Hats off to all the restoration shops!!!

[jasonL78]

Well as most of you know I have been restoring a 67 chevelle convertible for the past couple of years! I just painted it last week. I spent all this week re-assembling the sheet metal and buffing the car out. Everything went great I didn't buff throgh the clear and didn't chip the paint. I was real proud off this. So today I asked my brother to stop by and help me set the hood back onto the hinges. I go to my work bench and grab 4 bolts from the front end bolt kit I bought from a restoration shop. The bag was labeled hood and hinge bolts. We set the hood I tighten down the bolts and then the unexpected happens. My brother says you missed a dent in the back corner off the hood I said that is impossible! Then I see it! The back hood bolt on the drivers side is pushing the hood skin up! It was too long! Man was I mad! But the more I thought about it, this really wasn't a big deal. It could of been worse I guess. I can fix the hood it just something I didn't plan on doing. I went back to my bag with the original bolts and sure enough they are flat and about 1/4 of an inch shorter. The 4 bolts I used from the so called kit had points on them and were to long. I good lesson learned I guess. Just thought I would share my experience with everyone. I don't know how the restoration shops do it. Anyone else have some bad stories to share?

[Mr. Chevy]

Thats the trouble with repop anything... Most all of it is JUNK!! There is always something that does not fit right and you have to modify it..

When Phil (SYC Member:Woj) and I were restoring my 69 Chevelle we were putting the gas tank back in the car. We were both laying on our backs holding the tank up and we started to run the long bolts into place that hold the straps/tank. The two bolts we were using were also from a "kit" and cosmetically looked "dead on" to the originals. We kept struggling with getting the damn things to start threading.

Finally after messing around with many attempts to get the threads started, Phil ran into his basement and came back out with two original gas tank strap bolts he had taken off a junk Chevelle at a junk yard out west, cleaned them and had them re plated. We used those and they threaded right in within seconds. We did nothing else different in the way we were mounting the tank and straps..

It was like the repro. bolts were just a "hair" to short to start threading. Needless to say those damn bolts went right in the trash!! It's just always something with that crap!! Thats why we ended up using alot of original stuff on that car.. Makes a world of difference!!

Rich

[jasonL78]

I forgot to mention! I bought a set of re-pop rear tail-light bezels that came with seals. I even bought antoher set of seals by mistake. I threw both sets in the garbage and used the originals. The after market one's were to thick. Well this is what I had to do to make the after market bezels fit and look correct. You never know what fits and what doesn't. It seems you are always up for a challenge when you use the aftermarket parts!! Thank god for Beer!!!

Jason

[Salvatore]

The job is always easier and better with original parts it seems. Even some later NOS stuff is weak at times. To me it does not pay to do a complete frame off on a car unless it really needs it. Neither of my cars especially the nova has any rattles.

[Canuck]

The last time I went to a wrecking yard was spring 2007 and all I bought out of there were nuts and bolts,frame,sheet metal and engine fastners. In all from this and other i had amassed I had about 300 nuts,bolts etc. Had everything cleaned and plated the appropriate finish. They are all sorted and ready for the next restoration of freshen up on an existing one.
I feel your pain on repro parts. I have thrown out my fair share of stuff that just wont fit.
No point returning it,they will just send more stuff that wont fit.

Paul

[Tarrytown SS427s]

I did the same thing over two trips I took out west where the hardware is pit free and comes out easily! I can't understand why people go back to reproduction parts time after time knowing of the insufficient quality they are getting.

There's always the excuse that original stuff, whether it be NOS or used, is too hard to find, but I think anybody that has the guts to take on restoring a car should already understand that they will be facing some challenges in the process.

When you are finally driving your sweet Chevy down the road isn't it so much more satisfying to know that you sourced everything yourself (and it's all GM stuff) rather than taking the easy route of an inch thick catalog? I know it is for me. I'm a full-time college student, so my budget is incredibly tight. I say do it right the first time around
Steve

[ss427copo]

Points well taken! Reminds me of the time I was installing the hardware handle on my beautiful Andersen French Sliding glass door and after tightening the two handle screws nice-n-snug, I slid the gorgeous door open to find out I used the 2 long screws by error...which came thru the outside wood by 1/4"!! Man, was I pissed!

Jeff x 2 1/2

[Salvatore]

Things happen to all of us.

[bkhpah]

I am sure we have screwed up almost every thing at least once..BKH

[RamAirDave]

Yeah, it happens. Live and learn and remember it for the next go-round.

I have seen aftermarket hood bolts (the pointed ones like you have) come with a notation in the bag saying that they may need to be trimmed for the pre-70 (maybe pre-68, don't remember) hoods.