X2!
kwissman said:
About 10 years ago I used to work at a NAPA and we would have restoration guys bring us water pumps that they needed rebuilt. We would send it off and get the same one back. Not sure if this is still done.
Yes,I have done the same for many cranberry bog farmers old trucks that had "rare" water pumps,and for old car enthusiasts who wanted to keep all the "matching number" OEM parts on their cars..A-1 Cardone had a special service where you could send stuff in to be rebuilt and get the original part back..not sure if that still exists..
Rebuilding a water pump yourself IS possible,but finding the parts is not easy in some cases...it's not that they dont exist--its hard to get them from a rebuilding place,since they want to do it,and make all the profit!..they usually either charge outrageous prices for the kit,or refuse to sell it,period.
I've done a few,all that was required was a new bearing and seal,the few I did had good shafts and impellers,just the seals were dried up and cracked..they used a long needle type bearing,and you'll need a hydraulic press or arbor press to assemble it..
Have you looked in a Hemmings Motor News catolog for places that rebuild water pumps?..if not,I would,your price sounds steep!..I bet if I looked around my area at old parts stores,someone might still have one in stock--but it would probably be all dried up from sitting for years..
There is a place in Weymouth MA,called "Then and Now" Auto Parts--they probably have one freshly rebuilt,or can get you one..might not be much cheaper though..might be worth trying them??...we got a ton of "extinct" parts from them when restoring antiques at the junkyard I worked at..they bought a lot of cores from us too..
