This will probably get moved or closed but oh well.
I was in a local parts store last night getting a set of plug wires. I was talking to the guy behind the counter explaing what I needed and there was another guy there on line. They did not have what I wanted, so the guy in line said I should go to the local SK speed shop they will have what I need. NOW THE POINT, we talked for like 10 mins about S*** headers,igination systems, etc and then he was like Oh what kind of car? I Told him it was a firebird and he was like oh and got all quiet, so I asked what he was working on he said MY MUSTANG, why do these people thing that mustangs are such great cars. OK enough venting.

 

Whats wrong with mustangs? I respect any person that has the ability to restore/fix/work on their own car, no matter what it is. My friend in college has a riced out prelude, he put his own ceramic coated headers on, and cold air induction. Yeah, its lowered and its got red badging on it, but I respect that he did the stuff himself, even if it is still a rice rocket with headers. Its pretty quick if no one is in it.

One of my friends in high school had a 69 mustang with a straight 6 that blew, so he got a 302 and rebuilt it. He restored that yellow pos to a decent car that drove, and I really thought that was cool, even if it was a mustang.

 

I have to agree the old mustangs are nice but the 80's. Yes I to can respect people fixxing up there cars but when you think that your car is the s*** and all other suck thats a different story. Me im happy to see any one doing up a american car.

 

whats even worse is when you have to explain to the guy behind the counter what a carb is or he thinks that Toyota makes the Vega like this one guy me and my cousin dealt with.

------------------
1982 black Z-28:
-350 ci w/edelbrock 600cfm
-T5 Tranny
-4.11 rear end
-Blue Racer performance cam
-Dynomax headers

 

Or my favorite was when I asked for a universal set of Plug wires with out the boots on it, they kept asking what year and what type of car it was, Am I missing something with this UNIVERSAL word. Then when they say why do you want them and you explain you need to route them around your headers they look at you and say well these direct replacements SHOULD fit.

 

I've tried to find people around here who know carbs and noone does...I've found about 3 people in about a 30 miles radius who can actually work on carbs.Kinda sucks sometimes

 

Yeah, I think that most auto stores don't understand that some parts are not car specific...like when I asked for intake gaskets for a SBC, and they asked me what make model and year of the car... I mean, why does some of that stuff matter anyways?

 

How about this one? I called Autozone last year and asked for a power steering pump for my 82 camaro. There was about a 30 second pause and then the lady on the other end of the line goes "A camaro is chevy right?" My jaw dropped and I said "You work at a parts store and you don't know for sure what make a camaro is?" Her response was "Well, I just started here." Like that matters.

------------------
82 Camaro:350, Erson cam, ported heads,Comp Cams 1.6:1 rocker arms, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake, Holley 600cfm, Crane Hi-6 ignition,
TH350 tranny with 2500 stall, Eibach Pro Kit, SLP 1 3/4" headers with 3" Flowmaster exhaust

 

As a former (long time ago) parts counterman, I can tell you that all those companies care about is the smile on your face and your fricken 'how-can-I-help-you-today' attitude. The last thing they care about is if you know didley-snot about cars. They think that you are a worthless monkey and that anyone can pull parts off a shelf and hand them to the customer..... needless to say that was a long time ago and from my observations, the condition has gotten worse with all the really big national chains taking over............

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1987 GTA L98 MD8
355, TFS Heads, LT4 Hot Cam
My GTA

The Minnesota F-body Club

 

There was this parts store here in town where I live that would dispute ANYTHING that you asked for. My old 86 t/a was an LG4 car, with the three separate accessory belts. It was an H engine code, which was rare in 86.

I went into the store for the belts, and I had the three belts in my hand. The guy at the counter took a look at them and asked "what kind of car". I told him 86 trans am. Right away, "THOSE BELTS AREN'T FROM THAT CAR." He argued with me for like 10 minutes until I finally left and went somewhere else. My feeling is, wtf difference does it make WHAT car it's from...give me three belts like these right here. yeesh.

