The Future of X1/9 parts and Group Buys/Consortium

I've just been thinking about the parts availability for X1/9's as they get scarcer and more expensive for elusive parts, as I want to keep my Exxies forever, but that worry is never far from my mind, of not being able to keep it on the road not due to rust, but lack of parts! and it pains me to see so many exxies getting crushed without being properly plundered for parts - or being "broken" for spares, when in reality someone buys it, pulls a couple of badges and a lightbulb off it and then has it crushed. (I sadly was very guilty of this very crime many years ago when I was first into X1/9's - I bought a car, stripped a few trim bits off it then had it towed away to its doom even though it had a perfect engine/gearbox in it! I cringe at the thought of that now...)

Being an Lancia Integrale owner, I know some other Integrales owners are sufficiently worried, they are actually starting a parts consortium due to the fact some parts are getting nigh on difficult to obtain. The newest Integrales are a lot newer than our X1/9! - it shows how lax we are in a sense. I'm obsessively hoarding parts 'just in case', I have a garage chock ablock with bits n pieces, but most of my parts seem to be the sort of parts that never break/wear out!! (such as bumpers, clocks, engines etc!) - its those little service items, perishable rubber bits etc. that really are a problem....

Also perhaps we should be more pro-active approaching component manufacturers to make up parts - for example water hoses are getting harder and harder to source new, yet all our originals are perishing fast - those "one size fit all" Halfords replacements are nasty to look at and take some bodging to fit, I was thinking about approaching say Samco and getting them to make up a complete set of silicone hoses. Along the same lines we should approach custom alloy fabbers such as Pace/Forge and get them to make alloy tanks. This is just off the top of my head - I'm sure there are many more examples of a big potential market (i.e having enough X1/9 owners willing to partake in a group buy to make it an attractive proposition for the company to tool up and start production).

Anyone agree?? Would appreciate some discussion/feedback on this... perhaps a mod could make this a 'sticky' so that this thread gets the attention it deserves...

So whats the part number for the Truemans Pale ale Jim

I know there are liability issues, but I agree that there are some parts that the club should think about stocking.

I was thinking about approaching say Samco and getting them to make up a complete set of silicone hoses

Particularly something like the hoses where there is a minimum quantity. If it was, say 20, I don't think it would be too big a risk to get them made up.

I think it's one the committee need to talk about. We could use this thread to suggest items in th emeantime.

What we need to think about are parts that are no longer available, that people need to replace and that we could possibly get remade.

The other way of doing this is a group buy - someone who wants a part finds out how much and how many, then get a commitment from other members (and a deposit!) before ordering up the parts.

Any more suggestions?

pro-alloy now has the pattern to make a perfectly fitting alloy radiator ... maybe they'd do a few a bit cheaper ... but we've been here before ...

That's ideal as far as I'm concerned.

If they would make up five at a better price I'd be in favour of the club buying them. I bet we'd shift them inside of a year.

Provided that the manufacturer was happy to honour the guarantee if we sold them on I can't see a problem.

The problem isn't the parts but who holds onto them and administrates them. We have enough problems trying to find members willing to fill committee positions without the problems of sourcing, storing and looking after a large number of spare parts. What about administration, circulating parts to members across the country when they need bits? What about the money side of things? This is a very romantic idea but realistically, it is far from a simple operation. I don't think you realise the amount of work that will be required to start and continue to run such an operation. This will be voluntary position so no pay for whoever does it. What about the storage? How much space would you need, the work required to catalogue and keep track of all these parts. Sorry to put my big foot in your ideas Jim but there has to a balanced view of what this undertaking will actually mean. We all have piles of spares in cupboards and garages but when you start running this as a club benefit for me I believe it would be too difficult to run. Just think about regalia and problems we've had sending out that in the past. That's my view which will give you all something to chat about.

Groups buy is a better option. If you can have a list of manufacturers that specialise in certain components then this would make things much easier but you would have to get a minimum number of people for each production run. No club money should be involved in this as it is not why we exist. Paying for free Champagne in France still pisses me off but the committee got away with that one..............argh.......which I still think is fucking robbery but you don't want to start going down that road again, being left with sums of money from the club funds subsidising rebuilds etc. NOT ON!

The problem isn't the parts but who holds onto them and administrates them

Good point, I'd forgotten about that!

So, group buys seem the way forward.

If anyone is thinking about a custom made part (like a radaitor) ask the supplier if it would be cheaper to get 5 or 10 made up, then ask if anyone on here is up for it and get a deposit off the interested people.

