Hey Bob Darke... I did call for a return this time.

millersgarage said:
I'm no expert, but maybe you'd get a better response if you spelled him name correctly.....
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I noticed my spelling mistake but could not change the title of the post. I meant no disrespect with my typing error.
Even so, closer then many of his parts...
 
Several years ago, when I was getting ready to paint our '39 CS:), I sent the running boards up to Huntley Acuff (spelling) to be restored. Mr. Acuff called me and told me that the running boards I sent were not original Ford but re-pops from South America, :eek:(made sometime in the '60's). He told me that the metal was so thin that the rubber would not bond.:( He suggested that I get new steel running boards from Bob Drake.:DThe BD boards are a perfect fit and I'm very happy with them and the job that Mr. Acuff did.:DI also got a lot of parts from BD for the restoration of our '51 F-1 and the quality, fit and finish of everything was outstanding:D:cool: I wish that BD would expand his line of parts to include some '39 LZ parts;)
 
Vic Piano said:
Several years ago, when I was getting ready to paint our '39 CS:), I sent the running boards up to Huntley Acuff (spelling) to be restored. Mr. Acuff called me and told me that the running boards I sent were not original Ford but re-pops from South America, :eek:(made sometime in the '60's). He told me that the metal was so thin that the rubber would not bond.:( He suggested that I get new steel running boards from Bob Drake.:DThe BD boards are a perfect fit and I'm very happy with them and the job that Mr. Acuff did.:DI also got a lot of parts from BD for the restoration of our '51 F-1 and the quality, fit and finish of everything was outstanding:D:cool: I wish that BD would expand his line of parts to include some '39 LZ parts;)
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I thought when I first started reading your response that it would be the same as my expierience. I have had Hunley recover a set of 39 deluxe boards and also the set on my 37 Ford,both originals. A few years ago when Drake was just selling the bare metal boards for the 39 Ford I had asked Hunley about covering them and he told me it could not be done because the Drake boards would not fit his original moulds,a contour was off. I think at one time and this was 10-12 years ago or so that Hunley was going to offer new covered boards,mayby a collaberation with Drake but it never materialized. The 39-40 Deluxe boards I am refering to were the ones I bought in the early to mid nineties with a too sharp contour on top.
 
37 Coupe said:
I thought when I first started reading your response that it would be the same as my expierience. I have had Hunley recover a set of 39 deluxe boards and also the set on my 37 Ford,both originals. A few years ago when Drake was just selling the bare metal boards for the 39 Ford I had asked Hunley about covering them and he told me it could not be done because the Drake boards would not fit his original moulds,a contour was off. I think at one time and this was 10-12 years ago or so that Hunley was going to offer new covered boards,mayby a collaberation with Drake but it never materialized. The 39-40 Deluxe boards I am refering to were the ones I bought in the early to mid nineties with a too sharp contour on top.
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They (BD) must have made a change because Mr. Acuff suggested that I get the BD boards, that was around seven or eight years ago, as I said, everything fit fine.
 
Bob Drake reproductions does have some parts that do not fit and he does provide hardware that is not correct. Dennis Carpenter is the same situation. Mac's stuff is the same story with a poorer quality part made in some other low labor country. You can order parts from a reproduction parts provider and find out when you get the parts they have gotten the parts from Mac's and the parts most of the time are still in Mac's packing. I have about $400 of parts over a three year period that don't fit the car I'm repairing. I have not sent these bad parts back because of the cost of shipping compared to the amount spent on the part. If the part cost $23.00 and it cost $17.00 to return it I don't return it. What do you do???? I tried some of the NOS parts and when I got them the rubber parts are rotten, the chrome parts have pits, and the plastic parts break down quickly when put into daily use. What do you do???? I pick and chose what parts I buy from what vendor. Bob Drake does have a better distributor cap than any one else. Dennis Carpenter tends to have better plastic parts. Another choice we have if you are well informed is private individuals that make parts. Parts like brake lines, wiring harness, hardware pieces, fuel lines, fuel pump kits, and so on. If you need these parts a quick note on the Ford Barn will get you contact information for these vendors that advertise none or very little. I don't want to try and keep my cars running and driving without the parts vendors. I could not do what Bob, Dennis, and Mac's do. With all this said you make the best of what you have to work with and enjoy the cars. I don't let bad parts stop me from enjoying what my cars do for me and the windows they have opened to me in life.
 
I don't buy many repoped parts for my 32. I could but it's not in me to do that. After reading this I think I'll stay on my path, which has been an eight year journey of parts collecting and a very slow build. I would only hope that these companies that sell replacement parts would be more focused on quality manufacturing and quality service. But they have you by the stones so I'm sure there is a "close enough" mind set. Sad. Hey Kube, keep these guys in your sights and keep us informed, thank you!
 
One thing good about my area is you can still find some of these cars sitting in places that have what you need. Some parts of the country don't have that luxury. I keep trying to talk my father in law into going in with me and start buying all up just to part out. I have been luck to know a bunch of people around this area that find them for me. And one place has hundreds of pre 40's cars. We have the land to keep the cars on but need to find out the laws.
 
Why go to the trouble of even reproducing a part though if it does not fit? I have just replaced the tail light rubbers on my '40... the new rubber comes to a point at the top centre of the sergeant 'V', and not a curve like the original rubber, or the light bezel. I'm trying to use the originals now as the new ones look stupid.

On the return shipping comments, try doing this from the other side of the world, where the shipping cost just to get the item is usually more than double the price of the item, then to find it doesn't fit......

Rant over.
 
AV8 raises a great point. Why reproduce a part that does not fit?

Especially in the case of a molded part with an incorrect contour. No doubt the first part out of that mold had the same shape as the 10,000th. So either the first one wasn't checked for quality or it was deemed "good enough". Neither of those possibilities is a great endorsement of Drake's quality assurance program.

Actually, it seems to show that no such program exists. It may be sheer luck when a part does fit.
 
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