Just bought a motor, supposedly out of a 1958 truck. Block # 3769716, head# 3836848.. I can look that stuff up. My question is, there is a tag on the block that says "4 States Motor Parts, Tulsa"... I have a pic... Does anybody know anything about this?
Hey, Bug, yes I’ve heard of Four States rebuilders, when I was in college,I used to work for Basolo Auto parts in Muskogee,Ok, about forty miles from Tulsa. Was at Four States many times picking up engines, sold hundreds of them at Basolo’s Auto. We kept 20-25 engines in stock. Used a couple on the ranch, had friends that bought them, pulled the cam put in a race cam and raced them. Never had any trouble with them, very good rebuilders in their day. Bones
Awesome! Thanks for the replys and info! Just getting ready to put it in my sons 49 Fleetline. Takin it to LSR and was just wondering some history.. The guy that owned it, Elmer Clark also was the owner of a Chevy dealer in Tulsa. He probably was selling motors to his dealership also.. pretty neat.. Looking forward to the swap. Just saw the tag when I was cleaning it up and was curious.. Thanks guys!! Look us up in April in Texas!
Thise are two firms that I hadn't thought of in years, 4 States and Basolo Auto Parts. Slid a few dollars over the counter at Basolo in Pryor, OK back in the day. By the way, nifty Fleetline!
Yeah, spent my earnings there when I was a kid. Lots of people didn’t know how big Joe was and how many stores he had, there where some that were not named Basolo , like Jobbers in Tulsa. He was a good man to work for. I remember him receiving a order from Champion in the sixties for a $100,000 in spark plugs, I know I had to check them in. He sold to other part houses too. Since he was a disturbor, he bought in huge lots and got a price break. He, like so many local businesses, fell to the big chains. When O’Rielly came to town, the frist thing they did was come to Basolos and hired their employees that were already trained. Many still working there today. Bones
Hey Bryan, good to hear from you. Loved working at your grandfathers store. Joe and M were good people and hired good people, making it a place where employees enjoyed working. Aahhhhh..... Bones