In the course of helping locate parts for Steve's 428 '66 Tbird I discovered information regarding our Tbird parts that I did not know.
In talking with the Bird Nest and Thunderbird Hqs today I found out that Tbird Hqs (California) is the only company that makes the '58-'66 Tbird door panels and associated parts (and many other major parts we buy all the time). We have many Tbird parts vendors out there selling parts. But only a few Tbird parts companies actually make them, and the rest buy from them! In talking with Thunderbird Hqs they said they manufacture some 1,800 Tbird parts and that between them, Larry's Tbird & Mustang Parts, (also in California) and the Bird Nest, (in Oregon) the three companies make 90% of the Tbirds parts that are available from all our Tbird parts houses! Unfortunately, they were not able to give me a list of which tbird parts who is making...
For years, I have ordered parts primarily from the Bird Nest, the Bird House and Tbird Hqs. because of the great support they have given me. Not knowing that the parts I were ordering often had to be ordered by them from Tbird Hqs, or Larry's. Had I known that, I could have saved shipping times, and if I had done my price comparisons, I might have found that I could have saved money by ordering from the manufacturing source instead of one of the Tbirds parts houses that was also selling their parts. Usually, the other Tbird parts houses stock the parts that others are manufacturing. But sometimes, they are out of stock and have to order from the manufacturing company. When ordering in the future, ask the company if they are the manufacturing company. If they are, you probably want to order directly from them. If they are not, ask the company you are about to order from if they are not the manufacturer of that part, then who is. You might also want to ask them if they have that part in stock, or if they will have to order it. If they have to order it, then you might want to order from the manufacturer directly instead. All three of those companies give good service to my knowledge. Here are their websites...
http://tbirdparts.com/
http://www.larrystbird.com/
http://www.tbirdhq.com/
In talking with the Bird Nest and Thunderbird Hqs today I found out that Tbird Hqs (California) is the only company that makes the '58-'66 Tbird door panels and associated parts (and many other major parts we buy all the time). We have many Tbird parts vendors out there selling parts. But only a few Tbird parts companies actually make them, and the rest buy from them! In talking with Thunderbird Hqs they said they manufacture some 1,800 Tbird parts and that between them, Larry's Tbird & Mustang Parts, (also in California) and the Bird Nest, (in Oregon) the three companies make 90% of the Tbirds parts that are available from all our Tbird parts houses! Unfortunately, they were not able to give me a list of which tbird parts who is making...
For years, I have ordered parts primarily from the Bird Nest, the Bird House and Tbird Hqs. because of the great support they have given me. Not knowing that the parts I were ordering often had to be ordered by them from Tbird Hqs, or Larry's. Had I known that, I could have saved shipping times, and if I had done my price comparisons, I might have found that I could have saved money by ordering from the manufacturing source instead of one of the Tbirds parts houses that was also selling their parts. Usually, the other Tbird parts houses stock the parts that others are manufacturing. But sometimes, they are out of stock and have to order from the manufacturing company. When ordering in the future, ask the company if they are the manufacturing company. If they are, you probably want to order directly from them. If they are not, ask the company you are about to order from if they are not the manufacturer of that part, then who is. You might also want to ask them if they have that part in stock, or if they will have to order it. If they have to order it, then you might want to order from the manufacturer directly instead. All three of those companies give good service to my knowledge. Here are their websites...
http://tbirdparts.com/
http://www.larrystbird.com/
http://www.tbirdhq.com/
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