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Sounds maddening, nothing available locally?
We have some great rad shops in town with good service, reasonable prices and fast turn around in most cases.
You know, you are probably right. I've gotten so addicted to the internet that whenever I want something, I'm to lazy to get up and find something locally, I just go online, and boom, before I know it, I've bought something. Since I'm already into this with these guys, I guess I'll stick it out. They're expediting another rad with the lower opening on the correct side. Thanks for the reminder, next time I'll try locally. We should be supporting our local guys anyway
Sometimes it`s not possible to get all the parts locally but it`s surprising what I can find in our city.
Our Napa is great for most parts for older vehicles. Today I phoned for a carb kit for my 53 M350 Flat Head V8 and once I get the carb tag to them it sounds like at most I should get it in 2 days.
Alot of times I can save on shipping as well, and get parts in 2 days instead of 4-5 days.
When I went the the radiator blues with my truck I scoured the internet database until I found an application that would work for my situation, then I plugged that info into the local parts house database, Checker, Autozone, NAPA, etc and found their part #. I went to the local store and had them order it in for me...no extra charge.
Recently there was a posting about radiators where the guy found a great deal on an aluminum crossflow radiator from Speedway motors. They were available in alot of different configurations and the price was less than $200
Keep your head up Jim. 5 more weeks until Nat's. I am going like crazy. Waiting on parts to get here on Thursday. I will have to get my gallery updated. Hope radiator situation works out ok. Kevin
The net is fine for researching, but nothing beats the face at a "brick and mortar" supplier. Low price is forgotton real quick when service or quality have been compromised. I do think we need to support the advertisers on the FTE site, but feel a need to support the local job base as well. Hard choices. Hope all works out with the rad. Can we know who it is?? Jon
I drove mine up to the local O'reailly auto parts. I went in and told them I needed a carburator kit for a holly 2100. The guy (my age) could not find that listed in his books, but wanted to see the carburator to make sure I had the numbers correct. I think he wanted to see my truck actually.
He went and asked his boss (the manager) where else to look. The manager said: "Holly 2100? That was made by holly for ford, go look under the ford carbs". I guess it may be autolite? Anyway, I walked out with the correct kit for a 50 year old carburator.
I get a lot of things at the local NAPA too. The guys in there know old vehicles a lot better than you might imagine.
The Rad was ordered from BOTP. It was the Manufacturer's fault(U.S. Radiator, it was shipped direct from factory). BOTP was very helpful, got with the manufacturer and a replacement is being expedited to me. Wrong one will be picked up by UPS
Only on hurry up shipping, usually not if they can ship it in a regular order.
Another outlet wanted $12.50 shipping on an $9 item!
This has happened to me on occasion and it wasn't only on hurry-up shipping. When they tell me there's a shipping charge I try to get it somewhere else. IMHO, local parts houses should absorb the shipping charges as a cost of doing business.
O'reilly auto is based 2 hours from here. They ship stuff down here the next day. The truck is coming here anyway, so.....so far they have never tried to add shipping. I can't say for NAPA because I have not bought a lot of things there yet for the 56.
My brother lives in the town where the O'reilly warehouses are. If the store does not have it, he goes over to the warehouse and picks it up. He hates to wait a few hours until the next truck when he is working on something. LOL