Auto Parts Counter Guys...

[joel2000]

The problem is sometimes you really need a “parts guy”. When you play with old cars like I do sometimes you can’t find what you need with the info they have available online. If you have a mix and match hotrod and need a carb kit. Usually the only way to get the correct one is cross reference from the stamped in carb number or the tag if it has one. Throw that at’em... GFL...
That’s where a real parts guy comes in. He has to know where that “catalog” and info is. Very, very, very few left now days. Summit Racing has one or two but I really don’t know any other parts stores that do. Plus, McDonough is a long ass way for me just to get what use to be a normal, stocked, item in most parts stores. But you also have to remember, there wasn’t a parts store on every corner either.

 

[Phydoux]

There were of course challenges sometimes with understanding what some folks were asking for when they came into the store. But we had fun with. We’d call one of our other stores pretending to be a customer and ask them for the same part. An example would be a “light batter“ one woman asked for. Finally figured out it was a dimmer switch. For you younguns they were on the floorboard back then.

Ah yes my first truck, 81 Chevy Silverado with a 350 and a floorboard light dimmer! My buddy had a dodge with 3 on the tree, don’t remember the year.

 

[Gunanddoglover]

Knowledgeable parts guy's are almost extinct. I'm in the automotive industry and know 3 or 4 that are good and they are within a few years of retirement age.

 

[CAMSDADDY]

If you find a true parts man or counterman you will have found something. I have been and I now deal with folks on both ends of the spectrums. I started when we had catalogs and you didn't tell a customer no until you had actually looked. Fortunately I also left retail before very customer became an Internet parts guy which the industry has pushed us all to be.

I think the shift was when auto parts began focusing on retail and trying to remain open 24/7. A good partsman isn't gonna deal with retail customers and work retail hours. I've been doing this 25+ years and there are lots of things I would do before I worked until 9pm and weekends.

 

[rtaylor112]

Ah yes my first truck, 81 Chevy Silverado with a 350 and a floorboard light dimmer! My buddy had a dodge with 3 on the tree, don’t remember the year.

I had a 77 Dodge Ram with a three on the tree and a floor dimmer switch even had an 8 track tape player in it

 

[gh1950]

I had a 77 Dodge Ram with a three on the tree and a floor dimmer switch even had an 8 track tape player in it

I had to install my own Radio Shack 8-track, with 1 (count them, ONE) speaker in the middle of the back window, with a mechanical reverb, which is basically a big spring.

True love was when your honey would snuggle up REAL CLOSE, and she'd shift gears on the the three on the tree, while you worked the clutch, without stalling it out.

 

[41mag]

I had a 77 Dodge Ram with a three on the tree and a floor dimmer switch even had an 8 track tape player in it

8-track was the stuff back then..... that with a collection of matchbooks for when the tape drags.

I had to install my own Radio Shack 8-track, with 1 (count them, ONE) speaker in the middle of the back window, with a mechanical reverb, which is basically a big spring.

True love was when your honey would snuggle up REAL CLOSE, and she'd shift gears on the the three on the tree, while you worked the clutch, without stalling it out.

Absolutely ! I got my first ......um, cough.....ahem., “piece” in the backseat of a 64 Ford Falcon . LOL

 

[lokidogg]

8-track was the stuff back then..... that with a collection of matchbooks for when the tape drags.

Had a 69 skylark with 8-trac and a reverb

 

[41mag]

Had a 69 skylark with 8-trac and a reverb

74 RoadRunner , ‘ 81 Ford Bronco , 79 Ford Courier. All had 8-track but i did swap the one in the Bbronco over to cassette

 

[joel2000]

That’s all cool stuff but how many had a 4track before the 8 tracks hit? I did and iirc I had all of about 2-3 cassettes.