VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION General Discussions Part numbers in G&D ads

To be exact in describing parts (wanted/for sale) it would be nice to use the GM group/part #s in ads also in G&D, but the limit of 100 words are then restricted to only a few items before paying a fee. Could someone explain: Why is one digit same as a word, so you will "use" 4 for the group and then 7 for the part = 11 words before you even have said anything more about the item. A distinct # is much more precise that a general description, or what? Something I have missed out?? :confused:

Solan G
I printed your posting and will mail it to the chairman of the G&D commitee, Mike McNeil, for you. He reportedly does not view the chat room.

This numbers restriction was made several years ago.I believe that the editors made it and they stated the reasons.....which sounded very reasonable at that time.

I will post my understanding of the policy. (Jean, G&D Editor is busy with the special Anniversary Issue but I am sure she will correct my post if it is too far off base.)

The reason is the time required to proof the ads. Each ad is converted from the paper submitted by the advertiser to print in the magazine. Proofing is required in order to make sure the ads matched what was submitted. The process is for one person to read the ad word for word and another verify it as correct. Each number takes the same time to proof as a word.

I would suspect that as more ads are submitted by email that the proof reading may be reduced and then numbers might again be no more time consuming than words.

Oh no! NO part numbers in ads.

It's diffcult enough to not make errors writing and proofing 'words' but a line of numbers would be even worse.

It didn't work some years ago when it was tried. Let's not "try" it again.

Let's let the buyer and seller make sure about the part number when they get to discussing it themselves.

Please leave part numbers out of the G and D ads!!!

Bill.

I agree with Bill. Let the buyer and seller discuss the part numbers.

I am for having part numbers listed in G & D ads. If they count as one number equals one word, so be it. It has been unbelievable to me as to how many VCCA members will list a part as being correct for my car, when in fact the part is really a replacement part. The part was indeed made by Chevrolet however it was made years after my car was produced. Case in point. When I first started restoring my 1940 coupe, I only owned one Chevrolet Master Parts Book. It was a 1929-1953 Chevrolet Master Parts Book. I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. Here I had in my hands an original Chevrolet reference book which was a valuable tool to use at swap meets and when buying parts through the mail. So I would look in the 1953 Master Parts Book and buy a part for my 1940 when in fact it was a part produced in 1950 or 1953 that Chevrolet would sell to owners of 1940 Chevrolets for their cars. The part fit on my 1940 but was not correct for 1940. When I would drive my 1940 Chevy to be judged at a VCCA meet, that original NOS Chevrolet part which I had paid good money for was in fact the wrong for my car.
If the G & D wants to have one number equal one word because it takes just as long to proof read a 7 digit number as it does to read 7 words so be it. Isn't the point of the VCCA to encourage us to restore our cars to be originals? If you don't like the part numbers in the G & D,
why not just skip over them in the ads. I have purchased many many NOS parts over the years because someone was selling a Chevrolet part with the part number listed when in fact they have no idea what year(s) the part fits. That is why I now own many many Chevrolet Master parts books including 1939, 1940 and 1941 for my original 1940 coupe.

I'm going to have to add my support to the toolman's comments. A case in point - if someone is using the 1953 Master Parts Catalog and is advertising a hood emblem that he has (and that emblem has the part number 3687425 on the back), he would go to Group 8.055 and find that this is the "correct" part for 1947-48 Passenger cars. Not true though! By 1953, all Chevrolet had in stock was the 1948 emblem and it certainly would fit a 1947 car, so that's what they sold. The correct 1947 part, 3684351, was no longer available, so they just didn't list it. It sure is nice when someone includes a part number in their ad - then there's no misunderstanding about what part that person is really selling. I understand the difficulty of proof-reading all those part numbers in an ad. Hopefully, one day we'll figure out a way to directly import ads without having to retype them all.

Dale

Recountings of decarter and toolman point out the need for the buyer and seller to have clear understanding of what the part is that the folks are talking about buying / selling.

