I resemble that comment. I'm at the point where most of my junk needs to be gone. SOON. Yes, it would be nice to recoup some of the investment but if it comes down to 7 cents a lb at the scrap yard (where I sure almost all will end up when I croak) or giving it to someone who needs it, I'll go with the latter-if they can pick the stuff up. The inherent problem with old Jeep parts is obviously the "packaging" and shipping expense-time and money. I guess you could throw in marketing there too with all the spammers out there you get to deal with posting stuff.
What would your ideal Willys parts supplier be?
- Thread starter scramboleer
- Start date
I resemble that comment. I'm at the point where most of my junk needs to be gone. SOON. Yes, it would be nice to recoup some of the investment but if it comes down to 7 cents a lb at the scrap yard (where I sure almost all will end up when I croak) or giving it to someone who needs it, I'll go with the latter-if they can pick the stuff up. The inherent problem with old Jeep parts is obviously the "packaging" and shipping expense-time and money. I guess you could throw in marketing there too with all the spammers out there you get to deal with posting stuff.
Yep there are a few containers in South Jersey at a place that the guys father was a dealer many moons ago, but I don't think they will ever be available. It's a cool collection of stuff for sure. Like a time machine going back there.Reading @rufcar 's post reminds me of all sorts of stuff. Like talking to Morris Ratner on the phone, long before the internet, and getting his typical Jersey "atty-tood". But being from Philly, I just dished it back. It was fun. I believe it's his daughter that inherited the biz and moved it? Please correct me... BTW, Morris passed away a few years back.
Jim, instead of Kaiser Willys, I think you mean Willys America. They're here in CA, up in Sonoma County back in the Redwoods. Paul started his biz as a welding shop fixing local work trucks and equipment to finance his love of Jeeps. I lived nearby and would often swing through Cazadero to admire his collection but Paul is known for "tude" as well.
Interesting story about the parts hoard(er) in PA. I've heard about that as well, especially the not selling the stuff. What's up with that?
There's a guy out my way who closed up a Jeep shop, put all the stuff in storage and now is trying to get rid of it. Problem is he's so buried that it's tough finding out exactly what he has, and his favorite saying is "I'm not going to give it away"... At 80+ he might have to start
And therein lies the BIG problem (IMHO) of a fair amount of dealers and enthusiasts "aging out". What's going to happen to those businesses and those parts caches? I'll prolly be pushin' daises myself before I get an answer.
Greaser007
Well Oiled
Well, my son, now age 33 grew up jeeping with me. He learned to drive in my '77 cj-7 and '78 trekker van in the Tehama Wildlife Area.
He has no interest in purchasing or inheriting any old jeep stuff. He drives a lifted Toyota Tundra with 35's.
There is an old guy, Buck, in Redding, Ca., who is a retired 40-year auto body man, and ran a jeep business in Redding, Calif. for many years.
He has a yard with some willys bodies and such and I believe he has had difficulty selling off his collection. No local market.
The curse is, the heavy iron costs more to ship than what it is worth. Same with selling good engines, they cost too much for shipping.
I purchased a Dana 44 flanged axle narrow track rear axle assembly from him a few years back, and at that time he told me he will never buy anything from Willys America again. I did not ask him for details.
Speaking of "aging-out", there was another business in Redding, "Redding Four Wheel Drive" which closed in 2018.
The old guy's son had no interest in continuing the business, and I purchased their Sioux valve facer and seat grinders. Also bought their old Blackhawk S4 floor jack for shop art. It was very sad they closed and found NO BUYERS for the business.
They hauled off to the scrap yard trailer loads of brand new jeep parts which they were unable to sell. Very sad.
He has no interest in purchasing or inheriting any old jeep stuff. He drives a lifted Toyota Tundra with 35's.
There is an old guy, Buck, in Redding, Ca., who is a retired 40-year auto body man, and ran a jeep business in Redding, Calif. for many years.
He has a yard with some willys bodies and such and I believe he has had difficulty selling off his collection. No local market.
