Are any parts from the dealer still in stock ? Like weatherstrips ? I have all the catalogs and Soffseal is in my area but was wondering about NOS GM. Thanks

I doubt if you'll find NOS weatherstrips. I was lucky enough to get an NOS dome light cover and alternator bracket from my dealer for my 66, but it really all depends on the size of the dealership and their policy on moving parts in and out. As far as weatherstripping though, Soff Seal is probably your best supplier for rubber parts, probably even better than original.

You can still get some stuff if the parts people will do their job. You see lots of items being sold in these new style dark blue boxes like SS grill emblems, SS center caps, headlight rings. Look at the Year one catalog and on many items you see they offer a reproduction or a new GM.

Many GM parts still out there, Weatherstrips have long been discontinued, but are still out there if you want to pay the piper. I have had problems with everyones reproduction weatherstrips. I have heard excellent things about Steele Rubber Products, will try there products next. JN

http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/

Quite a few parts here. Also Modern Chevrolet.

These guys are correct, there are still quite a bit of pieces for our beloved Chevys. Weatherstripping seems to have been discontinued for years on most all of the old models.

I have used www.partszoneonline.com for years. It's a small dealership in Slovan, Pennsylvania called P&G Chevrolet. It is right over the hill from where I grew up. The parts manager's name is Bill and if you call him with a request make sure you tell him that Bryan Shook referred you. www.partszoneonline.com sells at prices very close to GM Parts Direct however, they charge actual shipping (not flat rate as GM Parts Direct does) and you can call their 800 number and speak with an actual person.

Good luck.

Around here some parts guys have discarded the old catalogues or are too lazy too look the stuff up. I have two excellent guys at Lindsay Pontiac in Linsay Ontario who will find the part if it is still available at all. I believe that they have access to all GM warehouses and many dealers' inventories as well. I just bought a new ignition switch and key warning contact for our '72 Lemans. No shipping charges and the part arrives the next day. The switch was $30. I was just checking on a 10* vacuum advance cannister and there are 30 in the Woodstock warehouse alone. It pays to check with GM first.

There's still plenty of GM stuff available, depending on what you need specifically, as said, you need a good partsman or if you get a part number from a service manual.
http://www.metrommp.com/
They have bought many many OEM mouldings from my shop so they can reproduce them using their machines. They are very good quality.

Many dealers scribe to this
www.partsvoice.com (http://www.partsvoice.com)

But you need to know the part numbers, so if you are serious get a parts book.

Many dealers scribe to this
www.partsvoice.com (http://www.partsvoice.com)

But you need to know the part numbers, so if you are serious get a parts book.


not to mention have a subscription. Another one is OE Connection, same thing though-you need to subscribe.

I'll give you advice I wish I had when buying all my resto parts:

NEVER throw away the original part until the car is complete for at least 6 months, not even the smallest broken or bent screw or washer.

ALWAYS ask "is this the best quality available for this part"?

When you recieve them immediately and very carefully compare them to the ones your replacing, if you don't have originals then try the new part on the car or assembly to make sure it fits.

From my experience there are actually only a small handfull of vendors that handle really GREAT parts.

Over 25% of the parts I bought were not correct or of good quality and I didn't find out until I was ready to install them, that created a major eleventh hour fire drill! ;)

Are any parts from the dealer still in stock ? Like weatherstrips ? I have all the catalogs and Soffseal is in my area but was wondering about NOS GM. Thanks

Surprised no one mentioned it yet...

Just because its sold (and maybe manufactured by) GM, and its been sitting in the warehouse for years, does NOT means its NOS...

NOS means New Old Stock, brand new stuff, but its "old stock", been sitting on the shelf for years... As someone mentioned, the packaging has changed, which is one way to tell if its truly NOS... Of course, I have also heard of unscrupulous sellers showing pictures with a correct NOS box, but the part is newer (I guess they keep the old boxes around)...

Typically, NOS is meant to represent the original replacement parts you might have found at the GM dealer shortly after you bought the car, often the same parts used in the original assembly, just the surplus... As the years went on and these parts were sold/depleated, GM might have combined parts from several applications that might "work", but aren't correct from a resto standpoint. GM might have also resorted to out-side vendors (and not the original manufacturer) to reproduce the items and put them in a GM package...

Now, GM uses the "OEM restoration" gimmick, but that doesn't mean these parts are any better quality or fit than what you'd find at Ground Up, OPGI, etc (not saying that some parts won't be better, but its no guarantee). They're parts that GM licenses, so they can make some money off this crazy resto market... Doesn't even mean they are the best choice out there, just that that company was willing to pay GM a licencing fee...


So while true NOS parts are out there, they can be hard to locate and expensive... With something like weatherstripping, even if the NOS stuff has been in the package, not sure if there might still be some deterioration (aged and brittle)...

Of course, I have also heard of unscrupulous sellers showing pictures with a correct NOS box, but the part is newer (I guess they keep the old boxes around)...




I have seen many of them "unscrupulous sellers" on E-bay selling those parts claiming to be NOS showing the part & the box & they specifically say box is not included in the auction, also I have asked if the box was included on others and was told NO. Obvious sign of reproduction parts being passed off as NOS!!!!

K

Surprised no one mentioned it yet...

Just because its sold (and maybe manufactured by) GM, and its been sitting in the warehouse for years, does NOT means its NOS...



And if you do find one I doubt it would be worth using as rubber deteriorates everyday its exposed to the air (so after 30 years???). So as soon as you installed it and it got bent folded or pressed against, my opinion is it would probably ruin the part.

I would go find an aftermarket vendor that produces high quailty parts and get new ones from them. You'll be much happier.

Fortunately our hobby has lots of vendors of parts unlike some other makes of vehicles. Yes some of the parts are good and others not so good.

When I need something, I get the part # from the assy manual and plug it in to the GMPartsDirect website. It will show if its a good number, if so, go to your local dealer and order it using the #. Its amazing whats still out there!