I’m one of those guys that isn’t satisfied to just get in a car and drive it, I gotta know just what’s happening under the hood. The same holds true with a lot of other things, “How”˜s It’s Made” is one of my favorite shows, I really like to know how things are made, for example, the reproduction parts we use. I just had a very interesting exchange with US Radiator because I ordered a new copper cooler for one of my trucks and was wondering it was going to be made from old beer cans off shore. Thanks to one of their devoted employees I got a good glimpse into the operation and was pleasantly surprised to hear that their radiators are made right there in California and that they are marketed under several different names and by a lot of the vendors that we do business with. I also got a nice little tutorial on the evolution of the radiators out the whole experience.
My main interest is in the post war AD trucks, which I am presently restoring two of, a ’50 and a ’54. Even though AD trucks are my main focus, being a very curious individual I also scan thru and read with interest, the earlier forums on this and various other sites. I spent a few hours over at Bill Barkers house (webpage) this morning and followed a link to Billy Possum’s site. Very interesting for a first timer. It appears that they’ve made more parts available to the restorer of the 30’s era engines that anyone else has for the later engines. I just had a ”˜50 short block rebuilt and about 50% of the parts came from Egge. As a lot of you know, it’s dang near impossible to find decent reproduction parts for our restorations and in some cases parts for the later 216 or 235 engines are getting hard to get. Often times the only thing available is new old stock.
Maybe some of you guys that have been around the hobby for some time might know or have visited Billy Possum and could answer this question. Do they own a machine shop where they produce all those depression era engine parts or are they jobbing out all of those reproduction parts? Reading about the materials that they use and the heat treating mentioned and looking at the parts listed in their catalog, I invasion CNC turning and machining centers in their shop and a few old Bridgeport”˜s. I doubt if the rough castings are being done by the C&P shop, unless C&P is a foundry, I would imagine that those parts are jobbed out and that they’re doing the finish machine work on the oil pumps and such.
So is Billy or his son a friend of any of you guys or have you paid a visit to his shop, and can you paint me a picture of the Billy Possum shop????

Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Billy Possum branded parts are made by two old Chevynuts. They have a machine shop and only make old reproduction or replacement parts. Never been to the shop but talked to Bill on the phone many times. They are true enthusiasts and pleasure to deal with. Give Bill a call and ask your questions. It might make a good article in the G&D for someone else to do a member highlight on them and what they do.

I am a dealer for C&P Automotive ie Billy Possum parts and have had nothing but excellent service and excellent parts from them. They make sure what they sell works before they put it on the market.

Ditto what Dippy Chippy said! I have also talked to Bill many times on the phone and I have known him for years. They make their own parts and, unlike most reproduction parts, everything they make is road tested before it goes on the market. You can't go wrong with Billy Possum Parts!!

For an Aussie 28 Chev restorer, Billy Possum has been a god send to me. Not only has Bill always provided great service for an overseas customer, but the quality of their parts (in my opinion can not be faulted), and that's why Marx, Filling Station and Gary Wallace carry his parts. My car has the following items from Billy

Axles
Axle Seals
Axles keys, Nuts
Tail Shaft fitting kit
Tail Shaft (would have been but no stock at time)
Rocker Arm Screws, Nuts, Shafts and Bearings
Carby Bowl Gaskets
Front Brake Adj Mech

The most appealling thing to me is they make axles etc from a higher grade modern steel, knowing that the original were prone to break.

I can only give them 10/10 as with the 3 distributors that carry Billys range of parts.

Regards

Ray

All the Best, Chip

Well thanks guys, Chip pretty much answered my question, "They have a machine shop". That really seems like the only way to contriol the quality of the parts you market, that is, to make them yourself. Unless you do your own set up, tooling and machine work short run production runs just don't pay off. Having a machine shop back ground one thing that I noticed right off the bat was they manage to keep the costs within reason even on a short run basis.
Great to have guys like them around, hope Junior and his kids can keep it going for decades to come.
I get so sick of recieving restoration parts that are made off shore with the wrong materials, the wrong or lack of heattreatment, sheet metal parts that are a 1/3 thinner than the original parts, unfinished rough or sharp edges on parts that are blanked out and this could go on for hours. I'm sure those of you that do your own work know just what I'm talking about.
Thanks for the comments,
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

I have bought several parts from Billy Possum as well and they have always been top notch. I talked to Bill on the phone once and he was very informative. I will be buying quite a bit more from them in the future as they make many items that I am still in need of. The fact that they keep their prices in reason also attests to their fondness and dedication to the hobby. Kuddos to Billy Possum and Mike. Love reading their adventures on their website I hope they come out with some new ones soon. If you haven't perused the Adventures of Billy Possum I would highly advise you do so as most of their parts come from their mishaps.

I just ordered some more parts from Bill (Billy Possum Brand) yesterday. He is really busy getting his inventory built back up. All the parts I have bought from them have been first class. Keeps me coming back for more.