History J.C. Whitney being sold

Angliaguy · Aug 4, 2010

I remember their catalogs when I was a kid in the 50s. It seemed like they came every couple of months. I had completely forgotten about them when we did the Hot Rod Power Tour in 2005 and that was a lunch stop I think between Milwaukee and Springfield.
I couldn't believe it. The place was huge with all automated warehouse and shipping department. I hadn't seen a catalog or advertising for years so I don't know how they reached their customers but the shipping dept.was very busy.

jchav62 · Aug 4, 2010

My dad always ordered from JC Whitney for almost all his projects when I was a kid. I remember a set of "Fiesta" spinners that he bought in the early 80's. He put them on one of his rides, but sold it and kept the caps. They stayed hanging on his garage wall for years... When I got my first project, a '51 Chevy, I asked him for them after he already had a few beers under his belt. He said, "Sure, mijo! Take 'em! They'll look good on your troquita." I couldn't get them off the wall fast enough. They were great quality. I lost one years later and got a replacement for JCW. The new one was crap. Thin metal, awful paint in the checker pattern. Quality definitely went to crap... Sucks... I still hate to see another old place go.. Sad.

dare-to-be-different · Aug 4, 2010

NOW where will I be able to find a $22.00 piston ring set and $18 TRW Clevite 77 rod bearings to keep my Studebaker truck running?
I used to put in a JC Whitney ring and bearing set every dozen years or so just to keep it fresh.
What am I going to do now?

Front end bubble-alignment tool for $20.00 that was very accurate.
What do I do now if someone borrows it and forgets to return?

So many things I still wanted to buy.

In a few more years you won't be able to make fun of a silly looking car as "having the complete JC Whitney trim kit" anymore. People won't know what you mean.

P.S. Name brand items and decent quality were mostly what you got. TRW, Moog, Federal Mogul, Hastings, FelPro, Perfect Circle...

I suppose it is possible that the people buying the "JC Whitney Trim Kits" got trashy parts, but for the important pieces I ordered, it was all reasonable stuff.

It was hard to wait two weeks for delivery, but for the price it was worth it.

superiorslots · Aug 4, 2010

Retro Jim said: ↑

How the hell did they stay in business this long ? That was the worst shit you could buy on earth . Hell I don't even think China would sell to them .

Retro Jim
Click to expand...

They sold top line parts. I bought a front end rebuild kit for my '57 Chevy from them in 1978 and all the parts were MOOG. As a matter of fact I still have a new tire rod that I never used because mine were new(er) on the car.
Can't remmeber the price but they were alot less than the local auto parts store and being 16 every dime mattered.

chaos10meter · Aug 4, 2010

Back in the 60's I used to re-build VW Bugs and sell them to the kids. Bought a ton of shit from Whitney , re-built complete heads like $ 19.95 each, best prices on heater boxs, Mufflers, tail pipes.
Sure some of the shit was cheap made but it was one of the places back then that handled VW parts at really good prices.
I liked them.

themoose · Aug 4, 2010

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CRICHAR%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CRICHAR%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CRICHAR%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><style>  </style>[FONT=&quot]As a teen I rebuilt my first engine a 265 Chevy with parts ordered from the J.C. Whitney catalog. The whole job cost something like 28 bucks and to my fathers surprise, when it was done it ran good. Those days are gone forever. [/FONT]

denis4x4 · Aug 4, 2010

Watching Roy and his minions roll through the SEMA show was a sight to behold! He'd point to a booth and a gofer would grab literature and catalogs while Roy was BS'ing the owner. In those days you could smoke at the show and Roy had a big old cigar going nonstop. He was especially astute at buying close outs and had teams of guys scouring the country side buying complete inventories of independent auto parts stores. He rarely advertising name brands in the catalog, so you were always pleased when you got top of the line parts for cheap money.

stevilknievel · Aug 7, 2010

bummer

lewislynn · Aug 8, 2010

MODELA30 said: ↑

Retro jim are you high!!! All those parts they sold back then where 85% built in the usa. We did not start buying jap crap till reaganomicks kicked in early 80's. 29 nash is right all those engine parts were good stuff for cheap too. I bought many of things out there. I just did not care to much for the neighborhood on state st chicago. Knuck from indiana.
Click to expand...

