Is it really possible to have too many spare parts for your trucks? This question came up this weekend while trying to organize my truck parts. My wife thinks I might "have too many parts" Just because I have two full size rack shelves in my shop and another shelf in the garage at home full of parts and a couple of truck chassis' in the back 40, I don't think you could have "too many parts" She even refers to my collection as, get this, "junk" If she didn't have the better organization skill I would boot her out of the shop!

I have three trucks and I try to keep enough spare parts on hand to replace any part that may fail. I try to explain to her that you just don't go to AutoZone or NAPA to get most of these parts and modern junkyards, I mean "Auto Parts Recyclers", don't keep anything older than ten years old. I also explain I save money because if I need a part I would have to go way out in the country and hopefully some old junkyard may have the part I need.

My wife just doesn't appreciate old iron. She and her parents can't figure out why someone would want a vehicle over ten year, at most, and think it's totally insane to buy a rusty, old hulk and play around with it. Some people, just can't figure them out. They just don't know the "enjoyment" of working on an old vehicle

 

It is NOT possible to have too many truck parts! Can a woman have too many pairs of shoes, or too much jewelry??

Do not be too harsh on the little woman, after all, they are, by nature a bit confused. After all, they put up with us don't they?

Bobby

 

Bob, They're all from the same mold, they just don't appreciate our hobby. My wife refers to my stuff as the crap in the garage that prevents her van from coming in at night! No understanding at all. I always shut her up by saying that I could spent my free time at the Hoochie coochie joints on the turnpike. Then I get the ole punch to the shoulder!!

Barry

50 F-1

 

Lets see now...I have about 3 bad gravel pans, rusted beyond use, that COULD be considred junk, along with my set of BENT!! bed brackets...also COULD be junk...NAHHH!!

 

Hey! Get it right, guys... When I sent Old Horse off to a friend's garage a few weeks ago (no actual garage here, unfortunately), he left with a footlocker full of spare parts ... a better front mount, rebuilt carb, rebuilt distro, fuel pump, oil pump, full gasket set, tie rod ends, voltage regulator, generator brushes and bearings, coil resistor, belts, hoses, brake lines, wheel cylinders, water pump and a bunch of other stuff I can't call to mind right now. (Some of those parts I've had for more than 10 years). He also had a spare gearbox and overdrive unit if he wants it. I didn't send the spare fender and bed parts.

Don't be too quick to characterize all women as 'not interested in old iron'... some of us are as attached to those old trucks as you guys are. Maybe it makes a difference if it's your OWN truck, eh?

So... No, it isn't possible to have too many spare parts for your old truck. But that's just one woman's opinion, after all...

(End of gentle rant.)

 

Actually, my ol' lady (and yes, that term is ok by her) is very forgiving of my old truck/car habits. I'm not a big sports nut, I'm not commited to regular poker games, I don't spend tons of time at the bar (hoochie coochie or otherwise). I can come home and spend the whole evening out in the garage and barely show my face in the house, no problem. I am at home.

Nuthin' I shouldn't have generalized (that always get me in trouble). I have involved the wifey on our next project, its a 1967 VW Bug for her to drive and so far she is pumped up about it.

Life is good
Bobby

 

You can never have too many parts. You might want to build another truck some day. My Father in law and I are working on two different old trucks. So my wife can't say to much. D

 

Replace the word "Parts" with "Wives" and see how it works.
It easily becomes one of those Yes and No answers.

 

My wife used to complain about all my spare parts. Then one day the starter in the car and the parts store was closed. I "just happened to have one" in the garage. It saved us a day or two of going without the car and a ton of money. After that, I never heard another word about spare parts that "we don't need laying around".

But Bob, I will say, they don't complain so much if they are neatly put away, not piled in the middle of the shop....

 

Nuthin,

You're the girl of my dreams. Will you marry me? Oh dang, I'm already married. We could just fool around in the garage.

Now, Pete, you've seen my shop. That's not fair, I am just organizationally (try to say that fast) challenged and my wife is a neat freak. That's why we bought more shelves. She's come to forgive my tendency of dragging home a parts truck once in a while, especially since she has seen me get double or triple my investment by parting them out.

 

More shelves is a good start Bob...Getting the parts on the shelves is the goal!

 

Curses, foiled again!

When I was driving the old truck as a DD, there were a number of other nice 53-56's in the San Jose area. We'd pass on the road and 'check each other out'. I don't know what they were thinking (well, I might have SOME idea in a few cases) but *I* was thinking: "Mmmmmm! Spare parts!"

 

We can never have "too many" spare parts. These old trucks are getting harder to find as the price of scrap keeps going up. My other half keeps a lookout for old trucks and points them out to me, she says I owe her a finder's fee when I buy one of them.

The city I live in sometimes gets a little upset about my "junkyard", but if I dismantle the trucks and stack the parts up in piles, they leave me alone. Strange, no unliscensed vehicles, but as many various parts as you want.
Jeff

 

All my life I have, well, sort of patted my rides when they did a good job - like once the old girl makes it to the top of the ridge I rub her on the dash and say (to myself) "good job!" or maybe rub them on the hood after I park them if I am going to be away for awhile. I know it is a silly, foolish thing to do - but I do it anyway.

One day I overheard my wife tell one of her girlfriends that she wished I showed so much affection for her . . .

Now when I walk by and she is fixing dinner I pat her on the rump - and it works even better than with the trucks. That is what the ladies are worried about, they are afraid we care more for the old iron than we do for them.

 

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger, WillyB.

There's one spot on the dash and another on the front fender where the paint's a lot thinner on the old truck. A friend even swears he has a pic of me on my knees in front of the old beast saying: "Please, baby, do it for ME!"

It must work, I still say that's the most reliable vehicle I ever owned. I can't wait to drive him again.