OK--who has ordered repro's that have the EXACT SAME grain as original? ("Year One" is not a good answer:rant: ) If so---where did you get them? Is the gentlemen that was making the better quality bright plastic trim that goes around the perimeter of the seat backs/bases still making it?
I think there is only one manufacturer of the seat backs. Grain match is ok....fit is ok...but could be better.
Patton, George is correct, there is only one company currently reproducing them and they are not like the originals. Duane
Thanks very much guys....as I suspected. I guess it's time to find some good originals to recolor. Thanks for the quick replies. One other question....on a 70-72 convertible, the Top Well Liner...when you view the backside of it (from the trunk side--trunklid open) you see a black plastic tarp-type material with threads running through it. Anyone know of source for this type material...once again, looking for the same or as-close-as-possible source. The well liners are vinyl or rubber coated/backed twill cotton, then a layer of insulation, then this black plastic tarp type material. 3 layers total....looking for the elusive last layer. Thanks
Patton Asks, One other question....on a 70-72 convertible, the Top Well Liner...when you view the backside of it (from the trunk side--trunklid open) you see a black plastic tarp-type material with threads running through it. As far as I know that is not available, but if you find some let me know, I need it for my 70 442 conv. Duane
Duane---thanks---that's all I do on here...keep asking questions!:Brow: I am getting more and more frustrated, as I put a couple Olds's together, with the lack of quality of repro parts, the lack of any specific knowledge on the part of the vendors, and the lack of detail on a lot of parts. Here's a good example of a COMPLETELY USELESS REPRO PART. Had a couple pair of FRONT DISC BRAKE HOSE FRAME BRACKETS that someone had ordered from SS396.com (Ground Up Restorations)....typical repro vendor. I am assembling the front suspension and brakes last week and had these bolted on. Got out the new rubber front brake hoses. As you know, they slip into these metal frame brackets only two ways (they have a oval/square collar machined into the metal part of the brake hose that fits a corresponding shaped hole in the bracket). I slip the hoses in the brackets and tap on the horseshoe clip. Later, I have the calipers mounted and grab the banjo bolt end to see how it attaches to the caliper. The brass block on the other end of the hose doesn't want to mate up to the caliper (no L or R side front brake hoses..both the same). To get the brass block to lay over the hole in the caliper required twisting the you-know-what out of the hose and put it in a real odd bind that would only get worse when you went to turn the wheel. I messed with the hoses, checked to REPRO BRACKETS to make sure I had them on the right side...which is pretty much impossible to do since each bracket has a locating tab in it that only allows then to go on one side. Finally, I yank the things back off and go grab a pair of original brackets....THE REPRO IDIOTS PUNCHED THIS OVAL/SQUARE HOLE WITH THE WRONG ORIENTATION OF THE OVAL/SQUARE HOLE. I then put some GM original brackets on there just to double check and sure enough, the hose goes over to the caliper in a NICE RELAXED position. I contacted ss396.com and they say "they are checking it out"...the last email I got today claimed they "didn't have any in stock to check" but would have some coming in. Does anyone ever think to check this stuff against an original part occasionally? The seatback plastics from Year One are a JOKE. They look like someone took chalky originals and sanded off all the dried out plastic and then painted them. I say this because I have sanded, previously chalky and now painted originals to compare to. I suspect making a mold that had any sort of sharp detail to the grain like the originals must be very expensive...or maybe they didn't look at any decent ones when they needed an example. I know these have had molds made for them more than once because the early repro versions were too "bumpy" and now these versions look too smooth. Fuel Line from The Parts Place...not shaped remotely close to the original line, the list goes on and on. I am going to make a serious effort to find the right stuff, or damn close, for the top well area inside the trunk. I will let you know when I find it which will hopefully be soon and I'll send the stuff to you free. To be fair to Year One...they seem to be the only vendor that sells a correct looking clutch/brake pedal pad for the Olds. Thanks for listening to this rant....that's what you get for answering my questions guys:TU:
Patton, Now you know another reason why I started the website I run. I have run into numerous items from all vendors that were/are wrong. Seems to be my experience/understanding.......they are in rush to get the part made so they can make some $$$$$ but fail to get some experts to verify the parts being reproduced correctly. As for the seat backs......avoid the white ones at all costs....there is something in them that makes them turn into powdered plastic dust in no time. Get a colored set and dye them with SEM dye and you should be set.
Thanks George....I have dyed/painted them before on other cars and YES, those poor white and lighter colored seatbacks get HAMMERED by the sun. I was perusing your site the other evening and IT IS EXCELLENT! The more of this stuff I see, the more I appreciate how well engineered AND BUILT these real GM parts are. What makes it also interesting is being able to compare some GM stuff to some Mopar stuff at the same time. I'm no Mopar fanatic but I must say they approached the engineering/building of some of those cars from a completely different angle. You get to see a lot when they get torn down all the way
George states, and I quote; "Now you know another reason why I started the website I run. I have run into numerous items from all vendors that were/are wrong. Seems to be my experience/understanding.......they are in rush to get the part made so they can make some $$$$$ but fail to get some experts to verify the parts being reproduced correctly." George, I know of a few venders that you cannot say that about. Do you care to guess who they are? Duane PS. Patton, I have talked to one of the engineers that developed our colored plastic parts, and they were designed to only last for 7 years. That way the parts were guaranteed to last through the warranty period. The engineer also said the lighter colors, especially white, required the use of such a large amount of pigment, that the material was compromised. That's why they disintegrate faster.
I figured it had something to do with the color pigments and how different colors are affected by the sun. Down here you can poke your hand right through the typical white armrest base (if it hasn't already fallen apart already). I have pulled plenty of these polypropylene parts over the years but decent ones are getting very hard to find down here in the sunbelt. Occasionally, I still run across perfect armrest bases, etc in salvage yards. Usually they are on one side of the car or the other, not both. Cars probably parked the same way everyday with one side shaded and the other getting hammered by the sun. On the same note...I did get a set of repro armrest bases recently for this car and the grain pattern was great. These were from The Parts Place.
Yeah Dave--I guess I better not complain too much. Don't worry...didn't Al Gore say in that recent movie that all the weather patterns were getting ready to be completely reversed???:Smarty: (not intended to start a political thread..just some humor at Big Al's expense!:TU: )
Patton, all I can say is I would like some warming of any kind as it is going to be in 40's and rainy for the next 7 days here and it is crap!:rant:
Why is it all the hobbies I have liked over the years have been so expensive and such a pain in the butt ????o No:
Mike---Maybe that's the alter-definition of "hobby".... I need to grab the Webster's. Probably reads...."a non-job-related leisure time activity that involves massive frustration, is extremely time consuming and expensive":beer Dave--Darn--it's already 80 something here and kind of humid. I think I even sweated(if that's a correct word) today. I better shut up before the weather gods send a 20 degree cold front through!
OK I stand corrected . The massive frustration , extremely time consuming and expensive is absolutely correct . The weather here has been nice and warm the last week noow this week end they are predicting 40s for the low . Thats alright , need to do some inside work .
