In response to all you guys.....been there done that, over and over again. Phil has taken more than just a few of my paychecks for parts and Gary is just now coming around to selling some of his prized treasures. 
Aarrggghh!!
- Thread starter 77CobraII
- Start date
Power Surge
Founding Member
I'll probably get flamed for this, but we ARE all entitled to our opinions, so here goes...
Yes, I have lost needed NOS parts to Phil on ebay. It sucks.
Yes, I have purchased parts from Phil, and when they arrived, I was charged slightly higher than what I was quoted. It sucks.
Yes, Phils prices are sometimes off the wall. It sucks.
BUT (there's always a but), hear me out.
To my knowledge, Phil is the only MII vendor that does this full time. He does not work a day job and sell MII parts on the side, MII's are his day job. Last time I checked, there was no "parts catalog" for MII vendors to order stock out of. These guys have to get the stuff the same way that we do. They have to search, bid, snipe, wheel-and-deal, and do whatever needed to get these parts, just like we do. I do not think Phil is trying to get rich doing this. Let's face it, MII owners are not the richest guys out there. Phil could make much more money selling parts for other years of Mustang that have a larger following and have more cars out on the road. But he love's MIIs and that's what he's chosen to deal with. He's just doing what he can, to get parts to sell to people through his business. When you buy a $300 NOS part from Phil, chances are he paid $275 to get it in his inventory. He's not making huge profits on this stuff. The parts that command higher retail prices in the MII market (like spoilers, bumpers, etc), are expensive through him as well because he had to also pay those high prices to get them.
It does suck to lose an auction for something you need to Phil. But think about it another way. Phil has a LOT of good stuff in stock. A year from now, when you need that part you can't find ANYWHERE, you'll be glad Phil has one to sell to you. And Phil may have had to snipe someone else a year prior on ebay to obtain that item. When you have searched till your fingers bleed for that special item, all that matters is you now have it. And Phil is not selfish either. He's an enthusiast like the rest of us. I've spent lots of time on the phone in the past with Phil, getting vital information from him, and he never rushed me off the phone, or acted like he was unwilling to help. Customer service is just as important sometimes, and Phil has always been there to help.
I give much credit to ALL the vendors trying to make it in this VERY small MII market. It's not an easy job, and you have to stay on the ball 100% of the time just to keep the cash flow coming in. So to everyone out there who has a negative outlook on Phil, I'm not saying you have to like the guy, but at least respect him for the effort he's putting into being there for US, when we need his parts and advice, he's there, just a phone call away.
Yes, I have lost needed NOS parts to Phil on ebay. It sucks.
Yes, I have purchased parts from Phil, and when they arrived, I was charged slightly higher than what I was quoted. It sucks.
Yes, Phils prices are sometimes off the wall. It sucks.
BUT (there's always a but), hear me out.
To my knowledge, Phil is the only MII vendor that does this full time. He does not work a day job and sell MII parts on the side, MII's are his day job. Last time I checked, there was no "parts catalog" for MII vendors to order stock out of. These guys have to get the stuff the same way that we do. They have to search, bid, snipe, wheel-and-deal, and do whatever needed to get these parts, just like we do. I do not think Phil is trying to get rich doing this. Let's face it, MII owners are not the richest guys out there. Phil could make much more money selling parts for other years of Mustang that have a larger following and have more cars out on the road. But he love's MIIs and that's what he's chosen to deal with. He's just doing what he can, to get parts to sell to people through his business. When you buy a $300 NOS part from Phil, chances are he paid $275 to get it in his inventory. He's not making huge profits on this stuff. The parts that command higher retail prices in the MII market (like spoilers, bumpers, etc), are expensive through him as well because he had to also pay those high prices to get them.
It does suck to lose an auction for something you need to Phil. But think about it another way. Phil has a LOT of good stuff in stock. A year from now, when you need that part you can't find ANYWHERE, you'll be glad Phil has one to sell to you. And Phil may have had to snipe someone else a year prior on ebay to obtain that item. When you have searched till your fingers bleed for that special item, all that matters is you now have it. And Phil is not selfish either. He's an enthusiast like the rest of us. I've spent lots of time on the phone in the past with Phil, getting vital information from him, and he never rushed me off the phone, or acted like he was unwilling to help. Customer service is just as important sometimes, and Phil has always been there to help.
I give much credit to ALL the vendors trying to make it in this VERY small MII market. It's not an easy job, and you have to stay on the ball 100% of the time just to keep the cash flow coming in. So to everyone out there who has a negative outlook on Phil, I'm not saying you have to like the guy, but at least respect him for the effort he's putting into being there for US, when we need his parts and advice, he's there, just a phone call away.
