By Woogeroo.
This article was last updated on: 11/12/2009 This document is always continually a work in progress, but you can drive it around.
So! You have found an old pre-1973 Chevy or GMC truck that you just had to have. Maybe the truck is a bit of a family heirloom and you just can not let it go? Possibly, like me, you saw one when you were a kid and said to yourself "oh! I am gonna get me one of those one day!".. now that you have your dream truck, you are wondering: "Where do I find parts for this thing? " Well, first up there are the reproduction parts, which I must warn you are not always 'as original', oftentimes they are kinda somewhat close and you have to 'make it fit'. This is the lay of land and comes with the territory when dealing with reproduction stuff(this is also sometimes the case with the original from GM replacement parts as well, from what I've been told from retired GM dealer mechanics). There have been numerous reports of high $$$ new reproduction chrome bumpers not fitting well in the same brackets or holes. I myself have personally seen so called reproduction new chrome pieces rust inside a month sitting outside in the weather. Therefore, as always it is a case of buyer beware. Many
of
the vendors that sell New Old Stock(N.O.S.) and reproduction
parts
for pre-1973 GM trucks also sell Used parts. Generally, selling used
parts
is how most of the companies got started.
Chevy
/ GMC Truck Parts Vendors List @ Woogeroo's Autolinks
Most of the Friendly Local Auto Parts stores(FLAPS) have lots of mechanical parts still in their system, some new and some rebuilt. NAPA for instance(as well as other national chains), have lots of parts, like brake pads, wheel cylinders, carburetor rebuild kits, water pumps and other mechanical pieces and bits. You might have to order the parts and wait a bit, but you can get the parts without having to pay for shipping, plus the return policies are the same as other parts they sell for that category(example: parts stores do not take returns on any electrical parts). Now, to the main focus of this article: finding used truck parts. There are many reasons for seeking out used parts. Sometimes the original used parts can be saved, repainted, rebuilt and brought back to life and reused. If it is an original part, it will probably fit better and look better if it is in good shape or if it can be repaired to be used again. Also, some parts are just not reproduced yet and may never be reproduced, so if you are going for a stock class show truck or ride that is close to original, you are going to be searching for all types of bits and pieces. If your truck is a base model, then most of the pieces were painted to start with and the truck had minimal or no chrome at all on the vehicle. This can be a good thing, as you can repair the metal pieces and simply repaint them. Otherwise you might have to go through the drama of re-chroming things or go down the path of replacing with suspect reproduction chrome parts. The base model truck specific parts are often cheaper as everyone generally wants the flashy stuff, so you can buy the used pieces, clean them up nice and you are in business. Used
Parts
- links, resources online.
There
are the local venues to your geographical location; salvage yards, yard sales, old parts stores, local advertising papers or websites. Swap Meets that take place in your area will usually be organized by some kind of old vehicle group in your area. These meets are mentioned at car shows and cruise ins and other places old truck people hang out. Swap Meets also get mentioned and posted in event sections of old truck forums, online. Be sure to peruse your various local classifieds from the newspapers
to classified specific print publications which are available at news stands in your local convenience store or magazine and bookseller. Car shows and cruise ins are a good place to meet people who know folks who have parts. I have seen people show up at shows and leave signs on their vehicles stating that they are looking for a certain part, and having their contact information(usually a cell phone number) on this ad. If you show up in your old truck and talk to your fellow truck owners you can then network and meet all types of people, many of whom have all sorts of parts and pieces hanging around in barns or storage spaces. They have the parts, because they have collected them over the years, but they do not always advertise this fact. However, if they know you are looking for a part that they may have, they are usually willing to deal or trade. Most of the time, when dealing with used parts, it is best to call on the phone and ask about the parts. If you know exactly what the part you are looking for is called and they know the name also,
that
works well. Then again, if you do not know what the part is called...
