Do you give much thought to the after build availability of parts?

[narly1]

Another thread prompted me to think about this again.

Here in Canada we don't always have access to the same variety of "off the shelf" inventory that you US guys do.

As such I found myself thinking about picking certain parts for my build that hopefully would be easier to find if I was to break down somewhere.

I'm hoping to use my car to travel extensively when it's done.

A good example would be the electric fuel pump. I went with a generic Walbro GSL392BX that you can get just about anywhere.

Similarly once I figured out the length of serpentine belt I needed I bought a spare to throw in the trunk.

I'd like to hear your stories of parts that failed and took your project off the road for more than a day or two while out on a road trip.

Earl

[FF33rod]

As you know Earl, i'm also in Canada but cant say that I thought about this. Maybe I should have.
Like you, I do have a few spares - the serpentine belt in particular!
That said, so far the problem I've had are varied from fan not working, serpentine belt shredding, and a clutch master cylinder failing. All of them are a problem on a long trip as you don't have a garage to really work on it. But only the belt is an easy fix...

Steve

[lance corsi]

I have the same concerns. I bought parts from jegs and summit because they are quick ship to wherever you may be. As far as body parts, that’s still questionable for 818 owners like myself. It was a question I asked and was assured that it would be no problem.

[Alan_C]

I would suggest if you have specific parts concerns, accumulate spares and take them with you on longer trips. I recognize that storage space is limited, but you should be able to bring some essential spares along with you.
Others that have used the Walbro fuel pumps on their Coyote builds have had them fail. Except for parts that can be bought at a local auto parts store, spares would be your best bet IMO.

[narly1]

Others that have used the Walbro fuel pumps on their Coyote builds have had them fail. Except for parts that can be bought at a local auto parts store, spares would be your best bet IMO.

The whole point of going with a Walbro fuel pump was that they are widely available through local auto parts stores. They might not have one on the shelf but same or next day I can live with.

As soon as one ventures into the "performance" brands the risk of delivery delay increases.

Earl

[Mastertech5]

You should put your belts in sealable plastic bags to keep them from dry rotting. I speak from experience.

[Dgc333]

Earl, I don't worry about failures on the road. Of course they can happen but the risk is so low on a well maintained vehicle it is not a concern. Any part that you could possibly carry with you typically gives you plenty of warning that it is going allowing you to fix it before you are stuck on the road.

Belts have been mentioned in this thread. In my 50 years & 1.2+ million miles of driving I have never had a belt fail on the road. As soon as I see signs of deterioration I replace them. Had a hose fail once when I was a teenager and had ignored the fact that it was soft and mushy. Now I change them periodically.

[narly1]

I guess I was thinking more from the perspective of the supply chain train-wreck situation we're in.

I'd like to think I'm a bit more resourceful than this but I often think about being down for weeks or even months waiting for that one custom part to turn up.

Earl

[Dgc333]

I think for the most part the we are past the supply chain issues. If you build your kit using factory based parts where ever possible you shouldn't have issues getting replacement parts.