I was starting to feel like IPD's catalog was becoming way too "JC whitney" a few years ago.It seemed like they were abandoning the vintage crowd.(They did turn that around a lot now with the vintage catalog and bringing back some of the products and do deserve credit for it).Then I took a step back and thought, fine,if these (other) items are items some other volvo owners may want,I'm smart enough to price shop for the common stuff,don't fret.That opinion changed recently.It was about a year ago that I advertised some 260 IPD sway bars.I felt I had done my homework having looked through IPD's catalog (paying close attention to the sway bars) and not found 260 sway bars for sale anywhere.Shayne was nice enough to email me and let me know they DID indeed still offer the sway bars for 260's.I still figured no big deal,I didn't own a 260 and frankly wouldn't be boasting if I sold parts for them either! Well a couple weeks ago in my driveway I was grumbling with a volvo buddy about the fact that IPD no longer offered lowering springs for 140's (once again an assumption made after thumbing through their catalog).He told me they did,I just needed to call.In my opinion ALL the cool volvo stuff (especially the specialty stuff we can't get anywhere else) should be PRIORITY in the catalog,If there's room for air freshners and sunglass holders after that,well I guess you can throw that in also.I have,(CAMERON AND SHAYNE GET THIS),told people over the last 15 years that IPD didn't offer the product they wanted because I didn't see it in the catalog.I bet I was wrong more than once.
All that having been said we DO owe credit to IPD and Richard Gordon in paticular.IPD sells alot of products that wouldn't be around if they wern't in business.IPD DEVELOPED that stuff.Those of you who have owned mercedes that wanted to lower them,install bigger bars etc know what I mean.Aftermarket suspension parts are non existant! And don't discount IPD's quality.ADDCO makes bars for volvos too but you wouldn't want to own them.On the other hand I know of a few people that have ideas that Ipd is or might be selling and hope they give credit to those individuals.I believe one is getting a cut of the profits,The other will likely not.Thats kind of disappointing (if true) considering the developement those people have done and the money that will likely be made by Ipd.
I have been fortunate enough to have 2 conversations at some lenght in person with Richard over the last couple months.(He is a very charismatic person who any one would be lucky to talk too).He indicated that no one at IPD was getting rich doing it which did kind of make me wonder also where the throttle body money was going! In any case I'd take a job there just for access to way cool in house Libraries!