[DeTomaso] Vendors

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

Re outrageously-high priced parts, is is barely possible that where vendors 
are getting their stuff is outrageously high-priced to begin with? I've seen 
parts invoices from DeTomaso (when they were still in business) that would curl 
your hair....  I also hear stories from the vendors about guys "who want the 
@$#%&&* part today!!" So it gets shipped overnight express.... and the shipping 
cost matches the purchase price. Thats also somehow the vendors fault...... 
With some searching electronically or via shoe-leather, one can almost always 
find something that works, is cheaper and sometimes is even durable. Our 
Panteras exhaust hanger rubbers are fabricated from a large strip of EPDM rubber 
once used as the lining for a Titan solid-fuel booster rocket; should I recommend 
this as a cheap 'fix'? I'm not a vendor nor do I work for one, but I often 
make my own parts since no one has exactly what I think I need. But many people 
don't have the time, tools, willingness or expertise to make their own parts, 
modify things that almost fit or search out a correct replacement, so they buy 
parts from a vendor. This has one enormous advantage- IT FITS 'cause someone 
who knows what they're doing has found a source, tried it and likely bought a 
quantity to resell. 'Course, it may take decades to recoup their investment, 
if they guessed right & others really want such a thing. Otherwise, the parts 
sit on a shelf forever. And vendors have a fairly limited market- best guess 
today is about 2500 Panteras left in the U.S. & maybe 1000 more in the rest of 
the world- hardly a good business model to make a living. Finally, if you buy 
from a vendor, there's a warranty. Mail-order & E-Bay often have zero warranty 
or outright fraud, as many have sadly found. Good luck- J DeRyke