it is a journey for me too and learning tons everyday.

I've been known to do that swearing in church thing too. ha, HA, HAAA! No help for me...

Count your lucky stars that is all you are guilty of. You should carry my burden, however I am not going to tell what that burden is, just believe me when I tell you that yours is a nit.

Frankly, I don't know whose parts are the worst. Since we don't make anything here anymore it a toss up between getting those made in China, India, Bangladesh or Mexico and from a couple of other countries I can't spell.

It's just a shame those US mfgs that are still here can't afford to or don't want to take on the smaller projects -- although some US sourced products are not the best either. In my last lifetime some of the foreign products we used ran circles around some of ours.

One of our vendors has some repro items made in China and he explained there are different levels of quality in the manufacture. Says his repros are sourced from those doing the better work and he stands behind them.

I appreciate the fact he lays out the money and takes the project on to keep our cars on the road. I won't complain too much but hopefully he is right on the quality because sometimes fixing a 70 year old USA part isn't an option and there are not many other choices.

I still keep hoping the 3D printing technology comes into own for some of the small things nobody wants to touch. I mean if they can already print guns that actually shoot, imagine putting a Packard item under a laser scanner and in a couple of hours a duplicate comes out of a printer needing very little finish work. I believe Leno already has made some parts for some of his cars via that process.

3D printing exists now. The problem with it is cost. It isn't just the cost of the printing. Here is what you need to produce a part using an existing part:
1. Get an existing part to copy.
2. Use a metrology system to measure the part in 3 dimensions and produce an electronic file of the geometry.
3. With a CAD system fix any geometry problems needed to smooth everything out and make it correct.
4. Put the CAD file into the 3D printer and make the part. Hopefully the part is not structural.
5. Finish the part (chrome, paint, final machining if needed.

The cost of the high tech equipment and the labor cost of the trained operators is very high. I have already made some simple parts this way. I had a structural part (2 radiator brackets) so I printed in plastic to make patterns for aluminum castings. I got the help of an engineer who did the CAD work on his employer's system. I did the original design drawings and also did the final machining in my machine shop. I also did some pattern work to help the foundry. I had to pay for the 3D printing and the castings. The results were great for cast parts. My out of pocket cost was only around $200 but the labor cost would be several thousand if I had to pay for it.

Quality level of Repops is NOT a question of country of origin but rather a question of QUALITY CONTOL IN THE MFG'ing process.

Example:
A few years ago i bought a set of pistons for a 88 F 2.0. Mfg by Sealed Power. For those of u not not familiar with decades of auto parts mfg'ersSealed Power is a well known age.old mfg'er of auto parts. A welltusted name for decades.
At my own eye and at my own hand i opened the factory sealed box of pistons. They looked and measured good. Made in India was cast into the pistons.
They have performed flawlessly for over 6 years and 30 k miles.

THE BOTTOM LIN EIS THAT THERE WAS A NAME BRAND WELL KNOWN LARGE CORPORATION BEHIND THE QUALITY CONTOL PROCESS.

Had they come in aplain brown wrapper then quality level would be suspect.

There more to a part than just its looks and fit.? Things like
MeTALURG Y AND MATERIALS COMPATABILITY.

PackardV8 is correct.

I am the materials and Inventory manager for a company that supplies all Service parts for Ford and General Motors. Very Little is produced stateside. India is the hot bed for good quality Automotive parts. Most of your name brand clutches and components are all manufactured in India. GM for example, The Majority of the Fuel Modules (fuel pumps / sending units) I purchase through Continental. However, the components and assembly are all manufactured and assembled in Chihuahua Mexico. Their other big Mod manufacture is Koafus with all components and assembly coming from Korea. There are no fuel modes being produced stateside. Ignition coils all come from Delphi in Monterey Mexico and the list goes on. I take the product and pack them into a GM Delco Box and the end user knows no different,to them they have a genuine GM part. the bottom line is it is all about the Quality of the Manufacture process and Quality Specs.

Quote:
Keith, you've mellowed. It surprises me you're sticking up for any foreign made auto product. I remember all the disdain about "China-rican" products when Fred mentioned selling some Chinese made repros.