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Brand "New" Old Parts

kindofblue

Jedi Warrior
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Brand "New" Old Parts

One of the drivers at my auction had LBCs years ago. He was kind enough to give me some leftover TR4 parts he had laying around. These items were never used - but they are about 40 years old.

New set of Parking brake cables - and lever assembly
New set of Raybestos front disc pads in original packaging.

How good will these two items be after all this time? The brake pads I wouldn't use regular - but keep in the trunk as a spare set. When was the last time a brake pad split up though? The parking cables I don't know if they are seized or not after all this time. My car doesn't need them right now.

Also - there is a new tonneau cover folded up in a bag. It appears to be in very good shape, just moldy. How do I unfold it, and bring it back to health so it is usable? I was thinking of leaving it outside in the sun on warm day to soften the leather, then clean it off, and treat it to some saddle soap.
 
Re: Brand "New" Old Parts

The pads are likely better than current supply, because they'll have asbestos in (and asbestos is forever). Brake cables OK if no rust.

The tonneau is a different question; likely it's not worth messing with. Vinyl does get old just sitting on a shelf. I had a NORS one that I stored myself for about 10 years, inside the house (no temperature extremes and no mold) ... it looked fine, but started falling apart within about 2 years of installing it on the car.
 
Re: Brand "New" Old Parts

/bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/iagree.gif

Two additional points on the tonneau cover:

1. It's not really leather, just vinyl, so saddle soap will do nothing to preserve it.

2. If it's showing mold, there's a pretty good chance that enough moisture has gotten to it so that the zipper will be pretty much toast. Nowadays, it can be almost as expensive to have a new zipper put in as it is to buy a new tonneau. /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif
 
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