You can tell times are changing

I skipped most of this thread, too long...

But I've noticed that my local parts store has more air fresheners, steering wheel covers, and stickers than actual auto parts.

 

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I just found a grip of fan spacers on the shelf. Watch for my Vintage Auto Parts Store.com (VAPS) coming to a computer near you.

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sorry guys you cant fix stupid?my 2 cents

 

I miss the brief period of time when the self-service auto parts store seemed like a good idea. All the stuff that the parts chains stock in the aisles, and also a bunch of the hard parts that are usually only behind the counter.
This idea could fly again, but you'd need to add something to the mix: a smarter customer.

 

I thought the same damn thing this past Sunday.

 

I'm a commercial manager for Autozone and we stock fan spacers at the store I work at... we stock flex fans also as well as a lot of other parts for older engines. We still have ballast resistors, 6v coils, voltage regulators, points distributors, etc...

And there are dumb people at nearly any parts place you'd choose to go to.

I got asked by the local NAPA (get the good stuff) where a carb base gasket went on the engine So it doesn't really matter where you go. Quit crying and go pick a parts store near you that has knowledgeable employee's. I've seen Advance's with them, NAPA's, Autozone, etc... I've seen a bunch full of dumb assess also. We've had our share at the store I work at also.

And If there are none near you, then do your own research online, find your part numbers then go visit a parts store.

I don't know how he looked it up on the computer when Znet doesn't list 1928 anyhow? Unless it was years back...........



Dave

 

Our local Napa has a guy that you walk in and tell him what you want he just goes back and picks it off the shelve. Then you need to wait a half hour while he tries to look it up on the computor so he can print the invoice

 

Ya I've had the same experience over and over.

I need a thermostat housing gasket for a SBC.

What year is it?

It doesn't matter.

What car is it in?

That won't help.

I need to know so i can look it up in the computer.

OK 53 studebaker, did that help?

No

Ok it's an 87 camaro then.

Worse tho I went to one of the big performance parts places in Ont, "Performance improvements" They didn't have a timing chain for a SBC. To me thats really nuts.

 

A couple of months ago, I was trying to fine a low pressure electric fuel pump for my friend's kid's old MG. I got to talking to a young counter guy at our local Smyth's Auto Parts (still somewhat local and been here forever). I'd done bodywork for a living, and he was telling me about installing Lambo doors on his Honda. Ok, OK, I thought, this is lame, but his enthusiasm was real, it was body related, and we kind of hit it off. Now when I go in there, he can't do enough for me. He'll listen to me and try to find old and weird stuff (to him). He actually tracked down switch for a 3spd overdrive transmission that was still in their warehouse, and they got the fuel pump for less than an internet site wanted. My method is to try and establish common ground with these younger guys and then enlist them in my cause. They're not THAT different, just younger.

 

I needed to bleed my brakes, and just wanted a piece of hose. How hard could it be??? I asked the pimply kid behind the counter, and he starts in with, you guessed it, "What year??" and jumps on his computer. I humor him and tell him it's a '62 Falcon. He fumbles with his computer and walks back to his isles, then shows up with a box of brake shoes. Now I'm dumbfounded. Partly because he thinks he has shoes for it. I shake my head and say "No,no,no... I'm BLEEDING my brakes, I need a piece of 1/4 inch hose. he has NO idea where a piece of hose goes into a brake system, but he goes to the wall of hoses, and brings me back a piece of black vacuum hose. I shake my head again, and ask him, Have you EVER bled brakes before?" I can only imagine what is going through his head, "what do brakes and blood have to do with each other?" Finally I walk over to his wall and get what I need. When I go to the cashier, (the Boss) I can't help tell the guy, until you educate these kids, you've lost another customer. If there isn't an old guy in an auto parts store, I'm turning around

 

Did you ask him for 1/4" clear hose?

 

I will say that I have had great success with the 2 local O'Reilly Auto Parts stores. I can't say that their people know everything (they don't...I teach them something every time I go in there), but they do know how to help me, and are willing to do so. For example, I was working on an OT car recently with an SSBC disc brake kit, and I told the counter guy up front that he probably had the brake hoses I needed, but they wouldn't be listed by the application. I knew they were GM calipers, and after trying a couple of made up potential applications we found the right hose. Work with them, give them a chance...if the guy (or store) isn't willing to help, go somewhere else.

I only use parts stores for older cars when absolutely necessary anyway...95% of the parts I use in my business are either purchased from the local speed shop (Barnett Performance), Summit Racing, or a specialty vendor of some sort.
BTW the quickest way to spend a ton of money on your car is to buy blister pack hardware from a parts store...get a cotter pin assortment, bolt assortments,and other things you use often, in larger quantities mail order. The initial expense isn't much more than having to buy multiple packs of something to get the parts you want, and even if you do this stuff every day you don't have to restock that often. I have done that for years, long before I started doing this for a living, and it saves a fortune, plus a lot of time.

 

winshield wipers for a 57 chevy

autozone...............no
carquest...............no
discount auto.........no
pep boys...............no
wal mart................no
k mart..................no
NAPA........................YES, we have them in stock. He goes in the back, about 2-3 minutes later he comes around to the front of the store, looks through his wipers, goes into the back again, about 5 minutes later comes out and says I can't find them.

So, I guess 57 chevy windshield wipers can be added to the list of things you can't get in a parts store anymore.

And, in case you were wondering, every parts store but NAPA asked what size motor and how many doors. AND, Yes, I lied and said 265 to avoid seeing the clerk go into a death spiral when I said 350.

 

I had trouble finding anything but refills 20 years ago...and the ones I did find looked like crap, nothing like the original stainless ones.

 

I went into the local NAPA where we used to live and picked up 3 qts. of 20W50 Valvoline racing oil. Sales dude; " Time to change your Harley's oil?
Me; " Yeah, cold weathers comin'."

 

I was recently told by an autozone expert that the sparkplugs i was looking for were to powerful for my motor. She must have been correct because i left without them. Autozone= oil, filters, coolant & goofy bs.

 

I went into the local NAPA for some brushes for a Delco starter………they just looked at me like I had two heads.

 

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1/4 inch clear hose .....uh, for what
make, year and model?????

Mart3406
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You guys are still bitching about this???!!!! Shut up and go build something!!!

 

Heres another one I remember that disappeared R 44 T big plug

 

YES,YES, give that man a cigar....................YG