Re: Getting parts for old cars, Was: RE: IML: radiator hoses

[aeyn <mr85000@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Dick,
    I especially liked the part about leaving the donuts outside
to distract them whilst making the getaway.

Æyn

--- Dick Benjamin <dickb@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 
> Dan, since this question keeps coming up, I think I'll post the
> answer to
> the whole list in hopes I can help a few more people- I hope
> you don't mind.
> 
> Dick Benjamin'
> 
> >>>>>>>>>>-----ORIGINAL MESSAGE-----
> FROM: DANSGARAGE@xxxxxxxxxxxx 10:59 PM
> TO: DICK BENJAMIN
> SUBJECT: RE: RADIATOR HOSES
> 
> HI DICK...I WAS WONDERING IF YOU HAPPENED TO KNOW OF ANYPLACE
> IN OUR AREA
> THAT I CASN GET A LOWER RADIATOR HOSE FOR MY '66 LEBARON .
> ACTUALLY I'D LIKE
> TO GET MORE THAN ONE SO I'D HAVE ONE FOR THE '66 CONVERTIBLE AS
> WELL AND
> MAYBE EVEN ONE THAT CAN BE A 'SPARE' FOR SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE
> (I'D PUT THE
> 'SPARE' IN A SEALED PLASTIC ZIP-LOCK AND HOPE THAT IT WILL BE
> OK WHEN I NEED
> IT.
> THE NAPA STORE I USED TO DEAL WITH BACK IN NEW JERSEY WAS A
> GREAT PLACE AND
> THE OWNER HAD CONTACTS AND WAREHOUSES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY HE
> COULD CHECK
> THROUIGH FOR ANY PART I NEEDED FOR MY '66 CONVERTIBLE. THE NAPA
> STORE HERE
> IN BEAUMONT IS A JOKE!!!! THEY HAVE NOTHING AT ALL FOR CARS
> EARLIER THAN
> 1970 OR SO AND THE GUYS BEHIND THE COUNTER WEREN'T SURE THAT A
> 440 MOTOR WAS
> EITHER A 6 CYLINDER OR A V8 (AND THESE GUYS WORK THERE!).
> AUTOZONE AND
> KRAGEN ARE ORDERING ME A LOWERE RADIATOR HOSE BUT WHO KNOWS
> WHAT IT WILL
> REALLY LOOK LIKE WHEN (AND IF)IT ARRIVES! MY NEXT STEP IS TO
> CHECK THE ADS
> IN HEMMINGS AND SEE IF I CAN FIND A FEW UPPER AS WELL AS LOWER
> HOSES (SINCE
> I HAVE THE TWO '66'S NOW).
> ANY SUGGESTIONS OF A GOOD SOURCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>DAN MELNIK
> 
> I've had no trouble getting hoses from NAPA. 
> 
> Just for the Halibut, I just went fishing on the NAPA site -
> they DO list
> the hoses for your cars - I thought you were getting the
> runaround.   They
> list their #7342 for the lower hose, and one of the following
> for the upper
> hose, depending on whether the car has AC, Heavy Duty Cooling
> package or any
> combination thereof.  
> The normal hose for a car with AC is their 7674.  
> No AC and standard cooling is 7054.  
> For AC and heavy duty cooling package, use 7096, and for 
> no AC and standard cooling use 7196.  
> 
> So, unless you are certain what is on your car, take in the old
> hose and
> match them up to the various numbers they have in stock to find
> the best
> match.  
> 
> On the lower hose, it has to be trimmed slightly to fit - just
> copy the old
> hose.  The thing to watch out for is the clearance from the
> belts.  Make
> sure you transfer the spring out of the old lower hose if the
> new one isn't
> so equipped - it probably won't be as it is also stocked for
> use on some
> lesser car as an upper hose, so it won't come with a spring,
> most likely.
> 
> To find parts for our cars, I have 4 tricks I use.
> 
> In order of trouble, they are:
> 
> 1.  Go to www.napaonline.com, put in your vehicle info, and
> then enter the
> keyword for the part you are looking for "radiator hose" for
> instance.  This
> works about 10% of the time. 
> 
> 2.  Look up the Mopar part number in the parts book.   Get on
> the NAPA site
> (www.napaonline.com), leave the "vehicle" section blank because
> most of the
> time they never heard of it.  Enter the Mopar part number in
> the "non-NAPA"
> part number field, and tell it to search for it.   In about 30%
> of the
> cases, you'll get a list of hits - just scroll down the list
> until you find
> the right part by description.  You can click on the listing
> and it will
> show you a picture of the part, in some cases.
> 
> 3.  Go to www.autozone.com, put in your vehicle info, then
> click on
> "shopping", follow the thread to the part you want, and make a
> note of the
> part number they give you.  Then go back to the NAPA site as in
> #1, and
> enter the AutoZone part number in the "Non-NAPA" part number
> field.   When
> they search on that number, they often find the part, even
> though they
> couldn't find it through steps #1 or #2. I prefer NAPA quality,
> but AutoZone
> lists more parts for old cars by number, even though they may
> not have the
> parts.  This works about 90% of the time.
> 
> 4.  If the above 3 steps fail, take the old part in to your
> NAPA store with
> (an unloaded!) 357 Magnum sticking out of your shoulder
> holster, and carry a
> bag of fresh donuts.   Inquire politely if you might possibly
> get permission
> to stroll through their vast (or in a smaller store, Half-Vast)
> stock of
> whatever parts you are looking for, and match them up. Bring
> dial calipers
> to check dimensions, and a good flashlight.  This almost always
> works - but
> you have to be fast about it as the cashier has probably hit
> the alarm
> button, and the cops are on their way.  Leave the bag of donuts
> on the
> sidewalk outside the front door as you leave, to distract them
> so you can
> make your getaway.
> 
> Dick
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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