Hello, I will be ordering parts soon to do some basic restoration myself: new brakes, new suspension parts, bushings, strut rods, etc. Enough to safely drive the car to the alignment shop, paint shop, etc. I just wanted to know if anyone had a favorite company or website to shop for parts, or any companies places to stay away from. So far ecklers.com seems to have it all. Is ecklers a good place to shop for brakes and suspension rebuild kits etc? Thanks for your help.
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
You didn't specify what year car you have. I have a favorite place to get 54 parts, but that is quite different for my 66.
Bill #2659 -
Re: your favorite place for parts?
Sorry, its a 1965Comment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
If you want correct parts, in stock and fast delivery try Long Island Corvette. www.LIC.com. They supply a lot of the vendors with their parts. They are 1963-1967 only. Know what you want and have your order ready if you call them. They can be "short" with you on the phone. If you FAX and your order is not clear they will get back to you with questions. Minimum order $20.00 if you use a credit card. On line catalog is terrific and if you request one their paper catalog is just the same. Paragon is also very good. Good quality, service and inventory. Call them for a catalog too. These are my two favorites for my 66.Comment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
There is no 'best' place to get Corvette parts from. Those who have 'full line' catalogs make some of the parts themselves and trade/swap/buy from other sources to fill out their catalog. At any given point in time, their source for this/that widget may change based on source price, source quality, complaint history, Etc.
In general, Long Island Corvette specializes in mid-year supply and may have the fullest selection. But, don't rule out the other major players like Dr. Rebuild, Paragon and Corvette Central.
While this isn't what you want to hear, for 'best' source it depends on what you mean by 'best'... Lowest price, off-the-shelf availability and conformity to factory original configuration are all separate considerations. Typically, folks use this board to ask, "Hey, I'm looking for this/that widget...what's been your experience?" on a part by part basis...Comment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
Sorry www.licorvette.comComment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
Restoration is kind of like contracting...you use a plumber to lay in the pipes and drains, you use a concrete contractor to lay the foundation, you use a framing contracter to put up the shell...you get the idea. There is normally no one good place to buy parts...Unless it was your Chevy dealer, but that's not an option anymore.
Knowing the best place to buy each item is a big part of the time spent on restoration education. Parts school tuition can be very expensive if you aren't careful in your purchases. Many sellers just love it when they can do those "turn key" parts sales (see the package discounts?), and sell you an entire restoration worth of big obvious items. Often, they have loaded you up with a bunch of junk, and while they're counting your money on the way to the bank, you'll hopefully figure out that half the stuff they sold you as the genuine article for "Top Flight" or "Gold" is not going to make the grade.
Also, organizations change...management changes, vendor knowledge level changes, and corporate goals change. The outfit that had the absolute best reproduction door panels five years ago may have had to replace the worn out original tooling, and today's door panels literally suck.
Ideally, you should research everything you buy, item by item...if you find one vendor has it together for a unique item, keep him on the "bidder's list". How well you maintain that discipline will influence the quality of your restoration.Comment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
I like to go to a large swap meet and see what I'm buying and save the shipping and take advantage of the event disconts offered. One thing not to do is at the start of a frame off don't go buy a complete new interior you won't need for three years. Only buy parts you plan to need within six months. Almost every basket case I have looked at came with a new interior and lots of other boxed new parts.
LyleLyle
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Uncle Jack, It Seems Like...
You and I are often saying the same thing...Honest, I'm not copying what you're saying with a slight delay. Your post wasn't up when I started.
But, I am honored to be in the same space as you. Say, what's that there in your scalp??...My gosh, is THAT...SCARS!!! Here, let me show you mine!!Comment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
I have a 1971 and a 1964 and I generally comparison shop three or four places before I buy. I'm a CPA so I get a little anal about this type of analysis. Ecklers, Corvette Central, Paragon, etc. Ecklers doesn't have everything as I've recently discovered. My favorite would be Paragon. They are generally cheaper in price but the quality of the products appears to be the same as the others. I'm at the same point as you are with my 1964. I'm trying to get it road worthy and more reliable and I've recently spent about $1,000 at Paragon and about $200 to $300 at the other places. Are you near Eckler's? I'm about an hour and a half away from Titusville, FL.
PatrickComment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
I couldn't agree more...I have driven to Bloomington from West Texas just to be able to haul the stuff back myself. Carlisle is a leetle bit too far to drive...I need a LOT of reasons to drive THAT FAR!.
A NEW interior with the car in boxes...Ain't that the freakin' truth!!! It's every newbie's mistake, and the vendor pressure to sell a novice stuff not needed for years is a crime. Oops...That's what I did! It is a high quality interior of the best materials (not sure you can get that quality any more). I'm just hoping the UV doesn't kill my new seat sponge AGAIN, before I can finish this thing.Comment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
Do not know if it has been mentioned but Paragon gives 10% to NCRS membersComment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
Paragon also gives a 15% discount on all the parts they manufacture if you sign up with their "start to finish" program. Best thing I ever did. PTComment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
Dr Rebuild, Paragon & Long Island have been good for my 64 also. If you are looking for parts that conform to factory original expect to get disappointed once and a while even form those two. Just don't buy expensive parts.
If the item costs a lot - than go the the swap meets, mail order has gotten much better over the last 50 years, however you still do not known what you are getting until it arrives and you try it.
Found Paragon/Long Island are very short on the phone if the part is not factory original, they normally feel it is original look a like (not so). At some point the repro's will be the orignials. Dr Rebuild at least cares about feedback, however in most cases nothing can be done. Just had a bad order from Corvette Central (more than I want to toss out the window) - thier feed back was the computer knowns best (one must remember "garbage in garbage out")Comment
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Re: your favorite place for parts?
For hard to find C1 parts I like The Vette Gal. Fast service and more than once she has directed me to someone who can make the part if it is not available.Comment
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