Tip to save you some money...

[lotussutol]

The one thing I am noticing while doing the build of my 55 chevy truck is that I am buying tons of nuts, bolts, and washers. If I go to the auto parts store and buy the pre packaged bolts a set of torque converter bolts could be 5 to 7 bucks. However, if I go across the street to the hardware store and buy grade 8 bolts the cost is like 2 bucks max.

I have bought so many bolts from the hardware store vs the autoparts store. The auto parts store is 3 to 10 times higher for the packaged up sets of bolts.

There have been a couple times when I did not know what size bolt I need and I have gone to the auto parts store to get the size off of the pre packaged set and then go over to the hardware store to buy.

I would guess I have saved 100 bucks or more so far between the engine/frame. I still have a lot more to buy too.

Luckily the hardware store is right across the street from the auto parts store.

[stevehsd]

I got lugnuts from NAPA auto $2.25 ea
later I found them at the hardware store for 70 cents ea.!

[72BlckButy]

Great tip!

I used to work at Westlake's and I never would have imagined how many car enthusiasts would come in and pic up bolts. Especially bikers, because we carried chrome as well.

[56chevy1300]

What would be really handy is if someone invented a bolt chart indicating size and thread count for common bolts used on our trucks...does anyone know of something like that?

[solidaxel]

1/4, 5/16, and 3/8" course thread
Go to the bolt and nut store (if you have one in your town) and get several boxes of each size in length from 3/4, 1 and 1 1/2" this should take care of 75% of all the hardware, don't for get the nuts, flats, and lock washers. When you finish you will have some extras, but you will save on gas to the store. You will still need to go th the H/ware store for the misc. length and assortment of screws but in the long run you will save time and money. The grade 8 are cad plated also and not that much more than grade 5. Now that you are half finished it may not help much!!

[TheGr8Doughboy]

For grade 8 stuff I understand if you have a Caterpillar building around you can buy the grade 8 hardware with CAT stamped on the end for the same price and the grade 8 stuff found in your hardware stores...

something neat that most people don't know of and wouldn't have

[lotussutol]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

1/4, 5/16, and 3/8" course thread
Go to the bolt and nut store (if you have one in your town) and get several boxes of each size in length from 3/4, 1 and 1 1/2" this should take care of 75% of all the hardware, don't for get the nuts, flats, and lock washers. When you finish you will have some extras, but you will save on gas to the store. You will still need to go th the H/ware store for the misc. length and assortment of screws but in the long run you will save time and money. The grade 8 are cad plated also and not that much more than grade 5. Now that you are half finished it may not help much!!

yeah, I plan on getting a case and storing nuts and bolts in it. I have a bucket I throw all used stuff in and I plan on being able to sort them out after I clean them up. It sure would have saved me multiple trips!

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by TheGr8Doughboy

For grade 8 stuff I understand if you have a Caterpillar building around you can buy the grade 8 hardware with CAT stamped on the end for the same price and the grade 8 stuff found in your hardware stores...

something neat that most people don't know of and wouldn't have

And you know it is real grade 8 stuff. I found out about it when I did the drawings for a new CAT store here 15 years ago. They also have really BIG hardware that you can't get at regular hardware stores. There is lots of counterfeit bolts showing up at the big box stores. Around here there is an ACE hardware on Overland Road that carries all the unique hard to find stuff like chrome hex button head cap screws, self locking nuts and good quality hardware. You can buy boxes of 50 or 100 (depending on size) nuts, bolts, etc. for what you would pay for a plastic packet or two of the same at big box. There is also an independent lumber yard that sells nails and screws by the pound in a paper bag for much less than the boxed ones.

[72lb4x4]

Try the local Napa for nuts and bolts too... They usually bave bins with loose nuts, bolts, etc. and I suspect they are better quality than hardware and home stores these days.

Half the time when I write the numbers down, and show them what I pulled, they don't want to ring it up and wave me on by...