[davepl]

I understand the value to the board operators if we buy from board vendors, but realistically beyond that I don't see how its any guarantee of better quality.

Certainly its not a far leap to assume that a board vendor is a truck enthusiast, and so would tend to offer the best reproduction parts available, but unless we have board vendors actually -making- parts, why would they be any better than the same part bought from one of the "Big" catalog vendors?

I for one would often pay double for a much better reproduction (and will do so, for example, for my side-trim, which is a case where it's made here in the US by a board vendor). But let's look at seat upholstery... the reproduction I just received from a catalog vendor is ok, but the imprinting isn't as crisp as the original. It's just not as nice. But so far as I know pretty much ALL upholstery is made by the same giant company (American Auto Interior, or something like that) no matter where you buy.

So if Board Vendor X offers seat covers, I don't see why I'd pay more just to support the board. If Board Vendor X makes a better product, sign me up.

I guess that's all a long way of saying that I'm pretty underwhelmed with the quality of reproduction parts in general. But if there are board vendors offering BETTER stuff than what I'm getting at the big catalog stores, I wish there was some way of finding out.

So far other than by reputation (ie: I ask here who makes a good whatever) the only indication I've seen that something is decent is when it carries the "GM Restoration Parts" logo.