I have to agree with CobraIILover. I went down to Phil's place to pick up my Cobra. He's not getting rich off his business. He definately lives and breathes II's. His house had parts in it, he refurbishes parts, and he was in the process of restoring a II other than his own. I prefer to find stuff on my own, but if I can't find something, I will go to Phil as a last resort because I don't make a lot of money.
76_Cobra_II
Member
Dano78
Founding Member
So how old is he again? Just need to pencil in a rough figure for when the II stuff is gonna hit the markets. Gotta have a healthy WAD of cash to grab it up at BARGAIN prices! 
I agree with most all of you. I've talked to Phil on the phone. He seems personable, and to a degree, helpful. And actually a few things I have bought from him in the past (6 years ago), were actually reasonable. These last 3-4 years however (since the dawn of E-Gay), he's gotten a bit outta hand, but like some have said... pay it or walk. I refuse to pay it so I go searchin. in the end, I tend to find a few gems while i'm searchin..
And truth be known, E-bay is actually alot of the cause of higher prices. i been swap meet crusing since i was 12. Man... you could really score good deals back then. Enter E-bay and now it's like sellers have a 'Blue Book' to go by... really hurt the Swap Meet scene. Anybody else on the east coast central US notice that?
And trust me, you haven't seen inflated prices until you restore a 64 Chevelle SS or any other 60's GM product. Or man... a MOPAR for cripes sake! I think i had to mortgage my damn house just to keep that POS running!
Be patient, Be quick, and Be persistant.
I agree with most all of you. I've talked to Phil on the phone. He seems personable, and to a degree, helpful. And actually a few things I have bought from him in the past (6 years ago), were actually reasonable. These last 3-4 years however (since the dawn of E-Gay), he's gotten a bit outta hand, but like some have said... pay it or walk. I refuse to pay it so I go searchin. in the end, I tend to find a few gems while i'm searchin..
And truth be known, E-bay is actually alot of the cause of higher prices. i been swap meet crusing since i was 12. Man... you could really score good deals back then. Enter E-bay and now it's like sellers have a 'Blue Book' to go by... really hurt the Swap Meet scene. Anybody else on the east coast central US notice that?
And trust me, you haven't seen inflated prices until you restore a 64 Chevelle SS or any other 60's GM product. Or man... a MOPAR for cripes sake! I think i had to mortgage my damn house just to keep that POS running!
Be patient, Be quick, and Be persistant.
Dano78 said:
Well....here is where i jump in. Ebay is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me and I truly believe the greatest for all of us that want to restore cars. Can you imagine the prices if had only to go to one or two vendors for parts...and thats it???? I can tell you this, I don't believe anyone here could restore a car to original if it wasn't for ebay. No single vendor has ALL the parts needed to get the job done...yea, its taken me 2 years but how many parts did i get from Phils compared to ebay. Yea, i like the guy and we had a great time camping out together but in the long run.....if it wasn't for ebay....i really hate to see what prices would go as high as the limit. Yea, i know, thats the way life used to be but i am very thankful for ebay every day. can you imagine not getting the parts you need from a vendor or two because someone who likes to buy parts bought them already as the prices went skyward? Ebay is allowing everyone to have access to MII parts everywhere around the globe. if the quanitity and availability is there on ebay, the prices will remain far below what single vendors would normally charge. think about it.
I have to agree with 70 here. There is no way I would have found all the parts I have needed over the last few years/cars without ebay. II stuff never showed up at swap meets either in Iowa or here in Okla.
But Dano's right, exposure has given sellers the idea that this stuff has gold hidden inside.
Only dealt with Phil once, and all I can say is that for somebody that is supposed to know IIs and their parts, his packaging sure sucks.
But Dano's right, exposure has given sellers the idea that this stuff has gold hidden inside.
Only dealt with Phil once, and all I can say is that for somebody that is supposed to know IIs and their parts, his packaging sure sucks.
Power Surge
Founding Member
1970impala said:Well....here is where i jump in. Ebay is one of the greatest things that ever happened to me and I truly believe the greatest for all of us that want to restore cars. Can you imagine the prices if had only to go to one or two vendors for parts...and thats it???? I can tell you this, I don't believe anyone here could restore a car to original if it wasn't for ebay. No single vendor has ALL the parts needed to get the job done...yea, its taken me 2 years but how many parts did i get from Phils compared to ebay. Yea, i like the guy and we had a great time camping out together but in the long run.....if it wasn't for ebay....i really hate to see what prices would go as high as the limit. Yea, i know, thats the way life used to be but i am very thankful for ebay every day. can you imagine not getting the parts you need from a vendor or two because someone who likes to buy parts bought them already as the prices went skyward? Ebay is allowing everyone to have access to MII parts everywhere around the globe. if the quanitity and availability is there on ebay, the prices will remain far below what single vendors would normally charge. think about it.
