[Nick S]

I guess Clasic Industries just doesn't get it. I live about 70 miles from Huntington Beach ,CA where they are located
and they charge me $32.95 + $2.50 Insurance to ship a small box that USPS would have charged $12.00 for. I called them on this and they said we hear complaints about this all the time but didn't offer any options. I won't order any more from them unless I can will-call the item and then only if no other supplier has the item

[OVERULD]

Originally Posted by Nick S

I guess Clasic Industries just doesn't get it. I live about 70 miles from Huntington Beach ,CA where they are located
and they charge me $32.95 + $2.50 Insurance to ship a small box that USPS would have charged $12.00 for. I called them on this and they said we hear complaints about this all the time but didn't offer any options. I won't order any more from them unless I can will-call the item and then only if no other supplier has the item

As a business owner who ships a lot of customer orders I can tell you that most businesses do not make a profit on shipping - because they simply add it to their invoice at their cost and pass it through. My company has done it that way for 37 years. My competitors without exception do the same. That is not to say that there aren't companies adding shipping and handling charges to their shipments as a way of improving profitability - I am sure there are. It sounds like you already know how to communicate your displeasure with that by moving your business elsewhere.

Many companies have no control over the rates they pay for shipping. Depending on the volume of shipping they do with a particular carrier, they may get better discount rates. It could also be that the way they are classifying the shipments on the BOL (Bill of Lading) is causing their rates to be higher because the carrier charges a higher rate for more easily damaged, fragile or bulky items. If they are shippinng LTL, (Less Than Truckload) their rates will be higher than the parcel carriers like UPS and others. You might try to ask them if they will ship a certain class or rate with a carrier you know will quote a lower rate. I stopped having UPS pick-up every day in my business because the rate they charged to just have the driver stop by each day to check was getting ridiculous - plus they hit us with a fuel surcharge on every single shipment. Now we drop our smaller shipments off a the local UPS store as needed - the cost to do that is far less annually than paying their pick-up service charges.

BJ

[njsteve]

BJ, I appreciate your insight as a longtime business owner.

But I think in this case, they are just overcharging by such an obscene amount that even their own sales people know it and don't even try to hide it any more.

Classic Industries is a mega-supplier and they seem to think they have the right to "uber-charge" ridiculous shipping charges to their (now former) customers. When I asked whether they could ship it another way, the customer service guy just laughed and said he can ship it 2-day or next day. Those prices were in the hundreds of dollars.

After that, I sent an email explaining my feelings in a very professional manner to their only listed contact address on their website. Of course I never got a response. (Anyone out there have an email address of the CEO of the company?)

They just don't get it...

...and they will never get any of my business again. I vote with my wallet and I recommend that other people do the same. My business goes to our host and other enthusiast-oriented companies that appreciate their customer base and don't take advantage of them. There is nothing at classic that I can't get at a dozen other suppliers, at a lesser overall price.

[TransAmRIP]

When I was restoring my 74 TA before the fire I ordered several different (4) decals from them. The decals would of fit in a letter size envelope, after I was finished and put my zip in they (CI) were going to charge me $9.50 for shipping. I canceled them and pick up the same ones up at a swap meet. That was the last time I attemped to place an order with them.

[OVERULD]

Originally Posted by njsteve

They just don't get it...

...and they will never get any of my business again.

Originally Posted by TransAmRIP

That was the last time I attemped to place an order with them.

Guys, I can't argue with your experiences and would do precisely the same thing. I have never purchased from them and likely will not based on what I've learned from your experiences. Sounds like they have lost touch with their customers. Thanks for the insight.

Now back to Steve's awesome resto!

BJ

[njsteve]

Now back to our regularly scheduled program. :-)

[njsteve]

It's nice to get your faith in humanity refreshed once in a while.

I recently received an email from one of the guys over at the yenko.net site where I have the companion version of this thread posted. He was cleaning out his garage and asked me if I wanted the leftover box of parts he had found in the garage from the 72 T/A he sold quite a while back. He said most of the stuff was leftover junk. I replied that I'd take whatever he had. I asked him what he wanted and he said just pay the shipping and you can have it all!

What an amazing guy, to say the least!

You can imagine my astonishment when two large boxes arrived and all this stuff was in it. It was like Christmas in April! A lot of the misc parts were things I had been searching for, unsuccessfully, for years.



Here's some of the stuff:

The original, correct zinc chromate colored, cowl weatherstrip clips (next to the not-so-accurate repro clip)






The correct A/C compressor rear bolt spacer:



Original 455HO valve cover bolts (yes, they had their own bolts as they were longer than the regular Pontiac bolts due to the fact that the 455HO used a much thicker valve cover gasket to allow the valve covers to clear the rocker oiling guides.) There was also a bag of all the original front sheetmetal bolts and cage nuts.