or
even if it is for the year model of your truck... that is when things get interesting. There is also the name that General Motors gave it originally in their parts catalogs and there is often a nickname or slang term for the part that has since developed. For instance, on a 1960-66 Chevy truck, the bottom window felt that snaps into the door itself on each side of the glass has the nickname of 'cat whiskers', because they are curved on one end like a cat's whisker. I have seen this part referred to as window felt or beaded window seals. Parts searching is all part of the adventure, see? Another example; on my 1965 Chevrolet C10, I needed a new door check, door stop... that piece inside the door that prevents the door from opening too far forward and slamming into the front fender. When I was searching for this part on the parts vendors websites, I found no less than 7 different variations used to describe this same exact part! All of the terms of course utilized the word: door. Each of these differently named parts in different catalogs all had an image or diagram of the exact same part. Hmnnn... are we having fun yet, class? I have also experienced another fun little adventure when dealing with my 1965 C10 which it turns out has a 1971 steering column for an automatic transmission and 1969 dual vacuum assisted master brake cylinder with a 1992 engine block and more than likely a 1967 - 1972 power steering box with the 1992 power steering pump! You are seeing a pattern here, right? It is all General Motors, it is all Chevy or GMC..? But.. uhm... what year model is it exactly and I REALLY NEED A PART(NOW!!!)!? Help ME! Undocumented parts swaps by previous owners, always adds to the excitement in finding parts for an old truck. The exchange of digital photos can speed things up or help, but this
only works if both parties are comfortable with digital photos and the use of the
internet. There are several used parts fellows online who are getting quite handy with taking pictures and using online photo albums and what not to show exactly what parts they have for sale, but a lot of old parts people don't want to bother with the newfangled technology, but they have parts. Ah! This is where being polite and tactful comes into play, being nice will get you results.
Salvage Yards, Auto Recyclers(whatever they call 'em these days) online...
http://www.junkyarddog.com - the Internets largest salvage yard database http://www.autop.com
- used car, truck parts from salvage yards nationwide If you do a search for salvage yards, used parts, used parts searching and so forth then you will find other options, or maybe more recent additions and versions of this type of service. Salvage
Yards @ Woogeroo's Autolinks
A lot of online truck forums or websites with information about old trucks may also have listings to Salvage Yards or a page full of links to salvage yard sites, so go forth and point, click and read. You never know when or where you will find a golden nugget of information that leads you to that perfect used part. The other used parts resources on the web for pre-1973 GM trucks... There
is eBay which some use and some do
not. eBay constantly changes their policies about everything, so READ the fine print before you use it for selling or buying! I have found several pieces for my '65 C10 on there and I have had good experiences buying things so far, but I have heard many horror stories as well. When things go wrong and the buyer or seller does not want to act in good faith, eBay tends to leave you on your own, but they still want their cut of the pie, regardless. From a online buddy at chevytalk, dvalentine has this to write about eBay search tips:
Many of the eBay search tips apply to other forums and classified ads sites such as craigslist to varying degrees, so try different things. (see below for some craigslist search tips)
There
is the Swap Meet in the Forums at
http://www.stovebolt.com
. The Swap Meet is a place where you can browse ads of parts or vehicles that are for sale. You must be a registered user to view, post
and reply to ads, but the site is free to register and use(donations are accepted - cash or if you have parts you wish to auction to help with the costs of the site). The Swap Meet
is just like the rest of Stovebolt forums, people post what they have for sale or want to buy and
people
can reply and ask questions regarding the ad. The Swap Meet has many different sections,
but they only allow the selling of things for 1918 - 1972 Chevrolet/GMC
trucks only. They fudge a little sometimes in the 'truck parts for
sale' section as some folks want to add some more modern pieces to their
old
trucks. However, in the rest of the Swap Meet they are quite serious
and
strict about pre 1973 parts/trucks ONLY.
Trucks for sale, for complete trucks or rolling chassis. Trucks wanted - people posting ads that they are looking for a specific type, year and model of a truck. Truck parts for sale - parts. Truck parts wanted - people posting ads that they are looking for a specific part Misc. Stovebolt Stuff
Those are the main sections of the Swap Meet at the Stovebolt page,
there is also a section of eBay/Craigslist links to current auctions/ads of old truck
parts and trucks for sale. The 'Stovebolt Spotting Alert Network'
is where Stovebolters let each other know about cool old trucks they ran upon for sale in their area. There are other sections of the swap meet for perusing as well. The Classifieds area at http://www.chevytalk.com , it costs money to place an ad unless you are a supporting member, but the Classifieds are free to browse or reply to ads, you provide your email address so the seller may contact you.
