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

Kube

Kube

Super Moderator
Hi Bob,
I want you to know I am returning two items to you tomorrow. Your sales representative I spoke with was very nice.
What I fail to understand is why I have to pay the return shipping for parts that plainly do not fit.
I'd like to know your reasoning for this. You sold me poorly made parts.
So, I pay to receive them AND to ship them back? That's fair? That's ethical?
Not where I come from it isn't.
I did ask the sales gal about this. It was kind of funny but she got quite quiet and said, "well, yes, that's the policy".

Oh yes, scuff plates for a '39 convertible... they do not match the contour of the originals. And yes, I have a very nice pair of originals.
The other part is a front fender brace for a '39 standard. In your defense, no where in your catalog did it state this part looked even similar (it does not) to the original. However, I do believe it should actually have the same bends. Well, it doesn't. Not even close.
If you'd like me to post photos for comparison I will be happy to.

I just saw you had responded to my other post from a week or so ago.
Thanks. You made me smile - actually laugh. I will be responding to your message ASAP. Look for it please.
I was glad to see you finally respond to the issues raised. I certainly don’t want you or you company to go away. What I would like are accurate catalog descriptions and prompt, honest, and fair resolution to problems when they arise. Those inevitable situations are opportunities for you and your staff to shine, if you would so choose.
If you feel I pick on you perhaps more then others, let it be known it is because I had come to expect more out of you.
 
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I was a little disappointed with Drake's myself.et of '39 pedals and the clutch pedal shaft had excessive bushing play. I was willing to buy a bushing to replace it, rather than pay to return the entire assembly. I called to order the bushing, but of course the bushings were not in stock. I'll probably make some myself - just what I needed, another project........<sigh>
 
A couple of weeks ago I purchased some sparkplugs from a guy on ebay. They were a flush gap style plug so the gap is set and not adjustable. I asked the seller what the gap measured and he told me .034.

Great, I bought them. When they arrived the gap was .062. I put them back in the box with a note stating "Not as described" with a request for a refund plus the return postage. 72 hours later I have my money.

Here's a guy who, in all likelihood, will never again sell something else I want. And I'm sure he knows it. I'm also sure he knows I wouldn't put too much effort into collecting the $5.35 in return postage from a guy 1200 miles away. Yet, he sent the refund anyway.

Why? Ethics, plain and simple.

Bob, why do you not reimburse return shipping when a part is "Not as described"?
 
Kube, I wonder if Bob will actually read your post here and really find it necessary to comment?
On another note...I am getting ready to place a sizeable order with BD from his latest summer sale catalog. I may use this order to personally evaluate how this order is handled in terms of getting these items shipped to me in a timely fashion, my perceived opinion on the quality of these parts as received, how well they fit and finally how they look after installation. As I said previously...I have never had any complaints with the fit/quality of his parts, although I have had to wait several times for BO'd items.
 
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Bob I'm glad I didn't jump on the offer of the choke and throttle cables,at the previous closeout price.I see the customer satisfaction percentage is about the same.Sorry.
 
Not a comment on Bob Drake, but a comment on the hobby its self.

Every where I go in my old car, one of the most common questions I receive is, "Man! It must be impossible to find parts for that old car." My response is usually, "No. There is a supportive industry around the old car hobby that spends time making the parts that are no longer made or available from Ford"

Now, I've bought my share of not quite right reproduction stuff, but I've for the most part been happy that it got me back on the road to where I can enjoy my car. When it has been a little off, I pull out the cut off wheel and welder and try to make it right, or send it back.

I guess if you are going for fine point resto, one should never buy ANY reproduction part, but fix the old worn out original parts.

Now I need to box up that windshield frame I didn't use, send it back on my dime, and get dinged for a restocking fee (not from Drake...from another antique Ford supplier)
I'm glad It's not going to sit in my garage though and I'll recoup some of my $300 rather than sell it at a swap meet for $50. This sure isn't a cheap man's hobby, but it's better than owning a boat!
 
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As with any reproduction part I don't think it will ever be the same as ford made them. We would all like it to be perfect and made in the USA but its not going to happen all the time. And I think you will see more of this in times to come. When more stuff will be made over seas due to more regulations. But if you have a problem with a product don't buy anymore. There are others out there. Or take some metal fabricating classes and make your own stuff it's more fun that way.
 
Jason in Tx......but it's better than owning a boat! and that is a good saying. Boating for several years, I learned very quickly that B.O.A.T. actually means ..Break Out Another Thousand....but now, we do have to do boating to get in this $$ category. It seems that in our hobby today, we are there....spending a thousand here and there quite often...even though we do not want to admit it...especially to our wives. With so many years in this pastime, reproduction parts have always been a headache for me. Very, very rarely have I been satisfied with repop stuff, and for those like us, it is very disappointing. How can a manufacturer go through all of the trouble to reproduce an original part and only make it fit partially. It is beyond my comprehension. Example last week…went to install new repop hood hinge for my ’39 Deluxe….WRONG….it seemed great initially, but there is a poor bend at a bolt mounting hole that makes it impossible to mount properly. The bend is too close to the hole and the hex head of the bolt hits the bend. Get out the torches, heat the bend, straighten and re-bend at the proper distance…..so much for the powder coating on the part, the frustration involved, and so on. Oh, by the way, new repro rear fender brackets for my ’35….in file 13….Ford Barner sold me an original….what a difference. What’s the solution….if there is any…..I don’t know
Robert
 
JM 35 Sedan said:
UM/MM, there will be no crying allowed next month on the salt ;).

