When did I get so old??

[Deleted User]

Today I got a real taste of how old I am. I took the generator off the Hash as it hasn't been keeping the battery fully charged and after a few days I have to put the charger on overnight to catch up. Anyway I took the generator to the NAPA store, they don't have a bench tester, amazing. Then I went to Autozone who ran the Hash in the computer and told me their machine couldn't test it because it wouldn't show up in their system. The tester won't run if the car isn't identified. I guess no one has ever heard of an over ride button. Next I ran over to my regular parts guy who I should have gone to in the first place. He didn't have a bench tester for a generator either but at least he has a guy who does and it will get tested tomorrow. The whole shop came out to look at the generator, the young guys have never seen one and were amazed at the brushes and iinternals. The older guys (40's), knew what it was but had never worked on one. Everyone was amazed at the oiler cups and the old time technology. It looks like the brushes were pretty worn and innards are pretty dirty. Hopefully nothing is worn out and a good cleaning and new brushes will get me working again. I just can't figure out when I got so old that I'm the only one who knew what the generator is, and when did all the parts stores stop using bench testers?



Harry

rambos_ride

I think the chances of finding a good parts store and help is about as good as finding a decent woman these days - slim to none, and no one has seen slim in a while :mad::D:p

Most the time I just want to bean the y0-y0 behind the counter and jump back and get at the computer/catalog myself!

[Deleted User]

I told the girl at the NAPA store now I undestand why they give away a pizza with any ten dollar order from my shop.My guy will get it fixed. At least he's an actual car guy,



Harry

Unknown

YEAH? I went to the store the other day and asked for some 1 inch brake cylinder cups and the kid said " what make year and madel car do you have ?"

[Deleted User]

I am lucky I have what I call my guys these are old guys in indy shops that actually know what I am talking about and will help me get parts and can look up anything. Now I keep dropping off vitamins to these guys because when they are gone I am hooped. Newer part stores I never go to unless I have the numbers I need. They are totally useless.



Case in point go into NAPA with my front end bearing numbers they have those I get them fine. I ask for seal I have number they do not have. Now do you think they would say I can get it for you? nope lady looks at computer and says we don't have it. Ok so we are now done business because part is not in that store. Just about had to boot her in the head to get her to look elsewhere which she did with scowl on her face. No go.



Then I remember WTF I should be at my old parts guy. Walk in with National number he cross refs goes in back pulls off shelf and says there you go blow off the dust. Magic. Love these guys in a dirty old shop with shelfs and disarray and they know where everything is. And he looked it up in a book faster than a numbnut on a computer. Thats the type of store I grew up with. Not these well lit super clean stores pedaling crap made in China for the lowest bid.

Aaron D. IL

Computers are supposed to supplement human knowledge, not replace it. My NAPA has some old guys working there who will cross-reference parts and if the numbers don't work out I can give them my greasy old part and they'll measure it with a mic and figure out a part that will work!! You'd htink stores would hire guys who A. Enjoy the detective work and puzzles of figuring something out. B. Know something about cars. C. Will tell you where to go if they don't know something.

I'd swear if there was a doctorate for being a parts guy, some of them would have one.

Now you go into a Pep Boys or Autozone. They're selling stereos, cup holders, DVD's stickers, touchup paint, cheap plastic wheel covers, and a lot of things that are of questionable value to someone who actually works on their own cars. Nobody knows anything... kids behind the desk are lost without the computer but they work there because at least it's not McDonalds. If you want to use a part for something a little unothodox they're lost. The place is well lit and looks more like a grocery store more than a parts place. Is useless almost to a real car guy unless you know what you want, and it's a for a late model. I swear major corps are killing us and sucking all the ingenuity creativity out of the workforce. Those kids should behind the counter should be required to do an internship at Mr. Albright's ranch! Then they'll start figuring parts' puzzles out.

PaulButler

Over here in the part of the UK I used to live in there was a guy many years ago who owned a store that was a treasure trove of parts for old American cars.

