a few things about 'what's on your mind' Alvin - yes, Steele is a distributor as well as a manufacturer, the same as Carpenter, who state that
85% of their rubber products are made in the US, meaning some things they sell can be made to their standards offshore ....
some parts that Steele manufactures are a fit and quality available from nowhere else, that is, it's an accurate reproduction [like the TF barn door seals], and like Carpenter, all they sell meets high standards, whether they've actually made it or contracted all or part of it ....
all major distributors have a policy of retailing their products at a set price, and the dealers they supply [at a discount from that "suggested retail"], are free to price the products lower - if you can find a better price for a particular item at one of the vendors, just ask who the supplier is, if they say Steele [for GM parts] you can trust it'll fit and work right, and you get a better price because Steele is honoring their agreement to not undercut their retailers - sometimes you can tell a vendor sells Steele products because they use the same drawings and descriptions as seen on the Steele site, Filling Station comes to mind for one - if they can't or won't tell you where the cheaper rubber came from, move on, it's likely Chinese [or SoffSeal], although Metro Molded Parts makes quality seals [and supplies Chevs of the 40's], but some
correct parts can only be had from Steele [or Carpenter for Ford]
I've bought a lot of Carpenter stuff in the past and if I ever had another Ford, I'd buy from them again, they're the gold standard for Ford rubber, as Steele is for GM - sometimes piece of mind is priceless
Bill
