Been looking around for years around the web and at swap meets for various "Shelby" specific parts . Would be nice someday to have a place where we can find those certaian parts rather than rummage thru old K-car varieties of shells to get parts. Sure there are a few well established vendors who do performance parts but maybe as we all stumble sources we can give the suppliers a shout out and bring this little hot rod Dodges back to there glory. I myself could use a few interior pieces for my 87 Charger. everyone keep your ear to the ground and lets get a good list together on things we "need" Tim www.detailshop.com
Sad to say there is no market for us. There is simply not enough interest in these cars. The V8 guys could care less (for the most part). There is only a handful of people that would actually pay for new parts. I wish I was wrong but thats the way it looks to me.
I strongly disagree. If there was no interest in these cars, why then are companies like FWD Performance, Forward Motion, Positive Impressions, Turbos Unleashed, Dawes Devices along with various smaller companies selling parts for years. Not to mention how these cars are making a resurgance in magazines like Sport Compact (various model in the top 100 sport compact cars issue ) Car, Grassroots, hell even Turbo has dropped us a plug or two. I have been noticing the value of quality examples climbing slowly in the Mopar Collector's Guide. Even Hemmings ( the benchmark of the industry) credits these cars. Sure we may never see the high dollar of our "big Cousin" Shelby cars but holding a positive forward attitude is better than just giving up. People ask me about my little collection of front drive Shelby's on a regular basis and how the fit into the familytree of the older Cobras. Might just have somethin' to do with the fact that ol Carroll's name is showin up again on modern muscle cars. Remember the Dodges are the link here from vintage to the new. So I will continue to promote and persue this hobby and try to help it grow. <stepping off soapbox> Now about those parts i need......
I am not giving up nor will I stop promoting this hobby or helping it grow. I'm just saying these cars will never have the respect they deserve. I wish I had a nickel for every big block loving moparite say "half the engine" To which I reply "Yeah, but twice the car!" You are also talking about five or six small companies one of which, I heard, is getting out of the 2.2 game. A couple more companies are fighting amongst themselves. You also have a bunch of 18, 19, 20 year olds who are not helping our "reputation". What I mean by that is have you seen turbododge lately? Look at some of the threads on there. Some of these guys don't have a clue if those kids are the future of this hobby we are in sad shape. Look at how many, "My engine blew, because I upped the boost and ignored the fuel system,this car is a piece of crap" threads there are on there. This is just my opinion. I don't see the glass as half empty. I am a realist I see it has twice as big as it needs to be. B) Don't get me started on the people who say they love our cars then part'em out for no good reason.
I would disagree that there is no market, it has just hasn't been tapped yet. In reality, there is only a handful of enthusiasts for any specific car model. There was a time, not all that long ago, when parts were difficult to obtain for Mustangs. Now the reproduction market has grown to a point where you probably don't even need an original car to start building one. Someday, someone is going to take a risk and offer reproduction parts for a Shelby Charger. That person will find a small but devoted customer base. And given time and investment of capital, we may see a company take the lead of Unique and start offering modern versions of a GLH-S. I am optimistic that day will come. robin
There is interest for some of the nicer cars.Just look at the iroc r/t that went up to 9100. in less than a day on ebay before he changed his mind about selling it. He was asking 12.5 for the car for which I would have gladly paid 7 months ago when I was looking for one. The car is worth a lot more than that. A lot of people over price their cars and wonder why they can`t sell them and then some others underprice them because they can`t find a buyer and they need the money. In 10 more years is when the prices will really climb. The 70`s cars are climbing already and the 80`s are next. It`s all about the people in their 40`s who spend the most to restore a car.Most people that drive turbo dodge are still in their 20`s and 30`s. There is a market for nice parts for turbododge`s but not many people are making them. Most make cheap things for us and want us to buy them. There are lots of custom parts that can be made for us,but no one makes them.
I am not going to argue the fact that we need reproduction parts. I will argue the fact that we will never get them to the extent that the musclecars are getting them. It will not happen. There is simply not a long term profit to be made. Would you rather make a part for a car that numbers in the thousands or 500? Pessimistic? yes. Realistic? yes. Angry at the fact that I have to wait until a numbered car is parted out, which happens at an alarming rate? You betcha. These cars just aren't selling. People put them up for sale and if they don't sell in a week or two they part them out. Sad but true. The high dollar deals just aren't happening or being reported. Heck, there isn't a magazine out there that will give our cars the time of day.
