Slap Stick
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There are plenty of steel and aluminum factories here.
AMD discontinuing Mopar parts
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vintage chromoly
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threewood
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I guess 62 fenders and quarters will never be made 
Slap Stick
Well-Known Member
Get the folks to start making them here instead of in China.
Bring the manufacturing back home.
The mills don't usually stamp the products. They make the steel and then ship it to the end user.
But saying the tariffs are the reason is baloney. Plenty of steel is made right here at home. Use it!
The foreign car makers are using American steel. Why can't American companies?
vintage chromoly
Well-Known Member
The link is from SEMA. Factual information.
The reason you will never see a stamping plant in the USA tool up and stamp an extremely limited market product is cost.
Just not going to happen.
That’s the sad reality of it.
I don't really care. I'm not a business; I'm not an investor. I love the cars. Period.
Too many people always talk about if they will be "underwater" with restoring these cars. If you like skiing, do you worry about if you will be "underwater" when you go to sell the skis you used for a couple of years? No. These cars, for most of us, are a hobby. If you in it for the hobby, build what you like, drive the hell out of it and ENJOY it.
I'm not being argumentative, but that's not my understanding. My understanding is most steel production has moved offshore. I'm not sure this is accurate, but willing to learn if I am wrong...
vintage chromoly
Well-Known Member
Also, if you take the time to read the link from SEMA, as of February 8th, the tariffs now apply to finished steel automotive stampings. Exactly the product category the AMD products fall into.
That was the reason that SEMA wrote about it, and why it’s pertinent to this discussion.
It effects the hobby. That’s all.
That was the reason that SEMA wrote about it, and why it’s pertinent to this discussion.
It effects the hobby. That’s all.
MrJLR
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I scored my rear valance last week before they were gone...
Jeff
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You get it for 1/2 price too Jeff???
MrJLR
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Nope...paid full $269.00
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Maybe everything wasn't half. I checked the quarters and quarter skins this AM and they were all 1/2 price.. then they jacked them back this afternoon!
70chall440
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I completely agree that this is a hobby but has become an investment opportunity that has both hurt and helped it. I can that I have never built a car with the thought of what its value might be or worry about being underwater on it. I build them for the enjoyment of doing so and owning them, the value it both subjective and for the most part irrelevant. Unfortunately the hobby has turned more toward "dick measuring" based on value than for the pure enjoyment of them. Yes, I know that many people do not see this way but I do which is why I never get rid of anything.
The issue with AMD is a pure business decision; I am sorry to see it happen but completely understand why they are doing it. Every thing they have sitting in a warehouse is a financial liability and for some of the more obscure things that do not sell, they needed to make cut backs. Sure it sucks if you need something but welcome to the way it used to be back in the day ...
The issue with AMD is a pure business decision; I am sorry to see it happen but completely understand why they are doing it. Every thing they have sitting in a warehouse is a financial liability and for some of the more obscure things that do not sell, they needed to make cut backs. Sure it sucks if you need something but welcome to the way it used to be back in the day ...
Slap Stick
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Most steel manufacturing hasn't moved offshore.
They are building new steel mills all the time. They just arent the huge complexes they used to be.
Mercedes has a plant in AL. They get their steel from a Nucor plant nearby. Nucor is building a plant in Sedalia, MO. They have one in northeast AR.
Severstal NA a RUSSIAN company bought the old Ford steel plant in Michigan, modernized it and sold steel to Ford. They built a plant in Columbus, MS in about 08 and doubled capacity in about 12. They furnished steel to Nissan, Toyota and others. They sold the MI plant to AK steel (Alcoa/Kawasaki) and the MS plant to Steel Dynamics. Severstal pulled out of the US due to a former presidents sanctions. They couldn't finance operations. The SDI plant in MS has undergone a third expansion.
Us Steel reopened the old Granite City, IL plant since the tariffs were imposed on imports and tax cuts were granted. Toyota and Mazda are building a plant in Huntsville, AL and will be supplied by local mills.
The US steel industry is alive and well and growing.
Look at some of these companies websites and see just how many mills are operating. Many of these mills are cranking out all the steel they can.
As for not being profitable to make the parts here, how much does it cost to ship that stuff from China?
And does any of it fit?
Many body shops refuse to use the Chinese stuff. There is inexpensive and then there is cheap.
Ever heard of Pick n Pull? Its owned by Schnitzer Steel. They use the junkyard to feed their steel plants.
There is no reason to make these parts overseas.
They are building new steel mills all the time. They just arent the huge complexes they used to be.
Mercedes has a plant in AL. They get their steel from a Nucor plant nearby. Nucor is building a plant in Sedalia, MO. They have one in northeast AR.
Severstal NA a RUSSIAN company bought the old Ford steel plant in Michigan, modernized it and sold steel to Ford. They built a plant in Columbus, MS in about 08 and doubled capacity in about 12. They furnished steel to Nissan, Toyota and others. They sold the MI plant to AK steel (Alcoa/Kawasaki) and the MS plant to Steel Dynamics. Severstal pulled out of the US due to a former presidents sanctions. They couldn't finance operations. The SDI plant in MS has undergone a third expansion.
