It used to be that one area where the "old remained alive" was automotive fasteners. That's because even though cars changed a lot over time, the fasteners used to keep everything together didn't change very much. So, one could obtain fasteners through GM Standard Parts for very old applications that remained available in their exact original configuration (headmark excepted) many years after the car was out-of-production. Of course, as we all know, not all fasteners used in PRODUCTION were ever available in SERVICE, but many were.
Unfortunately, all that changed with the transition to metric. For Corvettes, the transition to metric fasteners began at the end of the C3 era. The C4 era was the major transition period and by 1996, about all that remained of standard, English size fasteners were most of those used on the engine. For the C5 era and beyond, virtually every fastener on the car is metric.
As the use of metric fasteners increased on newer vehicles, the phase-out of standard size fasteners in SERVICE inventory began. Virtually no new standard size fastener part numbers have been added by GMSPO for years and those which have been staples for decades disappeared. At the same time, metric fastener part numbers have increased dramatically.
As I mentioned, the transition to metric fasteners has just about completely taken over in GM vehicles. The only exceptions are certain engines which are long in the tooth. That's because GM has never really changed-over fastener type for basic engine families---whatever they start with, they end with. The Chevrolet Gen I and II small blocks are an example. They were born in 1955 with standard size fasteners and they are built to this day with MOSTLY standard size fasteners. Of course, these engines have not been used in PRODUCTION for several years. They are built today for SERVICE, marine and industrial applications only.
The only PRODUCTION engines built today which use MOSTLY standard size fasteners are the 3800 V-6 which dates back to about 1964 and the 4300 V-6 which is based on the old Gen I small block V-8. The 3800 is now used only in the Pontiac Grand Prix and the Buick LaCrosse and Lucerne. The Grand Prix goes out-of-production any day now and the 3800 engine plant is slated for closure at the end of the 2008 or 2009 model year. The 4300 is used only as the base engine in Chevrolet and GMC pick-ups and will soon be replaced by the in-line DOHC engines.
So, it won't be too long that they're won't be a standard, English-sized fastener used anywhere on any GM vehicle. Certainly not Corvettes; they haven't used standard size fasteners in a long time. If all one works on is C5 and C6, one doesn't really need any standard size tools in one's tool box.
Unfortunately, all that changed with the transition to metric. For Corvettes, the transition to metric fasteners began at the end of the C3 era. The C4 era was the major transition period and by 1996, about all that remained of standard, English size fasteners were most of those used on the engine. For the C5 era and beyond, virtually every fastener on the car is metric.
As the use of metric fasteners increased on newer vehicles, the phase-out of standard size fasteners in SERVICE inventory began. Virtually no new standard size fastener part numbers have been added by GMSPO for years and those which have been staples for decades disappeared. At the same time, metric fastener part numbers have increased dramatically.
As I mentioned, the transition to metric fasteners has just about completely taken over in GM vehicles. The only exceptions are certain engines which are long in the tooth. That's because GM has never really changed-over fastener type for basic engine families---whatever they start with, they end with. The Chevrolet Gen I and II small blocks are an example. They were born in 1955 with standard size fasteners and they are built to this day with MOSTLY standard size fasteners. Of course, these engines have not been used in PRODUCTION for several years. They are built today for SERVICE, marine and industrial applications only.
The only PRODUCTION engines built today which use MOSTLY standard size fasteners are the 3800 V-6 which dates back to about 1964 and the 4300 V-6 which is based on the old Gen I small block V-8. The 3800 is now used only in the Pontiac Grand Prix and the Buick LaCrosse and Lucerne. The Grand Prix goes out-of-production any day now and the 3800 engine plant is slated for closure at the end of the 2008 or 2009 model year. The 4300 is used only as the base engine in Chevrolet and GMC pick-ups and will soon be replaced by the in-line DOHC engines.
So, it won't be too long that they're won't be a standard, English-sized fastener used anywhere on any GM vehicle. Certainly not Corvettes; they haven't used standard size fasteners in a long time. If all one works on is C5 and C6, one doesn't really need any standard size tools in one's tool box.
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