aa vs. rd, sheet metal Options

[surfbus66]

I notice a price difference for replacement sheet metal parts between AA and Restoration Design. Is there a quality difference or is it expensive to ship to US from Canada? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[SirAndy]

I notice a price difference for replacement sheet metal parts between AA and Restoration Design. Is there a quality difference or is it expensive to ship to US from Canada? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

My guess is the pieces are probably of the same origin, regardless of the vendor selling them ... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[SLITS]

And shipping to/from Canada is not cheap.

[balljoint]

Ohio is practically in Canada. Not too far from RD either. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[scotty b]

Same stuff ( basically, may be the exact same), all of it needs some work to fit. buy from who you like

[peteyd]

If you guys are wondering about shipping, the prices are very competitive. We ship once a week (tuesday) to ensure there is only one brokerage fee across the border. There is no duty paid on parts from North America which is practically all the 914 parts. We email every order their tracking number and usually the package will arrive at the destination within the same week, and if not then for sure the next week.

We also make sure that every part is in stock.

As for quality, this is what we strive for. We pride ourselves in knowing thats these are good parts, and that the customer will be satisfied

Pete

[avidfanjpl]

The RD jackpoints and tubes are superior, but they need to be hand-fitted. I also got rockers, but they had a little fitment problem and I had them fitted for me.

I got heater parts from AA, both OEM and aftermarket, and it was all fine, with no fitment issues at all.

I wish someone made new front rockers.

I know we can get the rears, but I want a minty or new front for a 73 that I can have powdercoated. The shipping for the rockers to CA from CAN was a little brisk. Maybe 85.

Just bought a set of aftermarket tins for a 914-6 from a 3rd maker. We will see how they fit.

John

[mepstein]

I bought about $1K worth of steel from resto design. Shipping was reasonable and quick. I would buy again. (but hope i'm done with replacement metal)

- What you pay for metal is nothing compared to what skilled labor cost to have it installed.

[clow]

The only problem I had with restoration design was the American pricing. Living 4 hours away in Ontario, CANADA and getting my credit card bill in American $$$ was quite the upset. I know many are American that the market targets but for our Canadian members it doesn't seam that fair. Especially since I didn't see anything listed on the site about it. I am not trying to bash RD because the parts I received were shipped quick and fit pretty good. The biggest problem was having another $100 after the conversion that showed on the bill. Contact with the company said they wouldn't refund/correct it, only give an instore credit which was pointless at the time because all of my metal was ordered and I had no need or desire for another order with them. I was quite furious.

Anyway thats my .02 cents. It was a couple months ago. Just didn't seam fair when its all about supporting local business and being charged another nations currency for buying and selling when I believe the business is all Canadian.

Clow

[sww914]

I've received sheet metal parts from AA, RD & GPR. I believe that they were all made by RD. All were good quality, the best prices were from GPR.

[dr914@autoatlanta.com]

The parts are really all the same. It is a long and involved story, basically that Bill at Lansing Steel totally ripped Automobile Atlanta off for over $100,000 in tooling after he got out of jail. (found out later that he too ripped off P.B. Tweeks for the floor pans!) Every 914 part he sold back then except for the floor pans were both thought up and designed by me, knowing what was needed out there to repair our 914s.
As I had a gentleman's agreement with him, there was only a few notations about me owning the tooling so I could only recover some of it. He then went into the retail business under the name Restoration Design selling all of my exclusive 914 parts and leaving me flat. I ended up remaking all of the tooling as well as new tools with Tim at K&K, the same guy Stoddard's uses. Tim is a stellar guy and does a great job.
Finally along comes Mike from Canada who brilliantly figures out a way to buy Bill the crook out and makes Restoration Design again a legitimate business giving good customer service and great value.
Since I already had all of the tooling remade long before Mike bought out the crook, we are now both making many of the same parts, like the engine shelves and the inner rocker panels, and we buy from each other the parts we do not make . In the truest spirit of cooperation we will not make any more 914 parts without consulting each other as it would be a waste of time and money in this small market.
It still burns me however every time I have to buy my exclusively designed rocker clamshells from Mike knowing the hundreds of hours I invested in designing them fitting them installing them and actually cutting up 914s to send Bill the longitudinal sections!
Buy from Mike buy from us all with confidence knowing that you will get a great product at a great price and receive prompt delivery!!!!!!

I notice a price difference for replacement sheet metal parts between AA and Restoration Design. Is there a quality difference or is it expensive to ship to US from Canada? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Mark Henry]

Ohio is practically in Canada. Not too far from RD either. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Not worth it, you would have to pay sales tax plus your time and gas. That would eat up any savings on shipping.

[TargaToy]

I'll chime in and say Mike's "new" RD company has really good customer service. I've gotten more than a couple fast personal replies and folow-ups from Mike. I also got my parts fast.

As everyone has said, the quality is very good...plus you get the added perk of the parts being wrapped in Canadian newspaper so you can be kept abreast of the goings-on North of the Border! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

[914 shifter]

i bought l, and r floor pans, bat tray, and support from rd.very happy with their products, and support (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[sean_v8_914]

the AA engine shelf has more correct shape by the drain hole but the engine seal "C" chanel is thinner
RD engine shelf has a more robust seal holder "C" channel and better fit over teh engien mount
suspension ear looks teh same. same kink in teh lower rib

[carr914]

Bill at Lansing Steel totally ripped Automobile Atlanta off for over $100,000 in tooling after he got out of jail. ( Every 914 part he sold back then except for the floor pans were both thought up and designed by me.

There's the Kettle calling the Pot Black. Of Course in the case the "so-called" Designer of the 914. I sure don't remember Bill selling Vins. I also don't remember him ever Spamming Us, basically he was a Good Guy, that made great products & sold them at very Reasonable prices

[GeorgeRud]

I would just like to remind folks that if you look at the history of business, the tale presented by AA doesn't sound all that far fetched. Doesn't mean that RD is a bad company, but there may have been some questionable business practices by previous owners in the past.

I'm sure Bruce Meyer's could give you the same stories about what happened with his Meyer's Manx dune buggies and all the clones that popped up.

I always try to remember that there are three sides to every story - yours, mine, and the truth! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[peteyd]

...plus you get the added perk of the parts being wrapped in Canadian newspaper so you can be kept abreast of the goings-on North of the Border! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piratenanner.gif)

And if your lucky, you might get the sunshine girl of the day! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cheer.gif)

[TargaToy]

As a matter of fact, the last parts came wrapped in your weekend edition with a several page color spread of a bunch of cheerleaders. I bet you were wondering where that went! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[surfbus66]

Thanks for everyones input. Thought for a moment there I started a small war. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ar15.gif) Sorry! I will try ordering from ------- and see what happens!