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

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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.
 
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.
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
 
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.


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.
 
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.

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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