On the ebay subject, I know many people have a dislike for ebay, but the truth is, it's the greatest thing to happen to car restoring. Without ebay, there would be NO way in hell us hardcore MII OEM restorers would get anywhere. Not only is ebay a source for the parts, it's the worlds greatest free advertising (well almost free) for people who aren't vendors but have this stuff. It also allows us to see pictures of parts, something that's very important, especially when you know you need a part but don't know what it looks like. I will admit that it does hurt us paying cheap prices. But it's not the fault of ebay. The PEOPLE are the ones bidding those prices. If every NOS spoiler sells for $400, then guess what, that's what they are now worth. Ebay is just "showing" us that value first hand, as opposed to calling all the vendors and finding out over the phone what they've been able to sell them for. It does accellerate the process of adjusting the value, I will admit that. But I could not imagine restoring my Cobra without ebay. Just wouldn't happen.
THE COBRAMAN said:
I think thats the whole key to ebay is that alot of the parts would have otherwise never seen the light of day but stayed crammed in the shed or the back of the garage. Its so easy to sell them on ebay that theres no excuse not to take a picture and 5 minutes to post it. You dont have to carry them to a swap meet, you dont have to haggle over cost with an irate drunk person etc.
THE COBRAMAN said:
Hey Cobraman, who was it that painted everything black as if they had a direct contact with Dupont spray cans?
I always got a laugh out of that.
kcobra78 said:
Phil is the guy who lives in Alabama who has parts out the wazoo for MII's. Oh, he is also the one who wanted to charge me $125.00 for a windshield wiper switch when I bought one for 15.00 1 hour before Tim, on here, asked him that question. Tim, you got brass b*lls!
Oh as for the question who he works for, well...it's us that work for him. my paychecks go to him anyway.
Dano78
Founding Member
I don't know about you guys, but people were restoring cars loonnnngg before the dawn of E-bay and Computers at that. And I've heard the coined phrase "how could I have done it without E-bay" trust me you could. Anyone remember Hemmings Motor News? Yeppers. Phil advertied in there, CT mustang was in there along with CAR distributors. And at least 5 or 6 other ads for private sellers.
My point is, the stuff's out there for the taking, if you're willing to wait and go out and actually look for it. The big spenders and the ones in some kinda damn hurry are the ones praising E-bay so highly. I think the best part about finding parts is the hunt itself! You never know what you stumble across. Ask my old man, he but a '33 Plymouth back in the 80's ...before the prefabbed times, before computers, and you thought MII didn't have anything reproduced..... build a '30's Plymouth next time.
besides getting out there and dealing with real people will inadvertantly ledad you into different deals which 9 times outta 10 end up making you more money. I've bought and sold TONS of stuff that wasn't related to what i was looking for all because I found out about it from another person out on my hunts. hell, i own a '23 Model T C-Cab Delivery now. I picked it up EXTREMELY DIRT CHEAP. And it was a guy i bumped into at a Hot Rod Run on a Sunday afternoon. ( I have pics of it if anyone wants to see it when it was assembled) Wrecking yards are still, to a degree, diamond mines. It just depends on what you're looking for and how you do it. Get to know your yard guys, and others that frequent the yards. (or towing auctions too) BUT- it was those people that connect you with the jewels, not necessarily in the wrecking yards.
I guess what i'm trying to say is, don't rely just on E-Gay and sure as hell don't depend on it. Yeah it's ok, and can be helpful when you need a repair or such.
Hit those swap meets! I'm sure you noticed the sudden rash of NOS stuff for MII's hitting up on E-bay. Well there's a reason for that. Ford only keeps their inventory for so long then they drop it completely. They may keep a few key items but the majority get tossed, or actually... bought out. thaaas right. Thousands of Ford dealers, all with NOS stuff on the shelves. There's alot more out there that you can imagine. Alot of these guys are the ones with the booths that have SEVERAL crates of boxes straight from ford. Gold mines, if you know what to look for. I found a bunch of goodies in the past, and you will too if you look. Get educated, learn those part numbers, study the market a bit and go out and see if you can make some good finds. Be patient, and not in a hurry, and you won't be paying those high prices alot of the other guys are. I managed to piece together my entire MII T-5 swap assembly for about $300. (including trans) Still need a couple small pieces, but I got it all together fairly cheap, a piece at a time.
