Considering becoming Hybridz's parts gopher!

[nosebleedZ]

Hey guys, I had an idea that I'm seriously considering, & I hope it doesn't infringe on anyone, any rules, or ethics of this fantastic site. Over the last 6 years (member for 4) I have been on HybridZ, & the people on this board have been an invaluable resource to me as a Z car lover & modifier. The knowledge, expertise, & research/ development skills you all posess in second to none on the internet. I posted some parts to sell a few weeks ago for sale, & the responses have been amazing! Thank you.

 

Quite a bit of the feedback I got from many of you was as follows: 1) A lot of you on this board are having trouble finding good stock or high performance niche parts in your geographic location, 2) Many of you have more money than time, or more time than money to find the parts you are seeking , & 3) Many of you are having trouble with untrustworthy parts sourcing on the internet in general.

 

Well, my wife & I are kind of at a crossroads in our professional lives because she will be a nurse soon, & I have been a project manager at a large contracting firm for the last 10 years (a little bored with that), & we were talking about what I would "really" like to do going forward. She suggested that I should try to help the members on HybridZ locate things that they needed part-time & see how it progresses from there. So I pondered that statement for a minute & thought,"Man, if I had someone over the years that could've located me reasonably priced, hard -to-find items, been honest and upfront on their capabilities, & was serious about speedily shipping their items, I would've saved so much time & money!"

 

So it made some sense to me to ask the question to you guys, in order to gauge interest in this possibility. I have established many parts contacts over the years in wholesale, retail, japanese & US salvage. More often than not, they call me when they recieve interesting components. Here in East TN, due to the many dealerships, junkyards, & speedshops you can locate parts for almost anything imagineable! And since most members on HybridZ have parts from literally all makes installed on our cars, I believe it could be a really beneficial fit.

 

In conclusion, I just wanted feedback from the members, that believe this is an idea & opportunity I should consider pursuing, to help me gather the appropriate information. Please post Yes or NO & some of the parts you seek, so I can gauge varying demands, wants, & maybes. Following enough member feedback, I may choose to begin this service, on a part-time basis! This service will not only be limited to individuals, as I would also locate core parts (heads, blocks, etc.) for race teams, machine shops, & retailers as well. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and look forward to your posts! God bless.

Edited March 29, 2010 by nosebleedZ

[JSM]

I’m assuming you wanted some feedback to your idea so I will post my opinion. If not, then my apologies in advance for my opinion. The only thing that is personal is learn how to type, spell and format. In any business, professionalism is paramount, even if you are only submitting an idea to get started. Write a Business Plan and stick to it.

 

I know, I know you were in a hurry and it’s the internet, and who cares, ….but it does show a lot if you seek to draw people in. Reading that was painful, at least to me.

 

From a business perspective I’m sure it’s been done and being done now. The key I think is finding those niche items that no one else has, that everyone is looking for. I think you can find a lot of those items simply by searching through the classifieds.

 

I would not give up your day job unless your wife can support you 100% and won’t divorce you, if you totally fail. If she can and will support you, do it!

 

Nice car by the way!

Edited March 29, 2010 by JSM

[nosebleedZ]

Thanks for the feedback professor (JSM), I edited the post after I re-read it this afternoon. Wow, what a difference some Absolut vodka at 2am makes in my posting skills...LOL. As I said, this will only be a part-time venture if enough interest is shown, based solely on the information requirements I gather from the membership. Please just post Yes or No, with some items you have been challenged in locating, for a reasonable price. Try to keep opinions brief, if you feel so compelled to give them. Thanks for the compliment on the '79, JSM!

[rturbo 930]

From what I gather you pretty much want to do almost exactly what zcarsource.com already does, although they refurbish parts as well. Of course, they are pretty much Z car specific, ie, no aftermarket parts, no non-factory parts. Are you looking to gather parts from other cars that can be used on a Z as well? I don't think there is anyone doing that, so that could work.

[nosebleedZ]

Yes, rturbo930, that's exactly what I'm talking about. Locating parts from GM, Ford, Mopar, Nissan, Toyota, DSM, Porsche, etc. that are used in our "Hybrids".

[JSM]

Not trying to be nit picky on the typing, I’m just as guilty and I need to follow my own advice. In fact I’ve gotten into the habit of using Word first and then post.

 

Good luck. For part searching if you can source 87-89 300zx R200 LSD and have them in stock you will have a good following. This will be difficult as there were only so many made.

 

From a business perspective, you may want to broaden your scope from Z’s to all Datsun’s.

510’s, Trucks, 200sx and Roadsters all have their own niche clientele to some extent.

Edited March 29, 2010 by JSM

[nosebleedZ]

Thanks JSM. Believe it or not I know where an 88 turbo is with the diff intact....not to get off topic.

[nosebleedZ]

Anymore input?

 

 

[nosebleedZ]

I went to the junkyard closest to work today, for a couple of hours or so. These cars are 60- 90% together! Here's some of the stuff I spotted & the quantities():

 

(3) '03-'05 Infiniti G35 sedans autos, (1) '04 G35 coupe 6MT, (2)'89-'90 T-bird S/C, (4) '87-89-ish Volvo 740 turbos, (1) Lexus IS300 5 speed, (1) '05 Dodge SRT-10 pickup 6speed, (1) Isuzu NPR delivery truck w/T4 & I/C, (4) '93-97 Chevy Z-28's LT1 2 auto/ 2 6MT, (1) '99? Camaro Z-28 SS Hurst Ed., (3) '97-'00 BMW 3 series 2.5, 2.8, 3.0 M&A, (1) '06 Nissan 350Z 6MT, (1)'85? Chevy Corvette w/ crossfire EFI 350, (2) '99 C-5 vettes, LS1 autos, (1) '06 Mercedes E55 AMG supercharger, (4) '89-92 Nissan S13, 5MT's, (1) '92 Nissan S13 convertible, auto, (2) Nissan S14 5MT's, (6) Infiniti Q45 '95-99, (12) '03+ Nissan maximas autos/ 6MT's, (1) '86 Nissan Z31 Turbo, 5 speed, (2) '84 Z31 N/a, auto & 5MT, (2) Eagle Talon TSI Turbos AWD '90 & '92 5MT, '88 Chevy Sprint Turbo 5MT (3 banger & teeny intercooled turbo), (1) 86 Toyota Corolla AE86 (rough), (1) 82 S130 Turbo, auto, 2+2, (2) 79-80 S130 N/a 5MT, (1) 88 Ford Probe GT Turbo 5MT, (1) 96 Ford Cobra 32V 5MT, (1) '93 Z32 N/a 5MT, '91? Subaru SVX, (1) '91 Nissan Sentra SER SR20DE/ 5MT, (1) '94 Infiniti G20 sr20DE auto, (1) 93 Mazda RX7 Turbo 5MT, (11) Ford Mustang 5.0 86-93 5mt/ auto, (1) 85 Jaguar XJS V-12, & (3) Dodge 1 ton P/U Cummins Diesel w/ Holsets intact.

 

All in all, some very sexy Hybrid material!