Register now to get rid of these ads!

History Things that J.C. Whitney use to offer

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by HOTRODPRIMER, Sep 6, 2019.

  1. This is one item a lot of us would but if it was still offered. HRP

    JC Whitney Louver Kit.JPG
     
  2. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
  3. AVater
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 3,147

    AVater
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    1. Connecticut HAMB'ers

    No-the ad says it’s easy. Lol. Actually that was my first thought. Wavy Louvers.
     
    VANDENPLAS, Rickybop, Saxman and 6 others like this.
  4. 19Fordy
    Joined: May 17, 2003
    Posts: 8,025

    19Fordy
    Member

    I agree. Easy for them to say!:eek:
     

  5. I remember that you could buy damn near anything for you car..mostly trinket junk..there is still only one thing that you cannot buy from J.C.Whitney or Warshawsky,Thats pride of ownership
     
  6. Boneyard51
    Joined: Dec 10, 2017
    Posts: 6,440

    Boneyard51
    Member

    I used to have the JC Whitney catalog mailed to me. I used the hubcap pages to identify what hubcaps I found on the road!
    They alway offered the chrome door that you could use for a gas filler door, for years. Then in about 1985, I wanted to replace that door on my OT daily driver truck........ loked and looked........couldn’t find it , called...... they quit carrying it! Just my luck!





    Bones
     
  7. Dave Mc
    Joined: Mar 8, 2011
    Posts: 2,575

    Dave Mc
    Member

    I would like to see the 33 Ford Hoodsides with 34 Style Latches that J C Whitney used to provide return to the market
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  8. el Scotto
    Joined: Mar 3, 2004
    Posts: 4,698

    el Scotto
    Member
    from Tracy, CA

    I have a 1962 JC Whitney catalog I occasionally browse, sent these to buddy a while ago, may as well post ‘em on this thread...

    0799C016-B58C-40E7-8061-D49B46179A90.jpeg BD57C1E9-372C-4D90-82A6-66C101A5B082.jpeg
     
  9. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,115

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    RIG=something designed to sell,but not to work well. But yes,I too order one,wish I knew were I put it long ago ! LOL
    I really liked most all I got from JCW,did wounder if I ever payed them enough to cover cost of all the cat.s they sent me !!
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
  10. Flim Flam Man
    Joined: Sep 11, 2018
    Posts: 51

    Flim Flam Man
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    I would have loved to grab one of those 308's .....

    download.jpeg
     
  11. DDDenny
    Joined: Feb 6, 2015
    Posts: 19,132

    DDDenny
    Member
    from oregon

    I guess one reason I never used J.C. Whitney was I didn't really start buying parts, etc. until about 1969 when I got my first car and was more drag car oriented so it was more of the hot rod type stuff, Ive always viewed their offerings as more custom related.
    I'm sure people who bought from J.C. Whitney were as proud of their car as anyone but I agree, to me most of it falls under the category of "trinkets".
    No bongos and fuzzy dice for me!
     
  12. As a fresh high school grad, new to car ownership and living in the vast Chicago suburbs, I actually made the pilgrimage once upon a time downtown to the store for some item I didn't want to wait for. It was a big room with aisles and loaded down shelves, and nothing else. No typical manufactures signage on the bare walls......... nothing. Just a sparse looking check-out counter at the back and a view through dusty windows at the front. It was sort of a let-down for a kid expecting something akin to Mecca or Shangrila. :confused:
     
  13. Did ya notice the item at the bottom of the page? HRP

    [​IMG]
     
    AKGrouch, Ford52PU, 3W JOHN and 6 others like this.
  14. dreracecar
    Joined: Aug 27, 2009
    Posts: 3,476

    dreracecar
    Member
    from so-cal

    From a couple vendors, That they would walk the shows during set up and take pictures, by the next day they would have one in their booth
     
    3W JOHN, HOTRODPRIMER and Deuces like this.
  15. Not everything J.C. Whitney sold was junk, but the problem was you couldn't tell from the catalog descriptions what was what because there was very rarely any manufacturer listed. They did have a lot of 'brands' that you never heard of and quality was all over the map. Although you generally didn't have to worry about any of it being imported in those days.. LOL.

    I bought my first tool set from them in '63 (Industro brand, made in the USA) and the 1/2" socket set and box wrenches that came in the metal tool box gave me years of service; I still have the box wrenches, they're one of my prized sets as I've never seen another set quite like them.

    And they had 'stuff' that you'd never see in a 'conventional' auto parts store. Sure, a lot of it was gimmicky crap, but you'd find some interesting bits in there too.
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
  16. 2OLD2FAST
    Joined: Feb 3, 2010
    Posts: 5,215

    2OLD2FAST
    Member
    from illinois

    First shop I worked at ('62-'63), we' d drive in to Chicago (90miles) early sat morning and buy overhaul stuff ( pistons rings bearings and gasket sets) for work coming up , name brand stuff and they had everything , remember you had to get in line and have your list ready , if you forgot something you had to go to the back and start over ....saved a ton of money.... Used to buy 3finger 10 1/2" plates and discs for $22 , some Chicago area rebuilder , and they had tons of NOS flathead parts., Sometimes the boxes were water damaged , as long as the part was good , we didn't care ...
     
