hey guy/gals. Wondering, does ford have an obsolete parts depot? I know john deere has one. Just curious if they do how would I get ahold of them? Do you just call a dealership and go about it that way? Anyone have much luck with it or just through the dealerships? Do the depot/dealerships have much available at all for 73-79.

thanks for any info!!

 

edit.....john deere has some parts for there old stuff I would never have dreamed they would have 50-80 years later!!

 

Ford does not have an obsolete parts depot. If they did, the depot would have to be the size of Rhode Island!

Ford has had BILLIONS of parts since 1903, faaar more than Deere ever thought of having.

When a part first goes obsolete, the dealer has one year to return it to Ford under Ford's PIPP (Parts Inventory Protection Plan) program.

Besides obsolete parts, most of the parts in a dealers inventory can be returned. Usually dealers return parts that haven't sold within a 3 month time frame.

There are $$$ restrictions on how much can be returned. It depends on how much the dealer spent buying the parts from Ford over the previous year.

This program can be implemented once a month. but most dealers only return parts to Ford once a year, because it's a PITA.

This is a time consuming job to say the least. The correct forms must be used....

Every part has to be in its original packaging which must be in the exact same condition when the part first arrived.

The small individual parts have placed in larger boxes with a packing slip for each box with the contents listed.

If a mistake is made, Ford sends back the parts and the dealer has to do it all over again.

Some dealers didn't bother doing any of this, just wrote the parts off, stored them somewhere or threw them away.

If dealers do not return obsolete parts in this one year time span, they are STUCK with them.
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The main thing I do here on FTE (when I'm not ranting-see below) is when members ask about certain parts, I look them up, see if Ford still shows them as available.

If not, I search for them on several parts locator sites, then post the results which if found, includes the part number, and who has it.

I don't get paid a cent to do this scheiss by FTE, by dealers or obsolete parts vendors...I do this because I want to.

My wife sez I do it because I'm crazy, but that's her opinion.
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My usual rant:

Most parts personnel today could care less about old parts...whether they are available or not.

Many dealers today have NO parts catalogs prior to 1980.

The usual response you get is from dealers is: Sorry, the part is obsolete when you ask about something.

Most have no clue. Most do not even look in the parts catalog to see if that's really true or not.

Bottom line: They just shine you on.

Most of these ppl are not really parts savvy at all today. What they are...are computer certified techs.

Since the 1990's, all that's needed to find specific parts is the vehicles VIN. When typed into Ford's computer system, ALL the part numbers appear on the screen.

All the person has to do...is...walk to the parts bin...pull the part...type up the invoice on the computer...that's it.

Since no effort is required, many of these peeps have no basic part numbers memorized, don't know where to look for them in parts catalogs, don't know much of anything.

They are doing the job for one reason only = for a paycheck.

 

I agree 100%, but in my small town here in central Iowa the parts guy is actually a car guy!!! He actually has an a$$ load of micro fish stashed behind the counter and can look parts up on the old stuff. He can not only look it up, but unlike a lot of dealerships he will actually take the time to look it up, since it takes more time then with the computer. That's where some of these parts guys may have the resources, but just don't want to take the time. If I need something I will call him in the morning and he tells me that he will look it up and see if it's avalible. Usually with in the hour I have a call back. He's not near as good as Bill is with finding the parts since some of the micro fish is scratched, but I will give him an 'A+' for effort.

 

I know all about scratched microfiche slides, here's the info:

Soak the slides in hot water, then use dish dish detergent to clean them, wipe off with a cotton towel.

Now use a dab of your favorite brand of TUBE TOOTHPASTE to polish the fiche.

When that's done, repeat the cleaning process.

Now the slides can be easier to read.

btw: I currently have over 500 microfiche slides in addition to 100 + printed parts catalogs, and 7 more parts catalogs on CD's.

Most of the printed catalogs are stacked up in my garage.
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You can buy a CD copy of the 1973/79 Ford LIGHT Truck Parts Catalog from hipoparts.com for around 25 bucks.

Notice I said LIGHT catalog. There's another, the HEAVY catalog.

You prolly do not want this, as it's F600 and larger trucks only.

hipo has many other car & truck parts catalogs on CD's from 1948 thru 1989.

Caveat Emptor: If you have a 1966/72 and/or 1973/79 Bronco, do NOT buy the truck parts catalogs.

1966/79 Bronco parts will be found in the CAR parts catalogs (1965/72 & 1973/79).