One thing I have found...the guy at the parts counter will only take you seriously if you are wearing crappy greasy clothes. I stopped to get an AIR pump on my way home from work wearing a button down shirt and khackis and the guy was all like, "What you're gonna do this yourself? Well GOOD LUCK." Went back the next day in my car fixin clothes and he was all like my best friend. some people

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=====================
1992 25th Anniversary z28 Convertible

 

As for why all the different questions, you'd be amazed at what makes a difference for a particular part. I was working on a honda the other day (I know, i know but i get paid for it) they had 4 different O2 sensors for the same motor. All different, the way to figure out which you needed was if it was 2 door, 3 door, wagon, sedan, etc. All in the same model. Thought that was nutz.

 

the worst part about alot of the parts stores around me in the Hartford CT Sprinfield Ma area is that they have 8000 chrome accesories to hoopti your ride but you go in there for set of valve cover gaskets and they look at you funny and tell you they'll be in stock in 3 days....one parts store near me had a vast selction of neons, tenzo stickers, and seatbelt covers with asian lettering on it but they didnt have a single bottle of tranny fluid in the place...sounds crazy but true story.

------------------
1982 black Z-28:
-350 ci w/edelbrock 600cfm
-T5 Tranny
-4.11 rear end
-Blue Racer performance cam
-Dynomax headers

 

The worst is being a kid,nobody takes you seriously. I dropped a 351W into my mustang and I wanted to know if the 302 used the same flexplate, I go into the ford dealer tell him what I had done and ask him, he says he doesent know but he'll sell me a new one. He's looking on his computer and tells me "ford didnt make a 76 mustang with the 351w" and looks at me like Im an idiot for thinking its a 351w in it. So I ask him if anyone knows if the 302 and 351 are balanced the same, he says no, but he'll sell me a new one. I leave tell my dad, he phones and asks if there the same, yes there the same, it will work he tells him no questions asked.
That pissed me off

Digger

------------------
82 Camaro Z28
355 w/4 bolt mains
9:1 comppresion
Federal Mougal Forged Aluminum pistons
heavily ported 882 heads
gasket matched Torker intake Edelbock Performer 750 carb
Speed pro cam 222 @.05 .447 lift
Edelbrock Flow Pro 1002 air cleaner
Headman headers with straight pipes
Borg Warner T-10
Posi
Fiber glass hood
Another 82 Camaro Z28
Black w/blue pearl w/silver racing stripes
355
Edelbrock Performer intake and 750 carb
Pro Flo 1002 Air cleaner
4 bolt mains
69 camaro heads 64cc
9:1 compression
TH-350 w/stage 2 shift kit
275/60R15 out back
205/60R15 front

 

O.K. - So it isn't really "Tech" discussion, but it is relevant. I'm not locking it.

If any of you have caught on yet, it seems the quality parts supply houses are a thing of the past. If you still have a parts store in your area that has knowledgeable staff, a machine shop, and inventories piston rings instead of neon license frames, you'd better spend as much of your time and money there as possible. Some day you are going to need them. The philosophies of the Chain parts stores, like Ought-Tow-Zone and Larry, Curly, and Moe are quickly eroding any skill that you may have found in a counter person in the past.

That's the sad truth, but it's also a major reason for the success of this site and others like it. Engine swappers and people with cars more than fifteen years old have a really tough time at places like Parts Un-America and Chinese Checkers chains. Like the 'F' cars themselves, the good ones may soon all be gone.

------------------
Later,
Vader
------------------
Down with the Sickness
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Absolutely. I mean, I go into PepBoyZ about 8 months ago or so, and I ask for a GM HEI 4 pin ignition module, and I explain, that my car was NOT originally equipped with this distributor, but I put an old HEI vac advance distributor in my car, pick a small block chevy in the 70's and we'll probably have it........

Like pushing a button, I get, "What year, make and model is YOUR car?"

HELLO!!

I explained again, and he looks at me like, "Then what do you want one for?"

I told him what my car was, explained the distributor swap. The manager comes over, gets the part, and the guy says to the manager, "But that won't fit in an 84 camaro."

However, there are some good parts guys. You just have to look hard for them. Find one and he can be your best friend.

Hey you know the Autozone commercial where they show the guy changing some lady's wiper blades in the rain? I doubt that 2/3's of those guys have ever changed wiper blades...

