I have an opportunity to purchase some parts in Chicago. I've been through Chicago quite a few times but not in many of the neighborhoods, I will be honest, I don't like Chicago. I know the brain trust of FTE has members who either live in Chicago or know the area very well. I would like some advice on the area the parts are located. The seller said they are located in the 51 Street and Western Avenue area. I've dealt with buying parts over the years going into some very dicey situations so I'm not a rookie but I really don't want to end up in an area I shouldn't be in. I can ask the seller but he wants to sell parts so I don't trust him to tell me if his neighborhood is dangerous.

Anyone familiar with this area of Chicago. If you want PM me with recommendations.

 

I just Goggled it to see if something come up Bob and this is what Ai saysDid you mean: how safe is the 51st Street and Western Avenue area of Chicago Ill.

AI OverviewThe area around 51st Street and Western Avenue on Chicago's Southwest Side is generally considered to have a high crime rate, located near neighborhoods like Englewood and Gage Park that face significant safety challenges
. It is part of a larger area known for property crime and violent crime, often impacted by street gang activity and socioeconomic factors common to parts of the South Side.
Key Safety Information

• Location: Located on the border of the Gage Park community area and adjacent to Englewood, which is listed among the most dangerous areas.
• Crime Trends: While violent crimes like homicides have shown slight declines citywide from peak years, they remain high. The area is known for robbery and violent crime.
• Context: While the area has residential pockets, it is often characterized by higher poverty rates and lower school safety, which correlate with higher levels of crime, according to city safety trackers and reports on South Side community areas.
• Safety Precautions: Residents in these areas are advised to stay aware of their surroundings, particularly at night.

Note: Safety can vary significantly block-by-block.

 

Thanks John, not really up on AI stuff. From what you posted I think I'll pass. There's probably good reason the parts vehicle has been offered for a long time. An entire, well, most a vehicle is being offered and anyone who has gone to retrieve a parts car nothing really goes smoothly and takes more time than planned. I don't think I would want to be dragging a trailer through a rough area during the day little a lone at night. I'll save my money and time to chase something else.

 

Not the safest area .would not do it. Joe

 

Like I said, I've been in some dicey situations retrieving cars and trucks but it's always good to explore the layout before hand if possible. Chicago and Gary Indiana are two places if don't want to be. Just wanted to do a little research, I don't know anyone personally who I could ask.

 

Do you think he might be willing to meet you in a much safer location for the actual transaction?

 

No, the vehicle isn’t complete, I’d have winch it on to my trailer so I’d have to go where the vehicle is located.

 

Bob,
Good decision on your part to ask the question of the group.

 

Lived up there for 12 years but times may have changed it. It's not far from Midway Airport. I asked my SIL who still lives in Chicago what the neighborhood is like. I'll let you know what he says.

He says it's an OK area and you shouldn't have any problems.

 

Will he ride shotgun if Bob goes...lol

 

I was going to say it was a good area but like I said it's been a while since I've lived up there. I'd go shotgun with Bob but I'd go in pretty shady areas anyway.

 

I was bored today so I checked out the area on Google Maps using street view(at least I think I was in the right area). Didn’t seem like a bad area.

But it also didn’t seem like a place I would find an old ford truck for parts.

 

I’ve gone into shady areas to retrieve old trucks. One retrieval included betrayal and murder

I got a call from a guy from my wife’s church. Told me a guy he worked with had an old Ford panel truck he wanted to sell, it was in a seedy neighborhood in Milwaukee, an area I’m familiar with. I go to check it out, it was in an alley garage that was boarded up. Later I made a deal and went with my son to pick it up. We pull into the alley and the guy I made the deal with actually was the son in law of the man who owed the garage, who was deceased. Across the alley was a big garage with signs that warned you were under CCTV surveillance. The owner of that garage came out and offered to allow me to pull into his garage so I could align my trailer up to the panel truck in the garage across from his. After we loaded the panel truck I asked him about the signs and if he ever caught any wrong doings with them. He said, “Yeah, I caught the people who killed the old man who owned the property the panel truck was parked on.” Turned out the old man offered a homeless couple from his church a place to live and they thought he was well off because he had a couple of big screen TVs so they killed him and hauled a bunch of stuff out of his house to sell which the neighbors cameras got on his cameras.


Milwaukee like like it seems all major cities , have become cess pools, I don’t think I’d go into same neighborhood where the panel truck was today.

 

What are you going after? I’m always up for a good adventure.

 

The vehicle is a '37 Buick. Just not enough of it to take a chance to travel into a dicey location.