MTFCA Forum

From the vintage Ford forum today...

"Talked to Gery Bergbower yesterday he's not taking anymore orders for new radiators. He's finishing the order's he has and the business is up for sale."

"Called Bergs on Monday and was told the same thing closing with no prospective buyers. They told me the biggest problem was getting supplies to make the radiators and finally gave up because of so many headaches. Covid did its number once again."

Hate to hear that! He made a really good radiator. I’m afraid we are in a heck of a time for supplies of all different kinds. Covid is one thing but another of what’s happening in the Ukraine that will eventually cause supply issues and rising prices even more.

Darn! Another one bites the dust! It would be great if someone stepped up to buy the business but it seems such folks are getting scarce.

It has barely begun.
Enjoy life while you can.

Wonder if this will have an impact on Brassworks pricing?

BrassWorks is a honest vendor. Depending on their suppliers of different metals if their prices go up possibly BrassWorks price would change. Just because Berg's is closing doesn't mean BrassWorks will automatically increase their prices.

Big Time Tim! A lot of us in a manufacturing/design are having serious supply and material shortages. The shortage.., if you are willing to fork out more money, it shows up. Most blame Covid..., It is pure greed brought on by Covid. I quit making Model T items for a lot reasons, lack of demand, too expensive to the end user, etc. Other hands are busy in development and other interest with demand. I just received an email from one of our suppliers explaining 1 March 2022, electrical grade copper and 6061/T561 aluminum billet will increase by 31%. Out of my control, my end users do not care as they need our products. So...., Supply and demand dictates a business's health.., growth, maturity, decay with diversity to move with the times. I hate this is happening to others whom have supplied us for years but a sign of the times.

Humbled Hank

The price has already gone up on a lot of parts and others are no longer available for the same reasons!

I called to buy some Riverside Tires and they are out of stock, but I was told there would be a price increase when they come in.

I have a son-in-law who has a electrical business and copper wire is constantly and slowly increasing along with other bldg. materials He has had to get his materials money cost up front from the builders before he will start a job. He’s busy but the housing costs are steadily rising. A $300.000 house 4-5 years ago is now $7-800.000 now not including the cost of the small acreage or lot. He’s really gotten more serious in saving all the drop wire pieces ( the pieces he cuts off the ends after a tie up and etc). Same goes for the AC installers. They pick up every copper or brass drop pieces they have.

The problem is on line banking. Back in the day, currency was based on gold and silver. It would have been easy to correct the problem by having a an expiration date on all paper money. At that time it would be traded in on for a new series of paper de-valued for inflation. So if the price of the dollar went down, the new dollar would given a higher value which would cancel the devaluation caused by inflation. Example, what I used to buy for a penny when I was a boy, costs about a dollar. So it would take 100 of the old dollars to equal one of the new dollars. However with so many trades are now on line, it would be nearly impossible to accomplish. Another thing which could be done would be to round off all prices to the nearest dollar, and coins would not be used except for collector items. I don't even carry them in my pocket, because our dollar is worth about what a penny used to be. Hamburgers use to be about 15c Much candy and chewing gum cost about a penny each or a nickle for a pack of gum. An ice cream cone was 5c and a second scoop was 2 cents more. So you could get two scoops for 7 cents. Gasoline was about 20c a gallon You could fill the tank for about $4.00. Two presidents ruined the dollar. F. Roosevelt took the dollar off the gold standard in the country but was still on gold internationally. Nixon took the dollar off gold internationally, so both political parties had a part in what we have now. The dollar is only worth what we are willing to spend or the seller is willing to take.

The "Cost of Living" is the amount of money one needs to maintain their standard of living. This is equatable to "purchasing power" as many of you have referenced. Back in the day (1914), Henry paid worker's $5 for an 8 hour day. Converting that value due to inflation gives $17.57/hr. Inflation is nothing more than a dog chasing its tail. COVID caused wages to increase as a result of a worker shortage. Keeping the work place sanitized another cost. So one thing leads to another. The transportation cost of delivering fuel to a gas pump increases because of the wage increases of all those involved from getting it out of the ground, refining it and transporting it. Supply is affected by weather, war, technology and calamity. Demand ebbs and flows. Living in a major city costs more than in a some sub-burbs or any rural town. Gasoline prices were down prior to vaccinations being available because people weren't traveling as much and you may have gotten a small refund from your auto insurance company as many people did. If you recall the price of paper products on the onset of COVID went wild. We called it panic buying and people started hoarding toilet paper and cleaning, sanitizing products. So where was the greed that caused the price increase. Locally retailers limited quantities vs a price increase (price gauging is regulated by law)

So what have you spent your dollars on Today: Smart TV's, Phones, Computers, Printers, Internet, Cable TV. washing machines & Dryers, dishwashers, welders, electric drills, HVAC home systems, indoor plumbing, car conveniences (horsepower, air conditioning, safety glass, Stereo, GPS). So compare how one lived in 1914 to Today.

