63 Control arm rebuild

[Jim C.]

Both Bairs and CorvetteUSA offer rebuild services. Bairs rebuilds yours and CorvetteUSA sells a completed set outright.
Price difference is significant and I cannot differentiate any difference in services other than one includes bumpers, not a significant item.
Does anyone have experience with either they would care to share?

[Alan D.]

Re: 63 Control arm rebuild

Jim, do you need to replace the arms for any rust reasons? Since you are in NY why not drive over and see Gary Ramadei in New Haven. He does nice work and is always willing to help members out.

[Timothy B.]

Re: 63 Control arm rebuild

Jim,

If you are talking about the rear trailing arm the spindle supports are 63 only parts so do be in such a hurry to give your parts away. If you are talking about the front, the lower a arms are 63 only parts in that they don't have the extra metal support in the front of the arm.

I would use Bairs and ALL your old parts..

[Michael G.]

Re: 63 Control arm rebuild

Both Bairs and CorvetteUSA offer rebuild services. Bairs rebuilds yours and CorvetteUSA sells a completed set outright.
Price difference is significant and I cannot differentiate any difference in services other than one includes bumpers, not a significant item.
Does anyone have experience with either they would care to share?

You don't state which way the significance falls but most likely it's purchasing from Corvette USA. I've used Bairs with good results. However before I went to the expense of shipping your control arms I would prospect having it done local. I've rebuilt several myself. Most any upscale machine shop or repair shop can rebuild the control arms. You could even purchase the 'correct style' ball joints and control arm bushings having them supply the labor. If your wanting the ball joints riveted would need to ask if they can do such. In the end would have much less $$$ involved in this procedure.

[Douglas C.]

Re: 63 Control arm rebuild

Depending on what you're looking for, and assuming you're talking about the rear trailing arms, I would be careful not to trade in my '63-only components as "cores" to get a standard replacement unit.
Checking the details, you may find that rebuilding your '63-only units may incur different charges. Most of the re-builders advertise as rebuilding '65-'82 units - not the drum brake units which are very different.

Someone had replaced one of my '63 trailing arms with a later unit, modified for drum brakes. Took me a while to collect an NOS arm, 63 spindle fork and correct spindle flange. Had the units re-built locally to my specifications to insure my original parts were used. Not cheap - but I got what I wanted.

[Joe R.]

Re: 63 Control arm rebuild

Jim,
Bair's has been in business for the past 40 or so years and have rebuilt thousands of trailing arms. They are the clear leader in the Corvette industry at the services they perform.
JR