Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

I found 1976 old parts catalogue from Ford Parts Obsolete Inc. located on West Willow, Long Beach, CA.

At that time I used to get my parts for my 41 Ford there when I lived in Huntington Beach. I would drive there directly after my high school classes to get what I needed before they closed and then fight the traffic on the 405 freeway home. What I remember most was the Model T on the roof and always wondered if someone’s old hot rod was turned into a landmark.

Looking at some of the prices for the day,
New 3:78 ring and pinion set $78.00.
New U-Joint $12.50.
New 40 Ford Deluxe Grill $49.95.
Wish those prices were still the same today. One thing I do remember was that many of the reproduction parts of the day were from Mexico and weren’t always the best quality, so one option was to go to the next swap meet in hopes you found what you needed there.

Some might remember those days as well!

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Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Joe Mac's old place

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

i'll take the roadster

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

While stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base back in 1964/65 I use to order parts from them for my '34 3 Window Coupe. I think I still have their catalog from back then somewhere - I'll have to look for it....

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

in the early 70's guys would meet on Wednesday evenings for bs sessions. Bob Drake was a regular before he reproduced parts.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Those prices are in accord with the 7-10 times less in wages in 1976. Minimum wage was $1.60 then.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

I do remember them.

Bought a light switch ages ago.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

In 1970 I bought a bunch of parts from them for my '29 roadster pickup. I was visiting in L.A. at the time and went to the store to buy the parts. They gave me a free T shirt which I still have and only wear it if I go to the L.A. Roadster Swap Meet. It gets a lot of comments. At that time Charlie Bennett worked the counter.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Had a Model T in '68 just married, remember one of the counter men at the Long Beach store, Oscar Dunphy.

Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

I also remember Charley Bennett, he had a 36 Ford woody wagon that was featured in the book “The V8 Affair”. I also seam to remember that they had 3 or 4 counter guys and always had customers in the store.



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Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

I remember it well and even when they were on Florence Ave in L.A.Went to their 1st location in LA in 1962 for parts for my '39 tudor.Hanging above the counter was a NOS 32 grille shell.Price $12.50.Heard a true story of a stack of NOS 32 running boards in front of the customer counter as there was no room in back for them.Joe Mac was a true friend and not to forget Gene,Charlie and Oscar.The 36 woody that Charlie has was purchased new by the actress Gloria Swanson for her estate in Santa Barbara.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Boy do I remember it well! Joe Mack and Gene Valdez owned it and I helped them put beans on their plate for many years. I loved the place. always helpful, great prices and vast amounts of parts. Anyone else remember when Joe bought 100 flatheads and had a chalkboard on the wall that he would cross off each number as the engines found new homes. I don't know who bought the T coupe on the roof, but saw it listed here in SoCal a couple of years age. Running and driving and fully functional! Felt like I lost a friend when they closed the doors. It must have been a maximum of 50 feet past the off ramp the 710 as it merged with westbound traffic on Willow. Went by recently and the building is still there but no T on top.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

My dad used to take us there in the 60's. Long drive from Riverside but always an adventure.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Here's a good thread on the same topic > https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130253

http://images108.fotki.com/v1623/pho...talog63-vi.jpg

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

I was at the Early Ford store in San Dimas a few months ago and I asked the question what happened to Joe and Gene's parts from Ford Obsolete in Long Beach. I remember back in the early 80's Don Thelan [Buffalo Motors] in Paramount ended up some of the body parts. One of the younger workers made a comment that they, the Early Ford store ended up some of them also. DeuceMac, I do remember the Model T on top of the building - I used to drive by it going to work in the morning. Does anyone know when they closed?

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

There was an obsolete Ford store in Burbank, CA for a while. It was "Big Joe's Obsolete Ford Parts" or something like that. Owned by Joe Burdett. He used to work for the Long Beach Store.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Last I knew Charlie Bennett lived in Oregon near his brother and he still owned the '36 woodie. Time flies ,so it's probably been 8-10 years since I have seen him.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Charlie was my neighbor, when we both lived in Pasadena. He lived on Holliston, north of Washington, in the 60's. I gave him a banjo wheel... me having no idea what it was. Last I heard, he still has (or had) it. Joe Mac, in 2001, was then retired and doing his transmission business from his home (Surfas Club dr). I got all of the parts for the trans in my 47 from him. (The trans is still great.) Great people, great memories.

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

When my Uncle brought me his 34 four door sedan for my 15th birthday (I lived in Torrance), I became a frequent customer of Ford Obsolete - used to see Joe Mac there all the time. He also used to race some of his overhead T's at the Signal Hill climb. He invited me up to his house in maybe the early 80's - if I remember he lived up somewhere near PV at the time. Anyway, lots of parts came from him . . . some good, some not so good - but there was no "Internet" at the time - was happy to have them.

As a matter of fact, the 25T LZ gears in my "spare" 39 box came from Joe - after I peeled the other set off of the cluster racing at Irwindale! Good times - thanks for fostering some good memories!

Re: Anyone Remember Ford Parts Obsolete Inc.
 

Let's not forget this establishment either. The Model A coupe in this early photo actually has a little history behind it. How many of you noticed that it's a 3-window? A very early prototype that actually survived both the museum and the crusher. DD

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attac...9&d=1486333717