Brit bits and pound vs. dollar

[BuggerAll]

The dollar has really moved up against the pound; I've been accumulating bits for my gestating 1360cc motor and have recently been buying from Mini Spares Centre. Examples of available savings include vernier timing sprocket & chain set: now 63 quid, at $1.44 to the pound about $90, instead of the close to $200 or more you pay in the States. Isky-type hardened, lightened lifters - $38. Good savings on Vandervell bearings, all manner of stuff - plus it's tax-free. And quick shipping by UPS, even with the 30 odd pounds shipping charge you can save big $$$.

 

[Whitephrog]

I've just bought some odds and ends from AH Spares and Moss UK. The prices were exceptionally low. A great deal even with the shipping costs.

 

[Morris]

In that case, I guess it's time to buy this:

https://www.twrreplicas.com/xkss.html

 

[vagt6]

And, I'd bet the exchange rate is going to get better for us before this recession's over.

Just wait a bit, you'll see . . . :eeek:

 

[pakiwi]

I kind of like this
https://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/37797

 

[jhorton3]

If that's the case the Frontline 5 speed conversion kit might be a bit more within my means to acquire from the UK rather than the US suppliers.

 

[budk1953]

Here's a couple I've used with success... Holden AES MGOC spares

Unfortunately I needed most of my parts last year.

Bud

 

[scoutll]

I buy small parts from several british stores on ebay and have had nothing but good experiences so far. The exchange rate has been a big plus, AND, they don't charge any more than many of the US places for postage on smaller items. Lots of sellers gouge on the postage.

 

[pakiwi]

I know Mini mania and Swift out of the UK, can anybody else suggest some places that parts can be obtained. Looking at Carb and motor.
Thanks,
Allan

 

[64rocksprite]

Allan,
Some were mentioned above. My two favorites:
Minispares.com is one
MiniSport.com is another

Minispares I have found as the most reasonable on shipping. I bought 1.5 rockers/shaft, an LCB header and some other bits..shipping was like $40..the savings on the LCB and 1.5 rockers were more than enough to justify. Shipping due to being overseas is ultra-expedited..I think I had my parts 4-5 days after placing the order!! This was even back when 1 brit pound was $1.6USD..
MiniSport has some unbelievable deals on camshaft kits..I've not heard of anyone using them, but they sure appear to the be trick if you're going that route. Half the price of the Kent kits seen in the "big box" suppliers..and lots of different "grinds" from mild to wild!

 

[scoutll]

Sussex Classic Car Parts, (ebay name sussex8181) are good, reasonable and charge fairly for shipping to the states. I have bought rubber and electrical items from them and had good luck with their service and products.

 

[JPSmit]

And, I'd bet the exchange rate is going to get better for us before this recession's over.

Just wait a bit, you'll see . . . :eeek:

If that's the case now might be the time to pick up this (CAD/ USD exchange rate that is)

https://www.thesandiegocollection.com/cgi-bin/showroom/detail.cgi?id=2220

 

[DrEntropy]

That should be considered obscene, JP. Not the price, the CAR itself.


If any here get it and need it to be out of their sight, ship it down to me... I'm a purveyor of such porn. :laugh:

 

[jlaird]

Wow

 

[Ed Kaler]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]If any here get it and need it to be out of their sight, ship it down to me... I'm a purveyor of such porn.[/QUOTE]

:lol: at THAT one Doc !!!

According to a pal of mine who actually got to sit in the car at Monterey and chatted with the owner,
that price IS incorrect, gents. He is a feature write for older imports like the Bentley and an appraiser and he told me a number that has one more decimal point!!

And for you gents buying your stuff across the pond hee is a little true story that happened to a friend of mine who thought that saving a few bucks on a SS Exhaust System for his car would be better than buying a discounted one from me. Seven (7) months after he installed the system he started hearing a 'rattle' so he removed the muffler and shook it. Sure enough a baffle had broken loose. So he called the manufacturer.
Now the 'system' came witha Life Time Warrentee.
They told him to ship the muffler BACK to them and then THEY would "determine" if it was infact
a manufacturing defect.

