When you enter a part store and ask for some tune-up parts for your 350 Chevy and they say what year model is the car, you say a 1940 Chevy, they say their manuals don't go back that far, just walk out, it will only go downhill from there. I have found that there is usually one person in the parts store that understands street rods and I only will deal with him, if he is not there I come back when he is......
Maybe it is just me, but defining the year of manufacture of the car you want parts for seems reasonable. Purposefully giving the year of the chassis when you are wanting parts for the much later model engine you have installed isnt reasonable. In fact, it would seem the parts buyer relishes the opportunity to be dissatisfied. I tell the parts folks it is a '63 Grumman I am working on, and immediately suggest they use the '63 Chevy pickup as a parts look-up model. It has worked well for engine parts. I imagine I will have to find an old school catalog parts store when it comes to chassis items like brakes. Havent seen any online catalogs from auto parts shops that show any 2 ton chassis parts. Signed, A catalog era parts guy.
I went into a Oreilly's Parts Store on the north side of Indy walked in and the help, one older man leaning on the counter with his hat turned sideways on his head, and other young kid listing to his ipod so loud I could hear his music. I ask if he could look up some brakes parts for me, the first thing the older man said to me was "DO you have a part number" didn't even ask what kind of car!! I looked at him and said can't you read or do you know everting here by the part numbers. He said don't be a smart ass, I said to him I not but I don't think you know everthing, because I leaving and I bet you didn't know that.
Ob1, it takes a little extra from both sides when you're dealing with old and/or cobbled together cars like we embrace here. An example: My favorite customer comes in one day with a box full of used-up clutch pieces. It's for his '61 Falcon that has a 72 Maverick engine. (I always remembered the basics of the vehicles for my favorite customers) I grabbed the clutch book, hoping to get lucky and a 72 Maverick and a '61 Falcon would take the same parts. No luck. However, the book did show me that while not one piece was the same part number for both cars, they had the same diameter clutch. I asked, and he told me that the car still had the original 61 tranny. So, I pull a throwout bearing and disc for the Falcon, a pressure plate a pilot bushing for the maverick, and they match what he brought in perfectly. It was the right combination of him giving me enough info, having enough technical info (the catalog) and a little common sense and willingness to dig on my part.
36- 3window I know good parts help is hard to get, but I don't think I should supply part numbers for my parts because you are to lazy to look them up, or don't know how.
i didn't mean to imply you should have supplied part numbers ... and yes, they didn't give you good service too. i was just pointing out some violations of company policy
I work at a local Advance Auto store and I see funny shit on both sides of the counter daily. Most customers actually leave happy and with the parts they needed. Every once in a while someone slips a new one in that I am lost on, but between myself, a few books, talking with the customer, and a few phone calls I will find his part. I find that people love to stump the parts guy with their off the wall engine/vehicle combos. Customer: I need valve cover gaskets for a '49 Mercury. Me: Very funny. '49 Mercury never came with valve cover gaskets. Customer: (Puzzled look on his face) Try a '50 Mercury. Me: Does it have a 350 in it? Customer: Duh? What else would it have? Me: Do you want an honest answer to that question, or do you want your valve covers? Another instance... Customer: I need brakes for a Toyota. Me: A Toyota what? Customer: '89 pickup. Me: Ok, I grab his brakes and complete the sale explaining the lifetime warranty and his options for upgrades should he choose. Customer: Thanks. .....2 days later...... Customer: Man, you sold me the wrong brakes. Me: Ok, I am sorry about that. What did you actually need brakes for? Customer: I already told you, I need brakes for a '98 Toyota Tacoma. Me: Uh, sir, your original request per your records was for an '89 Toyota pickup. Hold on while I grab your new brakes, and if you would like you can have a soda on me for the inconvinience. Customer: Why in the hell would I ask for brakes for something I don't own? All you parts store kids are alike. You don't know shit and you don't care whos time you waste. Maybe I should have told you it was a red truck...would that help? PAY ATTENTION TO THE CUSTOMER! I personally get burned out on the typical parts store crap, and the idea that just because we work at a McParts Store, we don't know shit, or we could care less.
