. AT We
put the giant link button above on the website on
numerous pages almost a year ago. Although we were
able to help some folks save some money and were able
to clear out some stuff; I would overall say it was to
me; as a car guy kind of a shock that more people
didn't take advantage of the offer. We made some
pretty smokin' deals that some people took advantage
of but even after putting something together we had
people just fall off the face of the planet.
I'm
not particularily sad about it; afterall it takes a
lot of work to deal with bigger parts and cars etc. I
can deal with my storage problems quicker by
continuing on a path I slowly started a couple of
years ago and am accelerating; that being helping
China, South Korea, Japan and maybe even some USA
steel plants (if there are any remaining) to satisfy
their need for scrap steel, aluminum, brass, diecast,
wire. It
is just an abnormal feeling for a car guy to knowingly
scrap something that is useable. I've spent my whole
life looking under rocks for parts for my own
projects. It is also unsettling for someone who sells
parts to sell an item that I know we just scrapped
half a dozen of the week before. Among
the other tasks lately; we have managed to send eleven
roadsters off to their final reward. Kept what items I
thought might have a chance of leaving here in a box
or by local pickup; rather than end up being tossed in
the scrap metal trailer. We
are going to end up with some problems with storage
(again) and before scrapping anything important will
make an attempt at passing it on; many times at a
MINIMUM price. Some things are like that now; the
price covers the hassle of taking it off and dealing
with it. To
that end I wanted to say that some things will appear
on the USED PARTS pages that are items we would
NORMALLY just throw out. As the supply of new parts
dwindles; even though I'm trying to move everything on
down the road I still know that a time will come when
ANY condition part will be welcome if you need one.
Some of these will be in worse condition than normal
with a VERY FRIENDLY price! Some people actually LIKE
to restore parts; they are not just PARTS ASSEMBLERS.
The parts will stay up until we either run out of room
for the particular part or feel depressed about the
part on the same day we have only a half full scrap
trailer... I'm sure as in the past some yahoo will
blab about some awful looking part they saw on our
website and say "I wouldn't buy from them they have
ugly parts"; not realizing that if it wasn't for
someone buying that ugly part and using their talents
to fix it; there wouldn't be any better used ones or
new ones still on the shelf because THEY would have
been purchased instead. Many
of these parts will have an "SC" at the end of the
part number meaning it's existence here can be
terminated on a whim. I'm
actually surprised more people haven't bought cores or
something for short money; or maybe to start
rebuilding the part for sale; or asked for a sample so
they can try to get it reproduced. You never know
you'll need something until you can't get it; or until
it has converted into unobtainium. And
the other group of people that somehow think I am
loading brand new heater valves into the brass scrap
pile at $2 a pound also make me scratch my
head. It
is unfortunate so many of you are so far away; it
would be costly or time-impossible to pack and ship so
many blocks/cranks/transmissions/fenders that will
either go out of here as a "part" or be sent to some
Chinese steel plant. SHORT
VERSION Although
we have no plans to go anywhere we've done 40 years at
this; (about 60 years of "40 hour weeks") and we would
like to lighten our multiple storage location load. We
have already started scrapping parts at a slow
pace. First
to go are the worst condition used parts and parts
saved as long term cores for future repair/rebuilding
as availability gets worse. We will also look at
scrapping parts kept for sample purposes of
remanufacture. (Just keeping the parts going out of
here has been a 12 hour every day job; not much time
for fun future projects...) Further down the road
better used parts will go and eventually some new
parts. New parts are currently moving out of here at a
good rate looking at stock levels and time
projections. Now
I again have help with some of my daily duties so this
process is speeding up as are some other long term
much delayed projects. Someday I want just ONE
building at ONE place! We
will continue to post all conditions of used parts;
some people aren't looking to build a museum car or
trailer queen or show car and like doing the
restoration work on parts; they aren't just
"assemblers". If
you want a certain used part at a certain price; buy
it or let us know. Keep your email address current and
include a statement that is OK to send you unsolicted
email in the event of some important note. Since 1998
we have sent ONE unsolicited email so we aren't much
into SPAM! So
consider this as advance notice. Thanks Dann
at Rallye
LONG
VERSION Rallye
Roadster is now 40? When did this happen? Seems just
like yesterday I was hand typing 4 x 6 cards to give
to people. No
business plan, no money, just energy. And now; somehow
40 years have elapsed... PARTS THEN
... PARTS
NOW... With
the used parts; my longstanding belief has been that
someone will need that ugly part because we are all
out of better ones or they want to do some work
themselves to save a dollar or that some part has to
be saved as a core for future rebuilding. This feeling
is finally changing and I actually have started
SCRAPPING parts. It hasn't been much of a priority;
but this brain-change is increasing weekly.
We
are of course starting with the worst of any part
which compared to what guys consider a "good" part for
a 1940 Ford are FABULOUS parts! We
probably have only 15% of our used parts showing on
the website. Honestly; I believe we are sitting on;
all told; about 40-50 tons of used metal. I guess I am
saying that if you want something; if you are flexible
about the condition (or not) you may have a good
chance of coming up with something at a great price.
There are a lot of things we just have not had time to
photo and put up; things where condition are
important. We are working on improving on that but as
time goes on after this year I just may send the used
parts to their final reward. I am so behind on so many
life projects. I'll bet a lot of you are
too. The
used parts do not usually carry the acquisition costs
of the new. They carry some storage costs; but we will
constantly be looking to see if the cost of a
particular used part can be skimmed down. Sometimes we
find that is what it takes to get it to travel on out
of here in a sealed cardboard box rather then in the
back of the scrap trailer. We
try to list used parts in all kinds of conditions;
some people want that. I realize that some of you look
at that and must say "Why is he putting THAT up on the
website"...well not everyone is looking to build a
museum piece or a show car; they just want an old
roadster to drive around; or maybe are putting
together a 2nd one to sell to finance their primary
car's costs. We've sold parts EVEN I don't know why
someone would buy! I don't particularly like selling
really awful parts; a lot of car businesses don't even
deal with USED parts AT ALL. It
is also difficult for me as a lifetime car guy; who
has spent untold amounts of time turning over rocks in
hopes of finding something wonderful out behind
someone's barn to just toss out a part. I'm
having a long term friend who has helped me on and off
over the years take on some new tasks here so I can
deal with the above situation sooner. Might be a good
idea to keep your email address updated and include a
note that it is OK for us to send unsolicted
emails. I
don't want to leave you with the impression that I'm
going to trash everything without continuing to try to
sell it or with some of the stuff at least trying to
find a good home for it. Although nothing is cast in
stone this isn't one of those TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY
ads...this may take a couple of YEARS to complete. At
present it is just used parts we are concerned with. I
will say though that I have seen some odd decisions
made by business owners not much older than myself at
the time. I think running a business is kind of like a
ride; like a Merry-Go-Round or a Roller Coaster where
you do not have control over the speed or the
duration. Lots of fun but sometimes you just want to
slow it down or just get off. Thanks Dann
at Rallye
FEBRUARY
2017 UPDATE:
SEPTEMBER
2016 UPDATE:
During
these first 40 years of "Rallye" and the 4 years prior
to that as a Datsun Roadster hobbyist /
obsessive-compulsive-collector; I knew parts were the
key to keeping first my own car(s) running and then to
keeping our roadster shop supplied. Word got out to
people farther and farther away that wanted parts and
eventually we released our 6th catalog and tech insert
to 11,000 people and companies. All those people would
need parts now or in the future; along with the
thousands more that came after the catalogs were all
gone and this website was growing from the intial 5
pages to about 1300.
We
have amassed a large pile of parts.