Quote Originally Posted by Jim Breazeale View Post
Adam

As a person, formerly, "in the business" and still dabbling, and actually making repro parts, I respectfully disagree with your "rule of thumb". I can only speak for myself. I strive to make the best possible part and try and meet or exceed the quality of the original part. I don't think it is a good idea to speak for a industry that you are not part of and have no skin in the game. I don't think my standards are much different than others "in the business" Eric Linden, among others,come to mind.

Regards

Jim
PS: A shout out to Joris Koning
Jim,
I don't think you're understanding what I'm saying. I'm not advocating for mediocrity in parts, I applaud anyone who can make something as good or better than the original. I was trying to explain the economics behind why many don't get past about 90-95% accurate. I was talking to a well known Porsche restorer recently who is closing his shop imminently, after over 40 years in the business, he told me that the last 10% of a restoration eats up half the profit for a shop. He was telling me about lots of guys he knows who used to do full restorations but now just focus on one thing, like motor building, or interiors, etc. You don't see Victor Miles doing full restorations anymore, for example.
I think making complex vintage parts like turn signals is probably like this for someone like Porsche Classic, who can ramp up production, get economies of scale and the like but in order to make it stay profitable they have to stop at 90% accuracy. Going that extra 10% would eat up the profit, and Porsche isn't going to do it if there isn't enough profit. Think of companies who have entered Porsche World in the last 10-15 years, who made exceptional products, but faded away, companies like Veloce for rubber, or Orange Bar Products. Top notch stuff, but getting to perfection probably cost them in the long run. Also, people are cheap, you yourself told me about people in the bay area who would sell to your customers garbage parts, but they were $5 cheaper, and some people will always chase the dollar, over the quality.
So the companies that produce the average parts are the ones who stay profitable, and therefore survive. So I'm not saying we should all race to the middle, but trying to explain why so many do, when making parts.

---Adam