Joe, I can't help but wonder as I scroll through the various items listed on Ebay, just how many are actually still available(if any) through a GM Chevrolet dealer or wholesaler? Is there any one source or sources that one can access on line for availability or does one have to make the trip down to the local dealer for inquiries concerning parts? Please excuse me if this question seems rudimentary and perhaps it has been addressed in the archives. I do realize that we are talking about 40 year olds cars and that's why we have reproduction companies. Thanks for your time.
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Re: Attention Joe Lucia: Mid-year parts
buy a GENUINE CORVETTE parts book for your car and you can track each and every item that appears on eBay and other places - I have two Parts Catalogues, one for 1953-76 dated January 1976, and the second is 1953-73, dated January 1973 - also have an Parts Illustration Catalogue for 1953-76 dated September 1975Rick Aleshire
2016 Ebony C7R Z06 "ROSA" -
A LOT of the factory original parts....
changed over the years, either by 'improvement' or by supercession/replacement. So, just having a given part number doesn't necessarily guarantee it's the one you want for factory concours correctness....
A lot of the parts are obsolete (GM discontinued), but that doesn't mean they aren't still out there somewhere. Once a part has shipped from GM Service Operations to a dealership, it's essentially out of visibility.
Now, your local dealership CAN run a computerized 'parts locator' request to see if a gven part might still be in stock at some dealership around the country. There are several pitfalls here....
(1) When a given part starts to be obsolete (GM discontinued) and word gets out, 'speculators' (like the Corvette catalog houses, individuals, Etc.) begin to buy up the remaining inventory supply hoping to cash in on rising prices due to decreasing supply. In most cases, if a given widget has been discontinued for a reasonable length of time, the odds of finding one via the locator service are small because others have been there before you.
(2) Next, the locator service only has information from subscribing dealerships and not all dealerships bother to put report their parts inventory.
(3) Then, just because a given part shows on the locator query doesn't mean it's really there (could have been sold and the information wasn't updated).
(4) Last, the real bargains in availability are at small ma/pa dealerships who don't report their inventory. But, finding those places is VERY labor intensive (calling around at random).
Some of the NOS parts that find their way onto eBay, were purchased at swap meets from private individual parts collections or acquired as inventory residuals from various businesses who've ceased operations.
The bottom line is this: NO there is no central repository of information you can go to find out if this/that is still available. You CAN get a bit closer by asking your local dealer to run a parts locator search for a given item, but the info generated is subject to the foibles above....Comment
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Re: A LOT of the factory original parts....
I always thought there is no such thing as NOS. NORS is the closest thing we have in the hobby. I have read here that NOS is almost imposible because production parts never made it to the parts counter. In fact most eBay parts are NORS and don't even match the original. The ballast resistor is one for example, there has never been a correct replacement that I have seen.
KevinComment
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Re: A LOT of the factory original parts....
Your assumption that no NOS parts made it to GM Service Part Operations (SPO) is not totally correct. A lot of the parts made it to SPO. The problem is that over the life of the part number several things could happen. Such as tooling wearing out, slight changes in the design in the name of product improvement, changed vendors (no GM did not make all their parts), found out that another item would perform the same function even though it sometimes did not even look like the original, etc.
Midyear small block aluminum valve covers were a good example, the parting line that came about. This valve cover became the service replacement for all aluminum covers in that era. Same function, deminsions, etc, but varied in appearance from the earlier ones. Emblems, wiring harnesses, trim, etc were available as used on the cars during the model year and these became what we call NOS. The next year they might have added a hole in a piece of trim, an extra wire in a harness, and these became what we would later call NORS.
It all boils down to one thing when buying supposed NOS parts, no matter whether is Corvette, Chris Craft, or Crosley. CAVEAT EMPTORDick WhittingtonComment
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Re: A LOT of the factory original parts....
There are more NOS parts still out there then you think. When buying on E-bay or a swap meet , you need to know the fiscal design of that part and not just the part number. I see many C1's parts here and there for sale NOS and used , knowing what parts "original" really looked like is the education one needs.