ChevyTalk
now has a new area in the Forums section where supporting members can
post
ads of things they have to sell or are looking to buy. The new area is
called: Supporting Members Classified Section. You must be a registered
user to reply to the posts or to send private messages within the
board.
It is free to register and post on Chevytalk.
The
parts
boards at http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com
- This board, as it's URL implies was founded for the 1967-1972 Chevy trucks, however it expanded and now covers the 1947 - current Chevy/GMC trucks(as well as the smaller S10's). The parts board here are arranged by year model. For example: There is the '47-'55 parts board, '55-'59 parts board... these are like the regular message boards for questions and answers about trucks, but the content on the parts boards are strictly about parts wanted or parts for sale. The parts boards are just like the forum boards, you post a message stating you are selling a part or maybe you are looking to buy a part you state in your topic: WTB(want to buy) and the nature of the part, the year and model you'd like to buy. You can include as much information as you need to about your vehicle and your application within the body of the post itself. Then people will respond to comment, ask further questions and offer to buy or sell you(r) parts. I have had very good luck finding parts on this board and dealt with some stand up people there.
The above 3 forums each have tens of thousands of members who are certifiably old Chevrolet/GMC truck crazy. The Stovebolt page and 67-72chevytrucks.com are old General Motors trucks specific and Chevytalk.com is specific to anything Chevrolet, but I have found the 60-66 Chevy Trucks and Vans forum at Chevytalk to be very helpful and friendly. The members of each board have varying levels of experience and expertise working on trucks and finding parts, it would be in your interest to register at all of them. Some of the people reading the posts are retired dealer service techs who have forgotten more about trucks than most of us will ever know. They like to share their knowledge with people and will chime in. Other members are merely people who have been banging away at their particular type of truck for many years and will gladly share their tips and past mistakes with you. Most people tend to like the style, layout and mood of the members of one particular board over another. I myself am a supporting member of all three of the above boards, as I have found them to be invaluable in finding information and parts so that I could work on my 1965 c10 and my fathers 1953 Chevy truck. Double
check the forum rules for selling things on each site!!! before posting!! The rules may have changed
again
since I last edited this article!!!!
http://www.hemmings.com
- Hemmings Motor News - a search able site with classifieds for cars, trucks and
parts.
This is also a print magazine with articles, ads and things. Before the internet
came along this print magazine was one of the few nationally available
resources
with classifieds listing used parts and services that rebuild various components of old vehicles.
I have been told by a man who restores 1930's Chevrolet's that if you are REALLY looking for a part that you just can not find, then put a wanted ad in this magazine. His reason is that folks who have the really good quality used parts and pieces in barns or warehouses, read the wanted ads in this magazine regularly and they will contact you. You may not want to pay what they want for it, but someone just might have the odd ball piece you are looking for. http://www.brads41-46chevys.com
- parts and whole trucks
for this model run http://www.hotrodders.com
- the thing about hot rodders is... they like to customize stuff by mixing and matching and cutting and what not. Many
times they'll want to get rid of stock parts that you really want but they no longer have a use for.
Things like engines, transmissions, mirrors, stock rear end, steering
wheel
and column, maybe everything. What they do not want, you might need. H.A.M.B.
classifieds @ the jalopy journal - a traditional hot rods and customs
site... with 10's of thousands of members. You never know what might be for sale over there in the classifieds. Mind your
manners
when you are there, they do not tolerate fools and are rather quick witted... if you act a fool they will quickly delete your posts or ban you.