Us Steel reopened the old Granite City, IL plant since the tariffs were imposed on imports and tax cuts were granted. Toyota and Mazda are building a plant in Huntsville, AL and will be supplied by local mills.
The US steel industry is alive and well and growing.
Look at some of these companies websites and see just how many mills are operating. Many of these mills are cranking out all the steel they can.
As for not being profitable to make the parts here, how much does it cost to ship that stuff from China?
And does any of it fit?
Many body shops refuse to use the Chinese stuff. There is inexpensive and then there is cheap.
Ever heard of Pick n Pull? Its owned by Schnitzer Steel. They use the junkyard to feed their steel plants.
There is no reason to make these parts overseas.
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westie47
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I just checked, quarter skins for my 69 Coronet are $349 each, is that their regular price?
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Yep, yesterday morning they were $174.50 ! Good news is the '69 full quarters aren't on the discontinued list..
westie47
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Darn it! I always miss these deals!
Ceedawg
Well-Known Member
Don’t worry they’ll be doing the “going out of business sale” again in the coming months. A good ploy for the mattress stores all the time.
The economics of doing business in the modern world moves the agenda for all businesses that are operating to make a profit. For all of us, the love of the cars and the hobby have driven all of us to where it is now.
Car shows and restorations have been going on for 60 plus years now. Guys have been tweaking and modifying the cars since they were created. It will not stop.
The thing that we need to realize is that it is basically a "Hobby" that has morphed itself into a small scale industry. I have been around cars since I was two weeks old and have grown up around different aspects of the industry. Never in my 59 years would I imagine how it has evolved.
I wish that there were more that we could do, but the economics do not support the trends. Most of the guys in this side of the business are still car guys, but they still must be able to operate the business in a cost effective manner.
When sales drop to a point that the cost to reorder does not justify the investment in dollars, then you make the decision to reinvest in a different direction. That is the scenario that AMD was experiencing in my opinion. This hobby moves in trends. So we have to see if three to five years from now, is there the demand to make another run.
When I speak of doing a run, our supply of washer pump motors is running low. Our manufacturer came back with a quantity of 6000 units to maintain our present cost. The problem is that 6000 units is over a seven year inventory of a product. How can we justify thousands of dollars over a seven plus year investment to keep a product available. Even with increased unit cost, the long term investment does not support the initial investment. Factor in the space to warehouse quarters, floor pans, etc, and the outlay to put it on the shelf is crazy dollar amounts.
That is the trick box that we all face. We just did the red coil boot and the disc brake proportioning device cover. Both of the items will never justify the investment in doing the parts, but we were able to do them and offer them to the hobby. But at the end of the day, we have to look at what will keep the business functioning.
The hobby is constantly evolving and will move forward. In my opinion, it has never been easier to restore a car now. The hobby is very strong and will continue to survive. I can only stress that we treat it as a "Hobby" on the personal level and not let the dollars get in front of the pleasure. Whether we are playing a sport, hunting, traveling, etc. just know that there is a cost to everything.
Car shows and restorations have been going on for 60 plus years now. Guys have been tweaking and modifying the cars since they were created. It will not stop.
The thing that we need to realize is that it is basically a "Hobby" that has morphed itself into a small scale industry. I have been around cars since I was two weeks old and have grown up around different aspects of the industry. Never in my 59 years would I imagine how it has evolved.
I wish that there were more that we could do, but the economics do not support the trends. Most of the guys in this side of the business are still car guys, but they still must be able to operate the business in a cost effective manner.
When sales drop to a point that the cost to reorder does not justify the investment in dollars, then you make the decision to reinvest in a different direction. That is the scenario that AMD was experiencing in my opinion. This hobby moves in trends. So we have to see if three to five years from now, is there the demand to make another run.
When I speak of doing a run, our supply of washer pump motors is running low. Our manufacturer came back with a quantity of 6000 units to maintain our present cost. The problem is that 6000 units is over a seven year inventory of a product. How can we justify thousands of dollars over a seven plus year investment to keep a product available. Even with increased unit cost, the long term investment does not support the initial investment. Factor in the space to warehouse quarters, floor pans, etc, and the outlay to put it on the shelf is crazy dollar amounts.
That is the trick box that we all face. We just did the red coil boot and the disc brake proportioning device cover. Both of the items will never justify the investment in doing the parts, but we were able to do them and offer them to the hobby. But at the end of the day, we have to look at what will keep the business functioning.
The hobby is constantly evolving and will move forward. In my opinion, it has never been easier to restore a car now. The hobby is very strong and will continue to survive. I can only stress that we treat it as a "Hobby" on the personal level and not let the dollars get in front of the pleasure. Whether we are playing a sport, hunting, traveling, etc. just know that there is a cost to everything.
coronet68mx
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I can only see the full price
Slap Stick
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Good post 69bfan.
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