Originally Posted by 68/70Vette

One of the problems buying rebuilt parts for classic cars, is that the rebuilders are attuned to selling customers like you, who want cheap parts. This leaves people like me who want to buy quality parts being fostered off with cheap parts that don't work. I want people making repro parts to make quality parts and I expect to pay more for them due to the lack of production quantity.

I hope you find a really cheap pump and install it and have it fail. If people like you demanded up front quality parts, everyone would benefit.

Your posted question should be NOT "Where can I get a cheap pump?" but rather "Where can I get a quality reproduction pump?" Maybe when you've spent $40,000 plus on car parts to restore C3's you'll learn to ask for quality parts, not cheap parts. The cheap parts are the most expensive parts you can buy.

Originally Posted by 68/70Vette

I've had many frustrations with repro/rebuilt parts. My standard PS parts have been bought from Corvette Forum vendors..mainly Volunteer Vettes for PS stuff. They also, like me, are frustrated by the lack of quality of repro parts. The last control valve for a C3 PS, that I bought, was bought from them. I discussed reliability with them and they frankly said that the repro control valves they sold sometimes were defective, but they'd immediately replace it....anyhow...6 years later, the PS control valve I bought from them is still working like new.

I think that Corvette Vendors have an uphill battle to get quality repro parts from manufacturers who are typically today in Taiwan or China. What I'm saying is that when you have Asian manufacturers who are trying to make the cheapest products they can.. and customers who are wanting to buy the cheapest products they can buy...junk is pretty certain to be the result. . OEM purchasers of car parts buy in massive quantity and have quality specifications that manufacturers have to produce to. In the repro world, low production and lack of quality specifications cause product quality to fail. To re-emphasize my point, if you want to buy a part for a C3, you should first of all be more interested in getting a quality part than be interested in the cheapest price. The cheapest price will actually usually be the most expensive price.

BTW: The last power steering pump I bought was from Rock Auto. They typically have a wide spread of priced parts...ranging from Chinese junk to the best available. I bought an OEM Saginaw PS pump that had a return line for a Hyrdoboost Power Brake assembly...Corvette vendors don't sell this part. It was one of the most expensive PS Rock Auto pump they had for sale......an OEM Saginaw new pump for about $90.