If you are friendly and straight up they are some of the best old vehicle folks to know online(and in person as well). http://www.chevytrucks.org - Specializing in information on 1941 -1959 Chevy trucks - In the classifieds sections there, they now allow pre 1941 - 1972 Chevy 'trucks for sale/parts wanted' sections. http://www.aths.org
- American Truck Historical Society - Incorporated in 1971, the not-for-profit American Truck Historical
Society was formed to preserve the history of trucks, the trucking
industry, and its pioneers. This group of old truck enthusiasts and their forums lean more toward information about ton trucks and semi tractors. However, be sure to look around inside the discussion forums as well as the classifieds section linked from the homepage. A lot of old big truck folks have old smaller trucks as well. http://www.oldchevytruck.com
- complete chevy/gmc trucks for sale, this is a commercial classifieds site. (not loading on 11/12/2009 - may be a dead site) http://www.vccachat.org
- Vintage Chevrolet Club of America (VCCA) - look at Classified Ads
for All Years - Vehicles wanted/for sale - parts wanted/for sale
. This is a great site/group to belong to if you are interested in your truck being stock and restored to the original equipment. http://www.inliners.org
- Inliners is a website for a car club of people who like cars with inline cylinder engines, of all makes. Look in Parts for sale/wanted, trucks for sale
http://www.oldgmctrucks.com
- three separate forums: GMC parts for sale - GMC parts wanted - GMC
trucks
for sale - you must be a registered user to view the forums.
http://www.craigslist.org
- Craig's List is a site that has basic text classifieds ads, sometimes
with images, sometimes not... for all sorts of parts. Sometimes
they
have a complete old truck for sale on there, or a part of some kind.
There
is a cars/trucks section for complete vehicles and a section for
individual
parts(auto parts). The best way I have found so far to search CL for a vehicle is to search by year model and then wade through the results. For instance if I am looking for a 1964 Chevy truck... I merely type in: 1964 This will bring up every 1964 model vehicle, plus a few newer vehicles with the number 1964 somewhere in the ad, but it is usually only 15-40 ads in my area and I can skim through and look for the interesting things. A great help article on craigslist on how to search for things. Below is an example of a search string that I use when I am perusing trucks for sale in my area in the Cars and Trucks section of Craigslist. This search string is written to look for trucks of the 1964 - 1966 model range in c10. This search will sometimes pick up a few other ads for a 1967 c10, etc., but it will whittle down all the ads for you to a page or so, depending on the number of trucks for sale. Play around with the layout to find what you are looking for. You can also search like this in the auto parts section. cars and trucks For actual parts I will try a combination of the actual name and the slang/nicknames of parts and pieces to search. For example, a small block Chevrolet engine block will usually be listed as a SBC. Trying misspelled words works well also, plus sometimes people put ads in the wrong section, so keep that in mind. I also search the auto parts and put in the cubic inch of the engine: 283, 327... and so on. For the transmissions you can use the model numbers like sm420 or th350... sometimes people put more information and put the old hydromatic tag in the ad. So, play around with your searching parameters as you never know what will get a hit. You can also put wanted to buy ads on craigslist, in the parts section. However, check the rules on the way to do so. Last time I had an ad there was a rule about how often you could repeat the same ad, as I believe their ads stay up for a month or so. I found that including an image or a link to a online image of the part in question is very helpful, along with any other information about the part such as length, size, weight, parts numbers, anything that you may know about the part you are looking for. I hope that you find that some, if not all of the information presented above is helpful in tracking down the used parts you need for your old Chevy/GMC truck. Searching for parts is half the fun! Good luck and always remember, Old trucks are fun! Right? -W An article and list of where and how to find used pre-1973 GM truck parts. This article was written by Woogeroo. The names of other
websites
and/or companies in this article are the property of their respective
owners.
This article was first published online 02/07/2005. Background and the origin of this article The
original
list that this article evolved from was compiled with the idea in mind of writing an article with other truck folks about
where/how
to find used pre-1973 GM truck parts and putting the article on one of the old truck boards that I frequent. When I first posted on various old Chevy/GMC truck
forums,
there was little or no response in adding sources, critiquing
it or making suggestions. I should have known that the best writing is never done by a committee. Eventually I decided to take what little sources and bits of information that I
had and put it up in a simple list of sites
fashion and leave it at that. Over time I began chasing more links here and
there, digging around in forums, asking questions and sometimes finding answers, stumbling upon more ideas and things. I then started writing what eventually evolved into
the
article above. I am by no means an expert on the subject of old parts searching, I
am just sharing what I have learned as I have noticed that a lot of old
Chevy/GMC trucks folks, even ones who have been at it longer than I
have, do not know about all of these resources or some of the ways they can better utilize them. -W
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An article and list of where and how to find used pre-1973 GM truck parts. |