A few weeks ago I needed to replace the waterpump on my 55 pontiac which I orderd from rock auto. It was the best deal by far. But I wanted to replace the 2 1.5" X 3" Hoses from the waterpump to the block also. Rock auto had em but a computer glitch would only let me order 3 feet instead of the 1 foot piece that it listed. When I tried all of the local chains including napa They all tried selling me the flex type radiator hose, for the 3" pieces that I needed. They all told me I could cut it to fit!!!! WTF??? I asked them how i'd attach this hose when it was cut at the spiraling rib portion, but of course they were clueless. (even napa- oak forest, Ill). They also tried selling me fuel filler hose, but didnt know what to tell me when I asked what it would do when it got pressureized and hot?.... As I've wound up doing time ane time again, I made the journey over to "Midway TRUCK PARTS". I got a heavy duty length of hose that will last longer than the car from them. Many times I find that this is what you have to do.
Went to the "Zone" to get a valve cover gasket for a 1964 Mercury Comet, computer did not go back that far at the time (early 90's). "Sorry we don't have that in stock but we can order the valve cover gasket for your 289". Luckey for me they had the 1980 Ford F-150 302 valve cover gasket in stock and I was able to make it fit! Print is not dead, if it was I would never find what I need.
I too was raised in paper cats and hand written invoices. The younger kids always "stuck' me with the odd ball stuff. When I did the work I'd train them on how to "think" hot rod/race car: engine is from a ____; chassis is a _____; gearbox is a ______; diff is a _____. If the customer knows these things it engages the student ( pimple faced button pusher ) and you may be responsibe for bringing another kid into the fold. Not a bad thing really and a little less frustrating for all involved. Make them interested, get them involved and they may want to build a car themselves. They may even respect you. Or be a dick head that requires every shit head kid behind the counter to have a fucking crystal ball to read your goddamn minds and lord your car building genious over them. Your call
Hey Ford-Man Don't take it personal. But I think you know the type everyone is referring to, I have been in your shoes. You Sir are one of the few. Think about the training program that they send everyone through there.
Yeah, I know, and we all have a laugh about it at the store. We actually have a pretty strong knowledge base at our store and I feel fortunate to work with the guys and gals I do. I have learned a lot. It just chaps my ass that so many people actually think that just because someone works at a McParts Store they are dumb, or not knowledgable, or not willing to learn to solve a customers problem. It gets me even more that people that work at parts places think that they know everything because they wear the shirt. What the general public does not get to know is 99% of the store is ran from over our head. A good parts guy will slip in a discount from time to time, swap something out because the customer screwed it up, whatever. A GREAT parts guy will call you on his/her off day to let you know their piston/rod combo idea will net approx. 12:1 compression with whatever cc heads, etc...after researching it at home. It's a learning process from both sides of the counter.
NH Bandit hit it right on the head. My local NAPA dealer has a guy named Frank.If he does'nt know where it is or what could work ,he resorts to his own private outdated catalogs under his desk. WHAT??? CATALOGS YOU SAY??? The computer knows it all. BULLSHIT!! Thank God there is still some Old Schoolers behind the counters. "Bring back the FISH MACHINES"
Back in the early 70's I was the night parts man at a Porsche+Audi store, that evening an older black woman came in and asked for a wheel cylinder for her Audi. I asked her several questions to try and understand exactly what Audi she had and bottom line, she just didn't know. I asked if she could call her husband who was home working on the car so she could get to work the next morning and ask him what the model number of the car was on the decklid - thinking that's easy enough - and he musta been yelling at her cause she visibily paled and said no. I tried a couple more questions and finally, totally exasperated, she said "it's a blue one!" I shut up, pulled a wheel cylinder off the shelf and sent her on her way. I never heard back or got a return on it so I must have guessed right! I'm also one of those who goes ahead and looks the part up on their computer first, but some of these companies must not want you doing this cause they make it almost impossible to work your way thru their menus. Likewise, they only seem to sell assemblies now, none of the parts inside of them. Try ordering a set of brushes or a bushing for a starter anymore - it won't happen.... So maybe we should put together a thread and sticky it for all those really good places to get stuff - as a reference guide?