My point is, the stuff's out there for the taking, if you're willing to wait and go out and actually look for it. The big spenders and the ones in some kinda damn hurry are the ones praising E-bay so highly. I think the best part about finding parts is the hunt itself! You never know what you stumble across. Ask my old man, he but a '33 Plymouth back in the 80's ...before the prefabbed times, before computers, and you thought MII didn't have anything reproduced..... build a '30's Plymouth next time.
besides getting out there and dealing with real people will inadvertantly ledad you into different deals which 9 times outta 10 end up making you more money. I've bought and sold TONS of stuff that wasn't related to what i was looking for all because I found out about it from another person out on my hunts. hell, i own a '23 Model T C-Cab Delivery now. I picked it up EXTREMELY DIRT CHEAP. And it was a guy i bumped into at a Hot Rod Run on a Sunday afternoon. ( I have pics of it if anyone wants to see it when it was assembled) Wrecking yards are still, to a degree, diamond mines. It just depends on what you're looking for and how you do it. Get to know your yard guys, and others that frequent the yards. (or towing auctions too) BUT- it was those people that connect you with the jewels, not necessarily in the wrecking yards.
I guess what i'm trying to say is, don't rely just on E-Gay and sure as hell don't depend on it. Yeah it's ok, and can be helpful when you need a repair or such.
Hit those swap meets! I'm sure you noticed the sudden rash of NOS stuff for MII's hitting up on E-bay. Well there's a reason for that. Ford only keeps their inventory for so long then they drop it completely. They may keep a few key items but the majority get tossed, or actually... bought out. thaaas right. Thousands of Ford dealers, all with NOS stuff on the shelves. There's alot more out there that you can imagine. Alot of these guys are the ones with the booths that have SEVERAL crates of boxes straight from ford. Gold mines, if you know what to look for. I found a bunch of goodies in the past, and you will too if you look. Get educated, learn those part numbers, study the market a bit and go out and see if you can make some good finds. Be patient, and not in a hurry, and you won't be paying those high prices alot of the other guys are. I managed to piece together my entire MII T-5 swap assembly for about $300. (including trans) Still need a couple small pieces, but I got it all together fairly cheap, a piece at a time.
Dano78
Founding Member
Joeverb said:
This is the guy you need to meet in person. Chances are, he'll sell the whole lot for dirt cheap rather than fart around with listings, e-mails, and deadbeat bidders. Especially if he has some large items. Alot of poeple don't like shipping large cumbersome items and if you're like me, you don't want to foot the shipping bill! And why buy one piece at a time (with shipping) when you can get a package deal and walk out to your truck with it... hmmmm
You don't have to carry the crap to the swapper.... just let it be known you have the stuff and it will sell. I have yet to actually sell at a swap meet. Dad use to all the time when i was a kid. I list on E-bay... i admit. But you'd be surprised how much local sales/pruchases I'me drumed up just from listing an auction. I don't make but pennies on my actual auctions.
And the best thing about meeting this guy in person, the other 28 million will never know what he had.....
I'm tellin ya, E-bay is overrated... you want to dig up the best deals, get off the 'puter and go out and look/talk with other locals. I scored HUGE on my T, it will come.
Dano78 said:
sorry, can't agree. First, there are only a few true MII vendors out there. Second, how else are you going to find these people who only have a few parts remaining here and there? can't go around the country side to swap meets. quite frankly, i believe most vendors with parts that were remaining have already sold their itty bitty items already on ebay and they're gone. Even recently, i noticed a slacking off of MII NOS parts on ebay but that could be just for now. anyway, as for when i am working on a project, i want to find the part, buy it and get it on and then move on to another item...period. i can't wait for a year to happen have someone post an ad or send an email or two. if i did that now, i wouldn't have ANYTHING accomplished. These NOS panels in white and the coolant overfill bottle i need really have me going, more so than any other parts i needed. It kills me that i've waited 2 years for these 2 items and still don't have them.Dano, your still a great guy! Just my view is a little different.
Dano: Don't get me wrong, I'm all for swapmeet action, the problem is that the II stuff never shows up around here. Then there's the issue of which of the 3 going on on one weekend do you hit? The only II parts I've seen in the last 4 years were 2 very rusty front suspension cutouts being peddled by a chevy streetrod guy.
Despite it's evils, the bay has been good to me...where else you going to buy a MINT front spoiler for $47 delivered, from Canada? You just have to use your head and be realistic about what the stuff is worth.
Despite it's evils, the bay has been good to me...where else you going to buy a MINT front spoiler for $47 delivered, from Canada? You just have to use your head and be realistic about what the stuff is worth.
THE COBRAMAN said:
I have to ditto that dano, ive had my II since 85ish and ive done all the swap meets in the area and the parts have dried up. Ive come home with whole IIs when i needed just a few parts and got some fine deals doing it that way. But they are not out there anymore. For one the IIs are just disappearing and for seconds i live to close to Phil and that could be part of it too. My wife used to work at a crusher and she just depressed the hell out of me with tales of all the IIs that went to the crusher.