That is what judges should know and should teach owners. I see so many people buying parts using part numbers only and sellers too. Like they say a picture is worth a million words. To many people spend big bucks using the part number , then later finding out from some one that know the correct design of that part telling them that it's wrong.I have yet to see a tech-session about thatComment
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Re: A LOT of the factory original parts....
Roy, I think that you will see some of that in the presentations by the regional judging quality managers. I have not set in a full session, but have had the pleasure of catching bits and pieces. Plus I know that several chapters, over the years, had done this. I started doing this for some of the SouthEast tech sessions in the late 80's or early 90's. MAC chapter just did a session. I know that others are still doing it. Maybe an opportunity for you to host a chapter tech session.Dick WhittingtonComment
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Good Point..
Roy Good point! You learn what the right part is buy byuing the wrong one. Education costs money and that is why your first frame off costs lots more as you buy lots of parts twice. Before this board it was a real education. Buy parts put them on the car go to a regional find out half of them were half right. LyleLyle
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Re: Good Point..
Roy,
That is an excellent point....the part numbers are misleading to inexperienced parts seekers. One of the most valuable assets of NCRS Group membership is the first hand knowledge of it's senior members. Sharing this knowledge and experience,via tech sessions and this Discussion Board,is truely appreciated by those less experienced. One of the best Tech Sessions I ever attended was given by Bill Calorico at an Al Grenning event....Bill actually brought a host of NOS parts and,while discussing the differences to be aware of....passed the parts around the audience for a close up look. Nothing could be more valuable to someone interested in learning. I hope we see more of these sessions in the future.Comment
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I Agree...
There haven't been enough such tech sessions over the years, and they seem to be conspicuous by their absence. Part of the problem is, as Lyle says, it's expensive to accumulate such knowledge; further, such knowledge is highly perishable as the available parts change and evolve.
One of the first individuals to my knowledge to present a tech session specifically addressing the differences in original parts and incorrect replacements was the late John Woods. His presentation at a Texas Regional back in the late nineties showed us some of the tricks and differences. John was a student of Corvettes, and spared no expense to get the knowledge. His contribution to the hobby is sorely missed.Comment
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Re: I Agree...
I just want to thank all of you who graciously responded to my inquiry. I'm sure others have benefitted from your replys.Comment
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Re: A LOT of the factory original parts....
When I started SACE and VCSC that was what we did at every event and I also covered many ORIGINAL parts in the Straight Talk Mag., that NCRS considered years later.( Finding how to tell the ORIGINAL color of a 58-62 Corvette was written by Noland and I in our Mag) few people today know that. The C1 53 to 57 was my interest .NCRS asking me would be a ? Having a session or a display at NCRS meets, talking or displaying original parts ,I think would help many members. But we don't even have swap meets , at least out here in the westComment
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Re: I Agree...
I did a tech session at the regional at seven springs and had some parts original and reproduction but I only know for sure in a small window of years.One area that I have found to be real poor is labels that at the end of a perfect resteration with all the best parts those labels that are not even close when compared to known originals are slaped all over. LyleLyle
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Re: Attention Joe Lucia: Mid-year parts
Jack------
As far as what parts are still available from GM for mid year Corvettes, the answer is: VERY, VERY few. Those that are may or may not be just like the originals, even if the part number is the same. Many others may not be available under the original part number, but may be available under a superessive part number. So, if what you're after is an exactly correct, original part, the few parts available from GM under the original part number and of original configuration are EXTREMELY limited. If what you're after is a functional or "mostly correct" part, more items may be available. There is no source of information available to most folks that can answer all of these questions regading any particular part. Even the information available to GM dealers will often not be able to get anywhere with respect to parts for old Corvettes. GMSPO information currently available only goes back to about 1980 (unless a part for an older Corvette was still available after that time under the original part number or a pre-1980 supercessive part number).In Appreciation of John HinckleyComment
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Re: Attention Joe Lucia: Mid-year parts
Joe, once again, "Thank you".Comment
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