GT40 Gold Parts

Tim Kay

Lifetime Supporter
It was a pleasure working with Andrew of GT40 Gold Parts (gt40goldpart.com). He was most helpful in providing an authentic period correct Lucas mirror, mirror mount, steering wheel badge and key ring. Andrew was extremely prompt in communicating, and I received the parts from half way round the world in surprising short order (shipped Friday arrived Monday!).

Thanks Andrew. We'll be doing business again soon :thumbsup:

Tim
 

Tim Kay

Lifetime Supporter
Wheel badge worked out great Andrew
 

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Charlie Farley

Supporter
Brett,

I understand why you baulk at the price of a precise reproduction of the Steeringwheel Badge.
But lets take a clinical look at the costs involved. I'll leave the price until later.

Firstly, you have to foster the contacts to be able to obtain an original. Guess how many hours spent on that... & how many favours done along the way.
In this part's case, the original Steeringwheel & Badge from the second prototype car cost an arm and a leg, and we are not talking mere hundreds of dollars here. It could only be prised from it's owner if the purchaser was also willing to purchase the archive of GT40 related materials and parts collected by Des O'Dell, back in the day.
Then factor in the time in hours involved. Not mere days or even the odd week, think wider. The countless international phone calls.
Now...once we have the items, start to add up the ' shit where do I go here from now ' hours in trying to figure out how to remake the item. Again, days, nah weeks in man hours of going down blind avenues in researching how to remake the item. Oh yea, sure... they all say, I CAN MAKE IT, but you make the car journey, only to find out they haven't a f'ing squit of an idea how it was made.
The only thing they can suggest is an injection mould at over $ 6,000 and then they can't guarantee beforehand what it will look like. Pfff...

So, finally after many months, by chance, you make contact with a guy in his 80's who used to make something similar.
As to costs versus profit. I had 10 made, all sold now. But to recoup my costs, I will have to sell nearly 30. At the sale of the 31st, I will enter into profit, and those costs don't factor in any of my time spent. It will only be recouping the original cost of the badge, production cost in terms of prototyping, moulds, materials and his labour to make them.
You are building a replica. You have a multitude of ready made options to buy your various suspension etc parts from, off the shelf, life couldn't be easier, simple.
Ask RCR or Tornado about the costs of small scale manufacture if you don't understand.

I only do this for 4 reasons :

All that is on TV is rubbish.
Ditto cinemas.
I can no longer enjoy a cigarette with a beer in any local pub.
I got the GT40 bug.
 
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Andrew,
I simply said it was too pricey for me when you responded how much over PM, which where I am in my life and trying to achieve is a true statement.
You have the right to recoup your cost in intellectual property, development, tooling etc. and never even questioned that. I am slightly not sure how to take your response.


Don't get me wrong, I fully understand the time (and cost) to develop parts and the whole process from one off cost of prototype all the way up to producing millions of year with associated levels of quality - especially vehicles.

However, you seem upset that I enquired and then said no to the cost and felt the need to lecture me both in PM and here in the thread to at the bottom even verging on the level of condescending.

I am a consumer at the end of the day and every one of us will have higher ceiling limits on cost of parts; some will enquire to your parts and decide to pass on your offering, as they are looking for a 'the look' rather than the exacting standards you are offering, but may also decide to go for higher items depending on cost/value decisions.

All the GT40 builders/owners on this forum have passion around the car, which is why we are here and investing time, but please don't take me for an ill informed person.

Brett
 

Charlie Farley

Supporter
Brett,

You clearly posted here prior to reading the outstanding PM I sent you.
That should explain my reply here. It was not aimed at you.
Thanks
 
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