It has been my impression that the Autozone people seem to know more than PepBoys or Checkers (Schucks, Kragen). Maybe some of them actually have some training?

Hey, that's why you should go to a speed shop any time you can anyhow.

You can say, which of these rocker arms is better, the Crane or the Comp cams.....and he doesn't reply, what make and model is your car?

 

I think I have all of you beat...

I had a problem with my g/f's mustang, I was putting an amp in with the factory radio.. When I got done the radio wouldn't come on.. I got out the voltmeter and noticed that there was no constant 12v.. There was the switched, but not the constant.. OK, no biggie.. Checked the fuses, they were fine.. So i'm stumped.. I call the Dealer.. heres what he tells me.. "Gee, I dont know... You probly need to get an opinion on that one.." I was like "Uh, thats kind of what i'm doing right now!!!!" He says "Oh, well I really don't know.".. I Asked "Can you at least tell me what fuse the radio is wired to?" (Mustang fuse boxes have no labels like GM's, and she didn't have the owners manual).. He says "Thats in your owners manual". I say "Well I didn't get one with the car, I bought it used".. He says "Well I'd have to go look it up then".. I was like "Ok, go look it up then".. He says "Look i'm busy, if you want me to look it up you'll have to bring it in here and well fix it"... I was so pissed.. I told him "You have got to be the laziest freakin technical service guy i've ever talked to. Her car is under warranty, I don't want your dumbass touching it though." THen I hung up..

I called a stereo shop just for grins.. Out of nowhere, the guy ACTUALLY looks up the wiring, tells me where the fuse is (It was in the engine compartment, that was the whole problem) and says I can bring the unit in to have it tested for free if it still doesn't work... Seriously that dealership is just going to hell... I can't believe a car stereo shop that deals with different cars every day can know more about a car than the same dealership you buy the car from...

I was in amazement...

 

I keep telling everyone, but they dont listen...

Parts store test, ask the guy for a radiator cap for a 67 Bug. When he goes to look it up or starts asking dumb questions, you know you have an idiot on your hands and you can move on to someone else.

Most of these new guys cant think past the computer, it asks them a dumb question like they want to know if a VIN 'F' V8 has fuel injection or not (isnt that redundant?) or if it has AC or not to tell you what gas cap you need for your car. Now all of a sudden they are stupid enough to think that AC really matters in what sorta gas cap you have. For some reason, I did nothing but get pissed when my computer wanted to know the answers to stupid questions. The problem with some arose I guess when they had to fill in the blank with something... ah hell:

Heres how the computer system works, almost all are based on a lookup system designed by a company called Triad, even though there are other suppliers now, most kept the same basic system.

1. You enter the part type (AC, Filters, Engine, whatever), vehicle manufacturer, and year, and up comes a list of vehicles. Lets pick Filters (I want an oil filter), 1986, Pontiac.

2. In this list, it will read something like this:
Firebird
1. L4-2.5L
2. V6-2.8L
3. V8-5.0L "H"
4. V8-5.0L "G"
5. V8-5.0L "F"
6. V8-5.7L "8"

Enter Vehicle __

Of course other cars are listed, like Bonneville, Fiero, Grand Prix, Sunbird... you get the idea. Notice the error, and trust me I have seen it and there are more. So, lets pick 5

3. Now you get a new screen, its almost all blank, reads as such:
AC (Y,N) __
FI (Y,N) __

First off, this screen will not allow you to advance without filling in the blanks (unless you know the trick) and you have to answer the computers questions somehow.
Now this is where dumb questions of the day are. WTF does AC or FI have to do with an oil filter on an 86 TA? I know theres no difference, but the computer doesnt, its stupid... and so was the data entry/programmer person. It might matter for a fuel filter, but keep in mind I already told it that the car is FI by the VIN code. Standard response screen from a program that is designed to minimize program space. So, now what? Dumb parts guy asks you if it has AC and if its fuel infected. Smart parts guy throws in a Y for AC, and knows that F is fuel injected and doesnt ask stupid questions. Smart witted parts guy knows where the back key is, tries with neither AC or FI, with AC but no FI, with FI but no AC, and with both and learns something for the day, that it doesnt matter. Dumb guy is still standing there scratching his head, wondering why you left angrily. Lets pick Y and Y rather than asking stupid questions.

