Possible Solution for Scarce/Wornout Cast Parts

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Hello, folks...<P>In the AACA - Tech Questions there is a post entitled "Steel Brake Drums". I am posting a topic here to possibly help your restoration/preservation problems.<P>The subject of worn out brake drums, exhaust manifolds, and, so on, has come up occasionally, so, I thought I would share a case history example.<P>I am in the Foundry Business. Grey Iron and Ductile Iron. Back in the mid-70's, a gent showed up in the office lobby. He was holding a worn out exhaust manifold for a Cord (cannot remember the year). He asked if we could reproduce it?<P>Told him the pattern equipment, back then, would be about $4,500 ($8,000 today). He was shocked as I knew he would be. After discussion, I noted that "high wear popular parts" must be needed by other Cord owners. Suggested he get as many owners interested in "chipping in" for the patterns.<P>The benefit is the piece price came down as they ordered 120 of them. Each person "chipping in" became the cooperative owner of the patterns. They advertised within their own circles that the parts are now available. More club members ordered them, and, in turn, they recouped the pattern investment, then, the piece price came down after the pattern costs were recouped. They did not want a profit in the long haul, just desperate for a popular part.<P>This approach could also be used with stampings, aluminum castings, etc., etc.<P>Basically, converse with your fellow Marque owners, find out what rare parts availability is drying up, and, get their interest in investing in the tooling.<P>When I hear about the rarity of the brake drums vs. the quality of used drums from flea markets, reality smacks me in the face that shortly there will be no resources.<P>I have to make it perfectly clear that this is not some sort of advertisement for my company. It is "ONLY" a suggestion for fellow hobbyist that there is an alternative approach to obtaining "high wear, popular parts" for the long haul.<P>Get in touch with fellow owners who all have the same problem with sources for a part, get a quote from a manufacturer, sign up tooling investors, and, go from there.<P>Of most importance: "What is the correct material?"<BR>Take a worn out part to the source, ask them to analyze it if you don't know. In our lab, we use a plasma arc nucleonic spectrometer that will give us everything but carbon equivalent.<P>Regards, Peter J.<P>

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice!!!!! advertise ANYTIME u want to. We all learned something from it. certainly u deserve our business.