After 2 days of searching for some parts I have had it with dealerships. As soon as they hear "1967" I get "Sorry can't look it up" I've worked in 2 dealerships.. we had the books, and microfishe. They are just too damn lazy to go check it out or even attempt to help. So now my car is stuck in the garage. I know it's not traditional, but does anyone in the DFW area know where I could get a axle retainer plate for a '67 pontiac 10 bolt rear, either today or tomorrow? Sorry about the rant....
I would never even think of calling a dealer for any help on a cl***ic. Just because they have the books and microfische doesn't mean they care enough to help you. I'd recommend searching out some Pontiac Parts suppliers or some Pontiac forums. My dealer would laugh at me if I asked for a part for my car. You shouldn't take it so seriously, they don't stock NOS parts for older cars. And if they do, they are buried in a random box in the back. -Dane
I know they are not vintage parts dealers, but even Young chevrolet, which in this area, is known for performance cars and a huge parts dept, would not help. If I had time I'd just order the ****. But it's either get the parts today or tomorrow, or put it all back together with a bent retainer and a bent lower control arm and do it all over again some other time.
I would think that most 10 bolts should use the same axle retainer. Check with a salavage yard. It may be quicker.
You're better off ordering it w/ Next Day Air from one of the many competent cl***ic GM parts suppliers.They know what you're talking about at least. THe truly ****ty part about doing ANY business w/ a dealership is that now you're guaranteed to get tons of mail from them encouraging you to come back...when you're actually so disappointed in their efforts and service you'd never return. Everytime I get dealership mail, it merely serves to remind me why I'd never want to go there again. It wouldn't be so bad, but I took my truck there (a '96) and was refused service because "the vehicle has been modified"...yet they began sending me mail offers begging me to return. WTF??? dealerships ****. Scotch~!
You never know. The last set of 64 Corvette valve covers I bought I got from the Chevy dealer. Cost me 25 bucks for the pair. They ordered them in for another guy who never picked them up. Gave them to me for 25 bucks just to clear the shelf space. But then again, I'd gone in there for a fuel pump for a SBC and they didn't have one of those. Parts are where you find them.
Excuse the SPAM but I get all the pieces for my Galaxie at NAPA. About the only parts house in town that has books and someone who knows how to read. It's unbelievable how much obosolete stuff that they carry.
I put new axels and bearing in a 67 gto last summer i got the clips from carquest. They had to come from warehouse it took a total of 4 hours to get them.
Apparently somone curbchecked something, but it wasn't me. I took it apart to replace bushings and found a destroyed axle seal, bent retainer, and bent lower control/trailing arm. The axle was able to move in and out about 1/8 inch. And unfortunately it is a Pontiac rear-end, so all these camaro parts places in dallas only carry the c-clip type rear end parts. This is more like a ford rear. This is the plate...it's supposed to be flat.
I have on occasion hit a race with a torch to kill the hardening and then cut them with a chisel. don't know if that's going to weaken a "performance" axle though...
That looks like the axles in the '59 Chevy axle we rebuilt. Retainers, plate and all. Might check out those early Chevy places after all.
Revhead, I'm going to let you in on my secret. Call my parts guy Barry at Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet in south Ft Worth. His number is 817.568.4817. Tell him Kevin the fireman sent you. If it can be got, he will look it up for you happily.
Dealership parts department managers are quite/most often on commission and their counter men are too a lot of the times. If a guys got a chance of picking up a phone (before the guy next to him does) and filling a $3000 bodyshop order, that he personally gets a % of, or missing it because he's looking up a $12 part on an old microfische, which one do you think is going to best feed his kids? Fair? Hell No... You need your parts, but the system the parts guy is forced to try and work to his best advantage doesn't include that $12 part. Even Pep Boys computer only goes back to 1968 now... Screw the GTO and Mustang owners... It's called capitalism man, if it don't make a buck you're **** outa luck..! Go to the Cl***ic Car Parts specialty stores. I can't even get a part looked up at the Chevy dealer because the manager I usta work with went and retired and moved his boots back to Texas.
If none of these leads get you what you need... try Wayne at Lucky's (Garland). He doesn't have a bunch of this stuff in stock, but he usually knows where parts are within the Dallas area. Wayne 972-205-9777 HC
I agree with removing the bearing and flattening the retainer with a BFH then re***embling. Just so you might have other options...I think that Buick and Olds retainers will fit also. I know the ones on my '65 Buick look identical to that. While we're on the subject, one thing to look out for on 10 bolt GM axles is that bearing sizes can differ from model to model. For example: a '65 Buick GS has a larger bearing than a '65 Buick Skylark, although the external dimensions of the rearend are the same. I'm sure Pontiacs share the same peculiarities.
The BFH method...I think it'll work good enough to use. I took it to hootens in richardson to get the bearing pressed off and he comes back 15 mins later and says there all fixed. Straightened it and pressed it all back together for me. $15. I'm pleased.
Since I am a partsman I do agree about most that has been said about dealing with us and...it does differ within the parts department...some are willing to look up old stuff and others not. Alot of the time after looking for a part for a 58 chevy pickup for instance, the part was discontinued in 1989...I am always willing to look stuff up because it is kinda fun to look at the books...and somtimes I even still have the part however, here I could not have helped too much...Grady does not have car parts
after all this I think I have found why it was bent. It looks like that't the wrong retainer on there. I looked through the manual after the thing wouldn't go back in and iot shows one about 1/2 the thickness. Now I got to find the correct retainer. I guess the ***** before me put on this retainer, then just tightened down the bolts till it squeezed it all together.
Whenever I'm down there, I hit this place on Elliot Reeder Rd., I am pretty sure the one with the old stuff is Little John's, you might try calling them up to see if they have any Pontiac 10 bolt stuff. Little John's Wrecking Yard 5601 Elliott Reeder Road, Haltom City, TX 76117 (817) 834-6044 (817) 834-6246
Good luck findin' the retainer man. Thought I'd just share the last joke I played on a dealer parts dept. I was at the local Ford dealer in my town a while back dropping off a buddy that was picking up his car...thought I'd have a little fun....walked into the parts dept. and set a 5/16 fine thread tapered head machine screw on the counter and asked the guy behind the counter if they had any of those, cuz i needed about 10 more....he asked me if it was a part from a Ford, and I said yes...he asked what year...I said 1930 (model A door hinge to sill screws)....I thought he was gonna ****! You shoulda seen the look on his face...
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