So when you hear on the news that some company's profits were up they will seldom mention that their sales were up as well, just a natural outcome. Where do profits go, to grow a business. Look at Apple for example: A TV, computer & phone plugged into a wall outlet in your home to having that functionality in your back pocket where you you roam.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 25, 2022 12:51 am

I'm afraid we've been spoiled by living in a golden age of parts availability.

So true. I joined the Model T world back in 2002. When the catalogs came out each year, the first thing I would check was what new parts had become available. There would also be the occasional mention of a new product or service in this forum. Then, about five years ago the trend started to reverse. Unfortunately, it's now a case of seeing what products have been deleted each time the catalogs come out.
Luckily, restoring my car coincided with peak parts availability (the Berg's radiator being one of the items I purchased), but there will always be replacement items required as parts wear and/or break.

The Model T hobby thrived on people with the skills to machinists, foundries, plating services, CNC machines etc to make reproduction parts. Today's and emerging technologies will be available to fill the void of those lost skills (art). Initially 3-D printers were making plastic parts, now they are making things in a variety of metals. The only hold back will be demand.

Are the gas tank parts available any where? Inlet and outlet flanges that is. I could probably pump a few round tanks out.

Sorry to hear about another loss.
I live a mile away from a stanky radiator shop.
It's neat to see the radiator attached to hoses, dropped in water, and checked for leaks.
They then lower it in acid to remove the paint, sweat off the side tanks (or top and bottom), and make repairs.
Replacement cores are ordered and then the process is reversed.
I liked what I saw so much years ago I even inquired about working there. For anyone who considers taking on this business, I will say that it is rewarding to see things being made, unlike the service industry we live in today.

Question : What have I spent my money on today ?
Answer : This morning I spent my personal expense money buying some reproduction Model T parts that I need for a future project, in order to get said parts before they stop making them !

Kevin I have been preaching that for years to deaf ears!!!!!!

Kevin I have been preaching that for years to deaf ears!!!!!!

This morning I spent my personal expense money buying some reproduction Model T parts that I need for a future project, in order to get said parts before they stop making them !

Yep, I have a few things stashed for the time when they will no longer be available. Bulbs, bearings, gaskets, etc. Trouble is you can't stock everything, and you don't know what's most likely to disappear.

Per Steve's post above, yeh I just bought $300 worth of spare parts trying to "predict" what I may need in the next 10 years.
Maybe what I really need is to get OUT of the hobby while I can realize most of the car's value now! This is not looking good gents. We are literally also at the mercy of Vietnam if you know what I mean. Yeh, maybe we can recore radiators, but what about rubber? And of course engine internals...how much longer will that manufacture be around? Hopefully there's enough good used stuff to keep 'em rattling!!

That is why all yous guys need to come to Chickasha and better to Luray. Get the stuff that cost so much to ship before it all goes to the scrap yard. Dan

Dan, get off of my soap box!

I got my new Berg’s high radiator yesterday, Friday. The quality of the workmanship is outstanding. It’s one of those purchases that I had been putting off for a number of years, but as soon as I saw that the business was up for sale, I knew I had to jump on it. Guess mine is one of the last ones he made….

Dave Young wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 26, 2022 5:38 pm

I got my new Berg’s high radiator yesterday, Friday. The quality of the workmanship is outstanding. It’s one of those purchases that I had been putting off for a number of years, but as soon as I saw that the business was up for sale, I knew I had to jump on it. Guess mine is one of the last ones he made….

My brother did something similar, buying one as a spare last year at Hershey.

 
If you want a peek into the future of our hobby - Look at this.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/115260819217

Well, $100 for a new copper head gasket now is actually a good price. Otherwise you have to buy a whole Model T gasket set to get copper. Lately Rock Auto has the set with shipping for $175.

Hmmmm....

Not to rain in Jim's parade, but he may be a bit too early:

https://www.modeltford.com/item/3002C.aspx


Dave

aDave wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 26, 2022 8:50 pm

Hmmmm....

Not to rain in Jim's parade, but he may be a bit too early:

https://www.modeltford.com/item/3002C.aspx


Dave

They are in the catalog but have not been available for at least several months.

I stand corrected.

Dave