The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Who is Chevy Duty now?

I did a search and no luck.

Thanks,
Woody

80% certain

http://www.americanclassic.com/

I think it's www.classicparts.com

Chevy Duty is now Classic Parts:

http://www.classicparts.com/

Classic Parts Of America !!

www.classicparts.com

75% of them are correct Woody! There are some things they don't stock like but I gotta tell ya, 80% of my parts have come from them and their service it absolutely top notch. I've ordered from them on line in the early morning and had it the next day. No problem if there is a mistake or problem with the order they have always rectified it right away no questions asked.
Be aware though, that some of the reproduction parts are not up to snuff in my book. They are not any worse than any of the others. Their inventory, just like every one of the other vendors comes form the same source and I’ve been disappointed by the quality of parts from all of them at one time or another.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Absolutely true... Whoever you buy from.

I try to find usable used parts on some things, because the reproduction stuff... especially the body, trim or anything aesthetic is really not anywhere close to being the same part sometimes.

-W

Denny and Woogeroo,

I've learned the hard way that things aren't always as they appear or are advertised.

My truck needed a complete new brake system and I decided that since the parts would "only be about $250 more" why not just upgrade to power disks in the front.

I compared the prices from 5 of the major players and not one mentioned anything about their systems not working with stock wheels and I want to keep the stock look. I understand that the experienced guys here know that but I'm new and simply assumed that fundamental problems like this would be mentioned in the catalogs. It's not, and I don't know where you guys draw the line but, owning a business myself, I consider that an unethical business practice.

However, I also understand why they don't mention it. If one vendor mentioned one negative thing about something they are selling the customer is going to assume their parts are different from somewhere else and buy the exact same thing from someone who doesn't come clean. This issue is endemic to the industry.

So, here I am after most of a day with my mechanic putting the brakes on and taking them off three times because the instructions omit certain things that you don't discover until you get the things completely installed. We go to put the wheels on and you can guess the rest of the story.

So what are my options? I already blew $70 getting the parts shipped from California, I'll have to blow another $70 shipping them back PLUS get stuck with a 15% - 20% restocking charge, PLUS eat the money I paid my mechanic to waste a day. OR I can buy new wheels.

Buying the new wheels made the most sense, but they have to be painted, tires remounted/balanced so when it's all said and done my brake upgrade that was "only" going to cost $200 more in parts is now costing almost $1000 more... money that was budgeted for other things. And all because the vendor just "forgot" to tell the truth about what they are selling.

That whole rant has nothing to do with Classic Parts specifically. Like I said the problem applies to all the big players. I'm just looking for a vendor closer to North Carolina to save a little on shipping.

You can bet your a$$ that I'll be doing a lot more asking on my next big purchase.

So there... I feel better now :mad:

But I'll feel a lot better when I get my truck back on the road

Czechman, I am not sure who you bought your disc brake upgrade kit from but I seem to recall most vendors used to mention that they didn't work with stock wheels as you discovered. Classic Performance Parts still states this as an issue:

http://www.classicperform.com/Store/1947_59_Trucks/4954CBK6.htm

The latest Chevy Duty/Classic Parts catalog I have also states the same thing.

The Jim Carter (Old Chevy Trucks) catalog doesn't state it specifically in the section for the disc brake kit, but lists a 3/16" spacer right underneath the listing that solves the problem:

http://www.oldchevytrucks.biz/47_55/full.asp?page=56

Obviously this doesn't help you though at this point with having been misled but might guide you to who you can trust when buying the next major part.

Also, if you haven't bought/mounted the new wheels yet you might want to consider that Jim Carter part:

My "kit" was drop shipped from Classic Performance but bought through another vendor. The vendor who I bought the parts through did not mention the wheel issue and since I was unaware of CPP I didn't see their website.

In their defense, CPP does mention that "Stock drum brake wheels MAY not work with disk brake conversions" then they continue by stating "Before installing this kit make sure your wheels fit" on the instruction sheet. In other words after you have bought the kit and installed it bringing this discussion back to the shipping/restocking expense.

The part that Jim Carter sells is useless in my case. In order to get my stock wheels to clear the calipers would take a spacer at least an inch thick.

What I should have known from experience I don't have isn't the issue here. Vendors omitting critical information regarding the usability of expensive parts is my point.