Also, just wondering if I can bring those 81 castings to you in person at B'ville for your dip process?
Click to expand...
The only crying that might happen on the Salt would be if you wore baggy shorts and forgot to wear underware.

81's are always welcome. You too.
 
Robert Dip said:
Jason in Tx......but it's better than owning a boat! and that is a good saying. Boating for several years, I learned very quickly that B.O.A.T. actually means ..Break Out Another Thousand....but now, we do have to do boating to get in this $$ category. It seems that in our hobby today, we are there....spending a thousand here and there quite often...even though we do not want to admit it...especially to our wives. With so many years in this pastime, reproduction parts have always been a headache for me. Very, very rarely have I been satisfied with repop stuff, and for those like us, it is very disappointing. How can a manufacturer go through all of the trouble to reproduce an original part and only make it fit partially. It is beyond my comprehension. Example last week…went to install new repop hood hinge for my ’39 Deluxe….WRONG….it seemed great initially, but there is a poor bend at a bolt mounting hole that makes it impossible to mount properly. The bend is too close to the hole and the hex head of the bolt hits the bend. Get out the torches, heat the bend, straighten and re-bend at the proper distance…..so much for the powder coating on the part, the frustration involved, and so on. Oh, by the way, new repro rear fender brackets for my ’35….in file 13….Ford Barner sold me an original….what a difference. What’s the solution….if there is any…..I don’t know
Robert
Click to expand...

I must be in big trouble. Both cars and boats. At least I don't have an airplane!
 
JM 35 Sedan said:
On another note...I am getting ready to place a sizeable order with BD from his latest summer sale catalog. I may use this order to personally evaluate how this order is handled in terms of getting these items shipped to me in a timely fashion, my perceived opinion on the quality of these parts as received, how well they fit and finally how they look after installation. As I said previously...I have never had any complaints with the fit/quality of his parts, although I have had to wait several times for BO'd items.
Click to expand...

I ordered out of the Bob Drake Summer Sale Catalog on a Monday June 11 and received my order on Friday June 15.
 
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Not wanting to "pile on" but I have one comment and one question.
Comment: I recently put the BD parking lense in my BD 40 headlight rims and was rather annoyed to find the BD clips were too small. I had to use Vintique Clips to put the lense in. Far as I can tell the clips are useless!
My comment may have answered my question.
Question: Bob, would it kill your profit margin to include the proper fastener with the very expensive chrome items you sell us??
I for one am getting tired of making the rounds of Tractor Supply, Lowe's, Home Depot, and the local fastener houses to find "those round head slot screws aren't being made anymore". This may be a problem with other suppliers, but my experience is BD. I used him because I was told his products were top of the line.
Can't wait to try to put in the new chrome grille I bought about a year ago. I hope it is not an adventure..
 
When you have a "expert" like Kube complaining about a part, you should probably listen. I find it hard to believe that these guys putting out parts dont know that something is not like the original, that it doesnt fit right. ( I would have more respect for these companies if they just came out and said it) I also find it hard to believe that these guys arent making a fortune/ huge profit on these parts. With that said, this hobby is doomed if guys like Kube can't be a voice to these suppliers on what works and what doesn't. Knowledge like his is a dying breed. Us young guys in the hobby couldn't do what we do without guys like him. Restoring these cars/trucks is ten times harder than hot rodding them. Anybody can make a part work. What the restorers want is a near perfect part...like getting it right off the shelf back in the day. And finally, I find it really tough to buy parts without the correct hardware. I just dont think suppliers know what is correct so when they do give you hardware, it is modern. Buy from Roy. His knowledge is worth every penny. Good luck to all.
 
As a side note..... I'm not excusing poorly made parts, but we are lucky to have this industry. I have a friend who restored a V16 Packard chauffer-driven town car, a real monster. He had to cast his own door handles and have them nickel plated because there aint no 1-800 hotline for stuff like that. Can you imagine the expense and trial and error involved in that exercise alone, let alone the rest of the car?
 
Bassman, I agree, but wish to comment on the major difference between a Ford restoration and many Classic restorations: Your Ford would stand out like a sore thumb with an incorrect part, but not so with a Classic that may have had custom parts from the original coach builder. If it looks good and functions well, it should pass muster, there being so many one-off Classics.
 
Have had a number of really bad experiences with BD parts. 37 outside door handle pads that didn't fit. Rear tail light pads that didn't fit. Front fender to fender bolt kit that didn't work. Door latch and lock kit that did not fit. For the door latch and lock kit it had been several months since I bought them before I got around to trying to install them. There is no way they would work. Took measurement and pictures to prove it. DB didn't even want to take them back. Finally did send them back and had to pay shipping and got about .50 on the dollar for what I paid. I will do everything I can to not buy parts from BD. It is too bad too since they carry a lot of stuff for our old cars. The policies for returning parts, especially ones that don't fit, are just plain wrong. Make sure to educate yourself about their policies (if you can find them) before you make purchases from them, especially expensive ones.
 
nothing about B.D. , but I have bought ALOT of stuff over the last few years that don't fit, or are incorrect. the problem I have is returning the parts.most of the time I end up keeping the parts because the return shipping from Alaska is not worth it. That said, I sometimes think that some suppliers send us Alaskans their junk, because they know we won't waste the money to send it back. just my thoughts----Jim
 
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