PeterC3

So just got these in from Ecklers - they're shorter than original.

Also got an alternator for 68-82 'vettes. Damn thing didn't fit. mechanic had to disassemble to put wiring on the the right side and needed a spacer on the mounting frame.

Is this typical of the refurb business? Stuff not as described?

billcarson

not always,sometimes it is made from inferior metals and chrome application,side mirrors,exterior door release,valve covers,master cylinder cover and on and on.rebuilt brake calipers,well you are in a crap shoot and same for brake hoses,different exterior diameters and branding not what is on the box.dayco belts and hoses, yikes crap!this is what will spell an end to our hobby not the desire to restore classic cars.i would never do it again and feel blessed that the few quality parts i have installed have held up well.thank god i did not have to deal with interior replacement.you must be very vigilant in what you purchase and try to restore what you can.

forman

I bought the new repro rockers and they were junk .. Tooling marks and scratches I sent them right back .. Total garbage

PeterC3

Hi Alan,

I saw you post in the email alert, but did not come through on the forum on ly computer.

Anyone else have this problem?

Peter

Alan 71

Hi,
Are you lumping reproduction pars and "refurb" parts together?
With a reproduction part you're at the mercy of the person having the part made. What is he asking for the part to be.
However, with a 'refurb' part I'd think an original part is being used and how good the 'refurbishment' is depends on the SKILL and methods of the person doing the work.
There ARE many many parts that have changed SLIGHTLY during their production life. Whether a particular part will be just the 'right' part, or just 'close', depends on the car it's going on and the car the 'refurbished' part came off.
It's for this reason that some folks advocate restoring the original parts of a car rather than buying replacement parts.
Regards,
Alan

I wouldn't accept the part in your photo because the mounting hole looks like it's already been elongated. What screw head will fit in that hole?

sierra 43

I wouldn't buy anything like that from ecklers or corvette central. They will take your money, lead you to believe they have it in stock and take 3 weeks to ship you the wrong part. Good luck. LOL

twinpack

I always buy orginals that need to be reconditioned when possible. One must be very careful when purchasing reprodution items. I will only buy incidental parts ie. Lighter, maybe an ashtray or small **** things like that. I purchased my rockerpanels used originals. They need repair to a couple tabs and the trim pieces buffed and painted but the fit perfect. I think I paid around 250.00 for the complete set.

theandies

As far as the alternator is concerned the Corvette's rear housing is "clocked" differently that most other GM cars of the day. This is why it had to be taken apart and "fixed". I had to do the same thing with an O'Reilly alternator years ago (still on the car). It's not big deal.

gungatim

clocking the alternator used to be standard procedure before they started stocking them at the various 3-6-9-12 positions...even when we ran out of one style, we would re-clock them behind the counter rather than lose a sale...not a big deal if you have a toothpick, a 5/16 nut driver, and about 60 seconds...

as for repro parts, you must not have been on the forum long. just about all the repro stuff from Asia and elsewhere is junk. we are fortunate to have some good supporting vendors that will go out of their way to come up with fixes to the junk, or even design their own repro parts. they deserve your support!

PeterC3

I'd loooove to support just the right vendor, believe me. Yes I am new to all this and appreciate the treasure trove of information and guidance offered by the members of C3 Corvette Forum. But it can be difficult to source out the appropriate info given the volume of posts over the years. And I hesitate to ask sometimes since I don't want to annoy the members with the same old questions.

theandies

Just ask what you want. I've been here a long time and never search because this forum is so big and has been here so long it's almost impossible to find what you're looking for. So you annoy someone. They don't have to answer or even click your post. Ignore them. You'll get your answer.

Paul L

Keep asking questions. The "right" vendor five years ago may not be the right vendor now. Companies change hands and attitudes, as well as sources.

Alan 71

Hi Peter,
"And I hesitate to ask sometimes since I don't want to annoy the members with the same old questions."
I REALLY don't think you need to hesitate to ask questions.
Certainly with reproduction parts the situation of what's available and what's not, and the quality of parts available, changes as time goes by.
I tend to buy parts from vendors that are mainly in the parts business, not those who are mainly in the hat, tee shirt, and cup holder business.
Spending some time with the hard copy catalogues from Paragon Reproductions, ZIP Products, and Corvette Central, can give you a pretty good idea of what's available, who's selling what, who's making what, and what parts cost.
Regards,
Alan

PeterC3

Ok, I think I'm coming out of my shell... ;-)