An original set of rear bumper guards - very rare item:



An original 455HO A/C compressor rear bracket (yeah, they had their own unique part designed with a cut out to clear the shaker hot air stove pipes.)




A really nice set of the assembly line, heavy gauge steel 1972 exhaust tips (after cleaning and chiseling off the remnants of the still attached exhaust pipes):

[tommie69]

Nice Steve!
You must be in heaven right now.Do you have any plans for the valve covers?I need the driver side,if you want to part with it?Tom

[666 the legend]

..I could surely use the water neck and exhaust tips..??[ wink.wink...nudge nudge]...hint hint..]...

[Brewster]

Radiator Hoses if not needed?

[bird72]

Well Steve, as such a proponent of accurately preserving the breed and also the documenting for knowledge series here, you deserve a Santa Claus deal. I still hate people that get deals like that though.....

[OVERULD]

That AC bracket is a nice treat too! There are a lot of 455 H.O. cars with AC running around with the wrong bracket. Very nice windfall there Steve - congrats!

BJ

[165th]

Nice treasure trove of rare parts. I didn't know the valve cover bolts were unique. Thanks for pointing that out.

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by 165th

Nice treasure trove of rare parts. I didn't know the valve cover bolts were unique. Thanks for pointing that out.

Yes, the 1971 and 1972 HO engines used a specific valve cover bolt, they are 3/32-1/8th longer and there is only one foundry marking, the NL. I have seen NL short valve cover bolts as well and D's and E's..but the HO ones were specifically NL's. Those were also used on RAIV's and I have seen full sets go for >$100 all day long on Ebay... I bought a box of left over bolts/clips on Ebay a year or so ago for something like $35 which had 7 of the HO valve cover bolts... Steve, if you ever plan on buying another HO...I would definately keep those bolts.. the A/C rear bracket is repo'd by Sonic,and a damn good one I might say, but that NL valve cover bolt is a hard one. I get calls at least 3-4 times a year looking for a set of those... If you ever need a set, I guarantee you... they will be next to impossible to find... I think that was the best part you got...way to go !!

[njsteve]

Thanks to Norwood, I have the correct shaker rivets.



My bodyman was very familiar with these types of rivets since he does a lot of Corvette work and they use a similar rivet, so he got the honor of installing them.

First step was drilling out the hole in the repaired fiberglass shaker lid:





The rivet mandrels:







The shaker is then set on top of the rivet and mandrel and the upper mandrel is gently tapped.

[njsteve]

As the rivet is being supported by the lower mandrel and not by the fiberglass, it prevents any damage to the surrounding fiberglass.



The peened over rivet:



The finished bottom and top:

[Formulabruce]

[QUOTE=njsteve;3946146]Looks like I found the right ones at Napa. At least the flat, ridged, head resembles the posted photos. These should work well.

Steve, Napa has a very cool fastener cataloge with the balkamp, and other stuff in them.
You have to ask, or order it, its cheap but has pics which is very helpfull too, could be helpfull in making correct "Bill" approved kits as well

[Formulabruce]

Now I have to look into the Rear Bumper guards for 72 again Vs 73.
I used to remember all this stuff, but curiousity strikes again!

[70RAlll]

Originally Posted by njsteve

Does anybody have any extras of these trim screws? They are the weird hex/philips screws that I believe are the correct ones used for attaching the flares. I need another 10 of them.

They were used on a ton of different GM applications. On the Firebirds they were also used to hold the rear window filler panel (the one between the window and the trunklid) in place.

Steve-

The pic's that Craig and Ric posted are the correct screws for the flares.The screw you show in this picture is also a 70-71 Firebird screw. The filler panel between the trunk deck lid and the rear window,attached is a picture of a similar screw as the one for teh flares,may be the same...looks a slight bit different, on the 18K RAIV that Matt sold to the guy in Calgary. I have also seen those screws(the one you show in this picture,not the type for the flares) on the cowl screen, the two mounts in the center where the wind shield wiper rests. I have also seen regular round phillips used on the cowl screen, but more than not this type screw. But look at the picture shown here.this is a car that has never been apart.Matt can attest to this, easpecially the trunk ,which looked like it was 1970 all over again, I don't think the spare has ever been removed or the jack removed from this trunk..The screws from NAPA I think have a larger head. There is another place I buy trim screws from in Oklahoma, I cannot find their name right now.. If needed, I can look further and find them. But they have a full listing of every type original clip, fastener etc for 70's era cars.. They had the exact,I mean the absolutely exact same screws as the originals i had for the flares...

[70RAlll]

here are the pic's from teh RAIV