4. Next up is the parts screen, it sometimes will look something silly like this:

Air Filter:
Wix 46180.......... Prices and stuff here
*2.8L-V6*
Wix 42101.......... Ditto
*VIN "H" or VIN "G"*
Wix 46180.......... Ditto
*VIN "F"*

Fuel Filter:
Wix 33481.......... Prices and stuff here
*2.8L-V6*
Wix 33052.......... Ditto
*VIN "H" or VIN "G"*
Wix 33481.......... Ditto
*VIN "F"*

Oil Filter:
Wix 51040.......... Prices and stuff here
*2.8L-V6*
Wix 51069.......... Ditto
*VIN "H" or VIN "G"*
Wix 51069.......... Ditto
*VIN "F"*

Notice that even though you chose FI, and V8, you have 6 cylinder stuff and non-FI stuff on the screen. Dumb. Then dumb parts guy says to you "Whats the VIN code for your engine?" The option for the filter most people use is also not listed on the screen, so when he grabs the filter, you look at it and say "What the hell is that small thing for?"

Thats the parts lookup routine, like I said it varies some depending on where you go and what system they have, but stupid questions that dont matter are abundant.

Real smart guy skips steps 1-4 above and goes right to step 5:
5. "Do you want a 1 quart filter or the smaller one?" And then after you answer that silly question, he goes back to the back shelf and takes a 51061 off the shelf and hands it to you.

One of these days soon I'll finally get in gear and make a catalog list and ask my friend to get them for me, then I can tell you any aftermarket part number you want. Right now my catalog collection is old and theres not a whole lot of them.

Anyway, take my advice... ask for a part that doesnt exist that any idiot should know about as a parts counterperson 'litmus' test.

[This message has been edited by madmax (edited October 13, 2001).]

 

There are buttholes in almost every type of vehicle, just shrug it up and count it as just another one. I for one, respect anyone that mods their vehicle. Heck, a lot of folks think I'm nuts for mod'ing a poor little 4.6 SOHC but I'm out to prove a point that they can be made to move out with enough $$$$

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------------------
Founder, Tealnet.Com

'98 Mustang GT

My 98 GT

Mods: Vortech S trim, 42# inj, 5.4 Heads (ported/polished), custom ground cams, 99 intake, ATI 3 corer intercooler, Walbro 255 intank pump, Walbro 255 inline pump, Aeromotive adjustable fuel pressure regulator #13102, NO FMU!, Steeda Tri-Ax shifter, Steeda heavy duty LCA's, Steeda heavy duty UCA's, Steeda Chrome Moly subframes w/cross-brace, Steeda Cobra R hood (2 1/2" cowl), BBK 75mm TB, Pro M 80mm MAF, Eibach progressive springs, K&N Air, Cobra "R" rims, 31 spline Moser axles, SVO differential, Downs rear Girdle, FMS 3.73 gears, Cobra floor mats, Cobra leather shift ****, "A" pillar (Phantom White Gauges and custom gauge pod), Steeda race pedals, Mac offroad "H" pipe, hi-flo cats, and Borla XR1 catback.

Dyno #'s: 298.2rwhp/332.8rwtq (running rich 9:1 a/f)

Best ET to date: 13.42@104.91 (Temp F: 109 Humidity: 38 Barometer: 28.90) See the run on video!

Mods not installed: 3 core intercooler, ditching the FMU!

 

I felt sorry for the Autozone kid who was replacing a battery for some people. When he hooked it back up the doors locked. . . and guess where the keys were!

His boss was all over his butt. If he was a good boss the kid would have already known this could happen.



------------------
_ ___ _
SMasterson

 

well...It is a security issue if the battery was removed and the locks lock. I think Ford kept recalling cars for that..well at least they recall thier cars.

