Impossible? Ramblings of a sentimental idiot

[Chief Brody]

I was just thinking...it would be almost impossible to restore a K5 these days without the internet. The internet allows me to connect to this forum for information and help that you can't get anywhere else, it allows me to search and find parts on eBay and all over the planet.

When I was a kid, many years ago, when it came to restoring cars it seems like there was an abundance of junkyards to get parts from and restoration was a mostly local thing...and if you knew how to rebuild cars local supplies were plentiful.

To contrast, almost nothing I have bought to restore my K5 has been local...heck, even the K5 wasn't bought local.


Then, there is the fact that restoration was a relatively rare thing...there was actually a time when Detroit was king and everybody considered "new is better"....and mostly it was.....man has that changed. IMO

PS. another thing I have noticed is the complete lack of knowledge at the parts counter...the computer is supposed to do it for them...and if they have to wing it, nobody knows enough about cars and parts to do that any more. It's bad when I go into a parts store and know more than the guy / girl behind the counter...
Of course, I am asking too much...I have this image of an old chevy parts man who has the part numbers in his head and you just tell him what you want...but that guy is over 75 years old now...they aren't around anymore.

Anyway, I am very thankful for this CK5 Forum...the "old Chevy man" lives on in many of you...I have no doubt that many of you grew up around men like that and learned from them and if it weren't for you I'd be in a heap of hurt in my effort to restore a piece of Chevy history.

 

[ryoken]

oh yeah, no doubt....

people laugh at me when I go on tirades about Mom & Pop places.... these apathetic f*cktards are the same people that made all our manufacturing go overseas... cheap consumerism..... now we have only Wallyworld and Autozone as the grails of purchasing...

******* cue "ALL HAIL WALMART!" *****

thats why I'm a Napa fan.. they TRY to still be a REAL parts store... not some TRIM asking me make/model/yr... I'll go to the titty bar for that....

what I'm failing to say is, yeah, local scenes where the gig back in the 70's, 80's... all kinds of small parts stores, local pick and pull's, "hotrod dude connections".... i knew guys that had all KINDS of killer parts for trade/sale/barter/steal..... just in my county alone...

now, it's a small world... global....

 

[diesel4me]

It's getting harder every day,to find trucks in junkyards,they get crushed un a few days,nothing gets left to be "picked" on any more for long,if your fortunate enough to even SEE a 70's or 80's truck being scrapped now..far too often they get hauled in on a flatbed,and a forkloader hoists them off and hauls them directly to the crusher,they dont even bother looking to see if the engine or tranny is any good,and they would rather sell them as cores now,than to a customer,and have to deal with any comebacks...

Parts stores are a joke for the most part,I worked behind their counters for 20 years,and I get very annoyed when I end up having to look up my parts myself,after the clueless person attempting to look them upon the computer doesn't even know what button to press half the time--or is stumped the minute you ask for a part without an application..I now look numbers up online myself and bring them with me,along with the old part if possible..NAPA and a few other jobber type older stores still exist here and do a healthy bussiness,mostly due to people who had sour experiences at Autozone or Pep Boys,etc,decided the higher prices were worth it,if you get a good counterperson who knows their stuff and is not afraid to open a catalog,instead of saying "sorry,we dont list it in the computer"..that does NOT mean the part cant be had much of the time--it just means they wont go any further to look it UP.!..

I've noticed a big drop in the amount of guys selling parts at swap meets,and the prices go up every year--unfortunatlely these folks will soon be our only source of parts,or guys like us who "hoarded" some parts and even complete vehicles years ago,and now must part with them..many towns here are getting very anal about unregistered vehicles in residential areas,and I've seen more than one nice restoration candidate get hauled off for scrap because the town threatened to fine the owner a lot of money if it wasn't removed in a certain number of days..maybe in other states its not so bad as here,where there is more open space and fewer politicians looking for ways to raise revenue..

Even on CL you dont see many older trucks or parts for sale here too often..and those selling them seem to think they can ask outrageous prices,because where wlse will you find anything like them?....it sucks...the fact all the good chevy parts men ARE getting close to their expiration date is another nail in the coffin for us old truck enthusiasts..

 

[djtejas]

It's getting harder every day,to find trucks in junkyards,they get crushed un a few days,nothing gets left to be "picked" on any more for long,if your fortunate enough to even SEE a 70's or 80's truck being scrapped now..far too often they get hauled in on a flatbed,and a forkloader hoists them off and hauls them directly to the crusher,they dont even bother looking to see if the engine or tranny is any good,and they would rather sell them as cores now,than to a customer,and have to deal with any comebacks...

Parts stores are a joke for the most part,I worked behind their counters for 20 years,and I get very annoyed when I end up having to look up my parts myself,after the clueless person attempting to look them upon the computer doesn't even know what button to press half the time--or is stumped the minute you ask for a part without an application..I now look numbers up online myself and bring them with me,along with the old part if possible..NAPA and a few other jobber type older stores still exist here and do a healthy bussiness,mostly due to people who had sour experiences at Autozone or Pep Boys,etc,decided the higher prices were worth it,if you get a good counterperson who knows their stuff and is not afraid to open a catalog,instead of saying "sorry,we dont list it in the computer"..that does NOT mean the part cant be had much of the time--it just means they wont go any further to look it UP.!..

