Is it me or are parts getting worse than ever.

[leafie]

Just some of the parts I’ve purchased recently.

A new radiator for £109.00 from a well known supplier described as OE specification it arrived in the following condition. Scratched, dented, finished in almost see through black gloss paint, neck not welded on straight, no drain hole,metric thread on fixings, bolts missing which should have been with it. To top it all the radiator was 9mm narrower than the one it replaced. Spent hours striping and refurbishing it and making it fit.

A new distributor from another supplier it arrived and had been put together so that instead of firing on number one it was firing on number four, striped it down and put it back together the correct way.

Chrome rocker bolts that the chrome flaked off the first time I put a socket on them.

I know I should have sent them back to the respective suppliers but I’m finding more and more that parts are just such poor quality.

I just won’t order from them again and to think one of them claims to sell only top quality parts.

[chickenjohn]

Better off to get your radiator re-cored by a local radiator man. There is a very good chap local to me who has recored a couple of rads for me for £80 inc Vat. Painted nicely, with BSF captive threads and fitted the car well afterwards as well.

[DaisyMayFozz]

"Chrome rocker bolts that the chrome flaked off the first time I put a socket on them."

you can say that again! Im on my 3rd set, all from different suppliers! Pretty much all chrome is crap nowadays. One thing that really annoys me is when stuff is advertised as 'Genuine Lucas' when is the green-box chinese junk.

These days I just wait to the National, and buy up a load of various decent condition used parts.

[IaininTenbury]

Yes its far better to have original rads recored. The repro ones have very different pressings in the header tank, so look quite different. I certainly wouldn't want to use one on a restoration, but functional enough for a daily driver I suppose.
I assume its a header tank intended for something else and is a near enough match to make up Minor rads with...