tigers
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Chrysler Parts History

To: nicholsj@oakwood.org, <tigers@Autox.Team.Net>
Subject: Re: Chrysler Parts History
From: Dave McDermott <dave.mcdermott@cusys.edu>
Date: Tue, 04 Nov 1997 16:13:01 -0700
        That was Tim Morin. He got a lot of parts which included some OEM
parts but they did not directly relate to my knowledge to the original batch
of parts that Chrysler sold to lots of people through their dealers. Tim's
parts probably included some parts that were purchased from Chrysler by the
individual who had the cache in the first place. It could be however that
sometime around 85 Chrysler wanted to get rid of a small inventory left in
the NJ warehouse and that individual made a fire sale offer. That individual
obtained parts from a lot of places and had some reproed.

        Dave

At 04:35 PM 11/4/97 -0500, nicholsj@oakwood.org wrote:
>
>     
>     
>           A few months back some one on this list said he bought literally
tons
>of Sunbeam parts, could this have been a cache of NOS found in some old 
>warehouse?  I sent the person an email bought they never responded.  Anyone
have
>further info on this?
>     
>     
>Jeff  
>     
>______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
>Subject: Chrysler Parts History
>Author:  Dave McDermott <dave.mcdermott@cusys.edu> at INTERNET 
>Date:    11/4/97 12:51 PM
>     
>     
>        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obtained a listing of parts that were canceled or superseded dated 4/3/78 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
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>     
>     
>
>
>
>


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>