Nuts and Bolts

[Max Headroom]

While, the purist side of me agrees with your passion on this, you know that isn't 100% true. You CAN find some of the hardware in odd places. Granted, not going to get that special length bolt or certain head stampings, but in the case of things like locking crimp nuts, and some washers, etc., you can get them from general sourcing. Especially if you stumble across a supplier who supplied GM with said fasteners. But all this only works if you already know what the fastener looked like from the factory. The way I see it though, is if GMSPO has a different part number to a particular application, and you use that GM fastener, even if it didn't look precisely like the fastener that was being replaced, it is the "correct" part. Fasteners seemed to change part numbers like I change my underwear, about once a month. 🙂

I will attest to the bolts being the majority of the problem when finding the correct looking parts for a restoration. You do not always have to go with used OEM hardware. A correct-sized phosphated washer head body bolt holding the bottom of the front fender to the car is likely not going to be noticed, even in a 1000 point car show. Obviously if you can easily see the bolt, like in a valve cover or intake manifold, and it doesn't look correct, you will likely get dinged, but for the most part, a fastener that blends in is usually not flagged on a point sheet. Most judges probably wouldn't even know every manufacturer's marking for every year anyway.

I drank beer one night with a guy who worked for GM in the late 60's through mid-70s. We talked about fasteners and some other parts. He told me, that with a few exceptions, most of the fasteners, etc. were bought by the millions and that a renewal contract with a different supplier might mean a change in the fastener and how it looked. I would think that with that to overcome, I would be happy with anything that A: fit correctly & B: looked close to the original.

 

[abbey castro]

I have four of the Green Plastic ones. The green plastic is in good condition. They need to be bead blasted then coated. Anyone interested? Got them from 87. They came off a 86 Impala and 84 Olds .

 

[mc1984ss]

Allen's fasteners is excellent also especially if you like to buy individual arp stuff

 

[abbey castro]

I go to the local Pick n Pull and get all nuts and bolts from GM cars. I've never had to wrench any out as I find them where some pulled a part and left them on the ground! They have the gray finish on them with the tapered end be able to spin on the nut easily. Went on Monday and got a 1 Gallon zip lock bag for $2.45 I have yet to sort those out and find a place to put them as my bolt box is full!

 

[ssn696]

Yup. Spent 20 minutes at the UPullnPay in Albuquerque. Just went down the GM row with a HD bucket and picked about 3 pounds of rust-free fasteners out of the dirt, mostly late model metric stuff. One of these days I'll sort the haul fully, but I got the few missing ones I needed to finish a serpentine system conversion.

 

[abbey castro]

Yup. Spent 20 minutes at the UPullnPay in Albuquerque. Just went down the GM row with a HD bucket and picked about 3 pounds of rust-free fasteners out of the dirt, mostly late model metric stuff. One of these days I'll sort the haul fully, but I got the few missing ones I needed to finish a serpentine system conversion.

It's so easy to get whet ypu need, sometimes they just let me have them for free. Plastic clips to hold harnesses and brake lines that are hidden underbody are also good to have.

 

[Olds G's]

I agree with 69hurstolds on the first page of this thread. If at all possible, the hardware and parts that go onto any of our cars come from the OEM. Things tend to fit as they should.

 

[Hurricane77]

I go to the local Pick n Pull and get all nuts and bolts from GM cars. I've never had to wrench any out as I find them where some pulled a part and left them on the ground! They have the gray finish on them with the tapered end be able to spin on the nut easily. Went on Monday and got a 1 Gallon zip lock bag for $2.45 I have yet to sort those out and find a place to put them as my bolt box is full!

😡

Why the hell do I live in the land of snow, salt and rust?

Next time I go to Houston for work I should take an extra day just to hit up junkyards.

Either that or drive down with the trailer and bring back a whole car!

 

[abbey castro]

The car places around here are not allowed to sell a whole car! There are so many cars that are rust free that would make great projects that get chopped up for panels.

 

[Hurricane77]

The car places around here are not allowed to sell a whole car! There are so many cars that are rust free that would make great projects that get chopped up for panels.

That just pisses me off.

It may be the same around here. Junkyards get them, list the VIN as destroyed or something, I dunno.

There's a place near by where the guy has a yard full of old classics etc. Some of it has to be restorable, but he won't (or can't) sell projects cars.