info

[bos]

is there a buick parts book out there that lists part numbers by year and model of the car. ie starters ,alternators,waterpumps ,distributors, ect im getting old and didn"t tag as well as i should have. jim

[38Buick 80C]

Short answer yes.

Long answer there are many that cover different year ranges. There is also separate ones for chassis and body. They are on eBay a lot. Or try AutoLit.com ... The Leader in Automobile Literature

[60FlatTop]

Try entering your part number into a Google search. Lots of times the number is specific enough to bring up the part listed somewhere for sale.

It is an easy first try and if it doesn't work you are only out a few electrons.

Bernie

[ninjagin]

Try entering your part number into a Google search.

Bernie

This is the tough part for me. I have the fisher body service manual for my car, and the mechanical service manual, but neither lists any part numbers that I can see. In following the autolit link, I see that there is an illustrated parts list, and my hope is that's the right resource to have. Am I on the right track?

-- Randy

[38Buick 80C]

This is the tough part for me. I have the fisher body service manual for my car, and the mechanical service manual, but neither lists any part numbers that I can see. In following the autolit link, I see that there is an illustrated parts list, and my hope is that's the right resource to have. Am I on the right track?

-- Randy

Sounds like it may be

you need somehtign like this

1940-1964 BUICK MASTER CHASSIS PARTS CATALOG 63 62 61 60 58 57 56 55++ ORIG BOOK | eBay

and one for the Body as well. I advise getting one with the top end of the range as close to the year of the car you are working on.

[bos]

thanks guy's i have a chevy book that lists all the part numbers from 55to present with locations and year changes i was hoping to find a similar book for buicks, jim

i have some starter's 1108371 69-6-26

1107355 65-2-12

1107374 66-5-19

1107361 66-3-9

Edited April 19, 2012 by bos (see edit history)

[NTX5467]

IF you're interested in starter numbers, for example, be advised that there (many times) were "production" numbers and then there were "service" part numbers. This meant that if you needed a replacement, you took the production OEM number (cast, stamped, etc.) and then crossed it into the appropriate replacement "service" number.

As for starters, especially on Chevy items, there were TWO definers of the starter . . . the length of the metal housing (the longer one being the allegedly better "HD" version with a little more torque) AND the aluminum end housing (which defined which Chevy bellhousing it would fit into). End result was that the end housing determined what engine and trans combination the starter went with . . . whether Chevy, Buick, or otherwise.

Distributors could have some of the same "production" and "service" issues, but at least the number was stamped into the lower outer side of the baseplate.

Alternators were similar to starters, number-wise.

As Brian mentioned, there were "Illustrated Parts" and also "Numeric Listing" parts catalogs for EACH GM division. They usually had particular model year ranges (i.e., 1955-1964, 1965-1975). The printing date is usually listed both on the front of the catalog and also on the bottom of each page as, for example, "5/74". Getting the printing most close to the model year of your vehicle is important as it will contain the "original" part numbers for the model year--especially the August update as that will have the then-new model parts on it, plus a "yellow page" section with new parts for the new models listed there. There were usually new catalogs issued every quarter, in loose-leaf paper format. In order to track part number changes, you'd also need to get a Parts & Accessory Price book! It came out several times during the year, too, as a separate publication, but was "All GM" rather than for any specific car line. AND then there were the appropriate Accessory Catalogs for each model year, which had the "Approved GM Accessories" for each particular carline. These can be harder to find.

In order to have a quicker and possibly more comprehensive place to look for GM alternator and starter numbers, you might have better luck with an AC-Delco Electrical Catalog for the particular timeframe. It'll have both the production and service numbers, usuallly. Sometimes, the starters were in one catalog and the alternators/generators were in another catalog. Note -- GM's nomenclature in the catalog for what we term "Alternator" is . . . "Generator", as that's what it does, generate electricity.

Another reason for the closest catalog publication date is that as production proceedes, there are usually some part number changes for parts. The newer publication dates will reflect that, although the price book will also do that. But, as the newer publications will have part number changes, they can also delete part numbers when they suspect existing inventory will be depleted, although there might still be some inventory in the warehouse. Back then, GM would keep getting parts built as long as there were sufficient sales to support them . . . now, they've probably licensed them to their original vendors, or they're sold via GM Restoratioin Parts.

What I started doing in the 1980s was collecting old (thrown away) parts catalogs from the aftermarket suppliers. I usually liked the AC-Delco catalogs, but Motorcraft also has some good ones for "everybody else's" parts. Then some from Moog, Monroe, Gabriel, Perfect Circle/Dana, etc. These were much easier to deal with than the factory catalogs, usually, as they would group all of the parts for one application together, plus including the OEM ID numbers (cast numbers, stamp numbers, ink stamp codes, etc.).

Sorry if that might have muddied the waters somewhat.

Just some thoughts,

NTX5467