Classic part story fiasco

[CKfan]

Yep, as usual, I order, confirm and still get the wrong part.

So, I am working on a project that is falling behind and I need a high hump heater only, non-a/c firewall panel to get caught up. Try donor trucks, no extreme luck. Spend hours calling and searching all over and the part is back ordered or they want to add $700 for shipping across country. Knowing I have gotten stuck with parts before because the return shipping is more than the part, I was determined to find one in stock and drive to get it.

I call Classic Industries and wait on hold 40 minutes then get someone who is obviously pre-occupied with something else or knows nothing about parts. I finally get her to realize what I want and that I want to come pick it up (tries to talk me into shipping +500). Once that debate was over she put a "hold" on the part (last one in stock) and gave me a reference number to tell someone when I got there.

I was working so I send my brother and he drives the 2 1/2 hours there and pulls a paper number to be waited on. Waits 30 minutes for help and confirms my phone in order and then is told to wait while they pull the parts. He texts me a pic of the invoice and I verify it is the part in the catalog. 15 minutes later they send him to shipping, load him up and 3 hours in traffic later he arrives with the firewall.

Image my joy, when after all the searching I open the tailgate and see a "smooth wall" firewall setting in the truck. NOPE!!!!!! Not what was pictured in the catalog! And, has multiple stickers showing the right and wrong part numbers.

The reason for this story is just to show what a lot of people have to go through to get these trucks back on the road. And this is just one part.

So, if anyone wonders why shops charge so much to do work, you have to figure in the fact they deal with this kind of thing times a thousand.
Happy building

[RichardJ]

Dealing with Classic Industries can have mixed results, but you can always count on extra high shipping costs. I once ordered a cardboard glovebox that was on sale for about $9 in a flyer. I wasn't going to make the 2 hr drive for one part. It arrived in a shipping box almost big enough to hold your firewall and a invoice for just over $20.

They do have an extremely large inventory. I wait until I need several items and then make the drive,

[jumpsoffrock]

I bought a dashboard and two fenders for another car from C-I. I was asked what day and time I'd be coming to get them, so I gave an estimate and got there 30 min early. Both times I waited nearly an hour wandering around their lobby after signing in. Then the guy at the computer took 20 minutes to go "in the back", then spent another 15 minutes, I'm assuming, writing up a 200 page manuscript.

I couldn't believe it took me nearly 1:45 to go in the door and back out the doors(including inspection time where I get to see my parts before purchase). Yikes.
These stories happened in 2017-18. I guess it hasn't gotten better.

Back then they had 30% off deals on some days, felt like I was getting a good deal, can't complain.

[howzzzit]

Classic Industries is has some issues. My last order was for screws for my sport mirrors. They were incorrect and they sent another set. Incorrect. Buffed the old ones and used them. Cab mount kit included the radiator supports, but the wrong bottom rubbers. The radiator support kit by itself has the correct parts. Called and talked to "customer service" and told them about the issue. Asked them which was correct and they couldn't tell me. Told me to consult with my mechanic. I told the guy I am the mechanic. He said "what do you want me to do?" I unloaded on him and hung up.

[67C10Step]

I know it is driven a lot by the size of the company and volume of parts for certain but that does not help the individual customer at all.

Exact opposite story on Mar K Products in Oklahoma City. Purchased a complete step side bed box from them n March 2021 and instead of shipping the wife and I made a road trip to pick it up. Got there and one other person was in front of me getting loaded so I was waiting in the warehouse. Guy comes through and strikes up a conversation with me. Turns out it was the president of the company and I ended up in his office looking at the wood bed finish they were about to release. Guy from the warehouse came looking for me to get loaded up. To top it all off, the parts all came together and fit almost perfectly.

[A1971Blazer]

I think a lot of these parts get mis-labeled and mis-packaged in China or Taiwan or where ever they are manufactured.
I ordered a full rear small window cab panel from LMC...it arrived by truck freight so naturally I pulled it from the box to make sure it wasn't damaged in transit.
Although it was labeled correctly on the box, it turns out it was a big back window panel. I didn't even take it off the truck. I refused it and sent it back right there.
They eventually sent the correct one.

[KW5413]

I ordered an interior part for my '78 Trans Am a few years ago. I believe it was a rear sail panel. They sent the wrong side. When I called them, they apologized, told me not to bother sending the wrong one back and a few days later I had the correct one.

[Casper42]

I recently purchased interior a/c-heater items from ClassicIndustries and all went well. AND shipping was free. Prior to this, I placed then canceled an order as it was backordered and no communication whatsover after 2 or 3 weeks about when it was expected. Every supplier has their issues - not in stock, shipping, custer service, lack of details, etc. So far, I have purchased more thru Brothers/Holley for prices and shipping cost and having the most in stock, but their descriptions are often lacking or even describing. One pic did not match what I ordered so sent it back and was refunded price and return shipping.

[CKfan]

Finally got a response from Classic about my issue. They emailed me back today.


"Thank you for contacting Classic Industries Support! We do want to apologize on the issue of receiving the incorrect part, We also want to thank you for your patience . We have the correct part if you would like to come to showroom to process exchange of part. We will also apply a $50.00 credit on you account for inconvicence this may have caused you."

$50 would almost cover my gas money! However, I already hacked up the "incorrect part" and spliced it into the one I had. It was a lot more work, but it is done. Some time you just have to bite the bullet and move on.

On the plus side for Classic, they do have some good parts and they did get back to me.

Happy building : )

[special-K]

Thanks for filling us in on this. You are correct about cutting losses and moving on sometimes. But principal is still a point to consider and they came through on that

[Bob B.]

I like them, along with their sister company Original Parts Group that has everything for A bodies and other GM cars that Classic does not cover. Agree that quality is good, they stand behind what they sell, and their shipping is high! I use Classic for my '67 GMC and OPG for my friend's El Camino, we live about 45 minutes away so we just will-call everything.

[CKfan]

Final outcome and final update on this issue.

Received two calls from Classic Ind. customer support this morning as a follow up to their email. They said they reviewed my purchase and my customer experience and said they were giving me a $125 in-store credit in hopes that would make up for the issues I had.

I would say this gesture was a quality business response to a customer complaint and makes things more than right in my book. Wish more businesses treated their customers complaints as seriously as Classic Industries did.

[MikeB]

Yes, sometimes it can be simply nuts. I just bought a coolant temp gauge from LMC Truck that simply does not work with an OE sender, no matter what the shunt resistor value. So, I send an e-mail asking for a technician to contact me, so maybe he can tell me what sender and resistor to use. The answer I get is "We are not certified mechanics, so return the part for a refund." Of course, I get to pay for return shipping and I doubt the refund will include the $8.00 they charged me for shipping.

I am fortunate to have a Summit Racing warehouse nearby, and I use those guys whenever I can. Returns could not be easier. Unfortunately, something like my gauge and your firewall probably aren't available from them. However, they do sell OER parts.

[May70]

On the bright side at least its usable. Easily cut to be a high hump, youll have to weld on some nuts on the bottom for the hump bolts.

Heater core box is easy enough to cut out, plus a lot of people cut that section out during the mod process. Someone's probably got one laying around if you really want the fillet edges, otherwise you can just cut it out.