We had started in a previous forum to try to establish what was the most urgent items to see about getting re-manufactured.
Also we were building up a list of items which were available from other cars in the fiat range.
That sort of information could benefit from its own web page for easy reference.
What about the possibilty of contacting parts suppliers like QH who used to manufacture certain parts before for the cars. They may still have the tooling and may be interested in doing a run if they we could give them an idea of the size of the customer base.
Just a thought.
dan

Dan R wrote: What about the possibilty of contacting parts suppliers like QH who used to manufacture certain parts before for the cars . They may still have the tooling and may be interested in doing a run if they we could give them an idea of the size of the customer base.
Just a thought.
dan

Good point well made!!

I have recently asked my local, yet quite esthablished Auto Factor to source all X1/9 parts still AV from suppliers like QH and asked them ask if they would be interested in making more esp. Susp. struts.

I will keep you posted on progress!

James

:lol:

Was browsing the french x1/9 groups and saw this comment in the europa group links page, www.koni.fr/
"Le site de KONI-FRANCE, dont les amortisseurs inimitables sont bien connus des amateurs de Fiat Bertone X1/9. Notez que KONI-FRANCE, en partenariat avec le club X1/9 EUROPA, vient de relancer la production des amortisseurs X1/9 qui n'étaient plus fabriqués depuis 3 ans. KONI-FRANCE est également partenaire d'X1/9 EUROPA pour l'organisation de l'anniversaire des 30 ans de l'X1/9 en Corse (7 au 12 mai 2002)."

which acording to my translator prog =

The site of KONI-FRANCE, whose inimitable shock absorbers are known well of the amateurs of Trusted Bertone X1/9. Note that KONI-FRANCE, in partnership with the club X1/9 EUROPA, has just thrown back the production of the X1/9 shock absorbers that was not manufactured anymore since 3 years. KONI-FRANCE is also partner of EUROPA X1/9 for the organization of the birthday of the 30 years of the X1/9 in Corsica (7 to May 12, 2002).
Does anyone know any more about this?

koni France part no's

X 1/9 type AS (1300cc) 72 - 78 86 5332 front 86 5333 rear

X 1/9 5 vitesses Type AS1 79 - 86 86 5332 front no number listed for rear
(1500 cc)

I remember from my chats to Steve n Sue at x19 files, they have teamed up with Mark at CASCU/ Eurosport in the past, to get manufactured some of the more difficult to get parts. An example where is apparently worked well was the manufacture of a batch of stainless steel exhaust units, which they were then able to sell for a very reasonable price.

Yes, we know in this case the club are not holding the stock so Mark and Steve are the ones 'profiting' (that dirty word in the UK) from this, but the fact is these people and other club magazine advertisers have the expertise and abiltiy to stock and administer such items.

The likes of steve at X19files, Steve at alternative autos and Mark at CASCU I'm sure will listen , as they have done in the past, if enough people go to them and ask for particular parts.
However, be aware that business interests are bound to dictate, especially if an X1-9 owner/ enthusiast complains about spending £10 on a door mirror, where for example an Alfa or Ferrari owner/ enthusiast thinks nothing of spending thousands on similar parts and cars. If you were a supplier, would you really put up with the hassle of old FIAT owners moaning about spending a few quid. Don't think I would
unfortunately, it will be a fact of economy. Grales are fetching money, X1-9s aren't......
Unfortunately, folks like us who spend money on cars that aren't worth that monetary value after those parts are bought and fitted are a dying breed.

I think Ewen really has put the finger on it.......administration pains vs number of members able to volunteer means we can't economically go down this autobahn....

I say give your support to the club magazine advertisers, and for the time being, talk to them about rare parts, and how we can get them remanufactured where needed.

Could we not use the funds that have not been used to print magazines over the last two years to offer free advertising to those suppliers willing to stock hard to get exxy items ? Just a thought....

Could we not use the funds that have not been used to print magazines over the last two years to offer free advertising to those suppliers willing to stock hard to get exxy items ?

Nice idea, but the drop in membership has cost us almost exactly what we've save on magazine costs.

I think Joe's thinking along the right lines here. The usual suspects will supply anything on which they'll make a profit - that's what they do, but to get an item remanufactured needs a certain number of people interested to commit to buying (or pay up front for) the item in question.

No supplier is going to buy, for example, 10 sets of suspension struts at £500 a go and hope that they shift them before they retire, but if 10 people go to them, with money, I'm sure they'd look into it.