More Parts Buying Lessons

[Joe L.]

Well, I've come up with a few more lessons to be learned from eBay parts buyers. Here goes:

item #2471326369

This is a GM #3877660 thermostat housing. It was used on many Corvettes during the 1966 to 1973 period. It was also used on many other Chevrolet cars of the same period, including most of the "muscle cars". However, this particular piece is a later SERVICE replacement style piece; it's NOT the style EVER used in PRODUCTION. In fact, by the time that this casting configuration of the 3877660 housing came into existence, this piece was no longer being used in PRODUCTION for any Chevrolet car. Exact reproductions of the original style housings are available for about 40 bucks. So, why would anyone pay $101.00 for this SERVICE-only piece. These are discontinued now, but not hard to find. And, as I say, this configuration of the housing was NOT original for ANY Chevrolet engine.

item #2452357487

This item closed several weeks ago. It's a pair of 62-65 2-1/2" outlet small block exhaust manifolds. These are GM PART #3846563 and GM PART #3814970. These particular manifolds are current-production, SERVICE pieces. They are both still available from GM and sell for a current GM LIST price of $151.24/each. However, they can easily be purchased for about 100 bucks each from many sources. So, why would anyone pay $390.77 for the pair?

[Harmon C.]

Re: More Parts Buying Lessons

Did you see item 2471573002 63-82 Corvette spare tire lock rubber cover NOS
It sold for $87.00. Their is an older style boot but the picture looks like todays repo. Lyle

[Ralph E.]

Re: More Parts Buying Lessons

All examples of people not doing their homework. More money than brains!

[Tom D.]

'67 Parking brake "slider" for $27 also

N.O.S. Generally avail. for LT $10...

[Steve Antonucci]

Re: More Parts Buying Lessons

Joe,

What is it about the "configuration" of this '660 housing that tells you its
a service replacement? Is it the tab with hole for the carb return spring?
Or, is it the base flange construction? I have often wondered about this
item. As always, informative posting!
Steve

[John H.]

Re: More Parts Buying Lessons

This is one of those "interesting" parts; the production part drawing, released 2/1/65, has the cavities adjacent to the bolt holes everyone looks for (which are absent on the one on eBay), but the drawing is noted "Cast manufacturer's identification, part number & General Motors trade mark 3/16"x 3/8". Location optional." The one that "judges" correctly has the part number on the flange, and the one that doesn't has the part number on the hose neck, in several different fonts, depending on the manufacturer. The current reproduction says it's "made to the original GM drawing", and it is (part number location "optional"), but the only one that gets full judging credit is the one with the part number on the flange. I have the production drawing, with the last change dated 9/9/68, and the note on part number location ("optional") never changed from the original release.

[Terry M.]

Re: More Parts Buying Lessons

Those of us who are addicted to other than mid-years have slightly different standards for the thermostat housing. The location of the part number is not an issue for 1970-1972.

[Patrick H.]

Re: More Parts Buying Lessons

So since my 71 and 72 were both made in June, are they "mid years"? Seems only fitting.

Seriously, you'd think some of the parts have to come with a St. Louis pedigree and provenance from day 1. Amazing how we (as an organization) can be so picky about some parts yet so lax on others. Sometimes the narrow focus can keep us from looking for new data, but that's a whole 'nother story.

Thankfully both my cars have correct, original thermostat housings.

Patrick

[Joe L.]

Re: '67 Parking brake "slider" for $27 also

Tom-----

If it was an ORIGINAL 1967 parking brake lever seal, GM #3901995, it would be worth at least $27 to a lot of folks. However, I'll bet that the "NOS" one sold was a GM #333605, the current SERVICE replacement. That one's worth a maximum of $5.65, its current GM list price.

[Joe L.]

Re: More Parts Buying Lessons

Terry-----

I can say, for certain, that the original thermostat housing installed on my 1969 300/350 had the part number on the neck and not the base. The completely rebuilt engine (stored away) has EVERY SINGLE original external part used on the engine, including the thermostat housing.

I really think that these housings were supplied both ways. John's information regarding the "optional" locations shown on the prints fits perfectly with my assessment of the situation. There were a LOT of these housings used in the 66-73 period and I'm sure that GM had more than one supplier for them. One or more suppliers chose the neck to emplace the part number and one or more others chose the base. It may well be that the supplier that chose the base location predominated during certain years and/or as a supplier to particular engine plants.

Given a situation like this, I don't see how anyone could say with certainty that, for instance, all 1967s using the '660' housing used the one with the part number on the base. Unless, of course, someone out there has seen every 1967 Corvette in its original condition. The base part number '660s' MAY have predominated in 1967, but I seriously doubt that they were used exclusively. I know FOR CERTAIN that they were NOT used exclusively in 1969.

[Joe L.]

Addendum

Just to be clear, though, I DO believe that ALL of the originally installed 66-73 '660' thermostat housings were of the style with the "depressions" on the base. I believe that the style without this feature were SERVICE-only pieces that came along quite a bit later. They may even have been a "generic" part that the supplier added the part number to for the units sold to GMSPO. The same part sold in parts stores may have carried another number or no number, at all. In later SERVICE, GM parts sometimes "degenerate" to this degree.

[Tom D.]

I'll be... NOS 67 & 3901995 was the p/n!

The older number was included in the description. Sold by a guy I remember from Webster, NY, now living in Brockport, NY. His description also mentioned the rounded corners and mentioned the other "service replacement", but not by number 333605 as you did. I should have noted this before.

Thanks - Tom D.

[Joe L.]

Re: I'll be... NOS 67 & 3901995 was the p/n!

Tom------

I've seen the 3901995 seals sell for WAY over $100. It's absolutely foolish, of course, but folks do foolish things for 1967s. That's why e-bay sellers usually advertise parts for "1967 Corvettes" even though the parts may be applicable to many other years, too. They know that folks willing to pay foolish prices will search on "1967 Corvette" and find their stuff.