The almost end of a good thing?

[RickS]

Interesting thread posted by Wayne regarding the 'availability' of parts from Porsche.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread.php?t=386929

[MoparBoy72]

It seems strange that PCNA could not use Stoddard as a US warehouse for its parts. Sad stuff; I hope this is all part of a bigger better plan.

Rick, thanks for the cross post, I have yet to join the sea of pelicanites... They intimidate me.

[drwhosc]

I just finished a restro that took me three years. I noted the parts drying up about a year and a half ago, maybe two years ago. It is gettin gtough out there.

Just make my car worth more I think

[RickS]

An interesting post from the same thread:

Last Friday I spent a couple of hours with the parts manager at one of our local Porsche dealers in the Denver Metro area. The District Parts Rep for Porsche was also there.

According to the DPR, a program was investigated at PAG to again produce parts for the older model 911s, i.e. prior to the 996 models. The costs to do so were estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of $. The Porsche board rejected the proposed program.

One of the reasons for the extremely high cost of 're-manufacturing' these older parts is that PAG and Bosch have sold off all the molds and tooling for many if not all of these parts. Porsche has no desire to spend this huge amount of money on blue sky estimates of what can be sold to the older 911 market.

If these parts are to become available again, it will be up to the aftermarket to re-produce them.

End of story as far as Porsche is concerned.

On the matter of parts inventory in the U.S., there is a refusal on the part of PCNA to stock a large inventory here. Partly due to the money required to do so, and partly due to the high cost of shipping and the devalued U.S. currency.

As the parts inventory for older models becomes depleted in Germany, it will not be replaced.

[Paul Schooley]

Let's face it...the pipeline is drying up. Time to beg the aftermarket to begin producing stuff. Perhaps offering to do group purchases might influence decisions out there? Myself, I'd love to see the aftermarket produce a complete body like they're doing with the mustangs and camaros.

[Steve@Rennsport]

One of the reasons for the extremely high cost of 're-manufacturing' these older parts is that PAG and Bosch have sold off all the molds and tooling for many if not all of these parts. Porsche has no desire to spend this huge amount of money on blue sky estimates of what can be sold to the older 911 market.

Thats really the criminal part; by disposing of the tooling & molds, they made an active decision NOT to support the air-cooled cars anymore.

As the parts inventory for older models becomes depleted in Germany, it will not be replaced.

So we have noticed. More and more things are coming up NLA.

[911quest]

It's funny in a way if you look at the classic site and the parts they do offer are pretty ridculous.

Well at least I can get a 356 "carrera" intermediate shaft I'm sure there is alot of demand for these

[jaudette3]

I posted this at Pelican and I thought I'd go ahead and post it here as well.

Having been involved with both 356's and early 911's for many years, my hunch us that the early 911 market is just trailing along behind the 356 market by a few years. If I'm right, what will happen is something like this:

(a) Parts with no longer be available from the factory

(b) Junk yards will get picked over (and also start to realize the parts are worth more $$$)

(c) Parts hoarders will start selling (at high prices)

(d) NOS and authentic parts will reach insane pricing levels

(e) High quality reproductions will start showing up, similar to what Brad Ripley at NLA has done with 356 parts. If they are Brad's level, they will be so good that folks will forget about NOS/authentic parts and those prices will return a bit to earth.

(We're probably somewhere between (a) and (b) at the moment with early 911's.)

I think I recall that Stoddard has purchased Brad's company, so they probably thought of this long before I did.
I'm not affiliated with Brad, NLA or Stoddard -- just an enthusiast who likes my cars to be as original as possible ( unless it's one of my hot rods ).

Cheers,
JohnA

[sithot]

BMW Mobile Tradition is years ahead of Porsche in these matters. I can buy nearly anything short of a frame, engine, transmission and differential to do a restoration. The other stuff is pretty easy to come by at "jumbles" or "swap meets".

Here is the link to Mark Huggett's website. He is a main supplier for BMW Mobile Tradition: www.bmwbike.com The US Supplier is Craig Vechorik at Benchmark Works in MS.
http://members.aol.com/VechBMW/
Craig is a wonderful person to work with and is always willing to lend an ear if you get into a bind. Not many like him around.

Brad Ripley is out buying everything he can get his hands on right now. He's done a good job with that business and as John stated the reproductions are good enough that nobody cares about the things Porsche won't make anymore.

Tom

[Steve@Rennsport]

Well stated, John.

I'd agree,.....I too, think we at the genesis of a 911 aftermarket that will take some time to develop. Someone with deeper pockets than myself will need to address the manufacture of the items that are regular replacement components and source them directly from Porsche's vendors to maintain some sort of QC. I have a big list,...

Based on some of things I've seen to date, my greatest fear is that reproduction parts will be made in the Far East with all the baggage that it entails. Its NOT pretty and THAT, will drive German and OEM stuff out of sight.

Ultimately, the customer will drive the market and the quality of replacement parts of any kind.