Has anybody filled the immense hole left by them closing? I am spe cifically looking for door latch info for a 56.

 

Chuck at Trucks can find most anything you need.

LMC Seems to be good and Dennis carpenter seems to have the largest selection.

Chuck is a great place to start.

 

I have a complicated attitude towards "speed shops" closing in general.

1) I am sad that they--as a community hub--are closing, the lost knowledge, years of loyal customers meeting them at car meets WAY before the internet sales drove the business, all the people who've built several cars using their parts. Talking to older dudes who knew some of these business owners by name and personal phone number

2) On the other hand I grew up "alone" in the hobby, I don't have any natural friends or relatives who were car nuts. So when I was 17-20 years old getting started in this hobby, having $250 for gauges from one of these companies like Midfifty, or having $175 for a lowering knuckle, or having $400 for new floor pans......I just didn't have that kinda money and I didn't have anyone in my life to pay it for me.
In other words when I was younger, I saw these companies as "for the rich guys". A place where I didn't belong.

In the last 15 years I partially restored my '56 F100 and kept it on the road, I think I may have ordered $200 worth of parts from Midfifty. I feel bad for not helping out(buying more stuff), but that just isn't my world. I can't afford to restore my truck with a catalog. Take the old door handles off, botch a repair, polish the blistered pot metal, and put it back on. I was 25 years old before I could frivolously spent $30 on a brand new china door handle(without shipping...). Maybe thats my fault for being poor and not working hard enough.


Nonetheless, I am sad to see many of these older companies be forgotten, but I never had the money to support them which makes me the reason why they're going out of business.

 

That's a little harsh on yourself. The core of the hobby is creative problem solving. You or anyone else in the hobby not buying parts is not the core issue. The core issue is people are aging out of the hobby and there are just fewer people participating. There are very few younger people entering the hobby. Look at the demographics on this board.

Bigger companies have consolidated and put pressure on the small guys bringing us to where we are.

Being a creative builder is a valuable skill and you bring solutions to the hobby that others may not have thought of so thanks for all the contributions!

 

my thoughts exactly this is a great thread

 

You might give Mid West Early Ford a call..
https://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb...jhb~~~~A40~A21

 

what was their sister company's name

or am i confused

 

They went belly up too when Midfifty took them over, Classic Haulers was the name they went under..

 

Was it "Classic Haulers"? Or am I thinking of something else?

ETA: John posted while I was looking it up in my parts venders list. I thought that was it.

 

Yes it was, I edited my post..

 

Eckler’s (formerly Macs).

 

Another one gone was Northern classic trucks

 

I'm afraid with what's happening in this trade war and the parts from China drying up I doubt there will be many in the USA taking up the slack on parts for our trucks. Parts trucks will likely become more and more expensive..if you can find one..

 

I'm in the same boat. Spending money on my truck is not a high priority. But it is fun making old things work and not just buying parts.
That reminds me of a magazine that I used to get. I read one article on a car and he said he blew way past is $120,000 budget. I completely lost interest in the magazine after that article.

I wonder for some smaller non structural parts if home 3D printing will pick up some slack. We've had some discussions on it in the past, but I haven't heard anything recently.