Re: Molds/Body Dies

["David Swingle" <dswingle@xxxx>]

Industrial Economics 101 time. 

This thread comes up from time to time. What people seem to ignore is 
simple economic forces. There were about 8000 cars made, Most of them 
are still around in some form. The ones being driven are driven less 
every year, hence exposed to lower chance of accidents. The ones that 
are neglected or wrecked become parts cars for the others. As long as 
these stay in equilibrium, there are enough used "hard" parts around 
and the prices stay stable. In addition, it is amazing how badly a 
stainless part can be bent, and still be repaired by a competent 
worker. Not many stainless parts are bent badly enough to require 
replacement without destroying the rest of the car. 

So there is not, and probably never will be, a strong demand for 
stainless parts. They are the most recyclable part of the car!

Think about the cost of reproducing the SS parts. No one will invest 
the amount it would take, considering the small number of parts 
needed in a reasonable amount of time. Keep in mind that the cost of 
reproduction is not just the labor and the stainless, it includes the 
cost of the machinery spread over the number of parts made in a 
reasonable amount of time. It would take a long time to make back a 
multi-million-dollar investment selling a few dozen fenders per year, 
unless you charged more than the whole car is worth for each one!

The current vendors concentrate (lucky us) on parts that wear out or 
deteriorate with age because that is where the demand and the profit 
is. Original door struts, for example, from parts cars are valueless. 

Dave Swingle


--- In dmcnews@xxxx, srubano@xxxx wrote:
> They can be reproduced but the cost to do so would make the body 
> panels that are made from them probably TWICE the amount the 
> originals cost now. Maybe in the future when all body panel 
> inventories are gone....then maybe someone may make them...but I 
> doubt it.