You could walk in and say "Sid I need this part for my ..." and he'd go "Got that" or "Don't have that but this will fit" or MORE IMPORTANTLY a lot of the times "I don't have that but I can get it for you".

He was killed in a stupid car crash taking his daughter home and I've never found a store as good as his.

There are people over here who can get parts for you. Geoff Moore of the Railton Club is very good at sourcing things. The only problem there is that you have to be a member of the club to buy the parts (which I can understand) but I don't want to be running too many memberships.

My parts search will start here by asking questions (like the brakes thing a while ago) , looking in Hemmings , on eBay or just keeping an ear to the ground.

RL Chilton

Harry-



I can answer your question: When this country became a "throw away nation" along with the "throw away generation". One, we don't make anything anymore. We sell our ideas overseas and then the idea gets turned into the worst quality product available, made by someone else.



Bench testers? That would require something to be REPAIRED. Nothing gets repaired anymore. It just gets thrown away and replaced. A miniscule case in point: The fan went out on my microwave and rather repair it, which is a very minor repair job, my insurance co. wanted to REPLACE it. Give me a break!



Modern day Mechanics: (has become an oxymoron), i.e., hook it up to the computer and replace parts. Throw away the old, put on a new one. It's bad enough now with the parts guys, but what happens when our old "real" parts guys and mechanics are no longer here?

hudsontech

I remember going into the NAPA store across the street from where I lived (handy if you want the brake drums turned on an old car) looking for upper trunions and lower ball joints for the '69 Rambler I had at the time.



Young kid at the counter. I tell him the make of the car (1969 American 440 station wagon) and he starts looking thru the books (this was BC - before computers, barely). He's looking and looking and I'm waiting to see what crazy words he's gonna come up with. Yeah, he finally asks "Was that made by Chrysler??" (As Bill Engvald would say "Here's your sign!!!") I told him not back then it wasn't.



End of story - this was in 1990, so the Rambler's 21 years old. Yeah, they got part of what I want - the upper trunions. But they don't have, and can't get, the lower ball joints!!!! Go figure.



Putting in the upper trunions without the proper spring compressors is a WHOLE 'nuther story!!!



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

HudsonTech

Memphis, TN

[Deleted User]

Folks working at these parts stores aren't making the big bucks. If they had more car knowledge and weren't hooked on meth they would have a better paying job. If parts stores paid folks more money to attract better, smarter, more enthusiastic parts store workers, we would complain about how much the parts cost.

[Deleted User]

Matt, I don't agree. I have found that as the manager of a Equipment Rental Store that good employees work right whether their pay is a lot or not and bad employees don't care how much they make, they won't do anything extra or make any effort. There is a definate lack of work ethics and pay doesn't make a difference.



Harry

[Deleted User]

You're right Harry. But here where I'm at, to get good employees to even apply, you have to pay at least twice the minimum wage.

Hudsonrules

:eek:I worked in auto parts for several years, began with auto wrecking which taught me a lot. {wish I had saved some of the cars and lots of the parts that were destroyed}. Nowadays, auto parts stores are just becoming more of an accesory store than a parts store. Now you know why I call NAPA "NO AUTO PARTS AVAILABLE", The NAPA in this area has mostly younger guysm working there and they rely on the computor. Reardless of wheather it is a NAPA, Autozone or Kragen, theses parts guys get confused if you ask for plugs and points for a '57 Chevy, or a '60's mustang. I occaisionaly find a young parts person who is helpful and wanting to learn about older cars. As Harry stated, some people have good work ethics regardless of pay while others are there for a paycheck, like it is owed to them for showing up. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to find real mechanics as most are remove and replace people and have no idea what or how an item works. Moral of story, stock up on what you can find for your cars as it is getting harder for all in the car hobby, regardless of make to find bassic parts that we take for granted will always be available. Have a great day! Arnie

