Anyone can buy a part. The real reward comes from fixing the old part. I have gone to extreme, to the point of ridiculous measures to repair really worn out original parts. The most memorable was my door latches. If you can fix one of those babies, you can fix anything.
I can tell you worked on an AD and not an Art Deco. Good luck finding used stuff to replace missing parts for Art Deco trucks, especially if you're missing something that's GMC specific.
I guess it would be difficult to fix what you ain't got.
My point was that at least in this area, parts for AD trucks are easy to find, so it's easy to find an old part to fix. The Art Deco trucks are much harder to find parts for though, and sometimes it's impossible and you have no choice but to buy a new part. In that case you rely on the vendor to sell what they say they're selling and it to fit as it should.
The parts they sell for AD trucks generally are not bolt-on ready, and the used parts that you say are easy to find usually are in need of serious repair. My point is, unless you are able to effectively lobby the U.S. sellers of foreign-made parts, you are stuck with what they offer, and need to develop the skills necessary to make whatever you can get your hands on to work (crappy re-pop or old worn parts). If it was easy, everyone would be doing it.
