poor quality replacement parts
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
poor quality replacement parts
this is getting old, after finishing my fuel tank install I decided to just go over my hose connections to make sure they were all tight and this happens.
brand new tank from Ecklers purchased about a year ago but not installed until this week. when I pulled on the return line hose on the top of the tank the whole nipple came right out of the tank. This is not some trim piece that failed this is the fuel system. I guess I should be glad I found out before it came off down the road and sprayed fuel all over the exhaust and caught the car on fire.
can we just get some sort of quality parts please. I have a GM restoration front bumper that has the chrome blistering, (the bumper has never seen the light of day) but is 16 months old, it was in the box on a shelf in my shop.
brand new tank from Ecklers purchased about a year ago but not installed until this week. when I pulled on the return line hose on the top of the tank the whole nipple came right out of the tank. This is not some trim piece that failed this is the fuel system. I guess I should be glad I found out before it came off down the road and sprayed fuel all over the exhaust and caught the car on fire.
can we just get some sort of quality parts please. I have a GM restoration front bumper that has the chrome blistering, (the bumper has never seen the light of day) but is 16 months old, it was in the box on a shelf in my shop.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
GM restoration parts with a GM licensed only means a license fee was paid. It has nothing to do with anything regarding quality, accuracy or country of origin.
GM resto license scam is merely a marketing badge. Pay the fee and get the tag.
GM resto license scam is merely a marketing badge. Pay the fee and get the tag.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,389
Likes: 83
From: Norfolk Virginia
Yeah....that really sucks, I am truly disappointed with almost EVERY "replacement part" I buy. Not only does the quality suck, but they're expensive as haities too. The gas tank on my car was as clean as a pin on the inside and testing revealed no leaks, so I cleaned the outside of it with a wire wheel, treated the outside with two coats of por-15 and one topcoat of their Metal mask, bare metal gray finish paint. I certainly hope I made the right choice. So far I have only had to buy a few parts, I am cleaning and reconditioning everything I can. I'm very lucky to live where I have ready access to the very best fastener type parts available. There is a place here that has vast bins and cases of hardened black oxide trim clips, chrome plated automotive screws from the 60s and 70s, all grades and many different types of nuts bolts and washers, all new (old stock). I didn't find what I was looking for one day when I was there, the woman working there asked me what I was looking for, I told her what it was and, she said next time ask me first, as we know exactly what we do and do not have here, I can have those bolts for you in about three days, just blew me away.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
I bought a fuel send unit from ecklers that worked worse than the original so I sent it back for an exchange, haven't put the new one in yet and it's been probably a year. It's such a pain in the butt to drop the tank 
I will never buy anything from ecklers again as they screwed me on another purchase and I'm fully expecting that the replacement fuel send unit will be bad also, hence my hesitation at dropping the tank - yet again...
I will never buy anything from ecklers again as they screwed me on another purchase and I'm fully expecting that the replacement fuel send unit will be bad also, hence my hesitation at dropping the tank - yet again...
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,335
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Wanna see pictures of my new GM oil pan I bought through my GM dealer that had the baffle wall welded in so crooked it wouldn't clear the oil-pickup?
Quality is the pride of the people making the part and to lots (more and more it seems) "it's just a Mc-job"
M
Quality is the pride of the people making the part and to lots (more and more it seems) "it's just a Mc-job"
M
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Years ago if you bought Japanese tools , they looked like tools just like American tools but were always cheaply made and would always bend or break. Today some of the import quality is getting better and anything that you think is made in America is probably at least partially made overseas . Some countries better than others. It's all about profit and not quality. They seem to go to the countries that work the cheapest and don't care about quality control. The way they look at it is to make it look close enough to get it past the sale to the customer and hope most of them don't come back. They obviously are still making a profit even with the returns or they wouldn't continue to sell them. We as customers need to demand a better part and send them back in large numbers if they are not top quality. When companies see huge losses they will either change the way they make the parts or go under. They are not wanting to go under . there is too much money to be made in the classic car business. They will start making the extra effort to make the part right and everybody will be happy.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
this is getting old, after finishing my fuel tank install I decided to just go over my hose connections to make sure they were all tight and this happens.
brand new tank from Ecklers purchased about a year ago but not installed until this week. when I pulled on the return line hose on the top of the tank the whole nipple came right out of the tank. This is not some trim piece that failed this is the fuel system. I guess I should be glad I found out before it came off down the road and sprayed fuel all over the exhaust and caught the car on fire.
can we just get some sort of quality parts please. I have a GM restoration front bumper that has the chrome blistering, (the bumper has never seen the light of day) but is 16 months old, it was in the box on a shelf in my shop.
brand new tank from Ecklers purchased about a year ago but not installed until this week. when I pulled on the return line hose on the top of the tank the whole nipple came right out of the tank. This is not some trim piece that failed this is the fuel system. I guess I should be glad I found out before it came off down the road and sprayed fuel all over the exhaust and caught the car on fire.
can we just get some sort of quality parts please. I have a GM restoration front bumper that has the chrome blistering, (the bumper has never seen the light of day) but is 16 months old, it was in the box on a shelf in my shop.
