<VV> vent seals & signal switches (was Ultra Monza)

[henry kaczmarek]

Ray
The ones I have I got from Steele, but we don't make them.  They're made by a competitor, and I can only surmise, due to the quality and incorrect molding, that they are made outside USA. 

Bill Hubbell told me the early seals have the same problem as the lates. 

I'm losing patience with mass produced, made in Asia garbage, which I'm figuring is the same reason why we no longer have a GM turn signal switch that would be good for decades, and now they don't work on installation. 

My tech people have examined the Ultra Monza, and are appalled as I am.  We currently have 4 Vent Window Main Seals in line to be produced, and they may take up to 4 months to get them in production.  Our company CEO is on vacation this week, but he will also be inspecting the car. 

Here's the issue.  When folks buy something from Steele, they expect the quality of the parts we produce ourselves in our NC plant ----approximately 80% of the 11,000 plus parts we offer.   When we are outsourcing a part, we expect our outsource manufacturers to meet our quality standards.  In this case, they are not.  I have informed the New Products Manager that the EM seals have the same issues as the LM ones.  Once the CEO is back and the New Products group has their weekly meeting, I might know more. 

Herein lies another problem.  Corvair people complained for years we didn't have the stationary side window gaskets for the Lakewood and 700 wagons.  We found a member in NC with an original set and spent beaucoup dollars making replacements.  Now the "Frugal" Corvair people refuse to buy them. "I"M NOT GOING TO PAY THAT MUCH MONEY FOR THEM, I'LL FIGURE OUT SOMETHING ELSE".  Ingrates. 


This is going to be a hard sell for me. We have vent window main seals for various cars that sell from 175-200 + dollars a pair.  Corvair ones wouldn't cost that much, but the bitter taste of the station wagon  window seals will be in the mouth of the boss when I start to beg for vent window seals.   We may NEVER break even on that part, much less ever make a profit. 

Many corvair people and their endless quest of getting things on the cheap often results in them shooting themselves in the foot. But you'll never convince them of that. 

I will advise the group of developments. 

Hank