This thread is intended to gather information to compile an article on how the web can be used to help build our trucks.<O:p</O:p

The article will not be to teach someone how the internet works or how to use their computer but more to show how one can extract information from available online data sources that can then be used to help narrow our search parameters to a specific range of makes, models, or years.

Time is a precious commodity that most of us have very little of, and though we all might enjoy picking through the wrecking yard looking for the right component for our application we generally don’t have the time to search every car in the yard or every yard. <O:p</O:p

Using online data sources is also helpful when you are looking for new parts and have trouble finding them at a local auto parts store. If you can walk up to the counter and give them the part # that you need it can expedite the process.<O:p</O:p

In my searches I typically jump back and forth through several of these databases to find the part #, or application that I need. <O:p</O:p

I do not have much experience with the larger trucks or searching for parts for them and would appreciate input from our big truck guys.

If anyone has any tips, suggestions, comments, opinions, etc please fire away. <O:p</O:p

Here is are a few of the links that I use fairly often or have found very useful;<O:p</O:p
http://www.partsamerica.com/
http://www.autozone.com/
http://www.rockauto.com/
http://www.usradiator.com/catalog.htm
http://www.gastanks.com/
http://www.radiatorbarn.com/
<O:p</O:p<O:p</O:p

George---Can you please sticky this for a few days (or whatever you can do so we don’t clutter up the top of our forum too badly)
<O:p</O:p

Thank you all,

Bobby

 

Here are a couple more. I found some great prices on brake parts at Rock Auto. They give you a 5% discount code to share with anyone every time you order. This code is good until December 20, 2005: 315141238313.

www.napaonline.com
www.raybestos.com - Their online catalog is great for finding part numbers

George, if it's not acceptable to discuss these vendors, I'll understand if you edit my post. I don't think they support FTE.



Kevin
1953 Ford F-100
Go Illini

 

In past research on gas tanks, sending units and radiators, I found these sites invaluable. You can look up all of these items and get a picture of them as well as dimensions and where the outlets, etc are located.

http://www.spectrapremium.com/company/index.html


and


http://www.gastanks.com/

For researching what shocks will fit;

http://www.monroe.com/

pages and pages of specs for each part number.

 

I'll add this for what it's worth..... If you want genuine NOS Ford parts, I and others on this site have the catalogs and can look up the part numbers for what anyone needs, plus locate them.
Perhaps there could be a lnk to the site I use, Members could get the part numbers from us and just look for the parts themselves. Either way, it doesn't matter to me. I'm glad to find the stuff,
I also have a link thru Ford, But I have the source thru the dealer only. Purple55 has it also.
Looking for opinions or ideas about this?

Barry

50 F-1

 

www.car-part.com is a searchable database of salvage yard's inventory from all over the country or you can limit the search by geographical region or even some major metro areas. I searched for my PS box and got about 15 hits sorted by price. They also provide contact info so you can talk to the yard directly. They don't sell on the site, and no one will contact you or spam you.

 

Some of you already listed somee that I use, so here are some more:

www.horkeyswoodandparts.com/
www.chassisengineeringinc.com
www.blueovaltruckparts.com
www.speedwaymotors.com
www.dennis-carpenter.com
www.classicautoparts.com
www.parrautomotive.com
www.rondavisradiators.com
www.classicperform.com
www.summitracing.com
www.paddockparts.com
www.ebaymotors.com
www.bonusbuilt.com
www.lmctruck.com
www.cwmoss.com
www.bossap.com
www.jegs.com

These are sites I use or have catalogs from. I realize that these are not all just for Ford trucks, but I know some you are hotrodders too and could use them.

Edit: Some of them you may have to copy and paste in the adress bar.

hotrod48

 

Timken has an excellent look up for bearings and Chicago Rawhide for seals. Sorry but the web addresses are in my work computer (don't tell anyone, ok?) I'll try to post them tomorrow. I don't believe either has an online order option, but they give real good information to take to NAPA.
Dave

 

Fantastic!!! We are off to a rockin' start. I appreciate all of the input so far.

Bobby

 

Found another one. His parts are a little pricey for me, but if you can't find it, it doesn't matter what the price is.

www.glennmarionparts.com

hotrod48

 

www.midfifty.com great people, good prices, good info. Order the paper catalog tho, the diagrams and extra info is nearly priceless.
www.mpbrakes.com experts on hybrid brakes for hotrods, website has a lot of info.
www.caswellplating.com wholesale manufacturers of powdercoating, plating, and polishing supplies and info.
www.covell.biz Ron Covell's website for his books, videos/DVDs, and tools for body panel forming, modifications and repairs of old iron. His DVD "Basic techniques for working with steel" is a MUST HAVE for anyone even thinking about doing any body work. Don't think about it BUY IT TODAY!
www.allshops.org Home of Metalshapers Association. LOTS of tips, how-tos and links from some of the best custom body people in the biz.

 

ho man.. What a list shall this be..

http://www.cliffordperformance.net/ Clifford Performance Hi-Pro parts for inline 6

http://www.offyparts.com/ Offy Racing Parts

http://www.mpbrakes.com/ MPBrakes .. All U need for updating ur brakes

http://jniolon.clubfte.com/ Johns home page, lots of good info here

Thats just a start.. But hope it helps

 

Thank you all

Judging from the posts so far, I think the article might have to have two sections;

One on how to use the online parts databases at these online parts stores to track down part information (descriptions, dimensions, pictures, mountings styles, part #'s, year, make, and model range, etc)
and then a second part or addendum of parts links, perhaps in a format as that in AX's and Madathlon's post where the link is given along with what it pertains to as well as personal experiences with the vendor(good or bad).

I appreciate the input and am open to any and all suggestions

Bobby

 

Maybe break the links into an index by type of products and info? ie: parts suppliers 53-56; body work; etc.

 

There is a similar thread on the 1947 and older forum where folks are posting links to various internet sites that are of or have been of value to the folks on that forum. I suspect that many of them would also be of value to us.

They refere to it as their website reference manual.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/s...d.php?t=350429

The biggest problem seems to be that this valuable information is just posted and not easily "searchable". I think what you are wanting to do here is great Bobby and could potentially be of tremendous help to us all. I would suggest trying to organize it somehow (and this may already be your plan) into some sort of "master collection of old truck/old Ford truck" internet site that is easily researched. Sort of a Yellow Pages for for the FTE 1948-1960 guys. The biggest effort will be the initial set-up. Once that is done, someone will have to be charged with maintaining it and I assume that will be you Bobby since you were the one foolish enough to show some iniative here.

One comment I would like to add regarding our moderator, George. This is the second "sticky thread" that George has allowed or suggested in the past two days that we have added in an effort to collect information for the overall good of everyone on the forum. In my opinion, this is what a good moderator should be doing and I thnk that we are fortunate to have George at the helm. Obviously we don't want to clutter up the top of the forum with too many of these but I think what we are adding is very helpful.

 

If memory serves me right, Earl has a page just for links.. Maybe he can add the ones he dont have on from this list and make a thread with A sticky for easy access ..