You can still get brushes for starters and such. We sell some, not all...but some rebuild parts for starters, alternators, wheel cylinders, etc... It all depends on who you talk to, and how much they know.
I look at it as peace of mind, knowing im getting the right parts! I have worked for Autozone, Advance, and NAPA. Autozone and Advance both will work you to death if the find out you know what you are doing! You can forget getting any "prime" time off because they want you on the counter boosting the bottom line...before you start...I DO NOT brown nose anyone for anything...that is why i did not accept their offers to become "management", once you put on a mgmt shirt the div managers were all over you like stink on a skunk! Im retired now, but as i stated earlier, i look up anything that is not found on the sales floor before i ever step foot in the store! I have spent a fair amount of time reading this thread, i have laughed so hard that my sides hurt! Oh yeah, when I started my parts career, there was no computer on the counter, two catalog racks and a couple of adding machines was it! Years later when we did have computers, I still used the paper catalogs, because they were right, the geeks apparently didnt know how to read a parts catalog because the kids using the computers were constantly having returns due to...you guessed it WRONG PARTS! Old Skool Rodder
Seems to me the guy was just trying to save some trouble, you could have just said "sorry, I don't, what's the computer say I need?" I find Advance Auto prices are cheaper online - and they'll match the online prices in-store if you mention it at the counter. Saved about $3 on a U-joint for an OT truck yesterday for that reason. I've gotten them to match Rock Auto prices, too, which is nice since it's a lot easier to return a boner to them than ship it back to East Butthole, IL.
The Orielly's by my house is just as good. I went in there for a lawn mower belt. Some young punk after about twenty minutes hands me some white belt for a john dear i knew there was no way it was gonna fit. Luckly some other person came over and took care of the situation before i had to break the guys balls. Good help is definately hard to find.
The Port Charlotte,Fl Napa auto parts store has got to be one of the best in the country.They will look up and usually find just about any thing I need or needed for the 47. I try to bring them a part number from the Napa website but if I cant find one into the books they go and rarely do they fail,if it dont work bring it back they wiil find me another that will work. An old time type store. No blank stares. Thaks to Jim and Jim and Pete.
Couple of weeks ago I crawled under the back of the Yellow POS and looked at the inside of the back wheel. It was obvious I had a diff fluid leak. So, I pulled the axle(s) out to find out 'why' 90w was getting around the sealed bearing. Since there were no inner seals in there, I measured the housing and the axle shaft and looked up the appropriate seal in the old C/R (now SKF) Handbook of Seals... Armed with the correct seal number, I started calling around. What a joke! The AutoZone gal told me that my number was 'wrong' as it was a car cover in her store. The O'Reilly's guy told me that without an application, he couldn't help me. The NAPA guy south of here told me that the seal I had was not right for the axle because it was a pinion seal for a '67 Ford Fairlane. (When he kept insisting I give him an application, I told him it was for a milking machine....He shut up) The Advance Auto guy said he would have to order it and it would be in the store in 2 weeks (not a warehouse stocking item). The local NAPA guy said he had 'one' in stock, so I went and grabbed it. On the way home I was passing an old farm tractor supply place. I walked in on a hoot and asked him if he had 'one of these' seals. He whipped open a ratty, dog ear'd interchange, scribbled down a part number and went back to look. He came back apologizing for only having 'one' seal. Then... He asked me what I paid for the one I got from NAPA. I told him $7.95, and that is exactly what he charged me for his seal. Man-o-man... I LOVE living in the rural southeast where people still deal with people..... And the big box auto supply stores? Don't feel the least bit sorry for them.
"Oh yeah, when I started my parts career, there was no computer on the counter, two catalog racks and a couple of adding machines was it!" wow we didn't have adding machines - the high tech short cut we had was the plastic sales tax chart that was in size .001" font ha ha they were so grubby from brake drum dust you had to memorize the popular ones shit I'm getting old and thinking about the good old days !
