Re: RARE SPARES!

From: Theo Kyriacou
email: theo@gammaconsortium.com
Date: 15 May 2006
Time: 09:22

Message

I don’t think getting parts for the Bosch L-Jetronic Fuel injection system is ever going to be a problem as the system has been used on many cars including several BMW models such as the E23, E30 etc. But I do think that defining “rare spares” is nearly an impossible task. There have been many cases of parts being impossible to get and then all of a sudden a large supply of them turns up. Front disks were unavailable but I now understand that they are available new, albeit at a high price. A problem is that when someone makes a feeble attempt to get a part for a Gamma and fails, word of mouth soon gets around defining that particular part as “no longer available”. I was told by many people that radiator expansion tanks were no longer available and Fiat Regatta tanks should be used instead. I never bothered to check until Paul told me that he managed to get a new Gamma expansion tank from a Fiat dealer. So I went to my local Fiat dealer and asked for a “radiator expansion tank for Lancia Gamma Coupe” and the answer was “Yes sir, how many would you like?” So defining “rare spares” for the Gamma Consortium to ensure that these only go to Consortium members is going to be very difficult. My definition in this case of “rare parts” is “any Gamma part”. Presumably I should exclude standard service items but having tried to get some Champion N6Y spark plugs lately and failed, I will stick with “any part for a Gamma is a rare part”.