I forget I have something, buy it and install it, then find it later. Does not help that I have stuff here, at my old house, and in my brothers barn.
Those three comments are the story of my life. It's amazing that just after you get the part you just bought on the project You find the one you bought a year ago. I save those Costco size peanut butter jars (plastic) for see though small parts storage. Started by putting my extra GM starter bolts in one years ago and if I can snag them before my wife throws them out they get small stuff put in them and go on the shelf next to the others.
The good thing is that when you're looking for something you know you have, but can't find, you find something you forgot you had, and can use.
Only time I stocked up on spares was when I was racing. When I got out of racing, and started building hotrods, I only bought, and sought out, parts for the current project. If I couldn't use it right then, I found buying or looking at anything else counter productive to my build. I wouldn't even go look at so-called 'good deals' in cars or parts if they had nothing to do with my current build. When the project was done, the shop was swept, and the process started over.
I cleaned up and sold and gave away a lot a stuff when my youngest son got killed. Some of it was his, some of it was mine, all was in the way. Now, I only buy stuff as I need it, unless it's something I will use later that is hard to find such as some of the emblems for my Lincoln. And I've still got too much junk! My weakness is scrap metal. I'll pick up any piece of angle, flat plate, channel, tubing, whatever, throw it into the pile. Never know, might need to make a bracket or something. That pile has saved me countless dollars through the years, 95% of my car trailer was built from pieces out of that pile.
When we moved to Pennsylvania 2 1/2 years ago I had to part with 4, 40 yard dumpsters worth of 42 years of living in the old house. A lot was given away to a fellow hot rodder, including my 4 wheel car trailer. More went to one of my sons, and a lot was scrapped. Now I am trying to find some of the things that I miss. My wife says, you gave it away, or you scrapped it. Now I have a 12 x 26 garage, and a 12 x 25 storage garage, both full, and I still can't find stuff that I know that I still have.
Yeah! I paid storage for years on this stuff until I decided it must go! Nobody at the swap meets wanted it, even for dirt cheap pricing....in a fit of anger I drove it all to the recycle place.....4, 283s. and my prized '59 Pontiac 389 and a mail jeep 3.73 posi rear. The big block chev was the only thing that sold. I believe I got $12 for it all for scrap. I kept 1, 283 and now I'd love to build that 389 as a spare for my 34.
My problem is a double edged sword. When I DO decide to get rid of something, it seems that I realize I needed it, sometimes in mid-throw. The other edge is that when I moved from my home of 20+ years, I decided to make a clean start in the new house. Sooooo, I borrowed my friend's 2 1/2 ton stake bed truck and loaded it to the gunnels with everything I thought was no longer useful. It felt great to start fresh. However, as I look around the garage, I have this distinct feeling that all the stuff I threw out all those years ago, somehow found out my new address and slowly crawled back into my garage at night when I sleep. An aside to this is about a year ago a friend called and asked me if I would want a 351c he had because he was moving cross country and had no use for it. This is a nice running engine and just needs a pan to run again. He also said it was free. I loaded my engine hoist it thebtruck, swung by my son's place and off we go. We get home and unload and my son says, "why are you doing this ? ". Don't you realize that when you die, I am going to be stuck getting rid of it all? I said something about there being worse jobs, but he ignored me. A month later he shows up with a complete tuned port off an 87 IROC. He says, here I thought you might want this. I already have 2 plus units. I said what happened to the complaining you did last month. He said ,yeah but it's now in your garage and not mine. Oh well, the good thing is that I can still get my roadster in and out easily.
Quick suggestion for guys who keep a bunch of random parts collections. Take a permanent marker and write on said part what it is and what it fits. If and when you die and a big pile of shit gets left behind its less likely to get scrapped if folks can ID it easily. We don't need anymore good old parts going to get junked. Sent from my LM-Q720 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have a 4000 sq ft "garage" that is packed full of stuff "worth a small fortune". It cost me a large fortune.
In my "minds eye" I know exactly where a part is...go to get it...and it's NOT there. Did I get rid of it in the last "clean-up" , or simply moved it? Can't remember. Do I do and endless search for a part that I may longer have? That seems stupid. SOLUTION: Have a cigar and some beers...contemplate my situation...and then more beer.
I usually need the part the next week,I kept a dual carb/exhaust manifolds for a Chrysler six for many years hoping to find a good 2 door to use them on but after selling those parts years ago no decent 2 door has came along I could afford but watch that happen next week since I mentioned it.
Don’t ever say you have too much stuff. The women hear that and want to have an auction. You never have too much stuff, just not enough barns. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I’m a third generation pack rat. Little Truckdoctor is forth generation. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Often wonder if the same people paying rent or buying storage units to house their spare parts are the same ones whose projects don't get done because they're short on cash?
The only build I plan for is the one I'm working on. I do not collect random parts, thinking that one day I might use it. I believe that is very close to hoarding and extreme OCD affliction. I'm already OCD enough without the extra clutter.
I am going through this with my dad he down sized from a house to a apartment (not in to old cars) filled 2 20 yard dumpsters and sold a lot of stuff. Now I am looking at my stuff differently and starting to get rid of things I will never use. But still save more than I should old habitats die hard.
The Jalopy Journal