The curse is, the heavy iron costs more to ship than what it is worth. Same with selling good engines, they cost too much for shipping.
I purchased a Dana 44 flanged axle narrow track rear axle assembly from him a few years back, and at that time he told me he will never buy anything from Willys America again. I did not ask him for details.
Speaking of "aging-out", there was another business in Redding, "Redding Four Wheel Drive" which closed in 2018.
The old guy's son had no interest in continuing the business, and I purchased their Sioux valve facer and seat grinders. Also bought their old Blackhawk S4 floor jack for shop art. It was very sad they closed and found NO BUYERS for the business.
They hauled off to the scrap yard trailer loads of brand new jeep parts which they were unable to sell. Very sad.
5JeepsAz
Precision Fit
The theme park of old jeeps. All above plus runs a car dealership which does volume restos for sale open market or individual to spec, and runs a swap meet in person and virtual, and runs event show and hill run in a coveted local locale, and traines mechanics and all staff as a trzining center for the different employee. This way they can sell you the car or the part, low end to high end, they need the nos parts themselves and know what to offer to solve your problem whether origniality or modernized, they can run with you, they make bank off event fees, they are the community they serve. Of course they run a shit franchise op and distibution network. Modern in terms of giant track virtually. Someone who owns by nature, who loves it, who serves old jeeps with every breathe.
rufcar
Bigger Hammer
One of the biggest problems with all these hoarders is. Most of there stuff has been remade, there stuff is now rusted junk. The guy by me who wont sell, I ran into him last yr for the 1st time in over a decade. I said Larry, all your rubber goods are rotted and your chrome goods are shot and most of everything you saved has been reproduced and available cheaper than what you'd wont for it! His response was, I guess I thought wrong! I have been able to find everything I need on every project. They made 100s of thousands of each model and since these were cheap rugged work vehicles, they kept the cost down by using the same parts over in many cases. No matter where I search, ebay, Facebook market place, craigs list everyday there are literally dozens of every type jeep for sale. Last year alone I found a bout a dozen pick ups all salvageable all within 75 mi of me. I found rear fenders with no rust and no dents for 50 each. Once last yr a found a WO tail gate for 50 bucks. rusted but the WO could be cut out and let into a new gate. Every vehicle I restore I find every part I need but I do spent time on line hunting for it. I just finished a 62 R2 Avanti that is all NOS parts. i.e.
Tralehead
Well Oiled
Been talking to several folks about the vintage car market, including Willys. One thing that keeps coming up is the "aging out" situation with a lot of the smaller vendors.
Chevy and Ford fans seem to have a choice of big "dealer" type supply houses, doesn't take much searching to find just about anything. One of my friends tells me you can build a "tri five" Chevy from all the available repop parts(?)
And like @rufcar above mentions, the old guys hoarding this stuff thinking they're going to get rich off it, but then it come down to the situation like @Greaser007 writes about with Redding 4wd, stuff being hauled off to the scrapyard...
I know a guy down here who resembles that, he's got a bunch of parts AND some vehicles but his favorite phrase is "I'm not going to give it away". My thought is he should start. He's storing all of his stuff in commercial storage and you can bet that they aren't giving away the rent on those! Mu hope is that someone will come in and offer to buy up the whole lot, I'd hate to see it all get hauled away.
Maybe some of the stuff should be given away, at least it will keep the hobby going(?)
Chevy and Ford fans seem to have a choice of big "dealer" type supply houses, doesn't take much searching to find just about anything. One of my friends tells me you can build a "tri five" Chevy from all the available repop parts(?)
And like @rufcar above mentions, the old guys hoarding this stuff thinking they're going to get rich off it, but then it come down to the situation like @Greaser007 writes about with Redding 4wd, stuff being hauled off to the scrapyard...
I know a guy down here who resembles that, he's got a bunch of parts AND some vehicles but his favorite phrase is "I'm not going to give it away". My thought is he should start. He's storing all of his stuff in commercial storage and you can bet that they aren't giving away the rent on those! Mu hope is that someone will come in and offer to buy up the whole lot, I'd hate to see it all get hauled away.
