We all have our favorite cars & trucks,whether it's a Chevrolet,Ford,Plymouth or any one of the other makes. Some of us are happy as a clam with one hot rod or custom where others of us want multiples of the same year. I have gone through phases over the years,Model A's were my passion until I discovered 40 Fords and I had several and collecting 40 Ford parts became a passion,then as quick as I fell in love with 4o Fords a new mistress came into my life and the Deuce Bug bit and bit hard,I have been obsessed with them and 32 parts ever since. I have a weakness for Deuce parts,especially sheet metal,grilles,hoods,firewalls,etc. Surely I'm not alone with my addiction. HRP
Nope,it runs pretty strong in this addiction.Just the fact you're saving for your use or someone else.
You have it much worse than me,the Deuce grille shells on the wall looks like they would make a nice supplement IRA account! HRP
You guys know the movie 3 Amigos? Know the water scene? You guys with walls of parts are Chevy Chase... I'm Steve Martin Short.
I try to justify my pack rat tendencies,to myself and my spouse as buying parts for the next project. I do feel certain my next ground up build will be a Deuce but if not I can sell the extra parts to help finance the newt project. HRP
Well I do have a large assortment of GM AD truck pieces and if you looked around you would think I had a thing for doors for some reason. I'm not big on buying pieces just to stick them up on the wall so everyone can see that I have a batch of them though as the parts usually come as bargains when I find them. I did miss a batch on Craigslist a while back because my flatbed was stuck on the snow in the yard and I didn't have a way to go after them though. On the wife understanding thing. Mine has gone with the theory that if I am working on hot rods and buying parts my butt isn't holding down a bar stool somewhere for the past 47 years. For the younger unmarried rodders I'd suggest finding a gal who crafts, quilts or sews as those gals full and well understand the concept of having stuff stashed back for future projects. Plus they understand needing "work in the project" time. But you never upon never ask why she needs more fabric when she has a shelf full of it.
I'm in the same boat! I've had 40 Fords since 1974... if I find a part that's reasonably priced; it follows me home! Both of my cars are finished, but I keep buying spare parts. I even started collecting dashboard parts so I could restore and assemble a few to display on my garage and home office walls... I then ran across a few that were mostly complete, including original paint; so I had to buy those too, including a right hand Australian dash! I've noticed that some formerly reproduced parts are no longer available (like the stock radio speaker grille to dash rubber pad); although brand new 1940 Coupe bodies are available and might extend the need for reproduced parts, I'm entertaining buying a complete set of extra rubber seals and parts to squirrel away just in case! I guess it never ends? Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Parts have always been cheaper than cars, easier to store, I'm sure the profit margin is greater on parts than cars. Looking back on things there have been many truck loads of parts in my life, not so many finished car projects. Bob
Since I was a kid with my first 1931 Dodge, I have HAD to buy nearly every part I can find for the car as it is VERY difficult to locate 1931 DB stuff. I have extra parts.
I can understand that... my dad had a 1953 Mercury Monterey Hardtop for 38 years; although the car was complete when he bought it (83K original miles creampuff) he had to buy every part he found... almost nothing is reproduced for that car! Dad passed away almost a year ago. I had to sell his Mercury; January 3rd it headed to its new home in Wisconsin with a truckload of good used, and N.O.S. parts! Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Used to be gauge clusters. Went through a 12 step program and let them go. Now it's 1930's-50's steering wheels......but it's not a addiction. I'm thinking mag wheels next. Only have 85 right now so it's not a addiction
I like to polish aluminum parts; especially M/T valve covers. It's therapeutic. But my wife just rolls her eyes.
What? No one complaining about parts hoarders? The jealous ones usually pop their heads up sooner or later. I've found, once you get focused on a certain brand/breed, that parts, and even whole parts cars, tend to find you. I'm currently trying to quit the parts I'll never use.
My ole lady is a hoarder of unusual things and I'm a hoarder of car parts and automotive tools, tool boxes and older machines. Our neighbors/neighborhood hates us because we are always bringing truck loads of "junk" home. I love all of my stuff as does she. It's one of the reasons we get along so well sometimes. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Well when I bought my 55 F100 I decided it was better to unvest my discretionary shekels on vintage parts to build the custom I had in mind, than re-pops to get it on the road... a fateful choice. 15 Yrs later I have a good roller (not driver) taking up 1/2 our garage, and beautiful Comm Kitch shelving to store all my parts... I have vintage tin, chrome, Accy's I'll use for my 55, and some I ran across I just couldn't pass by I'll never use! In the mean time the economy took its dive, I became a homeowner, and the hoose-do's always comes first... If the grave digger don't get me first, I keep hoping that things will loosen up and I'll get to return to my 55... in the mean time I work on the hoose, vacuum the carpets, and keep the turlets clean! Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have a problem with tools and '59 Ford parts. Any piece of trim that comes up for the right $$... I grab it. I have sold some, cherry picking everything for the best to go on my car.
I've always said that everybody collects something. One year for me, it was brass plum-bobs, another year it was little sewing machine oil squirt cans, then it was B-B guns, then it was micrometers. Well, I have a very good friend that collects Key chains & fobs. He has over a thousand of them and is 95 years old and doesn't even have a car or drive!!!
Used to be, when I bought a car/project I bought every stray extra part I came across. Of course, I never needed any of them. These days, with the internet, I don't get all "hoarder" about parts for my cars, I just pick up the occasional part that I'm pretty sure I'm going to actually use at some point. Now that doesn't apply to Halibrand or American mag wheels - always buy when the price is right and never sell. I do have a whole bunch of old speed parts hanging around the shop but no more parts cars or rows of doors, fenders, and rusty bent bumpers.
Over the last few years I've unloaded almost all my OT muscle car stuff & started gathering up inline 6 gm engines & ancient 6 speed equipment & every single pre 1972 - 3 speed manual overdrive I can get my hands on. It grieves me to see these old 6's Sold for scrap. Brought 2 more gm manual overdrives home last wee& & spoke for a good 261 inline yesterday..... Flux
Although I've collected a ton of quickchanges and parts over the years and do love them, my biggest vice has always been magnesium and aluminum wheels and vintage tires, particularly the really hard to find stuff. Have owned over 1000 magnesium Halibrands and Americans, everything from 16x13s to 18x8s down to 14x6s in Sprint, large kidney, small window, Indy, solid, spindlemount, 12 spoke and 5 spoke styles. I've also owned 4 of the original 150 pairs of ETIIIs that Dick Beith cast when he owned The Wheel Centre - still have one pair. I like vintage Firestone and Goodyear sprint and roadrace tires as well and have a bunch including some rare NOS stuff. Steve
Hi, my name is Bill, and I'm a parts addict. I have one whole 12x24 room in the shop just for parts, for cars that I will need to live to be 100 to get done! I just drove fours hours to Nashville, set up, got up at 4:00 AM, walked a couple of miles, sold a lot, bought some nice pieces, sold more ($400) than I bought, drove fours home, missed the Super Bowl, and am tired and sore this morning. So, what's wrong with that???
The Jalopy Journal
