Michael A. Terrell wrote:

snip
Parts and equipment are dirt cheap, easy to
find and well documented today. The only 'bargains' in the '60s was
electronic surplus. Mostly worn out or damaged military or industrial
surplus from W.W.II.

My experience is somewhat different; I benefited from large quantities
of nearly new military surplus for decades, which has now dried up; I
also had the benefit of companies willing to provide schematics and
technical documentation (usually at no charge, merely for the asking
in written requests) which is now unheard-of. To me the situation
has become markedly worse.

Michael