LOL!
Yeah, I remember "reaganomics" forcing everyone to buy "jap crap" instead or those top quality Amercan made cars from that decade for example. How about those GM gas to diesel engine conversions? I don't know what could have gone wrong with that top of the line american engineering/manufacturing.

So called "jap crap" raised the standard for quality in engineering and manufacturing. If anyone wants to attribute that to Reagan, that'd be great and fitting.

Ignorance is bliss.

thunderplex · Aug 8, 2010

Richard D said: ↑

No more shit parts or shit paint jobs...
Click to expand...

"Everybody on the HAMB is always harping about being traditional. Well, JC Whitney is about as traditional as it gets in hot rodding. For most people the JC Whitney catalog was their ONLY link for aftermarket parts (or as we use to say: post-production modification) (Now they call it day-two parts). Western Auto or your local parts store only carried repair parts and you were lucky to have a speed shop in your town. Whitney created a niche in the rodding world and many people depended on them for years. Parts were ordered by MAIL out of their catalog (think US Postal Service). Then you had to wait 2-3 weeks for the order to be filled and shipped and delivery wasn't guarenteed because the part might be "out-of-stock." The delivery anticipation would drive you crazy. Calling on the phone was cost prohibitive because the phone call would have probably cost more than the part that was being ordered, and 800 phone numbers? WTF was an 800 phone number anyway??? Hell, we were still using phone numbers like: TR5-1556!!!!

Now, all of you young twerps just place an order on line. Now, quit bitchin and start mourning the demise of J.C. Whitney!!!

Don't get me started!!!!!

64starfire · Aug 8, 2010

I bought a 'one piece window kit' from them back in the early 90's for my 65 Bug. Ended up being a million piece window kit by the time it got to my house. Talk about a disappointed teenager. Luckily I got my money back.

powdercoater46 · Aug 8, 2010

In the 80's, I ordered an new convertible top for my Mercedes and it fit like a glove.

uglydog56 · Aug 8, 2010

My 56 in 91 had a complete JC Whitney black tuck n roll interior. It was thick vinyl and fit well.

erlomd · Aug 8, 2010

I remember getting that catalogue in the mail and going over it page by page with my dad, ordered so much crap from them too...I remember calling in to describe the part I needed and filling out the order sheet making sure you got all them letters and numbers correctly in the little boxes, one miss and you might be getting a gold crown air freshener instead of a CB radio....i'll surely miss it

rramjet · Aug 8, 2010

JC Whitney and Pep Boys kept my 1st car (truck) a 36 Ford 1/2 ton going in the early 60's. Had to have the shiny acorn nut covers for the 48 Merc flathead and I think I got a shrunken head from them as well. Was saving up for an Earl Scheib paint job so had to live with red oxide primer till my Dad and Uncle painted it for me while I was in USAF basic training.

dabirdguy · Aug 8, 2010

Good riddance.

chevy3755 · Aug 8, 2010

i bought widow felt from them for my 37 and my model a.....lots cheaper than the "STREET ROD VENDORS"...........and just as good

tjet · Aug 8, 2010

Johnny1290 said: ↑

.... I've been to PAW in the valley. It's pretty underwhelming, no catalogs anymore...
Click to expand...

That's the catalog I miss. I have an old one I keep as a reference for old speed parts.

I would spend days absorbed in that damn PAW catalog.

What was the last year they issued the (full) catalog?

hotrod13 · Aug 9, 2010

The only thing they could get me to read when I was a kid... man, I sure miss my dad when I hear JC Whitney and Warshawsky's.

krooser · Aug 9, 2010

Milwaukee had B.S. Wisnewski... same deal as Whitney. When they finally called it quits in the 80's they still had new 97's on the shelf.... but it took an old time employee to find 'em.

32ratsass · Aug 10, 2010

Bought lotsa parts from them over the years. Remember buying a total rebuild kit for a Renalt, for $39.95. When the kit came, it included pin fitted pistons, rings, wet sleeve cylinder liners,complete gasket and seal kit, all bearings, and valve grinding compound, and it it was all original Renalt parts. Parts worked great, and the engine may still be running. (maybe not). Anyway, sad to see any them going down the tube, if that's what's happening.

