[Mgs] MGB rubber

[Dodd, Kelvin]

Danny:

I thought it might be worthwhile putting your question in perspective.

All of the British car parts suppliers use multiple sources for their
products. No-one that offers full line service can stick to their own
brand or manufacturer.

You have to look at each of the parts individually, or shop from a
company that vets the parts for you which will increase the cost
significantly. Either way, with rubber, each production batch is going
to be different as it may be a number of years between runs. All it
takes is a slight mistake in the material specification for that batch
and the result is incorrect flexibility or reduced longevity.

There are some rubber products that just can't be made to original
specification at any reasonable price. The MGB top front bow seal is
one. The originals were made from two different compressible types of
rubber. Currently from what I understand no-one is willing to do a
production run of this type of material.

The question of rubber parts from Moss Motors then is a lot harder to
pin down. Any of the parts manufactured for Moss Motors will have a
molding lot number present. This way we can track any reported problems
to the specific batch.

Moss is constantly monitoring customer input on all of their products
and a flare up of complaints is enough to send tech and purchasing
scurrying to figure out what the problem was and how to solve it. In
some cases there are bad parts wandering around the market that have to
be blocked. In other cases the parts available are not as good as you
would like, but until the product is under our own control there isn't
much that can be done as there is only one source.

The one thing that is certain, is that products change. Everyday.

That's the view from my perspective as an employee at Moss. I think you
will find similar situations at all of the suppliers. Each company is
working hard to get parts that fit correctly at a price that allows them
to make a profit and stay in business.


Kelvin Dodd




> -----Original Message-----
> From: mgs-bounces+doddk=mossmotors.com at autox.team.net [mailto:mgs-
> bounces+doddk=mossmotors.com at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of dannyvarnado
> Sent: Sunday, July 22, 2007 6:18 PM
> To: mgs at autox.team.net
> Subject: [Mgs] MGB rubber
>
> A while back someone on the list was complaining about the quality, or
> lack
> there of, of rubber parts sold by MOSS Motors.  Has the quality
improved,
> or
> was it ever a problem at all?  I will be ordering all rubber  (glass,
> windscreen, doors, boot, etc.) and would like to get quality parts the
> first
> time.
> Any comments?
> Danny V.
> '58 MGA daily driver
> '76 MGB V-6 project