MikeWA

Must be a lot of difference between individual NAPA stores- my local store is owned by a woman (daughter of the original owner), and she works alongside everyone else. They dive for the books when the computer doesn't show it, and turn the books so we can both look. I needed an unavailable (and strange) radiator hose for an old tractor, and she said, "Bring the old hose in, and go down the line of hoses hanging in the back, comparing yours to see if you can match it by cutting off portions of something so what's left will fit. It may take two pieces, but we have exhaust adapters in all sizes and shapes, so we can probably put something together for you." And I found one that I could make fit. As I left, she suggested I write the part number down in my service manual, so I could get another if ever needed. A real "can-do" attitude at that store.



Of course, it may help that I'm the easiest guy in the history of the world to get along with . I developed that skill almost as an experiment- I'm an attorney, and noticed how everyone fluffs up and gets negative when dealing with attorneys. So I decided to be just as friendly and honest as I could be, as an experiment, and see how that worked. I couldn't believe the results. It seems that folks are so tired of having to deal with combative people, that when they encounter someone "nice", they bend over backwards to help. In situations where I'm tempted to "cut 'em off at the knees", I smile, make a little joke, and try to help solve the problem. Court clerks do stuff for me that might get them fired, if it ever came to light. Other attorneys have to do paperwork and check out court files- but they just hand them to me, with a smile, and sometimes a piece of candy from their "personal stash"- they know I won't "burn" them. You have to swallow a little pride at first, but the results are so positive, I have pretty much lost my "impatient" side. Of course, in my profession, I have to get tough sometimes, and I do when necessary- but I've found the "soft touch" also works with other lawyers, because they're also weary of fighting all the time.



I bring this up because I see so much negativity on the board, when dealing with young and inexperienced clerks in minimum wage jobs. Look at it from the other side- jobs that used to be "careers" are now just "jobs", and if you don't like it, we'll get the next kid in here, and then the next, and the next. Yeah, we're more knowledgeable about old cars than the kids, and the temptation to throw it up to them is almost irrestible- but when your computer hiccups, who do you go to? How are you at text messaging? Its more of a generational thing, and I think you're missing the boat by not turning these situations into learning experiences, rather than opportunities to show your superior knowledge.



Just my humble opinion, which, of course, is better than yours.:D

[Deleted User]

Mike, the local Pep Boys let me do the same when I needed an upper radiator hose for my '50.

Unknown

Mike - REFRESHING!!!!

My youngest son just had an occassion to hire an attorney. I initated the process with a call to my buddy... an attorney, who told me although he would be happy to support my son, he recommended the fella who is now my son's attorney. That attorney is a young man barely 5 years older than my son... already a seasoned veteran of the court room who has a near perfect record winning litigation after litigation. His "secret"? He is a nice guy... someone you want to marry your daughter, take care of the baby or help Grandma across the street. He got to learn how to be NICE from his dad ... another attorney.

My profession is contracts management and negotiation. In the civil world I am a trained mediator. There would be no job for me if all of us would JUST BE NICE and Reasonable in out dealings.

My hat is off to you.

[Deleted User]

All:

Glad to hear that reasonable, courteous people are able to cooperate and work with the system that controls our parts. Back in the 50-60-70's when I started buying parts with my Dad, no computers, but the plastic sheets with the exploded diagrams and parts list was really hi tech. Glad to hear ya'll could work it out. Bob

Ol racer

In my area there are only one or two remaining 'locally owned' Auto Parts Stores and one is trying to sell out because cant compete with the Giants...

They will look up and order parts for any antique car just like the old days

if you get the owner

...However the hired help wont take the time just like Giant Stores...(One day he never left the stool saying we dont have what I asked for because someone was in the day before asking for it). I try to support them but when the owners vehicle is not there I go to Advance Auto. I notice my Advance to be more helpful lately in ordering Antique parts especially if I have a number to crossover. They have unlimited Parts acess....



