One LAST rant, sorry!


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Posted by Eric B. on Friday, November 15, 2002 at 3:30PM :

OK, I have now read everyone’s posts on the last subject Todd, Judd and I were involved in, and JHenry's post, with replies.

I have one further comment to make.

I bought my truck and trailer for two reasons,

One I thought it would be fun to turn my hobby into a business.

Two, and MUCH more important, too many of the yards I had been to had crushed all the stuff I was interested in (in many cases 6 months before I got there, one had crushed a 58 W100 with winch in nice shape, I saw pictures), and too many others were getting ready to crush soon.

I figured that as most folks only are working on one or two trucks they would not take the effort to scour the countryside buying up all they could, they didn't need it. VPW has too much overhead to search the countryside for a truck here, and a truck there.

I also figured that if I went out and bought the stuff, it would NOT end up as a Toyota, etc, but would be used by some guy who needed the part for his truck.

Sure, now that part is gone for the next guy through, but if I find a 1947 Dodge truck sitting in a junkyard, you better believe it has been there a while, and if I didn't buy the parts, the truck would get crushed complete. The same sort of thing can be said for PWs found in a field, if I don't save them, who will?

Most folks wouldn't touch some of the trucks I drag home, let alone put them back on the road, and because of this, I do not make much per truck (too much time, and money invested), but I like the process. If I get a good deal from time to time, that helps me pay for the ones that need more work, or pay bills!

Another major point is, no matter how far I go, or how hard I look, there is ALWAYS more out there, the locals will find it, or it may end up in a yard in a couple years for someone else to get. In any case, Judd still finds windshield frames, and other parts, and he does not range that far from his home. I bet if I toured NE, I would find parts Judd didn't know about, and I know of stuff that Doug does not know about in CO, some of which I will go back for someday.

There is plenty for all, and I think that Judd et all, and I are providing a valuable service to those out there that just want to build a truck, and don't want to spend time searching for some small hard to find part.

That is why VPW can go to Asia and buy TONS of stuff to bring back, many people just want to order their parts, not search for them.

Just think how hard it would be to do much of a FF restoration without parts suppliers other then Napa, you would most likely never finish.

I hope this is understood by all to be a comment about my purpose (and what I believe to be the purpose of other sellers), and not a slam on those hardy folk who find/make/repair every part on their truck, if you have the will, and time to do that, GREAT!! I wish I was that capable, but I have to rely on a network of friends, and businesses to fix up my trucks.

I welcome response, and if you note, my name and E-mail appear at the top of this message.

Eric



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