Unibodyguy · Aug 10, 2010

I bought lot of stuff from them. Sometimes it would be backordered for a while but it always worked and fit quite well. And it was sure as Hell cheap enough most oif the time.

Michael

zephyrV12 · Aug 10, 2010

don't care what people think but they had good stuff @ good prices

JEM · Aug 10, 2010

Yeah, Whitney in the catalog days was always a little better than their reputation. There was junk in there, but if you read the book right you knew what was what.

As for the outfit that's buying them...I'm pretty sure it was autopartswarehouse that I once ordered a radiator (for a later-model product) from. three or four years ago, they sent me something that (by the contents of the box, which they'd never bothered to look at) had been returned by someone else as damaged. When I called them I got someone in BFE reading from a script, who outlined a return process that seemed to expect that I was going to pay the return shipping on their screwup. They did eventually send me a replacement, which was even worse than the first one, the manufacture date on the box was back in the Bush 41 administration and it looked like it'd been run over by a forklift. They refunded my money for the first one, never charged me for the second one, and as they'd never come up with a way to get them back on their dime, three months later they both went off to the scrap-metal place.

davidh73750 · Aug 10, 2010

Wasnt there a "winky" the cat? Sat in the rear shelf, with eyes that lit up. You hooked him up to the turn signal/brakes. LOL I remember seeing it and crying laughing as a kid years ago. Meeeow. My brother was always buying their no brand stereo stuff back in the 80's. Most of it was junk. They had some neat stuff in there. I ordered rubber mats to replace carpet in my pickups time to time and was really happy.

superiorslots · Aug 10, 2010

thunderplex said: ↑

For most people the JC Whitney catalog was their ONLY link for aftermarket parts
Click to expand...

Amen. Back in the 70's I lived in a rural area with only one parts store within reasonable driving distance, a NAPA. Problem was this store charged you full list price for everything unless you were a jobber. They could have cared less about the walk in retail traffic at the time.

Funny, some years back an Autozone came in a took much of their business. Napa (same owners-kids took over) had a flyer in a the local car show goody bag wanting the old car hobbyist business and offering discounts. Screw em. I still won't go in that store today unless I really have to.

The front end rebuild kit I bought from Whitney for my '57 back in the 70's was all Moog and was priced from WIR approx 40% less than what my local Napa at the time quoted me.

davidh73750 · Aug 10, 2010

oh here's winky LOL

rixrex · Aug 10, 2010

I bought a convertable top and carpet set for my 63 Chevy II and was happy with it..they're not going Chinese are they?

hotroddon · Aug 10, 2010

There is all this BS being said by folks that don't have a clue! Jesus people, do a little reading or learn a little history before you blast something.
This is the best thing that could have happened to them! They were owned by an investment equity firm that had things totally screwed up. US Auto Parts is taking then over and at least is a company that understands the industry, not just guys out to make a quick buck like the equity firm!
Good Luck to the new owners!!

willy3486 · Aug 10, 2010

Man I hate that! I like others here would go over that sales magazine as a teen until I wore it out. I wonder how many teen guys wore it out more than a playboy they traded for. Yeah I guess they had some junk but where else could you get a lighted hood ornament of a guy with his thumb on his nose waving everyone off? I had a VW,66 Ford truck,sun fire and other vehicles I bought parts for. I don't remember ever getting anything that was junk.
One of the last things I got was a set of rotors and pads for mY sun fire. I used them for a couple of years and they looked like they had no wear on them. I pulled them off when the engine gave out and put them on my wifes cavalier. They were like new and still in great condition. This is another example of what has been wrong with the US for the last 30 years or so. corporate greed has taken over and buying companies,robbing them blind then junking them out. maybe one day they will realize they are cutting their nose off to spite their face. They have sold out,shipped the jobs overseas and now they wonder why Americian workers won't buy their stuff. Well maybe one day they may wise up,who know maybe this will be a good thing. Maybe they will become more like what I use to remember them for. Then I can buy some pipe organ speakers and afoot gas pedal again. I must be getting old, I remember those ads someone posted in the catalog. good times.

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History J.C. Whitney being sold

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History J.C. Whitney being sold

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