 

Man, that stuff sucks, and its not just parts guys, I havent had much experience working on my car, and I had a lot wrong with it. So the only option i have is to go to the local shops. First I go to get it checked out before buying it and theres tons of work that needs to be done, well i get the guy down a bit on the price and decide its worth it. So i go back to the shop and have the breaks and belts replaced. everything is going good, but something seems to be wrong with my transmision. Its very hesitent sometimes and the car seems slugish when starting off from a stop light. so i take the car in to the trany shop and they say "oh, look at that, you have a 350 non-lock up without overdrive someone has changed this." okay, so whats wrong with the transmission? he said "oh nothing, its just old, probably someone ran the old trany hard and replaced it with this. there were bits of metal in the transmission fluid so youll eventually have to replace it." so im thinking, well thats okay, if i have to do that in the future, im planing a 305 to 350 swap anyway, and then putting in a standard trany (ive had too many problems with automatics on other cars too). So i drive it for a while, and the car starts overheating, like really over heating up in the 260 red area, not good. so i take the car into another place and they say, well the exuast manifold is leaking, you better take this to somewhere that specializes in front ends. So i take it to another shop, one that specializes in front ends. then they say, oh its not the manifold, its the Y pipe, its leaking, youll need a new one, and i explain that the car is overheating too. so he says well flush and fill the radiator and replace the thermostat, another $100 added to the bill. I get the car back and its still running a bit harsh and the engine light keeps comming on, so i take it back to the shop and they say, "oh we forgot to put your oxygen sensor back in." im thinking, damn it! they had it sitting around and they didnt even bother to call me and tell me... frustration level rising! okay so about a week later im at school and the car still wants to get hot, i hadnt driven it on the highway so i hadnt noticed it getting hot since i got the thermostat replaced and the radiator flushed untill i take it on the highway to go back to school. I take it into a local shop here and they say, "well just look at your fan, see how it wobbles back and forth, it shouldnt do that." so i have them fix that, isnt it great that i threw away $100 on a radiator flush and a thermostat when they could have just checked the damn fan?! so i have a lot of other work done there, all very well done, and a lot of time on their part (the first good shop ive been too) and the manager looks under the car at the trany and says, "you know one of the problems may be that transmission, thats the wrong transmission for that car." and he goes on to explain how this transmission isnt for this car. so im still wondering if he knows what hes talking about or if the guys at the other trany shop were right. anyway, it appears that there was considerable work done on the car to get that transmission to work, a lot of electrical work, splicing this wire to that, and so forth, only way to figure it all out is to test all the wires, and find out where there going, but im not that concerend about it right now, all i know is that after a lot more work, it is finally running great, and im happy. oh yeah, and no one ever noticed that my air damn was cracked down the middle untill talked to someone on here, thanks.

 

What I hate the most is when I send Mrs.LottaBallsCamaro to get a part for me and they just look at her stupid like "Wheres your boyfriend" and she goes up there and then there like "Do you know if your car has 8 cylinders or if its a 6 cylinder" they will say it all slow. She knows more about cars then most of them.

 

I got lucky with the local Advance Auto. The manager owns a kick *** camaro. 89, I think. He is one of the most helpful people I've run into in a parts store. There is another guy there, and he only knows what the computer tells him. One example:

I used to have a '76 Blazer before I got my car, and it had a 10" Edelbrock air cleaner in the back seat when I bought it. I stopped by the store on the way home to pick up a filter, and got the Bozo Tech Guy. I asked for a 10 inch air filter, 3 inches tall, and he goes through the "What make, model, year, AC, PS, ect." Then he goes to the shelf and gives me a filter for a stock Blazer. It's too big and has a metal screen thing with it, and costs like $13! I tried to explain it to him, and he looked it up again! I just put the filter down, and asked the manager. He got a tape measure and sold me exactly what I wanted.

Much to my amazement, 2 years later, the guy still works there.

------------------
Jeff

'85 Berlinetta, Special Beater Edition
Mods include a 4bolt 350 with 280*, .460 lift cam, Vortec heads, Comp Cams roller tip rockers, Edelbrock TES headers, no other exhaust . Also, rusted parts on all 4 corners, and crumpled fenders, thanks to the previous owner.

 

Why don't they have a rant section ln this site? This is great!

