brake cailper - where to buy?

[Oliver S.]

Hello,

I had the brake fluid changed on my '65 Corvette. Both rear calipers made problems: one bleeder was torn by the previous owner and the other is too tight so the mechanic had to change the fluid with two open bleeders at the front only.
Where's the best source to buy 2 calipers? Since I live in Germany sending my ones to the U.S. for resleeving would be to expensive and would take too long - as far as I know no numbers or date codes exist on them.
Somebody in the Archive recommended Precision Engineering. The big ones 'Mid America' & 'Corvette Central' offer those, too, but more expensive.

Regards
Oliver

[Bob I.]

Re: brake cailper - where to buy?

Is their a difference in the O-rings that are being used.

[Oliver S.]

Re: brake cailper - where to buy?

I don't have a clue. Perhaps the big ones cooperate with Precision.

Regards
Oliver

[Michael W.]

Re: brake cailper - where to buy?

There's very little quality difference between calipers from any of the well know reputable parts suppliers and not enough spread in price to make worth going to an unknown cheap supplier.

Given the weight of the calipers, the supplier that gives you the best deal on overseas shipping might help you decide.

[Greg L.]

Re: brake cailper - where to buy?

Just a thought....

Would there not be places in Europe to buy parts for imports? We can buy almost any import parts we need here from Audi to Volkswagen...new and old so I would tend to think that you could also buy for imports over there which in this case is corvettes.

Shipping sure would be cheaper.

[Oliver S.]

Re: brake cailper - where to buy?

Parts still available from GM can be ordered from the local OPEL dealer. There are specialized Corvette parts suppliers who order discontinued or restoration parts in the US. You have to pay them 1,2 - 1,4 the amount of the parts listed in catalogs from big U.S. suppliers like Mid America plus local shipping and handling. As far as I know these German suppliers don't deal with specialized, smaller U.S. parts dealers. Besides that, it comes cheaper to order in the U.S., pay the much higher shipping rate and additional import tax and VAT which sum up to 29%. The only hassle is that you have to go to the local customs office and declare the content.
Smaller packages below $50 often slip thru customs and you don't even have to pay the import tax and VAT.

Oliver

[Phil P.]

Re: brake cailper - where to buy?

olive,find a GI that will work with you and have the parts sent to his APO---good luck,phil

[Rick Gower]

Re: brake cailper - where to buy?

Oliver,

I had a friend who several years ago restored his 1965 and if I remember correctly, he found out that the original calipers are of a unique design to this year although they will functionally interchange with other years. If this is the case, the very least I would do is to keep your calipers, assuming they are original, and pay the core charge. Perhaps someone with much more knowledge on the 1965 calipers will comment.