Z Car Parts Suppliers

[Mayolives]

From time to time most of us complain about something that hasn't gone according to out expectations when dealing with a Z car parts supplier. I'm not referring to a normal parts supplier like Advance Auto, O'Reilly, Auto Zone and the like. I'm referring to the very few suppliers that are still developing and selling parts specifically for our Z cars. The few that come to mind are Arizona Z Car, Modern Motorsports, Techno-Toy, Beta Motorsports and the others out there who still can provide us with quality parts and advice when needed. I'll emphasize "few" because there are not many left. I'll assure you that these suppliers are not getting rich manufacturing and selling limited quantities of parts for our 30 year old cars. Most could do much better by concentrating on the market for Honda, BMW, Mazda and so forth. These suppliers do what they do because they also have an interest in our old cars. We as a group of enthusiast, would be in a world of do-do without their support and need to support THEM and purchase what we can from them, even if that part we need could be bought on Ebay for three bucks less. And when they don't respond to our emails quite as fast as we want, remember that most of these guys need to support their lives by working another job. One of the reasons for this post was an email I received from Dave at AZC and this link to some new parts he is working on.

http://www.arizonazcar.com/newparts.html

Where else can we pick up the phone and order the correct stub axle we need, or the light weight rear hatch and hood, or the correct Koni shock complete with installation instructions, the hot big brake kit or the new emergency brake setup that Dave refers to in his email? Where would we be without their support and input? So I'll stop rambling and continue to do my little part to support these few remaining suppliers and hope that they stay in our corner.

[Guest Rolling Parts]

... I'm referring to the very few suppliers that are still developing and selling parts specifically for our Z cars. .... I'll assure you that these suppliers are not getting rich manufacturing and selling limited quantities of parts for our 30 year old cars.

 

 

Black Dragon must be getting rich, their parts are outrageously priced; the same with others that sell parts for real restoration work. A true restoration is now out of the price range of a son & dad effort.

 

I agree that the performance minded Z shops ARE different. They are doing it for the love of the cars. ArizonaZ and even Courtesy Nissan do a great job!

[260DET]

ArizonaZ sells a fair bit of gear into AU, a friend of mine has bought some, so I guess he exports elsewhere too. The old S30 is starting to become valuable which means some owners are prepared to spend up on improvements.

[bjhines]

I just bought a set of AZC brakes. I have watched online ads for few years and found many folks selling used or not used, NIB AZC kits for nearly what they cost from Dave. I chose to buy them from Dave/AZC at his price to keep him happy and selling new kits.

 

I have always kept it in my mind that people who keep trading the same set of brakes from owner to owner are not doing manufacturers any favors. I have it as a rule not to buy currently-available goods, second hand, unless they are 30-50% less $$$ or better.

[Tony D]

"Clark's Corvair Parts"---Shelburne Falls MA.

 

They're the 'Big Dog' when it came to Vair parts as long as I could remember. There are a lot of smaller local suppliers, but Clarks had a loyal customer base that was centered around the SERVICE they provided. Technical information from long-employed people who KNEW the product. I gladly paid more for a part from Cal Clark (whom I met personally in 1994 after buying parts from him for nearly 15 years at that point!) because he made a point of letting people know what was in the works, and WHY his parts were either not exact replicas, or were better than original.

 

They had a way of pricing parts in 'kits' for basic everyday 'limp it along maintenance' all the way up to full resto stuff. They poured money back into the business buying infrastructure like a 100ton press (to make sheetmetal pans IN HOUSE!). They weren't perfect, you had to weld them---but he explained the difference in price between his $100 pan that you had to weld, or an exact replica which would really be indistinguishable from the original when installed was about $700. Cal figured it was better to sell a $100 part that took a little work to 'make perfect' than to try to sell a $700 part which was 'exact and perfect, but out of the price range for most of his clientelle.

 

As most of his competition hung it up, he bought them out. Now he offers THEIR lines of parts as well. If you have a Corvair, sooner or later you will be calling Clarks.

 

Unfortunately, I'm not seeing that type of investment in Z Car vendors. Onsies-Twosies, or specializing in one component or another, but not a consolidated one-stop source. I think the biggest thing Clarks had going for him were his people. They KNEW what they sold. They KNEW what it was going on. They KNEW how to install it. It is pretty shocking when you start talking with what you would THINK was some female order taker, and she starts rattling off a tool list and what you have to watch out for when doing this or that. Dealing with competent people who KNOW what they are talking about is so rare these days it's refreshing!

 

And in the 10 year hiatus from calling them, my customer number stayed active. When I finally did call in for something after my restoration, the first thing out of the girls mouth after I gave my customer number was 'Is this still going on your 66 Corsa Turbo? Did you ever install the turbocharger, or are you still running the Isky cam and forged high compression 110hp motor in there?' After talking some more, they asked 'how do you like the billett flywheel you installed, have you had any issues with it?'

 

I mean, they are combing the customer for things they actually seem concerned about. I support all my local specialty vendors because I have seen the payoff with Clark's. Even in 1979, when GM still had parts for the car available at the dealer---many independents and even some GM dealers would go to Cal for specialty stuff that he had which wasn't available from GM any longer or on rebuilt stuff they knew was of BETTER QUALITY than what they would get from mass marketers or even authorized GM rebuilds!

 

Now, (egads) 31 years later, they still have the same pulpy paper catalog, and now an online equivalent. Try and get a Corvair Alternator at AutoZone...

 

Been there, done that! Seen it firsthand. Support your Z-Specialists.