Re: IML: Old Cars, Old Clubs, Old Parts, Old Time

[PAUL WENTINK <randalpark@xxxxxxx>]

I completely understand, but I am a romantic of sorts.

It used to break my heart to see big beautiful old Imperials rotting in 
the wrecking yards because they needed a set of tires, or a new 
battery, and just weren't even worth the cost of installation. Now and 
then I would see one that was worn out, and that was okay. Usually they 
were just old. Another thing that bugged me was that the men that ran 
them were often a different breed of cat, or just plain difficult . I 
would make conversation and convince them of "something" in order to 
get access to the yards. If I couldn't go in, there was no way to know 
for sure that they didn't have what I needed. Some times they would, 
but wouldn't say so until I passed some sort of "personality test", or 
at least they saw all the grease under my finger nails. Once they 
realized that I had nothing, and was just trying to keep my old car on 
the road, they were usually pretty good, but there were exceptions.

The last experience like that I dealt with was when my friend Wayne and 
I bought my 1963 Imperial from the owner of a local wrecking yard. I 
believe that story is on the OIC web site, Imperials by Year, 1963, 
Paul's 1963 Imperial, so I won't repeat it here. I will say that 
getting that car cured me of the desire to deal with those folks ever 
again.

These days, I can send an e-mail to Bob Hoffmeister at Imperial Heaven 
and get anything I need at a reasonable price, from a really nice guy, 
and not get dirty in the process.

Imperial Heaven, it has a nice ring to it, at least I think so.

Paul W.




-----Original Message-----
From: sosmi@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Sat, 8 Mar 2008 10:49 am
Subject: Re: IML: Old Cars, Old Clubs, Old Parts, Old Time



Sometimes the "hunt" is more fun, than the finding. We still make the 
trip to out of the way junk yards, now called auto recyclers. It's 
always fun to open that rusty hood and see what usable treasures still 
remain, or that mill-dewed interior. To wonder who, what, and why some 
of those wonderful old cars ended there seemingly useful life there. 
The Chryslers are always first, with a side trip to the Studebakers, 
Hudsons, etc. With the advent of the internet, these true joys are 
missed, and I use it as well, but somehow I'm still a junk yard 
romantic. Happy mouse clicks, Dave. 

 

-------------- Original message --------------
From: PAUL WENTINK <randalpark@xxxxxxx>

> The first car that I actually bought and owned was my '56 back in 
1971.
> I spent every Saturday morning scouring the many salvage yards
> collecting parts. I managed to find most of what I needed to get 
things
> done and keep the car on the road for many years. Later, I became 
more
> sophisticated and began to attend swap meets. I made friends in car
> clubs that had access to parts inventories. Then I got busy with my
> life and the cars sat in the garage for nearly 20 years.
>
> In 2003, the decision to get them back on the road brought me to the
> IML and the Internet. What used to take years of looking for parts 
only
> took months on the web. Here in Washington, swap meets often happen 
in
> the rain. Sloggi ng around in mud with an umbrella looking through
> tables of dirty old parts no longer is appealing to me.
>
> I think the hobby has come a long way. I hope that younger folks can
> keep it going after I have moved on. When that time comes for me, 
there
> are 8 good original running Imperials ranging from 1955 through 1968 
in
> my garage waiting for their next care taker.
>
> Paul W.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: YBSHORE@xxxxxxx
> To: mailing-list-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; 
mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Fri, 7 Mar 2008 7:18 pm
> Subject: IML: Old Cars, Old Clubs, Old Parts, Old Time
>
>
>
> Fellow Imperialist's:
>
> Â
>
> Â Â Â Â The reminiscing about the origination of the club has 
brought a few
> queries to mind concerning our Old Car Game. Back before the 
Internet
> and all its inherent resources [talking in the 1970's getting my
> license], I had a car of early sixties vintage which I used as a 
daily
> driver and its resultant personality kept me in touch with most of 
the
> salvage yards in the area here north of Boston, from which there 
were
> plenty to choose.
>
> Â
>
>     Enter the EPA and clean-ups, etc., then soon there were 
few left,
> making it harder to chase parts down. A lot harder. I would spend
> hour upon hour trying referenced phone number after phone number from
> kind boneyard owner's, who if they did not have what I needed, would
> pass along another number. Then there was the matter of
> shipping:  somewhat restrictive as vendor's were not so kind as 
today,
> and frankly there were no choices but Uncle Sam in essence. These 
were
> factors in me selling the car, and thusly for a long time I did not
> have to deal wi th 'the chase'. Upon purchase of my 1956 Imperial 
that
> changed and this club's list of phenomenal vendor's coupled with 
the
> proliferation of the before mentioned Internet, in conjunction
> with booming aftermarket parts availability, and all of a sudden, at
> least it seemed to me the plumber, parts were hardly difficult to 
find,
> and even the alleged tough items were found to be available
> generally--of course for a price.Â
>
> Â
>
>     This all makes for satisfied antique car owner's and many
> profitable businesses. Being a young 45 {LOL} my question is 
directed
> to those who did business in the junking/saving car game 
pre-Internet
> and specifically to those whose yards and to those parts
> collector's who were dedicated to a particular brand (think Lowell
> Howe):  1) did word of mouth or car clubs provide enough exposure 
for
> good busin ess?, 2) what was the preferred method of advertisement?, 
3)Â
> has this Internet made salvage businesses more successful than word 
of
> mouth ever did?Â
>
> Â
>
> Â Â Â Â I know every time I think this Internet is an end all for it 
all, a
> guy like Lowell, or a similarly genuine formerly unknown car 
mechanic
> or the like reveals to me old fashioned early rising and fine 
service
> still proves advertising and exposure isn't always necessary ......
> thanks for any insight.
>
> Â
>
> Jack
>
> Â Â Â Â
>
>
>
>
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>
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