Miata Mailing List: August 1999, Message #445

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In message <199908040305.UAA03372@jyri.bayarea.net>, "Jyri J. Virkki" writes:
> Once upon a time Larry Alster wrote
> > 
> > They are not forgetting us, it is common business.  The car is out of
> > production and the market for "new installs" of that kind of part
> > diminishes greatly.  When what is in stock is gone they elect not to
> > make more.  
> 
> So what happens now? What other type of parts will start to be
> discontinued? If an R package car has any type of frontal accident, it
> will no longer be possible to repair it! This sounds like a scary trend..

You do the same thing we used to do with our MGs. You find a junkyard
  that specializes in your type of car. I became pretty familiar with
  East 14th Street Auto Wreckers in San Leandro, since they had a 
  dozen or so Midgets (as well as abunch of other LBCs) out back. 

For Miatas, there's Mazmart for one. I haven't looked yet, but I
  wouldn't be suprised to find a yard already specializing in Miatas 
  in the Bay Area. Heck, I'd be suprised if there wasn't one.
  Then again, they may be too common for anyone to need to specialize in
  them. 

> Is this a common? My other car was a VW Bug, for which everything is
> easily availabe even many decades later so I had never even considered
> parts unavailability problems. I am planning to keep my Miata forever,
> but if its parts stop being available that may not be possible?!!? Oh no!

People still keep cars going that haven't been built since the '30s.
  If you have enough desire to keep a car going, you will find ways.
  Considering that the Miata is the best selling sports car the world
  has ever seen, I don't think there will be a shortage of donor parts
  for quite a while.

Kinda depressing when you consider that many of those donor cars were
  loved as much as some of us love ours. Don't let it happen to yours.

  Keith Hearn
  '99 10AE "Sexy Sadie" the Sapphire Shark
  Milpitas, CA