A week later he came by and picked up his brand new mild steel system from me with the words "guess I have learned my lesson."

YMMV (but I doubt it ).

Hope all had a Happy New ear !!!


Ed

 

[Scott_Hower]

I know Mini mania and Swift out of the UK, can anybody else suggest some places that parts can be obtained. Looking at Carb and motor.
Thanks,
Allan

Burlen Fuel Systems
Holden Vintage and Classics
Rimmer Brothers
MGOC

 

[Hap Waldrop]

Actually, It's Mini Spares, Mini Spares is the "godfather" of Spridget goodies, they are who most of the the vendors get their stuff from, for example Titan roller rocker thru Titan only offer fully roller rockers, meaning roller bearing on the sahft, which really isn't necessary, Mini Spares thru large buy quanites got Titan to make them a 1.5 roller rocker set that is roller tipped, and bushed at the shaft, like Harland Sharp, this greatly reduced cost. Mini Mania is the #1 distributor of Mini Spares parts in the US, however there are plenty more US performance vendors selling MS parts as well. In the UK, you'll find many performance vendors, like Swiftune, Peter May, just to mention a few, they both offer unique products to themeselves, alot of racing goodies, and also sell many items that are sourced thru Mini Spares. I've dealt with Mini Spares for years as a shop, it's not really advantagous to buy from them, unless you are buying a good bit of stuff, remember if you haven't got dinged yet by US customs, you will soon enough, and more than likely since your out of country purchases will be reported to your local state tax commision, and you'll be ask to pay state sales tax on the items you buy there. I recently got a letters from my state tax commision on a large purschase of A-series goodies I bought from Australia a few years back, of course since I'm a business this excused me from paying state sales tax. Yep there is money to be saved in the UK, and now with the lower exchage rate its looking more alluring, you just need to aware of what you are getting into, and if you ordered there and didn't get dinged by US customs or state sales tax, be aware it can and will happen even years later.

 

[Hap Waldrop]

I thought I might further elaborate about the deal I ran into with customs and state taxes.

I probably made aobut 3 or 4 orders thru Mini Spares before US customs caught up with me, the items were shipped via UPS, which does a better job with customs these days so fully expect a call form US customs if you order parts from the UK.

OK the state sales tax deal blew me away, and I'm sure will you all as well. In 2005 I ordered about $5K worth of parts form a company in Austraila for the purpose of resaling at my business. This year I got a letter fom the SC dept of revenue stating I had not paid my state sales taxes on this purchase, and now I owed penalties and interest on top of the originally owed sale taxes, about 700 dollars in total. the notice explains if I could prove I was licensed business resaling these products, all taxes, penalties and interest would be excused, well I sent them all of the documentation they ask for. A coupe of weeks later curosity got the best of me, and I wanted to know more about this, so I called my state's tax commision,and what I'm about to tell you is going to shock you.

Like 48 of the 50 US states by law require you to pay state sales tax on anything you buy mail order out of state or internationally, and chances are your state income tax forms even have a place to delcare such unpaid sales taxes. I kinda chuckled when the woman said this, I mean how could possibly state tax commisions know who bought what out of state, they can't , its simply a honor system by you, however when you buy out of country and go thru US customs these records are now being sent to your state's tax commisions, and in my case my state was running some 3 years back in notifying folks, however none of this excuses penalties and interest on upaid taxes, and as all of us know, ignorance of the law is not a acceptable excuse. This all amazed me, if collecting state taxs was so important to the states why did they allow out of state sales to be state sales tax free to begin with, if every state just taxed every out of state mail order sale, then the problem would be solved. I know none of you would like that situcation, but if I were the tax man this is what I would do. So moral of the story, if you are currently buying out of state mail order, you may owe your state unpaid sales taxes, but they will never know, because ther is no paper trail connecting you to your home state, but with international mail orders , your state now has US customs documantation on your international purschases , all part of the patriot act, so they can indeed track your international purchases. Big brother is watching.