  17. egads
    Joined: Aug 23, 2011
    Posts: 1,419

    egads
    Member

     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  18. egads
    Joined: Aug 23, 2011
    Posts: 1,419

    egads
    Member

    This could be a fun thread!!!!!!
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  19. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    Some of the coolest stuff came from their string of junkyard suppliers! Two samples...they took huge multi-row radiators from heavy duty trucks and powerplants, sawed them up, and worked them into and onto the radiator tanks of popular cars. Super-duper heat exchanger for your flathead, anyone?
    And---they had a large assortment of junkyard engines, vaguely guaranteed not to be absolute crap. I think circ 1970 a 59A was $75...
     
  20. williebill
    Joined: Mar 1, 2004
    Posts: 3,273

    williebill
    Member

    The stuff dreams were made of...….. as a kid on the mailing list in the 60s
     
    JC Sparks, 3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  21. COCONUTS
    Joined: May 5, 2015
    Posts: 1,161

    COCONUTS

    Fiberglass front fenders that were lighter than "race weight". I remember a kid had a pair on his 56 Chevy, he went to the super market and the bag boy ran a shopping cart into them and crack them.
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  22. Don't forget Honest Charlie, they carried actual speed parts but sometimes with the same questionable pedigrees... LOL
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  23. Doublepumper
    Joined: Jun 26, 2016
    Posts: 1,534

    Doublepumper
    Member
    from WA-OR, USA

    It was one of my dream books back then. It would 'finely' arrive in the mail and I would thumb through them until they were worn out.
     
    3W JOHN, HOTRODPRIMER and williebill like this.
  24. Doublepumper
    Joined: Jun 26, 2016
    Posts: 1,534

    Doublepumper
    Member
    from WA-OR, USA

    I used to hang out at Honest Charlie's in Renton. Bought most of my parts from B&B....memories:)
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  25. Atwater Mike
    Joined: May 31, 2002
    Posts: 11,625

    Atwater Mike
    Member

    I remember the center grille piece for '49-'50 Mercs. My cousin Ronnie got back from Korea and installed that 'grille-joiner', it was 5 narrow bars, matched up perfectly. Just 'lose' that 'guard' in the middle.
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  26. PacaRacer50
    Joined: Oct 3, 2010
    Posts: 171

    PacaRacer50
    Member

    the first car I bought at age 13 was a 1963 Corvair 700 coupe and I bought quite a lot of stuff from them for it. Then they had two pages of Corvair parts in the back and multiple pages of Model A and VW stuff. Getting a new catalog from them in the mail use to drive me wild!
    I bought stuff from them for years for many of my cars. One of my favorite was a camshaft kit for the Pontiac V8 that I drag raced. it was .480 lift intake & exhaust, 308 duration intake, 320 duration exhaust with 108 degree center line. I put it into a 455 I was building with a offy 2x4bbl 360 intake and a pair of 500 Carter Comp series AFB's and
    four tube headers with #48 heads. That 455 had a wild idle that shook the car it was in like no tomorrow! Everything in that engine came from them.
    Wish they still had that stuff today as I would not hesitate to buy from them.
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  27. In the early 70s, I bought a lot of parts from Honest Charlie's, and all the stuff was top quality.
    I do remember that they also advertised do-dads. I used to receive both Honest Charlie's, and the J.C.Whitney catalogue, but don't remember buying anything from Whitney.
    Bob
     
    3W JOHN, HOTRODPRIMER and 63Champ like this.
  28. V8 Bob
    Joined: Feb 6, 2007
    Posts: 2,966

    V8 Bob
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I looked forward to each new catalog mailed to my dad in the mid '50s. I started buying stuff in '57 for my home-built GoKart, then my high school '54 Ford, and years later for many other cars. As already stated, they sold many unique items, but also quality name brand items as well. Flathead and Y-block parts as well as a huge selection of glass and steel pack mufflers and exhaust accessories were some of my favorite items. Still enjoy browsing through the '55, '59 and '72 catalogs I have. :cool:
     
  29. Sky Six
    Joined: Mar 15, 2018
    Posts: 9,480

    Sky Six
    Member
    from Arizona

    0423131254.jpg 1006121611.jpg

    Whoa there cowboy ! I had dice (although not fuzzy) in the '23, the '54, and the '57. :)
     
    Last edited: Sep 6, 2019
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.
  30. 2OLD2FAST
    Joined: Feb 3, 2010
    Posts: 5,215

    2OLD2FAST
    Member
    from illinois

    Whithey was also THE place to get seat covers and carpet, the ones in my '56 Chevy wore like iron !
     
    3W JOHN and HOTRODPRIMER like this.

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.