Since unfortionately the Giant Stores are not going to disappear we should adapt by recording our own part numbers for future reference going forward to deal with the 'new breed' of counter persons. (not necessarily the Stores) I found going into a particular Store regularly and build a personal rappor with the 'key' counter person or Store Mgr also helps.

RL Chilton

Harry-



As a new business owner, I can empathize with you. As a professional employee for over 35 years, I disagree with you. Back when I went into management, the best piece of advice came from my father, which I will never forget:



He said, "Keep in mind, there are only three types of people you will ever hire. The first type, you can tell them, 'Go get a broom and clean up that mess.' And away they go. The second type, you tell them, 'Go get a broom and a dust pan, sweep up the mess and put the broom and dust pan back into the closet where you found it.' The third type, you tell them, 'Go get a broom and clean up that mess.' Then, expect them to come back in fifteen minutes and ask you, 'Where's the broom?'."



My old man then told me, "The best thing you can do is to be able to identify all three types as fast as you can. Keep the first types, work with the second type and get rid of the third type."



The reason I disagree with you Harry is that, as a professional employee, and probably considering the way I was raised, excepting the third type above, if a man who works for a living believes he is worth, say five dollars an hour, and you pay him $4.00, your going to get 60% of his effort. BUT, if you pay that same man $6.00 an hour, your going to get 120%. It's human nature at work. Pay a man, who's worth it, a little more than he BELIEVES he's worth, he'll be with you for life.



Minimum wage paying jobs, which are typically not career jobs, get the employer what they pay for (including some third types).



Some of our parts stores have become victims of our current economic, throw-away state of mind. Some have not. You just have to be a little more exploratory to fiind the ones that have made a career out of the parts business and will go the extra distance to help the oddball customer like old car guys . . . they are still out there. It helps if we go in as knowledgeable as we can, just in case we run into the employee who is a "check collector".

RL Chilton

Ol racer wrote:

In my area there are only one or two remaining 'locally owned' Auto Parts Stores and one is trying to sell out because cant compete with the Giants...

They will look up and order parts for any antique car just like the old days ...However the hired help wont take the time just like Giant Stores...(One day he never left the stool saying we dont have what I asked for because someone was in the day before asking for it). I try to support them but when the owners vehicle is not there I go to Advance Auto. I notice my Advance to be more helpful lately in ordering Antique parts especially if I have a number to crossover. They have unlimited Parts acess....



Since unfortionately the Giant Stores are not going to disappear we should adapt by recording our own part numbers for future reference going forward to deal with the 'new breed' of counter persons. (not necessarily the Stores) I found going into a particular Store regularly and build a personal rappor with the 'key' counter person or Store Mgr also helps.

THAT's pretty much "spot on!" as our friends down under would say.

[Deleted User]

I will NOT go to PepPillBoys, AutoZoned, CarQuest, or any of the other "major chains" at all, not even for motor oil! The average guy/girl/transgendered person at the counter can't function without the computer. If it isn't on their computer, then it was never made in the first place, in their eyes! I was needing a part for a '73 AMC Hornet once, and the goon asked "Who makes AMC? Is that Japanese?"...to which I said "AMC made AMC, no it's not Japanese, and I'll be going to NAPA now, thanks."



I have good luck at O'Reillys and NAPA. I can tell them what I need, they have and know how to use catalogs (if necessary), and are not dependent on the damn computer!



It helps to know some of the part numbers and manufacturers, too. Filters are a cinch - in most of mine, I use Wix and have oil, fuel, and air filter numbers almost memorized on those parts. I also know the wiper refill, brake pad, and belt numbers on my daily drivers. Goofy, maybe, but it helps to go in and ask "I need a G-2 Fram and a 55505 Wix, please!" and they get it!

