An Idea !

[James_Douglas]

Picking up on what Allan said about being concerned about a major part failure on a long trip...

Here is my idea:

We create a roster, with GTK's permission, everyone who wants to be on the roster has to sign up to secure and have boxed and ready to ship one critical part to the flathead engine. (Ok both engines)

Someone with an old block has it cleaned and bored stored in oil rags and in a crate. Someone else fully preps a cylinder head. Someone else takes a spare crankshaft and has it turned. Someone else gets a set of bearings....

The folks on the roster will collectively agree on the price for the part should anyone ever need it. There are enough of us to have a whole engine in waiting so to speak without it costing any one of us a lot to do.

You get the idea. Then in the event that anyone on the roster has a failure on the road in the middle of no-place, they contact the person on the roster with that part and it is shipped out ASAP.

Now, this roster and its parts would not be for normal re-builds or replacement. Just for someone far from home in a pickle.

So, what do folks think. Any interest in a virtual emergency parts house ?

Best, James

[Don Coatney]

James;

If my crankshaft dies on the road I would most likely ship my car home to make repairs. If I blow a head gasket I carry a spare one with me on long trips. I also carry my used (but still working when I removed it) water and fuel pump. I also carry ignition points, condenser, distributor cap, rotor, spark plugs, and enough tools to get the job done. However pictured is the most important things in my traveling tool box. There is already a list of forum participants (maintained by Greg G) who have submitter there contact information and are willing to assist a stranded traveler.

[Plymouthy Adams]

While the main theme of your idea is great..I don't think most people have the time to wait on deliverly of some part at a location other than their home and the cost of shipping something like that overnight is astrominical if indeed you could find a business to allow the temp use of their address. The original concept of road assist directory we have here should still be effective to hopefully allow a member close enough to help retreive your car or at least provide temp storage till you get it back to your home should be repairs prove to be extensive that cannot be handled at the host roadside assist members home.

[Norm's Coupe]

I agree with Tim and Don on this. Myself, I only keep small parts, primarily electrical around for repairs to my own car. Now, if someone was passing through and had trouble, of course if one of those parts would get them going we would use it. Then that person could order a new one for me and have it shipped to me. However, I don't want to ship my spare parts anywhere.

The roster in place now provides people to call for help when close enough to them. Then that person can either help repair the car on the road, or maybe provide a place to repair or store the car temporarily. Usually those people will also know (or at least have a phone book) where to get a flatbed to haul the car to their house for repair or temporary storage.

In my case, I can also provide most tools to work on the car if it's at my house. If it ends up that we can't fix their car, I can provide temporary outside storage until they can get the car home somehow.

As a third alternative, I also know of at least 3 places here in town that works on all old cars, and do good work. Two of these are within about 3 miles of me and the third one is only about 6 miles away. In fact, I almost bought a 46 Plymouth business coupe from the one closest to me before I bought my 48. He had rebuilt the engine for someone and had it on his lot to sell for that person. The real owner wanted too much money for it though. The last time I took my wife's car in for an oil change he had a 63 AMC Rambler in there working on it. Said that car belonged to his brother and he was getting the engine fixed up for him. Actually, he had two Ramblers belonging to his brother and was using one to rob parts from.

This is where an emergency list comes in. People who live in a particular area can be of a lot of help this way. I don't think any of us want to get into being a parts warehouse and be shipping parts all over the country. Takes up too much space.

[1just4don]

I would be MUCH more help in the haul me someplace to fix category than spare parts. I have a car trailer and an old Dodge Cummins that can get up and down the road a piece. I would be 'tickled-to-death' to help somebody from here.

As I said before,,,dont know why anyone would be in these parts tho,,,its not the end of the earth,,,but you can "SEE" it from here!! Or maybe more appropriately"It is like the armpit of the world""You can SMELL it from here".

LOL--don--

[Brad Lustig]

Cmon guys. Why don't you want to help out your fellow forum members.

I'll have a round tuit on hand to ship out at any time.

[PatS....]

Well, if anyone breaks down near here, all they have to do is call and I'll round up whats needed and deliver it.

I think Greg's list is all that's needed for help. Not saying it's a bad idea, but there doesn't seem to be all that much long distance driving of our old cars to warrant this.

Most on the help list have spare parts or know where to get them. There are a couple of parts stores here that carry quite a lot of old cars stock, just gotta know which ones. I'm sure that's the case in most cities and towns.