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Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 12,146
Likes: 2,038
From: Easton, PA
St. Jude Donor '10
When offering suggestions to others taking on restorations I have told them that if you can do so refurbish your own parts first. If you cannot then get parts from a donor car and refurbish them. I only want the replacement parts if I cannot go one of the two other routes first. I have seen faulty gauges, faulty trim, faulty carpet, faulty bumpers, but never have I seen faulty fuel tanks. Wow, thank you for that heads up.
Before retiring I built a product authentication program to authenticate quality products manufactured for Johnson & Johnson. Maybe I should start digging into the GM Restoration parts business, but I bet they wouldn't like me very much, I am too honest.
Good sources of good parts are hard to come bye, that is why I stick with only a couple of suppliers that back what they sell like Willcox for example. Good folks, very helpful, back their products.
Good luck with your situation, I would think a replacement or refund would be in order.
David
Before retiring I built a product authentication program to authenticate quality products manufactured for Johnson & Johnson. Maybe I should start digging into the GM Restoration parts business, but I bet they wouldn't like me very much, I am too honest.
Good sources of good parts are hard to come bye, that is why I stick with only a couple of suppliers that back what they sell like Willcox for example. Good folks, very helpful, back their products.
Good luck with your situation, I would think a replacement or refund would be in order.
David
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,117
From: Crossville TN
I believe that the only activity GM has with their aftermarket parts is to collect the license fees paid to them by the actual (mostly foreign) parts manufacturers. GM provides the drawings, specifications, and contractural requirements...one of which is "to control product quality".
But, they really take no hand in making sure that specified quality exists. And their customers are finding out regularly that the only difference between a part in a GM box and a no-name aftermarket part is the cost---and the box.
But, they really take no hand in making sure that specified quality exists. And their customers are finding out regularly that the only difference between a part in a GM box and a no-name aftermarket part is the cost---and the box.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 12,669
Likes: 3,123
From: Shamong, NJ
I believe that the only activity GM has with their aftermarket parts is to collect the license fees paid to them by the actual (mostly foreign) parts manufacturers. GM provides the drawings, specifications, and contractural requirements...one of which is "to control product quality".
There are parts out there, being made using the original GM tooling, but it's my understanding that the purchase of the tooling, is a separate deal, from the GM Restoration Parts licensing and royalty fees.
GM's purpose in licensing "GM Restoration Parts" is twofold. First is to protect their trademarks (logos, names and other trademarked GM identifiers), and second is to make money. Beyond that, I don't think they care much at all about the restoration market.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 18,126
Likes: 174
From: WI
I think you have it backwards...it`s all about the MONEY
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 295
Likes: 2
From: Concordia KS
I am in the motorcycle business and see the same thing. I need some parts for my '69 GMC pick up and I will scrounge the junkyard before I buy another chinese window regulator, wing window or fuel tank sending unit. All of those parts are junk compared to OEM. I wish the suppliers would figure out that we care more about quality parts than a cheap price.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,239
Likes: 74
From: Palatine, Peoples Republic of Illinois
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-‘18
NCM Sinkhole Donor
I think the suppliers would have to be convinced that there are enough people out there willing to pay extra for the quality parts. I for one would pay the extra bucks especially for "functional" parts. If a trim part fails it's an inconvenience; if a fuel line fails it's a disaster.
The ORIGINAL and bestest
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 10,009
Likes: 240
From: Toronto Ontario
Toronto Events Coordinator
Spectra Premium sell high quality and reasonably priced fuel tanks, I have one in my car. They are also made here in North America, in Canada.
http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...model/corvette
http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...model/corvette
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 4,176
Likes: 7
From: Jennings LA
Contacting Eckler's to have it replaced probably won't get you anywhere from past experiences by myself and others . I know it bums you out but pull the tank , drain it and take it to a good radiator shop. they can solder it back in and it won't come back out . Have them check all of the other fittings. But I would contact Eckler's to show your dissatisfaction and inform them of the extra cost to you and the extra labor.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,814
Likes: 414
From: Pittsburgh suburbs Pa.
Not all of their parts are bad. They make very good fiberglass panels. ( REVISED on Jan.6 ) After making this statement I was informed of something about the quality of Eckler's fiberglass parts that surprised me and alerted me to the fact that Eckler's has changed since the years when I bought many of their fiberglass parts . What confuses me is that I just bought an outer fiberglass door skin for my 72 a couple months ago and it was a beautiful panel in every way including fit and finish . I have heard many comments about Eckler's being a hard company to deal with and poor quality parts but haven't personally experienced it myself , however with all of the other suppliers out there I will no longer be dealing with them until I hear that the way they run their company has changed.
Last edited by bj1k; Jan 6, 2015 at 10:33 AM. Reason: New information about the company
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 83
From: Titusville Florida
Maybe but their customer service is REALLY bad, I was treated like crap by them so they will never get my business direct, can't say that I won't buy a part from a re-seller that they've made but if I can help it I certainly will not!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Redondo Beach, California