[Deleted User]

My local NAPA is a franchise and the people working in there don't get the support of the owner or NAPA to go beyond their computer. They try to help me but are restricted in how much they can do. I don't blame them. Farther down the road is another NAPA that has on occasion gone way beyond to find what I need. Different owners and the employees have a lot of knowledge between them. MY regular go to guys are all from another shop that got taken over by a franchise. So they opened their own store that is still a Parts Plus franchise but they are given a free hand and do what they can to help me. They got my generator checked for me but they are still tied to the Parts Plus computer and sometimes I have to find a supplier for them to get my parts from. At least they will go outside the franchise for me. You just can't beat guys who keep trying. They are where I should have gone to in the beginning but I was going the other way so I wasted a bunch of time.



Harry

Unknown

You guys think its bad now, wait another 10 years when all of the experienced guys are retired. 20 years from now most of our cars will be museum pieces.

Going back to the original intent of this thread , I guess I can consider myself lucky as this is considered a hot bed of a car town and all of the auto supply places get a lot of traffic from the antique and muscle car crowd and know their stuff. In addition one of the former managers of an auto wrecker yard who has retired has a little home business here and he rebuilds generators and starters for old cars as well as fuel pumps and voltage regulators, etc.

Geoff

Getting back to the original question about getting old - yesterday I was walking through the local village, and a couple of kids came tearing across the crossing on their scooters. One of them shouted out "Look out, don't bump into that old man". I looked around, and I was the only person around! Puts things in perspective I suppose.

Geoff.

[Deleted User]

Geoff, just be glad they didn't grab your arm and help you across the street.



Harry

Hudsonrules

:eek:Thses salvage yards today are pretty much just that, recycle our throw aways. The cars that are built today are comfortable and have many conviences, and in some cases look nice. Regardless of the price, they are throw aways. Most of us are lucky to open the hood by ourselves. Think of changing a spark plug, think again, might be able to change the oil, but there will be a special wrench for the drain plug that only the dealer has and it is not available for the public.

I realize that most of our old reliable Hudsons will see little use in years to come and our grandchildren will ask what planet did they come from in twenty years from now, but we know that we can do much of the work on them and they are a part of history.

Unfortunatly I still take for granted that basic parts and knowledgable people will always be around. I do know better.and try to stock up on various parts. Getting older is a shock as we remember our Hudsons as a everyday sight on the road and easy to find in a salvage yard for that "part"

It is tough to get older and realize everyone else is also. Stock up on all parts that you will need in the future, basics, tune up goodies,electrical and fuel and all mechanical. Some members of the next generation will appreciate it and keep our beloved Hudsons driveable for many years to come. Have a great day, Arnie

hudsontech

I just realized, today, how old I'm getting - my daughter refused to put candles on my birthday cake. She said she wasn't going to be responisble for setting off fire alarms and smoke detectors in 3 counties and eastern Arkasas!!!



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

SamJ

Hudsonrules wrote:

It is tough to get older and realize everyone else is also. Stock up on all parts that you will need in the future, basics, tune up goodies,electrical and fuel and all mechanical. Some members of the next generation will appreciate it and keep our beloved Hudsons driveable for many years to come. Have a great day, Arnie

...and when you do a sudden faceplant your wife will have all the "old junk" in the garage hauled to a landfill before she's washed and returned all the casserole dishes the neighbors brought to your wake...:eek:

[Deleted User]

I went into the auto parts store to get points for my Pacemaker. The counter man asked,"You really have one of those things?" Maybe I should have asked for a column for a Greek temple. He wouldn't have found that so outlandish.

Alex Burr, I have a 1950 Peacock green Pacemaker brougham I got from Ev Hudson. Can you guess who I am?

hudsontech

middletom wrote:

I went into the auto parts store to get points for my Pacemaker. The counter man asked,"You really have one of those things?" Maybe I should have asked for a column for a Greek temple. He wouldn't have found that so outlandish.

Alex Burr, I have a 1950 Peacock green Pacemaker brougham I got from Ev Hudson. Can you guess who I am?

Sounds like Thom Bixby to me.



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

[Deleted User]

No, Alex, it's Geoff Blake. Say, how did you end up in Tennesee? I hope you are doing well.

Geoff