Alexander Bilan wrote in a message to Roy J. Tellason:
 AB> You where writing to Craig Healy;
> You'd think that there would be more and better cross-reference
> information
> out there.  Heck,  maybe there is,  but it's on the 'net and that's why
> I haven't seen it...
 AB> Dealers guard that information with great zeal. 
Yeah,  I wouldn't doubt it...
 AB> Even factory information at the user end (dealer parts counter, 
 AB> etc.) doesn't contain the fact that part X fits car Z W and B.
 AB> That carb on the AMC may be an identical carb used on the chevy 
 AB> motor.  A little note in the parts book "procure from GM 
 AB> dealership" takes care of that.  Within marques, its a matter 
 AB> of patience and willingness to search parts and cross reference 
 AB> numbers. Parts counters only have so much patience for this, 
 AB> and only so many minutes in a day, and be damned if they will 
 AB> let you borrow the "bible" overnight so you can do your own 
 AB> searching.
You're lucky if you can sit at their counter and browse the books.  And these 
days the trend is towards putting a lot of that stuff on the computer,  
typicall on a cdrom.
I know of one chain that was into putting computers in the service stations, 
and a dialup link for ordering stuff...
> I've heard that junkyards are supposed to have some sort of 
> super cross-reference type of material,  but have never seen 
> this sort of thing and wouldn't want to try and spend any money 
> on such stuff.
 AB> Thats the Hollander Exchange Manual.  Costly, I spent $150 on 
 AB> the 40th edition.  Usefull.  And not usefull. It is good for 
 AB> general cross reference. It does NOT detail the part. It will 
 AB> only tell you that Steering box installed in Car A fits in Car 
 AB> B, Car C and Car D. It does not tell you how to identify a fast 
 AB> ratio box from a standard ratio box. Same with rear axles, the 
 AB> exchange does not cover gear ratios, only the main physical 
 AB> bolt in axle.
Hmm.
> Ideally there would be some sort of electronic version of this,  to run on
> your computer.  Though it's hard enough trying to even find something of
> this sort to deal with electronic parts!
 AB> Many autowreckers do have the electronic version of the 
 AB> Hollander. The only drawback is the CD costs over $1400 US.
Ouch.
 AB> You can find Hollander on the net, www.hollander.com if I 
 AB> remember correctly.
I wouldn't doubt it...
email: roy.j.tellason%tanstaaf@frackit.com 
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