Maybe some of the stuff should be given away, at least it will keep the hobby going(?)
@Tralehead nailed it. I wish this wasn’t the case, but the demographic and economic numbers don’t lie.
Greaser007
Well Oiled
I saw somewhere that the Jeepsterman is making pickup cab corners. Hope it is a positive for parts supplier's.
I've been impressed lately working with the JeepsterMan. As just a shout out!
My ideal place would be a big fat guy in bibs cigar hanging out of his mouth, w/infinite knowledge of all things Willys/Jeeps working in back,several knowledgeable c.s.reps manning phones,and a Amazon level shipping dept. There. Fantasy level, I know. That's my idea of the perfect Willys vendor.
Oh,...and in my back yard would be awesome too.
My ideal place would be a big fat guy in bibs cigar hanging out of his mouth, w/infinite knowledge of all things Willys/Jeeps working in back,several knowledgeable c.s.reps manning phones,and a Amazon level shipping dept. There. Fantasy level, I know. That's my idea of the perfect Willys vendor.
Oh,...and in my back yard would be awesome too.
dekeeb
Sharpest Tool
I could fill the bill for your guy in bibs, and I wouldn't mind hanging a stogie out of my mouth if I didn't inhale. As for the infinite knowledge part, well, not so much.
The hope is his heirs will eventually auction the parts wholesale to someone who will then catalog and sell them. One of us should go into business and set up a website inviting calls from people who inherit parts.
I’d be interested but what difference between what
the seller would want $ wise, and what I’d estimate the net present value of selling Willys parts for the next 20 years would be very different.
Yeah, the key would be to buy low enough and sell high enough, right? It takes a keen eye and experience to look at a room full of old parts and know how much to offer and when to walk away. The folks at Midwest Willys have probably gotten pretty good at it.
Yeah - and as we’ve mentioned on other threads - demand long-term is declining for Willys (and similar old cars). Barring some change in demographics and demand (meaning today’s and tomorrow’s kids suddenly get into old iron), the long-term value of most NOS and used Willys parts is also unfortunately declining.
Maybe, but I’m not sure I’d agree. The supply is also decreasing, and the scarcity should support valuations for old Willys parts.
Even though a lot of kids today may not be car hobbyists, I’ll bet many of them will still pay good money to own a neat old collector they can drive around in occasionally.
That Vintage 4x4 Somerset rally in February regularly attracts a lot of folks from the Bay Area, many of whom are quite a bit younger than some of us.
@Dahdo may have a view. His son is involved in off-roading and leads a big rally. I’ll bet many of those folks are younger.
We may be a little too insulated here in our OWF old folks club.
Careful. Don’t tempt me to snag those parts from @Tralehead ‘s mother lode.
Tralehead
Well Oiled
You have no idea what parts stashes are around here...
It is a younger crowd for sure. For those not familiar the event is the Gambler 500--at it's heart it's an off-road rally/navigational challenge, but with a twist. Picture the Love Child of Mad Max and 24 Hours of Lemons. In a nutshell:
The people are insanely creative or creatively insane...I'm still not sure. They might work on their builds all year or buy a $hitbox Corolla, slap a few stickers on it and point it to Oregon. You don't see Willys at the event, but many of the people I've met there have flatfenders, FJs, etc at home in the garage. I'm planning to take my CJ-2A this year to use commute from my camper to the dumpster pod where I volunteer, so I bet I make a lot of new connections with Gamblers who also appreciate the "old iron". I'll definitely recruit them to OWF if I can.
Bottom line, I don't think the folks who do Gambler move the needle a great deal for our suppliers, but there is a younger generation of automotive enthusiasts out there doing their thing. Will they develop a taste for the same classics we love as they retire, have more time, remember grandpa's Willys? Hopefully so!
That looks like a blast. Oh to be 30 again!
We survived it once….do we really want to chance it?