 

I've gotten very lucky with my local Advance Auto, there are two young guys that work there, they're both gearheads, an older guy who seems like he was in the parts business long before the computer lookup, and a woman who seems to know just as much if not more than the guys. They just hired a young woman, probably my age, 20-24. Let's just say the fact that she's hot is about the only thing that makes her bearable as a parts counterperson. Luckily they seem to keep her away from the computer and on the register. You can tell she's just there for the job and couldn't give a hoot about cars. Everyone else there though is always very knowledgable and versed in the cars they deal with and usually try to help you through a diagnosis and such. They never ask me all the satndard dumb questions, I tell the I have a TA and their only question is always "what size engine"?

Dave M
88 GTA

 

I've gotton kinda lucky too. At my local Auto Zone there's a guy who actually knows cars and works on them. He's very helpful and has helped me diagnose things many times, even helped me tune the carb. But there's not too many knowledgable people at chain stores. I guess I was just lucky.

 

I'm not a mechanic, but I'm not stupid either! I HATE going to the auto store(I have tried them all) and being treated like a dumb blonde. I have taken info straight out of these forums, that I understand and know is correct and still it's questioned. It makes no sense to me at all. I remember going to the shop with my dad and listening to shop talk for hours. Not any more.....

 

I went to Autozone once to get some valve cover guide plates to hold them down better. I ask the guy for valve cover hold downs ( I even said they go on the valve cover to prevent leakage.) He had no clue what I was talking about. That's why whenever at home I go to the local shop that has been there for 30 years, they may not have all the fancy crap that the other stores have, but they don't have computers either, so they know what they're looking for.

------------------
"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi
Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

 

Whenever in the chain stores I notice 3 types of people, the ones that "think" they know, the ones that are there for the money as just a job, and the guys/gals that really know there ****! and get paid to do it because they like it. I live near Lima, OH which is where the northwestern university is(sposidly a big high performance auto tech school) and at every advance auto store, I know atleast 1-2guys that I can count on for just about any type of help you can think of, especially one guy, you could ask him about ANYTHING. Its great, and he's my age also, 20-24.

We still have a "old" school parts counter where they know their stuff too but I have come to find out they aren't the most cooperative all of the time either. Most of the problems are like what a few others have mentioned, the gender stereotypes...

 

hmm, out here theres one advanced that everyone is kinda rednecky, so they know alot, they even directed me towards shops that would do exhaust installs that arent legal, and also inspection stations that turn their cheek =) but then thats a good 30 minute drive, then theres the one thats about 5 minutes away, guy hands me a fuel filter to filter my oil with....

 

The past few months I've been helping out at an auto repair shop and the things I've seen come through for parts scares me. 2 places in town kinda know their stuff, Napa and H&H. The other places like Autozone and Kragen don't know crap and the service writer always dreds calling them up LOL. Half the time they send the wrong part or you have to spend 10 min explaining to them or repeating yourself what part you want for which car. Even some of the dealerships are a pain to get parts from.

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'82 Z28
LG4 305 .030 over, performer intake, holley street avenger 670, xe 256 cam, tes headers, 3 inch single exhaust, spintech muffler, 14 x 3 inch drop base k&n.

 

You can really have some fun when your car is like 15 years old and it has a 74'350 cid motor out of a truck (with 94'heads no less!),a 84 trans out of a z-28,a mid 70's q-jet,all wrapped up in a 86'6-cylinder skin.Just getting a oil filter can be a challenge.I'm a counter jockeys worse nightmare!You just gotta know how to handle these people.If i want a oil filter for example,i tell them i need one for a 74'350 chevy halfton,not an 86' 2.8 camaro.I know they think i own about 10 different vehicles.(ha,ha)

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86'Camaro Berlinetta SC,former 2.8,now 350 cid,4 bolt main.94'TPI 350 heads(pocket ported),420-442 lift summit cam,cloyes double roller timing set,Modified q-jet carb(e hanger,ch rods)700-r trans(rebuilt)3:42 gears,t-tops,b&m megashifter,grant wheel,fresh headliner,Macewen white face gauges,American racing wheels..Dedicated to those who enjoy scrounging through junkyards more than throwing money for new stuff...

 

It's even better when you get parts for all the "different cars" at the same time. The counter guy starts to get mad about half way through my list.