The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk few questions....

hey guys. i got a couple of questions for yall old timers. here goes:
1. i am looking at buying around $500 in parts from the company Chevy Duty. does anyone have likes/dislikes or any helpful info or oppinions on them before i make this big purchase? or recomendations for other companies?
2. shifting my 3 on-the-tree feels like stiring a vat of cooled molasis. is that a bad sign?
3. i need to ID the engine in my truck. all i know is, that it's the 3rd engine in it, and its a later model than the truck('63). there are numbers on the manifold, and 2 places on the block on the left, if you are looking at hte engine). i dont know what to look for with which numbers.

help from yall would be great, on any of these. thanks.

'63--Hello and welcome to the Bolt! To answer your first question, I used Chevy Duty for about 90% of my restoration parts, and was very pleased not only with the quality of their merchandise, but their service. I spent a LOT of money with them, and feel I got quality parts. Occasionally I have another part that I need, and always give Chevy Duty my business. (By the way, if you're spending that much at one time--ask for one of their free t-shirts!! ) Lots of luck with your project.

Ok Alex, i'll help you with #1. I just bought about a grand in cab parts from Jim Carters. Some of the parts fit great, others I might as well have just burned the money for. I had to reorder some things from Chevy Duty, these cab parts fit like a glove. Now I have ordered a lot of other stuff from Carter and not had any trouble. Some parts it seems just fit better than other ones. If your ordering things like brake parts, you should try a local store first as most of them can get the same stuff and a lot cheaper. If not cheaper, then at least you shouldn't have to pay a jacked up freight charge on it. I beleive that most of the mail order places do the best they can, but after all these trucks are old and the parts are mostly made from new, not orginal tooling, so there going to fit a little differnt. All in all, I get my stuff from Jim Carter, Chevy Duty, and LMC. I only work on AD trucks so this info may not help you at all.

I think most of the old truck part dealers will have trouble from time to time. I've been disappointed by Chevy Duty a few times and now buy from LMC if they have what I need. Others seem to have opposite experience and some seem to like other companies better. Try a few and stick with the ones who serve you best.

American Classic sponsors this websight. It would be good to buy from them. They have been very helpfull with problems on the websight. I buy from Chevy Duty & LMC because I am within carry out distance. Both have realy good over the counter service.

I have a bit of advice to add. Whoever you buy parts from, always make it a phone order and make sure your parts are IN STOCK. I bet most folks on here found out the joys of backorders the hard way. :rolleyes: I just spent $500 with Chevy Duty and forgot to ask for a T shirt. DOH! :o Good Luck

Wow I could have gotten a shirt!! The things you find out about latter.

Yes, American Classic pays our hosting bill every month. Hence we try to be good steward with the BANDWIDTH!

I think they'll be more than happy to throw in a free t-shirt with your oder, too!

Peg

OK, so, according to the general concinsus, Chevy Duty, LMC, nd American Classic are the way(s) to go?

I like Chevy Duty but my first preferance is American Classic Parts simply because they do sponsor this site.

Both have great service and the parts I have bought have been of good quality except a gas tank sending unit wiring harness I got from Chevy Duty was a generic wire and turned out to be about three feet longer than the original.


They offered to refund my money but I asked for a shirt which they did send me. I keep the wire and shortened it since it goes behind the seat out of sight.

I also order from Golden State in CA but they are bad to backorder parts and want you to pay the day you order.They say that is done so if there is a price increase you will get your parts at the price they were when you ordered.I said BS.

Hobert

How about Brothers??

Get the number off the back of the block, by the bell housing and then click here for good engine number info...

good luck...

bought some wheel cylinders and bearings recently from chevy duty....they sent the wrong cylinders but sent out the right ones with a UPS call tag to send back the bad.... good parts so far. I too have used anerican classic and lmc....american classic had ALL parts in stock!!!

Most all things mechanical can still be bought through your local parts houses. I've only had experience with LMC on buying body parts and can recommend them too,
Scott

Hi 63; I've ordered parts from all of the above mentioned catalogs (and more). If you do order from American Classic, please be sure to thank them for hosting this great website!

For the most part, I've had good experiences with everybody. There have been many lively discussions here about bad experiences with various sellers. Based on those threads, I'd say Shipwright is giving you some good advice - ask if the part is in stock before you order it.

You may not be familiar with the links portion of the Stovebolt Page. Be sure check it out here . You may be very pleasantly surprised at the resources other 'bolters have alerted the rest of us to. (Shopping for truck parts is as much fun for me as drooling over the Sears catalog every Christmas was when I was a kid.)

Chevy Duty was fine on what I've bought from them. My most recent big order was from the Truck Shop in Orange, Ca. Parts seem to be of good quality. I shop em' all to get the best price.

Haven't checked out American Classic before. I will probably check them out on the next round.

ok. thanks, yall. once agian, the members of the hot-air message board, oops, i mean the well experienced, knowledgable, decitated patrons of the stovebolt message board have once agian pulled me through a decision that despirately needed advising. thanks.

I like chevy duty allways been great to me

Whoopie I have bought from Chevy Duty, Tuckers, Brothers and have had good service from them all.

ok. i basically got the ltest issue of Classic Trucks, went to the advertiser index, and called and went online to get all the parts catalouges i could.
I know i'm asking alot, but, any help with my question #2? i just want to make sure i aint gonna have to rebuild the trans. or anything. thanks again

Welcome Aboard!
About question #2, before I would call it a "bad" thing, I would change the transmission oil and spray every thing from the shifter knob to the transmission with your favorite penetrating oil. That might loosen things up a bit. Could you give us a little more information on what you have done? I am sure the transmission gurus on this board could figure it out.

For Question Number 2: It'd also be a good idea to check all the bushings and linkages between the column shifter and the transmission.
I had that on my '54 Buick 3-spd manual. Most of the original bushings were gone, so the linkage had to move 1/4-inch before the rod moved the shift levers on the trans. Once I swapped in new bushings where the rods go into the levers, and adjusted everything, it shifted nicely.
-Brad

American classic has been good. I would buy from them again when I need more parts.

I yank all my parts off of old trucks. They're cheap that way, and they always fit.

i'll spray everthing that looks like it might possibely move mith my best friend, WD40(well, best friend after ducktape, that is) and check the bushings.( i dont have the truck home yet, so i will look at this coming week) thanks.
i ordered abt 7 parts catalogues today, and it feels like christmas!!

I've had real good luck with these folks:
http://www.obschevy.com/

CD is great, Amer Classic also great,no complaints about either, some repro stuff is junk tho. look at shifter pics on the column shifter the ears on the shift forks at the base of the column wear & get sloppy

Iowa Truck,
could you give us a little more detail on the cab parts that fit and didn't fit, including primer finish (for indetification of source). This would be terrific information to have. I struggled with a few problems that way and as you say, it is really hard to know what the original fit like.

thanks
Tiny- i have already ordered a catolouge from OBS chevy. and 64fleetside, thanks for the pictures,and i now know what to look at.