60 1500 Parts...HELP!

[Walys60]

Okay folks, I am starting to get a little concerned now. I CANNOT find an upper control arm shaft for the truck. I have ordered it from 2 different suppliers and both are not correct. I found a part number (3845624) from a NOS part I found on eBay that 'looks' correct, but still may not be.

This is the 1960 GMC 3/4 ton 1500 I'm talking about. It looks like it might have been common to the 61 as well, but it seems that the Chevy 60-61 is not the same.

All I really HAVE to have are the seals. The bushings are fine, though would prefer replacing them. The shafts are definitely fine but all I'm seeing that has even been close are the entire kits, shaft/bushing/seal so if that is what I have to do I will.

There isn't much left of the original seals, otherwise maybe one can be custom made...? I don't know. I have also gotten the wrong part for the lower shaft but 'think' I have found one at performance parts...for $225!!!! (sigh)...so I can have the $5 seals I need. Cost is one thing...but not finding parts at all is whole other problem. I have a painful feeling that this is just the start of what is going to be a very frustrating process.

If anyone can help at all I would sure appreciate it!

Thanks,
Ron S.

[AZKen]

Not sure if I'm reading it all correctly but seems you have spent money for parts you can't use. Thus wasting money. You are realizing how scarce this type of part is. So my advice is if you find a part that fits, if in a kit or not............Buy it now. You can move on and the stress is over.

Those parts are only going to become less available and more expensive. the more you post here with all the enthusiasts here, you are encouraging us to buy them before you do. Telling us where to get them and defeating your efforts.

Old part numbers are NO GOOD anymore unless you have an old book to compare and confirm that some EBAY NOS part is correct. You are not going to be able to use it at places like NAPA.

NOS parts with rubber, plastic, seals, bushings, diaphragms, springs and any parishables are possibly NO GOOD. The rubber has outgassed, shrunk, swelled, cracked, lost it's durometer, dried out. Sitting on a shelf in hot and cold and wet and dry weather cycles for many years.

I assume you have checked Rockauto.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

While I don't agree with Ken on the "we'll buy it first" thing, (were here to help each other get parts and help rebuilding...) but I do think that if you can't find it as a standalone, get the kit and be happy you found it at all. There's not much out there anymore for some of these front end parts. You gotta get 'em where you can find them or just swap out the frontend to a squarebox chevy front end like so many other do (which ruins it, imho).

[AZKen]

It was sort of a joke. Tried to convey that with silly emoji's. (crazy "yes" and "good and evil"). The rest is the help/suggestion part. Lighten up boys.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by AZKen

It was sort of a joke. Tried to convey that with silly emoji's. (crazy "yes" and "good and evil"). The rest is the help/suggestion part. Lighten up boys.

Well I totally missed that. The evil/good emoji made me think you were jumpin on him. Doh!! Sometimes things on the innerwebs dont come through right. Buy you a beer to make it up to ya?

[AZKen]

You are right, you can't see or feel the persons demeanor when they post. My humor is sometimes dry and dumb. But it makes me laugh. Nobody else.

You don't need to buy me a brew, I was just explaining my post.
thanks Bud

[Walys60]

Yeah, I appreciate it guys. I get what you're saying.

I guess I'm just a bit in shock because when I started looking at doing this I saw SO many suppliers with '60-66' part sections that I thought I could build one from scratch with just what you find online...lol. And now that I'm starting to see the reality of it on my very first list of parts I'm starting to worry about what I'm going to find with the rest of the truck...or not find I guess.

Oh well, reality sucks some times I guess...it's just going to slow down the project. Just the front end is going to cost 3 to 4 times more than I expected. Not sure what I'm going to do about the parts I can't find at all though. Eh, I'll figure it out.

[Walys60]

Originally Posted by AZKen

NOS parts with rubber, plastic, seals, bushings, diaphragms, springs and any parishables are possibly NO GOOD. The rubber has outgassed, shrunk, swelled, cracked, lost it's durometer, dried out. Sitting on a shelf in hot and cold and wet and dry weather cycles for many years.

I assume you have checked Rockauto.

Yesir, Rockauto is on the list. I've got 18 parts I've been specifically looking for and they have 4, lol. Out of 13 possible suppliers (not including random google searching) so far LMC has the most at 8. Classic Industries currently holds the record for getting me the only confirmed correct part...a tie rod sleeve.

I had not been looking NOS for any rubber parts for just the reason you described, I just happened across the one on ebay in my desperate 'search anywhere'. The one there didn't have the seals though, just the stuff I already have, shaft and bushings. Though at this point I'd probably take my chances with about anything that fit

[FetchMeAPepsi]

I'm not sure if yours is the same as my k1000, but the brass bushings on the front end were tough for me to find. I finally found a set at quadcrazy.com (go figure). So if you can't find any, check them out. I think I have the part number in my build thread too.

Let us know how it turns out. We'll all be there sooner or later!

[Walys60]

Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi

I'm not sure if yours is the same as my k1000, but the brass bushings on the front end were tough for me to find. I finally found a set at quadcrazy.com (go figure). So if you can't find any, check them out. I think I have the part number in my build thread too.

Let us know how it turns out. We'll all be there sooner or later!

HA! That is a wild place to find those bushings! I was thinking of just buying up a bunch of seals from GM vehicles of that era and see if one works. At $5-7 a set I could buy up a BUNCH of those before I get to the $225 for the lower kit .

I sent an email to a couple of companies that do 'custom' seals for cars/trucks. Either way, I'll keep you all informed as to what I find.

I guess I'm just going to slow down on what I'm doing to it. Still getting the frame painted up and was going to push to get it done this week but I'll just wait till the weekend. I've got other projects around here but, shoot, was really hoping to get somewhere on the truck this year (sigh).