[TR] tr nos vs. repros.

[Andrew Mace]

-----Original Message-----
From: L1J1S at aol.com










hello, how does one go about telling the difference between nos and  
reproductions? for some it does not make a difference , but for others it does.  
some 
venders/ sellers may tell you anything just to move the product, but in  this 
world today one must be sure and have peace of mind before purchasing  
anything.  

==AM==
Technically, you've got several choices. NOS is literally New Old Stock, parts that were made probably
about the time the cars were still current, by the original manufacturer (Lucas, Girling, "Stanpart" or 
"Unipart", etc.). Hopefully comparable to NOS is anything still made by the original component
manufacturer, perhaps on original tooling or certainly to (near-)original specifications. This might
cover, say, a voltage regulator made by Lucas that generally appears and functions as the original
but might be slightly different in detail so as to be usable on a number of cars.

There's also NORS: New Old Replacement Stock. This again usually dates back to when the cars were
current, but it applies to, for example, a voltage regulator branded "Harting" or a bushing kit in 
a Quentin-Hazell (sp?) box.

And there's a lot of whatever it is that's available nowadays in reproduction parts...
what our friends on the other side of the Big Pond call (appropriately) Pattern Parts. These can be 
quite good copies, re-engineered and improved based on original drawings and spec's...or they can
be passable copies that look good from 20 feet away but may take some degree of "fettling" to even
begin to fit and function as an original.

Frankly, the best way to tell a true NOS part is to look at the packaging (original Stanpart or
Lucas box or other container) and look for the original manufacturer's "branding" on the part itself.
An original suspension bushing is likely to have the "Metalastik" name molded in, and an original
Lucas generator will have the Lucas name and a date code as well as other info.

Does all that help?


 


--Andy  Mace

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*Man: Well, no ... It's not so  much of a jet, it's more your, er, Triumph Herald engine with  wings.
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