[GregL]

Originally Posted by 400 4spd.

Sucks to hear this. I have a set of OER brand handles waiting to be put on a '68. It sounds like I need to do some more shopping.

Sorry but true. I've spent a little over $9K with Classic Industries on my '68 so I have really tried and tested a lot of their products. I had a lengthy pow-wow with the owner several months back that did result in a change to the design of their front turn signal assemblies. Trouble is, if there is a real problem with a part, they usually won't know about it unless they get feedback from an end user. If you just return the part as defective, I promise the counter guys don't give a damn, won't tell anyone above them and that is the end of it. You'd think something as simple as a window crank handle wouldn't really slip through the cracks like this but it does. I tried both levels of quality from Classic and ran into the same problem Dick posted about, that the handles hit the panel trim on the rears. If OER Brand priced their parts properly, they would be listed as "budget parts" or "entry level restoration quality" but they price their stuff right up there with Year One or any of the other top quality brands. After a $20K frame off restoration with an endless stream of installed, removed and returned parts, I will NEVER use or recommend OER Brand parts again. Almost every one of the OER Brand parts I bought needed to be tweaked, drilled, re-bent, modified or returned to fit the stock application. I installed 4 complete dash pads before they finally redesigned the mold process to keep the front edge from lifting after a week or two of installation. I did however, get a lecture from the insipid counterman that my warranty was up after a year and "This would be the last dash pad they would replace". I didn't bother to explain to him I gone through three of their "highest quality" dash pads in less than 400 miles before they separated. I believe a lot of the OER parts are simply bought from the cheapest possible manufacturer or supplier and boxed up in the black and yellow OER Brand boxes. If your car is worth restoring, it's worth restoring properly. Avoid OER at all costs.