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FEBRUARY 2017 UPDATE:

We put the giant link button above on the website on numerous pages almost a year ago. Although we were able to help some folks save some money and were able to clear out some stuff; I would overall say it was to me; as a car guy kind of a shock that more people didn't take advantage of the offer. We made some pretty smokin' deals that some people took advantage of but even after putting something together we had people just fall off the face of the planet.

I'm not particularily sad about it; afterall it takes a lot of work to deal with bigger parts and cars etc. I can deal with my storage problems quicker by continuing on a path I slowly started a couple of years ago and am accelerating; that being helping China, South Korea, Japan and maybe even some USA steel plants (if there are any remaining) to satisfy their need for scrap steel, aluminum, brass, diecast, wire.

It is just an abnormal feeling for a car guy to knowingly scrap something that is useable. I've spent my whole life looking under rocks for parts for my own projects. It is also unsettling for someone who sells parts to sell an item that I know we just scrapped half a dozen of the week before.

SEPTEMBER 2016 UPDATE:

Among the other tasks lately; we have managed to send eleven roadsters off to their final reward. Kept what items I thought might have a chance of leaving here in a box or by local pickup; rather than end up being tossed in the scrap metal trailer.

We are going to end up with some problems with storage (again) and before scrapping anything important will make an attempt at passing it on; many times at a MINIMUM price. Some things are like that now; the price covers the hassle of taking it off and dealing with it.

To that end I wanted to say that some things will appear on the USED PARTS pages that are items we would NORMALLY just throw out. As the supply of new parts dwindles; even though I'm trying to move everything on down the road I still know that a time will come when ANY condition part will be welcome if you need one. Some of these will be in worse condition than normal with a VERY FRIENDLY price! Some people actually LIKE to restore parts; they are not just PARTS ASSEMBLERS. The parts will stay up until we either run out of room for the particular part or feel depressed about the part on the same day we have only a half full scrap trailer... I'm sure as in the past some yahoo will blab about some awful looking part they saw on our website and say "I wouldn't buy from them they have ugly parts"; not realizing that if it wasn't for someone buying that ugly part and using their talents to fix it; there wouldn't be any better used ones or new ones still on the shelf because THEY would have been purchased instead.

Many of these parts will have an "SC" at the end of the part number meaning it's existence here can be terminated on a whim.

I'm actually surprised more people haven't bought cores or something for short money; or maybe to start rebuilding the part for sale; or asked for a sample so they can try to get it reproduced. You never know you'll need something until you can't get it; or until it has converted into unobtainium.

And the other group of people that somehow think I am loading brand new heater valves into the brass scrap pile at $2 a pound also make me scratch my head.

It is unfortunate so many of you are so far away; it would be costly or time-impossible to pack and ship so many blocks/cranks/transmissions/fenders that will either go out of here as a "part" or be sent to some Chinese steel plant.

 

SHORT VERSION

Although we have no plans to go anywhere we've done 40 years at this; (about 60 years of "40 hour weeks") and we would like to lighten our multiple storage location load. We have already started scrapping parts at a slow pace.

First to go are the worst condition used parts and parts saved as long term cores for future repair/rebuilding as availability gets worse. We will also look at scrapping parts kept for sample purposes of remanufacture. (Just keeping the parts going out of here has been a 12 hour every day job; not much time for fun future projects...) Further down the road better used parts will go and eventually some new parts. New parts are currently moving out of here at a good rate looking at stock levels and time projections.

Now I again have help with some of my daily duties so this process is speeding up as are some other long term much delayed projects. Someday I want just ONE building at ONE place!

We will continue to post all conditions of used parts; some people aren't looking to build a museum car or trailer queen or show car and like doing the restoration work on parts; they aren't just "assemblers".

If you want a certain used part at a certain price; buy it or let us know. Keep your email address current and include a statement that is OK to send you unsolicted email in the event of some important note. Since 1998 we have sent ONE unsolicited email so we aren't much into SPAM!

So consider this as advance notice.

Thanks

Dann at Rallye

 


LONG VERSION

Rallye Roadster is now 40? When did this happen? Seems just like yesterday I was hand typing 4 x 6 cards to give to people.

"DATSUN ROADSTER OWNER/MECHANIC NEEDS WORK"

No business plan, no money, just energy. And now; somehow 40 years have elapsed...

PARTS THEN ...
During these first 40 years of "Rallye" and the 4 years prior to that as a Datsun Roadster hobbyist / obsessive-compulsive-collector; I knew parts were the key to keeping first my own car(s) running and then to keeping our roadster shop supplied. Word got out to people farther and farther away that wanted parts and eventually we released our 6th catalog and tech insert to 11,000 people and companies. All those people would need parts now or in the future; along with the thousands more that came after the catalogs were all gone and this website was growing from the intial 5 pages to about 1300.

PARTS NOW...
We have amassed a large pile of parts.

With the used parts; my longstanding belief has been that someone will need that ugly part because we are all out of better ones or they want to do some work themselves to save a dollar or that some part has to be saved as a core for future rebuilding. This feeling is finally changing and I actually have started SCRAPPING parts. It hasn't been much of a priority; but this brain-change is increasing weekly.

We are of course starting with the worst of any part which compared to what guys consider a "good" part for a 1940 Ford are FABULOUS parts!

We probably have only 15% of our used parts showing on the website. Honestly; I believe we are sitting on; all told; about 40-50 tons of used metal. I guess I am saying that if you want something; if you are flexible about the condition (or not) you may have a good chance of coming up with something at a great price. There are a lot of things we just have not had time to photo and put up; things where condition are important. We are working on improving on that but as time goes on after this year I just may send the used parts to their final reward. I am so behind on so many life projects. I'll bet a lot of you are too.

The used parts do not usually carry the acquisition costs of the new. They carry some storage costs; but we will constantly be looking to see if the cost of a particular used part can be skimmed down. Sometimes we find that is what it takes to get it to travel on out of here in a sealed cardboard box rather then in the back of the scrap trailer.

We try to list used parts in all kinds of conditions; some people want that. I realize that some of you look at that and must say "Why is he putting THAT up on the website"...well not everyone is looking to build a museum piece or a show car; they just want an old roadster to drive around; or maybe are putting together a 2nd one to sell to finance their primary car's costs. We've sold parts EVEN I don't know why someone would buy! I don't particularly like selling really awful parts; a lot of car businesses don't even deal with USED parts AT ALL.

It is also difficult for me as a lifetime car guy; who has spent untold amounts of time turning over rocks in hopes of finding something wonderful out behind someone's barn to just toss out a part.

I'm having a long term friend who has helped me on and off over the years take on some new tasks here so I can deal with the above situation sooner. Might be a good idea to keep your email address updated and include a note that it is OK for us to send unsolicted emails.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that I'm going to trash everything without continuing to try to sell it or with some of the stuff at least trying to find a good home for it. Although nothing is cast in stone this isn't one of those TODAY AND TOMORROW ONLY ads...this may take a couple of YEARS to complete. At present it is just used parts we are concerned with. I will say though that I have seen some odd decisions made by business owners not much older than myself at the time. I think running a business is kind of like a ride; like a Merry-Go-Round or a Roller Coaster where you do not have control over the speed or the duration. Lots of fun but sometimes you just want to slow it down or just get off.

Thanks

Dann at Rallye

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