Click on image for the lowdown. 
====
| | | Forums66 Topics128,213 Posts1,057,487 Members48,473 | | Most Online14,466
Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
Lots of work on Brad's part ... pure enjoyment (and references) for you!
| | THANKS!
For helping keep this great
old truck web site
on the Internet for over 30 years! and not clogged down
with Ads!  Again, thanks!
| | | | Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 265 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Mar 2001 Posts: 265 | If you keep doing what you have always done, you are going to keep what you always got. If you are not happy with that, you need to do somehting else. When over 50% of every order I make turns out not to fit, or isn't what it was represented, I get frustrated. That has been occuring more frequently. It just seems to me, that there is a better way.
Rugo
Steve Rugg
53 3100
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall | | Moderator: Welcome Centre, Southern Bolters, Legion Hall Joined: Dec 2001 Posts: 14,522 | Bart, interesting read but I must say that the Correct way is out there and records have been kept and compounds and test results are on record if they will but use or search for them. After 37 years in manufacturing I can tell you the "specs" exist but the guy paying the bill has HIS standards lowered BELOW what they should be so he can fatten his own pocket and will not operate on a lesser profit, which by the way, is still very profitable. The manufacturer has a minimum run, then the guy paying the bill needs to step up and require a good product.
Otherwise, we are justified in returning stuff and putting him out of business...........but then he just changes the name and continues to make crapola. | | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | Rugo, I don't have a clue what parts you are talking about but everybody keep in mind. Most parts have been tweaked early on by the manufacturer as to actual physical fit to our trucks. Mistakes found and corrected.
Our Trucks, when new, were built with parts that had huge 40's and 50's manufacturing tolerances and the assembly of the truck (gaps and other dimensions) have large tolerances.(FAM) If you have plus or minus 1/8 you have trucks that can be 1/4 off from one to the other. From one side to the other! Our trucks wear, sag, get in accidents, get bent (overloaded), twisted (dog track), repaired, rebuilt, lifted, bagged, lowered, clipped... the glass thickness has changed. The manufacturers of our parts have built parts to a nominal dimension and we try to install on a plus or minus, rearranged, deranged truck. You gotta make do with what you got when you get what you buy when you keep doing what you are building to get where you want.
Whip it, whip it good, bend it, tweak it, make it fit...Whip it. Straighten it up, weld it up, move forward, build it. Whip it into shape...
The actual material/compounds, that some of our parts are made from, is a different story than fit. TWO separate issues. Carl didn't say his gaskets didn't fit.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 Sir Searchalot | | Sir Searchalot Joined: May 2005 Posts: 8,983 | Alvin, you and I both came from that world. The Chinese don't live in that world for our rubber. There are no certs for this rubber from our vendors.
Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it. - William Penn
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,084 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,084 | Good discussion guys. Just need to at least make sure we put out as many facts as possible vs. opinions, even though the logic may be sound.
Allen
Yeah, well, that's just like, you know , your opinion, man - The Dude
1948 Chevy 3600 - goal Original restoration, Current Stage 1 - Disassembly and getting body in primer
1954 GMC 3100 goal Hot Rod, Current Stage 1 - Get body in primer
1931 Ford Model A 5 window Coupe - Old Skool Hot Rod
1945 Ford 2N Tractor - Runs great
1964 Ford 2000 Tractor - Use it every week
1974 Stingray Corvette
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,611 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,611 | I have had the opportunity to have a product manufactured for me in China, though made of metal not rubber. I commissioned large cloisonne grill badges for a British sports car and was unable to find a manufacturer in the USA. The Chinese company that I ultimately used was a family business doing this specialty work for over 125 years.
It took oversight of each batch that they turned out, from prototype to finished product, to maintain the quality that I needed. They didn't like it much when I returned an order of 50 pieces but after the second return all the future runs were spot on.
Rubber production is probably more complicated due to the nature of the rubber itself but it ultimately comes down to not accepting out of spec products from the factory.
In the case of our trucks I don't know who is commissioning the production of the parts. It seems doubtful that the individual retailers are ordering directly from the factory but the bottom line is whoever is paying for the production has the responsibility to insure the parts are right.
In my experience the factory was very responsive to my demands and once we were all on the same page things ran smoothly.
One final thought is that the factory seemed surprised that I was willing to pay more to get the quality I needed. They are used to producing things as cheaply as they can, as big businesses grind them down to nothing on the price they will pay.
The old saying 'you get what you pay for' is as true in China as it is in America. I think you have hit the nail on the head! | | | | | Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,261 "Hey! I sound like Darth Vader!! | | "Hey! I sound like Darth Vader!! Joined: Oct 2005 Posts: 4,261 | Did I just read a Devo reference?? | | | | | Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 326 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2017 Posts: 326 | I am about to order all new rubber (door seals, window seals, grommets, etc) and had not heard of Steele Rubber; thanks for all the input. So far I have purchased most of my parts from LMC; now I can compare with Steele and see which way I should go.
1956 Chevy 3200, 235 w/3 speed
| | | | | Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 209 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Mar 2005 Posts: 209 | This discussion has reminded me of the early to mid 90's when aftermarket automotive mouldings first became available. I was employed as an auto glass tech from 75 until Christmas Eve of 08 when I tore my rotator cuff. Back to the aftermarket. There WERE two major OEM rubber parts suppliers in this area and frequently I was sent to their plants to replace glass for their employees. My boss decided to use the Japanese mouldings because they were 1/2 the cost. These people could spot the difference 100' away. Different compounds! After several complaints from me and them, I wasn't using Middlefield anymore. It took a little while to get it through our offices heads why people who are seeing their jobs going offshore had a problem with the parts though. I guess I got off topic, but it might explain some of the problems. John | | |
|
|