 

What dealer in Iowa are you fortunate enough to have near you with that good of a partsman ???
As for Bill...he is spot on...as usual...except when I call the dealer or go in and ask they usually say the truck is too old...mines a few moons older then the dentsides, but you all know the drill well by now...
Its frustrating as heck to say the least...
As for the scratched fiche...ughhhhhh not a fun thing to look at...or try to w/o a magnifying glass.


- cs65

 

Gookin Ford in Story City. Just a little dealership. They have about a dozen employees total from service to sales. For the most part they are very customer service oriented, but in a small town you have to be. If you **** off your customers they will drive 10 miles to the next dealership and take their buisness there. Plus word of mouth travels so fast in a small town. Plus being in a small town you don't have all the independent shops to do service. So their service department works on every make and model, new and old. Just a couple months ago they had a Jeep CJ7 in there rebuilding the engine.

 

When I search for obsolete parts here for members, both of the following dealers seem to have a lotta stuff.

Klimesh Motor Sales in Calmar & Freese Motors in Monticello.

AFAIK, these are no longer Ford dealers. I believe they are now used car dealers, but saved all the obsolete parts.

When dealers cancel their franchises, they do what is called a termination, which means they can return all the parts to Ford.

But...if the parts are obsolete, they cannot return them.

 

If you search for those dealers on Fords web site they both come up as Ford dealers. Klimesh Motor Sales has 0 new cars and Freese Motors has 4 new F150s.

There are a lot of these small town dealerships that are just hanging on. There is a dealership in a near by town (40 miles) that doesn't stock anything new, they will have 5-10 used on the lot. They will order anything new for you or go to the auto auction and find a used vehicle for you too. Mostly they are just a service center for the town of 200 people and surrounding farmers. They have 3 guys that work there. 1 full time mechanic, 1 mechanic/sales/owner, and a high school kid that changes oil, sweeps, etc. Great little places. It's like stepping back in time when you walk into their shop.

There was another dealership in a town a little closer, can't remember the name, but for as long as I can remember, last 15-20 years, you would actually call the guy at home if you wanted a new Ford. He would bring you the brochure to your home and he would order it for you. The guy had a full blown Ford dealership way back in the day and kept the franchise but wouldn't sell it. He died a couple years back, not sure what ever became of the dealership if it went back to Ford, or if Ford just finally took it away or what.

 

I bought a NOS anodized grill for my 65 off of ebay...not a cheap piece, but it came from a dealer in Independence... very nice guy to work with.


- cs65

 

One of the search websites I use is the in-house Ford Dealer Parts Locator System.

Klimesh and Freese do not appear on this system.

When I type obsolete part numbers, these two dealers appear on another website I use to search for parts, but not on Ford's site.

 

Here's a source for obsolete Ford parts,
Green Sales Company - Obsolete Ford parts, Lincoln, Mercury parts Green Sales Company, supplier of obsolete Ford parts and Lincoln / Mercury parts. Our Ford parts inventory represents all Ford and Lincoln / Mercury products from 1950 to the present.

I've gotten stuff from them before, but you have to know the Ford part number your looking for.

 

hey ND! Would the ford master parts catalog have basically the part number for EVERY SINGLE PART im assuming? might by the 73-79 one on ebay and wondering if it literally has every number?

thanks man!

I'm on a huge search for just about every nos part i can afford!

 

The 1973/79 Ford LIGHT Truck Parts Catalog is available on a CD from hipoparts.com for around $25.00.

The problem with this catalog is...it was scanned from the first complete printed version (8/1978) and 1000's of the part numbers were updated thru the last version of 10/88.

The last edition of 10/88 is available from Ford on microfiche, it costs $110.00 and you'll need a microfiche reader to use it.

While I suggest you do buy the CD catalog, you will need to verify the part numbers before searching for them.

I have the: 8/1979 catalog on microfiche and paper, a 1980 version on microfiche, another paper version for 1982, and the 10/88 version on microfiche.

I also have the O-S-I Catalogs. Without them, I'd be SOL, as I couldn't type one single part number because I wouldn't know if the number had been updated...or not.

O-S-I = Obsolete-Supercede-Interchange. Every number I type on FTE...I have to verify first. This is a time consuming process...to say the least.

 

Along with green sales company, I found another site. Between the two, there is LOTS of OEM/nos (whatever you wanna call it) stuff to be had. Some odd stuff I was surprised to see available. Unfortunately you have to search by part number and there is no pictures etc, but it gives prices and to my surprise some of the oem stuff is cheaper than dennis C.

cheers.