I walked into one of the local parts places yesterday needing a battery for my Falcon. The PO had put a group 27 in it, but I was pretty sure I’d read that I needed a group 24. I didn’t voice my suspicion though, and just wanted the guy behind the counter to look it up. Unfortunately, I said “whatever your computer says”. He laughed at me and told me he would have to use the book for something that old. As it happened, the book didn’t even list the Falcon. He looked in the computer, though, and sure enough: 1962 Falcon was listed. -Dave
you know you're old when... I walked in to a Napa parts store and asked for an oil spout. The guy looked like a deer in headlights. "A what?" "You know an oil spout, maybe you want me to call it a spigot.. you know the metal tube you jam into a can of oil?" "A can of oil?" he replied. _______________________ ...I wanted a spout to give my buddy for his 50th birthday for sucking beers at his party. On our first attempt it poured beer all over the place when the can crushed during insertion. On the second attempt we discovered it works best to insert the spigot into the hole after opening the can however the beer tastes like its pure tin. Not a good idea, but still a good chuckle.
Years ago , kid comes in on a Saturday morning , Dad's working on the car , he has a pc. of brg. race maybe, maybe 1/2" long you could see an "F" on it ,maybe a part number maybe manufacturer "Fag ' asked what car its for he tells me it's a white Plymouth . Told him I need a little more info. to help him . Kid back on his bike down the street, Comes back "Dad thinks it's a 60 ", I said do you want an "I think" bearing ? Tell him have your Pop look in the glove compartment or on the tail light lens for a year and model so we can help or if he wants he can just pull the other side wipe the greeze off and get me a number from that side. Kid back down the road. Kid comes back and said Dad don't want to pulll the other side there is nothing wrong with that side ! I told the kid to get out of my shop.
from my dealings with the "discount" houses is that they will hire anyone who passes the background and personality test. well at least the one I worked for did. I always liked these ones at the store. guy comes in with an electronic box or part or sensor. so i ask what is it, they answer idunno. so i ask what it does.. they say idunno. well how the hell do ya know its broken? then "can you plug your diagnostic machine into my car to tell me whats wrong?" then finally guy comes in with a clutch in 8 million pieces shattered like he dumped it at 5k with fat tires and says it just did that going down the road.
Mine lasted auto parts store experience was just two days ago. my '49 Ford F-2 was acting up and I narrowed it down to the condenser. I go to Advanced Auto and counter guy, a guy in his late '30s, early '40s, asks what he could help me with. I tell him, with a slight grin, "I need a condenser for a '49 Ford truck with a six cylinder engine." He gave me a strange look and started tapping away at the key board. After a minute or two he announces, "Sorry, can't help you with that one". I told him, "I think they used them up to '72" (I didn't know if it mattered if it was for a 6 volt system), and I took a glance as his screen. The item that was red lined was a AC condenser. I told him, "It's an ignition condenser, they didn't have AC back then." He had to give another person to show him how to find it and when they did it turned into another project because none of them seemed to know where they were stocked in the store. Eventually, I walk out with a brand name condenser and lived happily every after.
One of THOSE guys. Because Detroit NEVER used different size anything. I had a real gem of a customer ask for brakes for his 89 rx7. After much debate, he finally said Mercury, as in a cougar. as in xr7. I had a guy throw a steering box at me, because I wanted the box for the core. He said he paid for it, he wants the box. So I billed the core charge, and he threw it at me. I was 128 lbs and 17 at the time. Now I am 6'1" 260. I imagine it would be a different tune.
Helping a buddy do a tune up on his 61 chevy.I`ve always been in the habit of dragging the old part along to the part store no matter what it is I need.I walk in and lay the points , cond. and a plug on the counter and say 61 chevy 283.The guy (early 20`s)looks at me and says"I can help ya out with the spark plugs but what are the other things"?I been around a while and know when to seek out someone else to take care of me and not waste my time trying to get some flunky to understand ,so I ask if the manager is arouind " I AM the manager "he says. I`ll never go to another big box parts store again.Like was said in a previous post it`s the mom n pop type places for me!!!
The Jalopy Journal