Again I'd suggest if you haven't done so already to contact CPP. I realize you didn't see their website however it states:

I'd contact them to find out about the spacer they provide for their kit. If they recommend the same 3/16" then something additional is wrong. Either an installation issue or a wheel issue. CPP is very decent when it comes to this kind of problem. In fact if you want to draw some attention to the problem if you do have a further issue with them with them not being willing to help you as you purchased it through someone else, I'd post over at chevytalk.com forums as CPP is a sponsor there with their own forum to address such issues. Drawing attention in public to something if they are to blame will sometimes accomplish more than simply making a telephone call.

My point in my post was merely to point out that several to my mind "major players" had the problem listed.

If you don't mind telling us who did you buy the part from?

All that said and done, again, I have to defend Classic Parts of America and say the generally speaking I have had the best experience with them out of all the vendors.
The only other one that I walked away from smiling was Tim at "Fedhill High Performance Alloy Brake Lines". Their flaring tool is the only one that will consistently make a perfectly formed double flare, time after time after time, with no old maids. In steel, SS and Cunifer, of any size 3/16" to 3/8". I've made hundreds of samples with no failures yet.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I'm not going to say who I bought the kit from because that's just going to open the flood gates of comments about that vendor.

I will tell you that I priced the parts out from 4 different vendors. I thought it was 5 but it was only 4. They are:

LMC: "15-inch or larger wheels must be used". So, I figured that my 15-inch wheels qualified. I was either wrong or misled, you decide.

Filling Station: No mention of wheels

Classic Truck Parts: "MAY NOT" work with stock wheels." LMC, says 15-inch wheels are okay... so I assumed my wheels would work.

Brothers: No mention of wheels.

In my case, this isn't anything catastrophic. I needed new wheels anyway because the ones on my truck don't have the clips for the hubcaps so the $54 per wheel I'm paying from Wheelsmith isn't a big deal.

In fact if there's a bright spot in this whole mess, it was dealing with them. Bob was extremely helpful and would not write up the sale until he knew that he was selling me something that would work. Of course, I don't have the wheels on my truck yet so all of this is subject to them actually working.

I'm a big boy and didn't get to where I am by being stupid. I'll have my disk brakes and I'll have new wheels and all of this will just make a fun "war story" some day. Right now, I'm just not very happy and feel I have a valid point. If you're going to sell something, be upfront about it.

Peace, out.

I based my decision on the evidence I have presented. If you want to blame me for not knowing something I had no way of knowing there is nothing I can do about that.

I've said all I have to say regarding this issue... Argue among yourselves if you wish, I have better things to do.

Well, on the 60's trucks(still 6 lug), some wheels wil fit & some won't fit w/disc brakes-my '64 wheels worked fine while my buddy's '69 wheels would not clear. Same disc brake calipers/rotors. Both appeared to have original wheels, mine were welded centers, his were riveted

Now I remember why I quit giving advice or opinions on anything technical.

I am sorry if you took my response as being critical of you Czechman. In fact it was the reverse. All I was trying to do was give you some ideas as to other suppliers who DID have alerts about the potential issues so you could form your own opininos as to who to buy from in the future. And on top of that I tried to give you some ideas as to what some suppliers offer to overcome that particular problem and how to possibly sort your issue out.

Sorry if you took advice as criticism.

Back to the Greasy Spoon for me.

You are not the first person to have experienced this exact same issue, I've read about it here and in other old truck forums. I noticed awhile back several of the vendors started adding more disclaimers to that area of the trucks.

I myself try to poke around and ask people who have my kinda truck what they have used and pester them for details, before I make a big purchase like that.


Everything that I have read, if I was going to do a front disc conversion on my '65, tells me to go with

http://www.earlyclassic.com

I've read that it costs more up front, but that every little nut, bolt and thingy majingy comes with the kit. I've also read that their tech support is very, very helpful. I have written to guys who have done the install, the first time in a weekend. They were taking their time, double checking everything. They've told me they could do it again on another vehicle in a day, if they had all their tools assembled and they really got motivated.

Sounds like you learned a lesson that many times we have to figure things out for ourselves. If you are wanting a truck by numbers instruction then you will continue to be disappointed in your efforts to rebuild your truck.

So what if some parts do not fit the original exactly. Make it fit yourself. As for thinking original wheels would work with disc brakes, that is an issue everyone needs to think about including back spacing.

If this stuff were easy then anyone could be a stovebolter.

Czechman, you state your stock wheels won't work, then you state you need new wheels anyway because your's don't have clips. Sounds like they weren't stock in the first place.

Find some stock 16" wheels and they should work. They fit on my '54 GMC with just a touch of grinding.

I thought he wanted to know who chevy duty was ???