I hope this is not typical

[toolboy62]

just got a nice message from Pelican re: a parts order... apparently the plug socket for the rear wiper motor wiring is now available from Germany only, there is no stock in the US. I'm not slamming Pelican at all, but I already went through this dance with some older VWs eventually selling them all off as it was too much of a PITA to get parts regularly for my "old" 80's VWs (which were, of course, my primary transportation.)

So far...

- no stock in local junkyards (they're all useless, they specialize in late model stuff because land values are so high in this area that maintaining a "back lot" is economically unfeasable)

- local Porsche dealer parts counter has actually referred me back to Pelican - I figured they would be good for getting stuff quickly but the guy actually said flat out that Pelican was better than going through them if I wanted something fast.

- now PCNA is apparently not stocking some part numbers AT ALL in the USA, so if Pelican doesn't stock it (i.e. a commonly needed part) we're SOL if we need it quick?

I think the last straw was the $50 front license plate bracket for my Scirocco that had to be ordered from Germany so I could pass inspection; this is starting to seem strangely familiar. I was really hoping I could keep driving this '44 until it became a legitimate antique, at least another 10 years or so... am I crazy? Please tell me I'm all worried about nothing.

Oh, and since when was an '88 model an "older car?"

nate

(just glad that this was only a little electrical connector and not some mission-critical engine or suspension part)

[AaronM]

The car's almost 20 years old, of course some of the obscure parts are hard to find.

[toolboy62]

Maybe I have a warped perspective, but I don't consider a 20 year old car "old." It's just a used car. My dad drove his '67 Cutlass well into the 80's, and still has the '73 Chevy pickup that my grandfather bought new. (I keep waiting for him to get tired of it...) My mom still has the A2 Golf that she bought when I was in high school, and an early Miata... I just have a hard time considering any of those vehicles "old" although all but the Miata are actually older than my '44. I guess I don't consider anything "old" until it actually requires restoration...

I saw a 70's Camaro the other day with "antique" plates on it. I had to do a double take...

I don't really want a new car, IMHO you don't get what you pay for when you compare to the cost of, say, a good used '44 or other similar car...

nate

[AaronM]

I don't think that the car's that "old" either, but it's just not reasonable to expect that manufacturers will continue producing spare parts indefinitely. The last 944 rolled off the line in '91, and the last 968 in '95. Porsche isn't going to keep making parts more than a decade after the car ceased production.

I've got a '76 914 as well that I don't really consider "old", but it's an unfortunate reality that parts for cars that aren't in productions tend to become difficult to source.

[Tidybuoy]

I would try eBay for parts like your licence plate bracket. Stuff like this doesn't really wear out and used parts should be ok. It's possible because of your location that your wrecking yards don't have old vw's * Porsches but I see them all the time at my wrecking yard.

Vern

[toolboy62]

yeah, 5-10 years ago it was harder to find parts online. Now that more people are getting with the program I hope that it will be possible to keep these cars going. I wonder if I had my old Scirocco back if I couldn't actually keep driving it today, even though when I had it it was hard to find stuff for it? I'd like to find out... (I miss that car.)

If nothing else, it annoys the yuppies when you drive a 20 year old car, and that's a Good Thing.

I'm not giving up on the 944 yet, I just hope that the next time I need something major I can get it...

nate

[The Chief]

Nate,

You probably have already thought of this, but have you tried dC Automotive out of Rocky Mount, NC? Originally I had some problems with them, but those have been ironed out, and I was impressed with all the parts available. Just need to use caution

POC: Richard Bauer
(800) 579-2410
www.dcauto.com

Hope this helps...

[toolboy62]

not in years... didn't have any problems with them ever, I remember when dC was just a guy selling used parts on Porschephiles (I was working on a 914 back then.) I think I bought some door panels or something off of him. Seemed like a nice guy.

nate

[Icey1174]

Nate,

Does the have to be new? Seems like there are A LOT of parts cars out there. I have been buying up parts for a project throught the classified section of this site. They seem to be real easy to find. Espically some parts not needed as much as the part you are looking for. I am guessing on a parts car that is free money for whoever is parting it out.

[toolboy62]

actually I had sent out a couple feelers in the past, also tried Parts Heaven, no joy. I guess nobody thinks to pull the wiring harness out of the hatch. I'm not so much complaining about one little part just worried about parts availability in the future. I guess I do need to start cultivating the parts hookups now because it seems that at some point it'll be quicker to get stuff from some guy parting a car than from other more professional sources.

Same thing happened with the Scirocco license plate bracket, they just all disappeared, everyone parting a car either didn't have one or it was so bent to crap that it was useless. And yes, even on a beater car I will not drill holes in the front of my bumper I actually drove around for a couple months with my license plate zip tied to the front of the car...

nate

[Icey1174]

Maybe we should collectivly start a Porsche recycle center. Just send your old, junk, wrecked car there! Have parties every weekend where different groups of people get together, dismantle them, and catalog the parts! Never send them to "the crusher" untill everything was removed. There would be more parts than cars on the road! Someone would have to moderate this fun!

[jcommin]

There are many members on this board that have parts cars. I have been able to find many parts that are no longer available. I needed a rear hatch and found one with the rear plug. I removed the plug and inserted my original wiper system. I was going to throw the plug away, but decided to put that and other Porsche parts on ebay.
My son thought this part was stupid to list it but it was the first item to get bids. I sold it for $8.00 plus shipping. I couldn't believe it, but now I know why; it is a difficult part to get.

I would also look at ebay; I have seen them listed. Good luck.

[toolboy62]

Believe it or not, I know several people who are blessed with a decent amount of land and outbuildings that hoard old Studebakers for parts. Those people are my friends I guess in another couple years we'll be doing the same thing with Porsches.

nate

[Razorback1980]

Nate, unless you just want to make sure your car is per factory spec, change the plug to one you can get. It's not important the shape of the plug, only that the appropriate wires connect to each other. So, go to your local auto parts or electrical supply store and buy a plug that has the same amount of wires in it, buy both sides and put the new ones on each side and plug them together. Just an alternate idea that might make solving your problem easier and quicker...and cheaper.

[AaronM]

Originally posted by toolboy62
Believe it or not, I know several people who are blessed with a decent amount of land and outbuildings that hoard old Studebakers for parts. Those people are my friends I guess in another couple years we'll be doing the same thing with Porsches.

nate

Studebakers eh?

I have a line on a '47 or '48 Commander that I might pick up as a project. It's just sitting in the garage of a house my friends bought and they don't know what to do with it.

[toolboy62]

an old commander eh? What body style? if you decide you don't want it send pics, I have a friend that can probably help them get a couple bucks. I'd take it myself, a Commander is the bigger engine and is actually quite driveable in modern traffic, esp. with an overdrive trans (very common option on old Studes) especially if it's a coupe not a sedan... I was working on a 4-door '41 Commander for a local guy a couple years ago, that car surprised me when I took it out for a drive. Not particularly quick, but not dangerously slow either and it didn't drive/handle any worse than, say, a 1970s pickup truck. Heck, if the price were right I'd buy it just as a driver.

nate

[74goldtarga]

Consider calling Oklahoma Foreign.