I've noticed a big drop in the amount of guys selling parts at swap meets,and the prices go up every year--unfortunatlely these folks will soon be our only source of parts,or guys like us who "hoarded" some parts and even complete vehicles years ago,and now must part with them..many towns here are getting very anal about unregistered vehicles in residential areas,and I've seen more than one nice restoration candidate get hauled off for scrap because the town threatened to fine the owner a lot of money if it wasn't removed in a certain number of days..maybe in other states its not so bad as here,where there is more open space and fewer politicians looking for ways to raise revenue..

Even on CL you dont see many older trucks or parts for sale here too often..and those selling them seem to think they can ask outrageous prices,because where wlse will you find anything like them?....it sucks...the fact all the good chevy parts men ARE getting close to their expiration date is another nail in the coffin for us old truck enthusiasts..

the whole situation is just plain sad...

I too look up my own part numbers before going to the "parts store" anymore....If I rely on them, they are wrong about 50% of the time and I have to return to get the right part. I worked in auto parts in high school, back when we used manuals to look up parts. I could find a part faster than people do today on computers. I'm in the high tech industry, but I'll admit that computers aren't always the most efficient thing to use when it comes to looking up parts or working on cars. Plus, it allows anyone with no knowledge to work in the automotive industry just so a company can save a little extra money.

I've also noticed the decline in swap meet parts...even the Pate Swap Meet in Texas is not what it was in the 70's and 80'...it was the 3rd largest swap meet in the country...now I can't find anything I need and people are asking outrageous prices for everything. Seems everyone thinks parts and cars are worth a fortune after they watch those Barrett Jasckson shows on TV.

Th other problem is finding parts made in America...most everything is junk these days. Even if you buy something with one of the good ole American names, chances are it is still made in China or Taiwan.

All these issues that we are seeing with auto parts are happening in every aspect of all business in America today...It is such a shame what has happened all in the name of MONEY...more money and less quality and customer service.

 

[DK5]

Anyway, I am very thankful for this CK5 Forum...the "old Chevy man" lives on in many of you...I have no doubt that many of you grew up around men like that and learned from them and if it weren't for you I'd be in a heap of hurt in my effort to restore a piece of Chevy history.

Same here, I'm the only one in my family and friends that has taken on something like this. Sometimes they don't understand it, but when they see what I've done they realize how awesome it is. About 90% of what I know about trucks I have learned on this forum. Thanks CK5

 

[88jimmy4x4]

we actually have an old car quest store near me and the counter guy is very knowledgable and actually likes his job. He is the kind of guy that you can go in...sit a part on the counter...and he can tell you what it is and what its off of...thats rare these days.

But I agree, without this forum and the internet...I couldnt find the parts I need, or information. Best $25 I ever spent to be a member.

 

[thatK30guy]

I've noticed a big drop in the amount of guys selling parts at swap meets,and the prices go up every year--unfortunatlely these folks will soon be our only source of parts,or guys like us who "hoarded" some parts and even complete vehicles years ago,and now must part with them..many towns here are getting very anal about unregistered vehicles in residential areas,and I've seen more than one nice restoration candidate get hauled off for scrap because the town threatened to fine the owner a lot of money if it wasn't removed in a certain number of days..maybe in other states its not so bad as here,where there is more open space and fewer politicians looking for ways to raise revenue....

Quoted for truth as I have experienced this firsthand for the past 4 years.

The solution to my problem? I built a 30x50 shop.

The city now leaves me alone.

 

[Chief Brody]

Quoted for truth as I have experienced this firsthand for the past 4 years.

The solution to my problem? I built a 30x50 shop.

The city now leaves me alone.

Some people dream of swimming pools....some dream of having their own gym or basketball court....I would love to have a garage with a hydraulic lift and a complete set of Snap-On Tools....

By the way, would you trust this enough to walk under it with a 5800 pound blazer on it?

http://www.eagleequip.com/page/EE/PROD/LI-ETP/MTP-15

 

[thatK30guy]

At 15K rating, a Blazer would be the least of my worries to walk under. Only if you follow and read instructions to learn how to properly position the lift arms, etc.

And make sure you have deep enough of concrete to fasten the studs to on the base. I've seen light weight car bodies knock over a lift before. Poor planning on the owner whom didn't cut out square pads to pour deeper concrete footings for the lift.

 

[79rustyk10]

Last time I bought SBC valve cover gaskets, the ricer punk idiot asked me if it was 4x4 or had A/C... Really dude? WTF! theyre the same from 1959 to 1986 regardless of the app.

When I worked at the bumper to bumper while I was in high school, I could get most SBC parts and alot of the 2.3 ford parts from memory.

 

[wazzabie]

Lots of K5s and chevys in Washington State that sell cheap. Junk yards and CL tends to be full of parting vehicles but they get picked over quickly. Plus we have the largest 4x4 swap meet each year that only seams to be getting bigger. By then end of the day I've gotten some great deals and some freebe parts also.

The independant part stores tend to be better then the chains. Best chain stores are NAPA. Problem is that so many parts now are made in China. I mostly buy from rockauto or ebay for NOS parts.