However, their examples don't demonstrate the need to have part numbers in the ads. They demonstrate the need for the buyer and seller to get things straight among themselves.

And who's to say directly importing ads directly will cure anything. The one who sent the ad could make a typo. And then look at the mess. I'll bet there's a typo in every thread in Chevy Chat!!

Keep the part numbers out of the G and D ads. Let the buyer and seller handle that.

Bill.

Thanks, all Chevy fans. I can see the point of both using and not using the part #s, as explained above. Let us stay with the G&D system as it is, but may be the sellers could use the part #s too, when using these web pages. Why not give an exact description, even before the buyer asks.

Regarding ebay, ANYTHING that would help a potential buyer understand what the seller is trying to say (sell) would be helpful.

Ebay is one of the best examples EVER, of LET THE BUYER BEWARE.

Bill.

Imagine that. Someone right now on Chevy Chatter is selling an intake manifold for 3 two barrel carbs. And what is the only response that he got so far on this chat site? The only response has been to ask the seller to post the casting numbers off of the intake manifold. Since some on Chevy Chatter think that part numbers and casting numbers should only be discussed between the seller and the potential buyer, in this case, the seller might get 50 emails before the right buyer figures out that this part is the one that he is looking for. With the posting of the casting numbers, someone out there in Chevy Chatter land will probably email the seller and identify exactly what this manifold really fits. It makes sense to me.

If it is for three two barrel carbs it will not have a Chevrolet part number or casting number unless it is for a 53 or 54 Vette. I would suspect if it is the ad would say that.

Back Roads,
You forgot that the 348 and 427 V-8's had factory 3X2 set-ups.

Classifieds have pretty much become a thing of the past, not just in the VCCA but in the other clubs I belong to also. Ebay is the way to both sell and buy. I have been a member for close to 25 years and I think I had only bought maybe one or two items from the G&D, for the main reason everything else I called on was sold two weeks before I received my issue. When I did sell something it was sold two weeks before I had gotten it in the mail. This is the most common complaint I receive as a Board Member in the Northeast. The only content in the G&D that is time sensitive are the classifieds, The classifieds are also a reason why many people become members.

The part numbers are good to have.

However I had very good luck with wanted ad's, but again a part number is really needed
John

no 53 thru 55 corvete 6 cyl(there were six 6 cyl vetts built in 55) had three 2 bbl carbs. they were all three by single barrel carbs. mike

It is for sure that one needs to know something about cars before buying parts on ebay. It is much better for me than any clasified ads, (38 successful purchases without a dud!) better descriptions and picture, plus you can usually ask the seller for more info, that is if you know enough to ask a question, in the first place.

A picture says 1000 words! I have had a few hundred and no bad ones yet myself. I have bought and sold everything from car parts to NY Yankee tickets. I have not gotten Hemmings in over 7 years, I have no need for it any more
John

Hemmings? I dropped that hypocritical publication about 15 years ago and I haven't missed it since!

:p

It is the same story in most countries: Except NORS parts the variety and number of ads for selling parts are creeping down in the car-hobby magazines, and up on eBay. Same reduced selection on the swap meets. Still there are parts to get, but very few willing to sell spares or clean the garage for left overs from their own restorations. It seems like when many "finally" get the car running after lots of money and efforts, the (spares and) left overs are left in peace. Too much trouble to circulate them to others, and too high fees on the swap meets. But those parts may be needed by another car nut to finish the next car!!!

Also a lot of sellers (and buyers) do not know where a part belongs to, and it will be left unsold. Nice bargains for those buyers knowing the parts.

Suggestion:
To give members and others a better tool, the ads here need a photo, as on e-Bay. Look at this link to see what is working nicely here:

http://www.nvk-annonser.no/phpclassifieds/

Click on one of the groups to see ads/photos.

It has helped a lot to increase the circulation of parts (and cars) in Norway.