Technical Anybody know how to speak "parts counter"?

Craig Studnik is still around and doing well,( 516-485-1935, he posts on the Ford Barn site) he still has an astounding amount of parts, now he's located towards Farmingdale but understand he has more than 1 location for his stash. Another old place is Mars in Bay Shore, same location on Main Street. Some items are pricey, but when I'm in a pinch that's okay. They know their stuff, counter guys have been there 20+ years.

 

My local NAPA has been more miss than hit for me. I got way overcharged ($100) to have 2 axle bearings pressed off and on, this is the press charge only. I bought lots of things early on for my Ford from them that have failed in less than 5000 miles, brake light switch, solenoid and the ignition switch likes to hang onto the key at times. But they do have bulk items like hoses on a reel, brake lines I can pick through, a carb cleaner I like.

 

I went to a local NAPA to get some vacuum hose and a PCV filter for the air cleaner of a friends Corvette. Only needed one foot of each size of hose, thought they would just cut it off a big roll. No the vacuum hose was sold in bubble wrapped four foot pieces. The counter guy didn't have a clue what the PCV filter was, even though most GM cars from the 60's to the 80's had the same one. Took him 20 minutes to finally find it after telling me they don't have it. I said I know they do, you just don't know how to find it. 20 minutes later he found it. And yes I told him everything about the Corvette including the color of the car to put in his computer. I long for the good old days at NAPA. They always had very good counter people, who didn't even look in the books half the time, when you set the old part on the table or told them what you needed. They just went into the back and came out with the correct parts.

 

I worked at what use to be Kragen back in the late 90's as a teenager before going into the service. I was their during the book to computer change over....it was sad. But I both owned and drove old cars as my daily drivers and had a pretty good understanding of the parts counter.
I use to love the whole "there all the same" answer when asking what year Chevy we needed parts for. More than one old chevy guy left with R45 plugs for his late model 70's something heads, or a short water pump for his later small block, or some ugly later fuel pump with the wrong clocking on the fuel inlet and the list goes on. I just couldn't help myself at times! And sbf guys were just as bad when they would give me "there all the same!" Ha, yeah right! I use to have some fun that is for sure.
Long story short: Best bet is to stay far away from autozone, and look up your part online a head of time as mentioned above. Orielys is usually good when you find the right guy/gal plus for those of us that qualify they give a 10% military discount.

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"1970 Malibu" will get you most anything SBC, "1951 Mercury Monterey" will get you most Flathead stuff, "Year, Car name and Model name".

 

I needed a set of NGK 4091 plugs for my car... wanted to avoid the local parts counter and seeing the counter person's eyes glaze over when I give them 1959 Ford as a description. eBay to the rescue, $15 and 20 hours later the plugs were on my front steps waiting for me.

 

We have a old school parts house in town. There used to be 2 when i was growing up but only the one remains. A AZ showed up about a 1/2 mile from them about 5 years ago, then Advance shows up across from AZ, now I see an Oreilly's is coming in 2 blocks from that! Ridiculous. Iusuall y go to the original except for oil change stuff and car wash supplies. They know me by name. If they don't have it they get it that day or next. One of the guys has been there forever. I think it may have been his only job and he is close to my age, 61. I have to say that for a while the AZ here had a hat would listen to what I wanted. I was lifting a 4x4 and needed shocks and did the research and had part numbers. He went in the back and got them.Unlike other times when I heard"those will not fir you vehicle". I know but may I please have them. Jeg and Summit for me too. Not too much Rockauto with warehouse A,B,C all with separated shipping charges. Gets crazy. Jim

 

Whenever I used to get a customer with an oddball combination of parts, I USED to ask him what he was trying to do, because I might be able to envision his plan and go "outside" the book/computer parameters and actually DO something to HELP him. Nine times out ten, without fail, it was "none of my effing business" what he was trying to do..... which shut off MY "helpful attitude" program rather quickly. Sound like any of your friends?

 

We do have an old-school parts house in town, but the parts jockey drivers that hang around there look like meth heads. So I avoid the place. We had one horrible chain called AID Auto Stores. Israeli owned I believe. It was a good place to get an air freshener. Now all the big-name places are just as bad.

If I want to take a ride I check out Parts Authority, they are usually very good. But I see less and less of any store that stocks what I need at the time. This is why I get loads of parts from eBay and have favorite sellers saved. I usually have it in 2 days, but Summit hung me out to dry for a month with a GM speedo cable that I ordered.