Tiger history buffs,
A couple of folks on the list challenged my statement that Tiger
parts were available through Chrysler until around the mid 80s. They thought
that they were only available through the mid to latter 70's. So to confirm
dates I pulled out some of my old paperwork and here as they say is the rest
of the story at least as it relates to my experiences.
By the mid 70s the Tiger I bought in 68 was needing a fairly
constant feeding of parts. Since the Tiger provided me the perfect blend of
fun, reliability, looks, power, comfort etc I knew that I would own at least
one for a very long time. I also realized that Chrysler might not be
supplying parts for too many years after their minimum legally required
period of 10 years. Therefore through my Chrysler dealer connection I
obtained a listing of parts that were canceled or superseded dated 4/3/78
and a price list also dated 4/3/78 showing the parts available. The
obsoleted list is about 2 1/2 pages of "X" parts marked "NS1" which I think
stood for no longer stocked. The price list is 9 pages long. Then from my
Alpine and Tiger supplement parts books and the Chrysler lists I sent in the
first of a number of orders to Chrysler on Oct. 78. Almost everything came
through just fine. After several orders during the period from 78 through 79
a pattern was developing. Virtually all the parts were coming out of Newark,
NJ and with each order more parts were not available but most still were
available and Chrysler was raising their prices quickly. The parts were in
Chrysler packages or had Chrysler stickers with the X part number on them.
I then got a Chrysler price list dated 11/5/79 which by then had
shrunk to 4 1/2 pages and another dated 9/1/80 which was only 3 pages long
but still included many wear out items like ball joints etc. I continued to
get parts through 1980 and early 81. Sensing the parts were going fast, I
then coordinated a rather large and final order of around $1,000 for members
of our local club and myself on 5/10/81 which were delivered on 5/21/81. In
those days $1,000 bought a lot of Tiger parts. For example the pentastar
which started this discussion was priced at list of $1.70 , upper ball
joints list at $17.13, headlight rims list at $9.70 etc. Dealer cost was
about 35% lower. I continued to get price lists with the latest one dated
12/29/84 which was one page. It still included such items as slave cyl
repair kits, front brake hoses, upper ball joints, thermo elements etc.
Therefore based on the above documentation we can say that Chrysler
did supply at least some parts through the mid 80s. Also the slow decline of
parts shown on the price lists would indicate that the stock of spare parts
from Rootes for Tigers and Alpines was being slowly purchased and not dumped
in some land fill. Before anyone contacts me on all those OEM parts I got, I
only bought what at that time I thought would be my lifetime supply. However
since then I have restored 6 Tigers and used up most of the parts. You might
ask why did I hold onto all this old paperwork. I'm sure I must have known
then that there would be an internet someday and someone would ask this
question. Anyway I hope this adds a piece to the story on what happened to
the Rootes parts that Chrysler supplied here in the United States.
Dave McDermott
>Date: Mon, 03 Nov 1997 10:10:05 -0700
>To: Marc James Small <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>, Anita Barrett
<anitabrt@mindspring.com>
>From: Dave McDermott <dave.mcdermott@cusys.edu>
>Subject: Re: Pentastar
>Cc: tigers@autox.team.net,
>
> Jim and Marc,
>
> I had a similar experience to Marc's. I had a friend who was a
Chrysler dealer in the beginning to mid 80s. I was able then to get a copy
of the Chrysler computer listings showing the Rootes parts that they had on
hand in a Newark NJ warehouse. The numbers were the original Rootes numbers
preceded by an X. I remember someone telling me at the time that there was
some kind of federal law which required a manufacturer to maintain parts for
something like 10 years after the end of production. Anyway Chrysler
maintained Rootes parts for long after the 10 year point. However, as time
went by after the mid 80s there was very little left that could be used on
Tigers. It is unfortunate Jim got such a bad impression of Chrysler because
of a local dealer in his area. I am not particularly a fan of Chrysler but
they didn't stop supplying all parts in 70-71 which was only 4 years after
production. Of more concern to me is that Chrysler's purchase of Rootes
ultimately led to the end of Tiger production.
>However I can see their point of view in selling a product with a
competitors engine, transmission etc.
>
>
> Dave McDermott
>
>
>
>At 11:34 PM 10/31/97 -0500, Marc James Small wrote:
>>At 11:11 PM 10/31/97 -0500, Jim Barrett wrote:
>>>About 1970-71 I went to the local Chrysler dealer parts counter to get parts
>>>for my
>>>Tiger II. They told me they had been directed to trash all the parts as
>>>Chrysler
>>>would no longer support Sunbeam cars. I haven't liked Chrysler ever since.
>>>Any one try to get Simca parts? Chrysler did the same thing to them.
>>
>>
>>Well, as late as '86 I was still buying Sunbeam parts through my local
>>Chrysler dealer. You just had to adjust the part number. I don't know if
>>anything is still available, but I would doubt it. But '71 is way too early.
>>
>>Marc
>>
>>
>>Marc James Small
>>Cha Robh Bas Fir, Gun Ghras Fir!
>>FAX: +540/343-7315
>>
>>
>>
>
|