I need to order some parts.
I'm looking thru Dennis Carpenter and LMC catalogs.
DC charges twice as much on some of the parts I need.

Would I be getting better quality parts from DC?

 

Can you post some examples? With most things in life, you get what you pay for.

 

Parts for a '54 F250......

Cowl vent gasket
Heater motor and heater core seal set
Gas tank filler neck to tank hose.

Looks like DC has $9.95 shipping where as LMC is more costly on shipping....just to consider.

 

Links would be better than the descriptions because some of those don't mean much if one isn't familiar with exactly what they are. Are we talking $2 parts or $200 parts?

One of them you listed though sounds like rubber fuel hose. That is one area where the DC parts are recognized as the only way to fly, the LMC rubber stuff, not so much.

You're looking at it the wrong way anyway - good quality parts don't cost "twice as much" so much as half priced stuff is usually just crap. It pays to shop around for sure but the prices for identical items don't normally vary *that* much.

 

I'd say that if DC charges twice as much for a similar item as LMC then it's because the cheaper stuff is just that cheap.
DC has been doing the old Ford stuff for a long time and has bought a lot of dies stamps and licenses from Ford. In comparison, LMC is a Johnny come lately British car parts house that turned to reselling Ford and cheby parts to subsidize the brit business.

 

It all depends on what you are buying.....I have been impressed with both DC and CG Ford. They have people you can talk to that know the products. Don't forget that your local Napa can get a lot of parts for you with no shipping.

 

Unfortunately, DC has been outsourcing a lot of their stuff, notably the rubber parts that they made their rep on. M/C boots, fuel filler grommets, etc. So far as I know, they still make windshield and rear window rubber in-house and it is top-notch by all reports.

Examples of lousy repro stuff are all around, just got to pick and choose what you can live with. I mostly go to LMC for glass, because it all comes from China/Taiwan anyway, and they are closer to me so shipping is cheaper. And it's good quality stuff. Like Joe said, they don't make anything, and know nothing about our trucks, but on commodity stuff why pay more?

 

OK,the heater box seal kits are ....LMC $7.95,DC is $15.00.

I know it's not a big purchase but why 2X the price?

I'll gladly pay for the higher set if it's better Quality.

 

I have purchased some sheet metal items from LMC and had to take them back I am up where they are all the time anyway. I called mid fifty and got the same part only it fit. I am sure that LMC has some good stuff but I will not darken their doors anymore. Just my 2 cents.

 

I vote for Mid Fifty Home - Mid Fifty F-100 Parts for 53-56 parts. Their prices are always competitive on the best available parts if there are 2 similar parts available at significantly differing prices they will often list both and tell you what the differences are so you can make an informed decision. All the people there have hands on experience with most all the parts they sell, and will tell it like it is. Plus their service is second to none. If you find a lower price on identical part they will match it.

 

MidFifty also does price matching. Now, it has to be apples to apples. So, they might be able to give you some info on the differences or they could match the price. By the way their Heater Seal Kit (part#: 1904) is $13.50

As an example of what AX said, here is the verbiage on their Door Weatherstripping page in the catalog at midfifty:
Lots of choices out there, and we offer them all. Please read this and do not hesitate to call for help deciding which is best for you.
• Exact of original style is just that, exact of fords original. Should set with door closed for a week or so after installation to “seat” or
you may think it is too thick.
• Best is our new hollow core seals, solves most normal fit problems, made more like late model rubber, allows door to close &
seal properly.
• Domed style, kind of a universal rubber, Dan uses it on trucks he builds with good success. You may need to double up in
corners or bring it out more toward edge.
• Econo rubber, others advertise and sell this cheaper seal, so we offer it as well. I do not list it here as it is, frankly, terrible, stinky,
glue will not stick to it, yuck!!!!

 

While we're on that subject, can the rubber be installed OK without actual door removal?

 

Well I just haveto dissagree on the Midfifty "Halleluja moment".....

All of them certainly do not at all have hands on experience......

There "experts" certainly do not always know squat about what they are talking about.....

There so called "exactly as original" is not always "exactly as original..

I could continue.........but i´ll stop right there

So there you go......everything based on my own experience.....

I order all the things I can thru DC, if possible.....

Now I will probably be kicked out from FTE for "disordely conduct" but I can take it.

I am just so feed up with the glorification of MF

Have a nice day you all

 

I do know that MF has a "school" for their staff where their products are actually installed by their staff on actual project trucks on company time. If that isn't hands on I don't know what is. I don't know any other company that does that. Most of the other's sales staff don't even visit their warehouse much less actually touch the items. I'm sorry if you don't like MF, but most the rest of us that have dealt with them appreciate their service. Maybe it's because you are overseas or you don't like working with females, but if you are happy with DC then the more power to you. "Exact as original" means as close to original as economically feasible using available low volume production methods to produce something using the best available 60 year old examples to work from. MF does not manufacture most of their parts, they are distributors of what's available, and do an excellent job of having the products in stock at a fair price. If you are looking for parts manufactured by the same 60 year old high volume methods, machinery, molds, dies, using the exact same materials, possibly no longer available in the market, then you probably should buy only top dollar NOS. Most of the rest of us aren't doing 100 point concours restorations on what are common vehicles with limited demand and value, no matter how well restored here. We just want good service, wide range of in stock parts that work reasonably well. If anyone buys something from MF and isn't happy with it, or no longer need it, no matter how long it might have taken to get around to taking it out of the package, even if you no longer have the original receipt, they will make good on it. I don't know many suppliers in this or any other field that will do that. For those reasons I will continue to sing the praises of MF to anyone who will listen. And no I don't get any special treatment, prices, or anything else from them that they don't give to every other customer.
i only know of a couple people kicked off FTE for having a difference of opinion unless it was with the management of this lemonade stand, so you are safe to express your opinion, that's what this country was founded on.

 

On this one I have to agree with Jimmy. The "Gals" there just don't "know" enough. Have they been trained? OK if you say so, training shows you just enough to get you in trouble. Hands on is where its at and back in the 90s when I had a question the old timers at DC had the answers, not because they were "trained" because they had 40 years of experience!


And whats with the tootsie rolls? Is that supposed to make me feel better when the order is wrong? The constant MF praise is enough to make me
As a seller of used parts here and cant tell you how many people have called me and asked "where does this go" I bought it from MF but they have no idea

There is a lot that goes on behind the scene here at FTE and I do know for a fact that Jimmy was not treated fairly at MF