Jim,
My dad owns a NAPA store and we have a HUGE selection of nuts and bolts.
When I redid my u-joints I'm pretty sure I replaced most of the bolts
and all of the nuts with what we had in stock. And they were exact
matches, I think. I'll go down to the store later today and look
around. If my NAPA has it then any one nationwide should or should be
able to get them. In a more general sense, NAPA makes just about any
part you could need for you car that isn't a body part or interior part.
Just about anything mechanical or electrical I have found in my store.
My spit runs just fine on Echelin electronics, United brakes, Gates
hoses and belts and other various NAPA product lines. Of course I am
WAAAY biased being the 4th generation in my family to own a NAPA store.
good luck
Ryan Smith
Mechanical Engineering, VPI&SU
Emerald Green, 72 Spitfire
>From: "Gambony, Jim" <jim.gambony@eds.com>
>To: "'triumphs@autox.team.net'" <triumphs@Autox.Team.Net>,
> "'spitfires@autox.team.net'" <spitfires@Autox.Team.Net>
>Subject: Tech: Getting down to nuts and bolts
>Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:34:44 -0500
>Reply-To: "Gambony, Jim" <jim.gambony@eds.com>
>
>Listers,
>
>Here's a good question, sure to start all kinds of discussion, flaming,
etc.
>
>Other than the (high priced/spotty service) big British parts
suppliers,
>does anyone know of a good source for the hardware responsible for
really
>keeping our cars together?
>
>Specifically, I just went down to my industrial supplier to pick up new
>bolts for the diff flanges/drive shaft on my '76 Spit. The original
bolt is
>3/8"x24 thread, approximately 1 inch long with 5/8" of thread and 3/8"
of
>unthreaded shaft. This jives with the standard for the hardware used
on the
>car: the threaded portion will be 1.5 times the bolt diameter.
>
>The replacement bolt is threaded all the way from tip to bolt head. I
>expect that the first time I punch the gas this weekend at Divisional
that
>the flanges will slip slightly and I'll crunch down the thread on the
bolt.
>Not a big problem, just makes me less than comfortable.
>
>So my question is: has anyone found a good supplier in the US who
sells the
>"proper" bolts? Do I run down to the local aircraft shop and buy
mil-spec
>hardware? Or just pre-order 100 of everything from TRF (or Moss or
whoever)
>and make a display case to show off my high priced trophies?
>
>Jim
>(Too many cars, not enough bolts!)
>
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