A few beers rant: What is it with boneyards not wanting business?

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RSie

RSie

Idiot In Training
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Long story short, started looking at the 69 Cuda I bought about 10 years, shoved in the corner of the garage, and forgot about. Raising a kid that's passionate about hockey took away any spare cash I had anyway, lol. Anyway, started digging into it this spring, and realized I needed a drivers side frame rail, torsion crossmember, and inner fenders. I found a Mopar boneyard, filled out a request in what I wanted... didn't hear back. Did it again a month later to the same site. After a few days, they send me pics of a full front inner clip from a 68.. torsion member, frame rails, front support... and no price. I emailed him back, asking for a price, and if he could ship it (10 hr. drive one way for me)... nothing, 3 weeks later. Filled out another request on a different boneyard site 2 weeks ago... no reply. I did the same on a site all the way across the country from me, heard back a few days later... $250 for one frame rail. Emailed back 'how much to ship?'.. 4 days later, '$125'.. so, $375 for a frame rail.. at least they communicated with me. I realize it probably would have been better to show up in person, but I can't drive 20 hours to see if someone has parts I need. Found a donor 74 Dart on the meantime. Rant over, time to crack another beer :)
 
You may be better off just buying new stuff. Several companies are making very nice sheet metal and such. AMD comes to mind. I doubt it's more expensive than used stuff and they ship.

BTW, I'm old. So I don't email anyone. I call. If they don't answer the phone I move along. I hate trying to carry on a conversation through an email. Or text.
 
yellow rose said:
You may be better off just buying new stuff. Several companies are making very nice sheet metal and such. AMD comes to mind. I doubt it's more expensive than used stuff and they ship.

BTW, I'm old. So I don't email anyone. I call. If they don't answer the phone I move along. I hate trying to carry on a conversation through an email. Or text.
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Nobody makes frame rails for A bodies. $375 for frame rail. $325 for new torsion member + 125 shipping, so $450. Up to $925 so far, and I need inner fenders at $175 a piece, so $350 plus shipping. $1275 so far. I got the Dart for $800 with a good running 318, 904 trans, and a 8 1/4 rear. I'm old too, but I'm a Network engineer/ Sr. network admin so email-text etc. is how I roll. My point is if they are going to advertise that you can do a web request, they should be using it.
 
just look at parts cars for sale here. Whitepunk could make 10K parting a 67 Valiant! Well, maybe not....
 
There’s also Crackedback and Lee Robinson here to check with for those parts. Maybe Waggin as well
 
RSie said:
Nobody makes frame rails for A bodies. $375 for frame rail. $325 for new torsion member + 125 shipping, so $450. Up to $925 so far, and I need inner fenders at $175 a piece, so $350 plus shipping. $1275 so far. I got the Dart for $800 with a good running 318, 904 trans, and a 8 1/4 rear. I'm old too, but I'm a Network engineer/ Sr. network admin so email-text etc. is how I roll. My point is if they are going to advertise that you can do a web request, they should be using it.
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They should work the web request better if they are pushing it. I thought there was a place making frame rails. I'll try and think of the name of it. I'm sure I've seen that stuff advertised before. Let me think on it. As old as I am, I have to let the gears grind a while.
 
Just scraped all that stuff, couldn,t give it away.
20180202_172051.jpg
 
your 74 parts car likely has disk brakes as well...

...plus a TON of clips, plugs, bolts and otherwise hard to find fasteners.
 
...DVAP wanted $675 plus shipping for a single fender, and that was almost 10 years ago.
 
If they had social skills and intelligence, they wouldn't be working in junkyards.
 
There must be several members in the WI / MN area
that can help you out or direct you to a parts car.
 
Buying a parts car just makes sense in the long run. I've been chasing parts for the last year and honestly if I added up time, gas, headaches on top of the price of parts it gets expensive. I still love chasing deals and finding stuff but I'm going to be miles ahead in both money and progress by using parts cars.
 
mbaird said:
4 door Cudas are hard to find.
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Pretty sure everything that he's looking for is the same as a Barracuda, Valiant, Dart, Duster, Demon, etc. The only exception is that some of the Dodges have a longer wheelbase making the rear floor pan longer.
 
Commando66 said:
Pretty sure everything that he's looking for is the same as a Barracuda, Valiant, Dart, Duster, Demon, etc. The only exception is that some of the Dodges have a longer wheelbase making the rear floor pan longer.
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Good point.
 
DVAP should be last resort, all other avenues exhausted...

Unless your just in a hurry and cant wait and are willing to pay multiple times actual value.
Then sure, go for it.
 
This is a hobby, it is expensive, not easy, used to be more fun back 20 years ago. Maybe I am just getting old? Wait, I am OLD!!!!!! Your $800 car you bought back eons ago has now got to be not such a great deal. It can be fixed with lots of work and $$$$$. Just easier to buy a well done finished car that is not priced liked some lunatic on bad dupe!
 
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