Carl's early Ford parts Mar Vista, CA
 

Does anybody remember this little shop on Lincoln Blvd. in Mar Vista - Venice area in L.A. 1960s? The thread on best venders got me reminiscing. He was a stock car/dirt track racer in his youth and I just got my A at around 15.

Re: Carl's early Ford parts Mar Vista, CA
 

I grew up in LA. I don't remember Carl's, but I did go to Ford Parts Obsolete on Willow Street in Long Beach for T and A parts when I was young. Also bought from CW Moss. Also, there were many new parts vendors that sold at the LA area swap meets like Rags and Sally Lindman, Rudy ?, Greenland, etc. If you could wait for the weekend, you could always do most of your parts shopping at the swap meets back in the 1980s.

Re: Carl's early Ford parts Mar Vista, CA
 

To reminisce gz just above remembered Greenland. I do also. Sheldon Greenland I believe bought out Red Grow, who made a small line of parts. Sheldon expanded the business to manufacture more parts but was especially known for quails and motor meters. The Greenland Company was both wholesale and retail. After many years the Greenlands divorced and his wife Agnes got the business, which she continued for maybe 5-8 years and sold it to Harold Looney the owner of Vintique.

Re: Carl's early Ford parts Mar Vista, CA
 

I remember Sheldon Greenland very well. He was quite a character and one helluva smart businessman. He certainly left an impression on this young (at the time) kid.

I always remember him saying "When I sold my business, I had sold over 25,000 Model A quails, and there are still Model As driving around without one" He would say this almost every time I saw him.

Not sure if that was true or an over exaggeration but he did sell a lot of parts. He was one of the pioneers of the restoration movement.

I remember Bob Drake and Harold Looney selling their reproduction parts at the local swap meets.

I heard that Ragnar "Rags" Lindman recently died. As a kid, I think I first became attracted to Model As because of his 1929 phaeton. His wife Sally drove that car all over the country and documented her journeys in a monthly publication called Antique Motor News which came out of Long Beach, CA. Sally and Rags were at all the swap meets selling new and original A parts. Their phaeton is the 1929 pictured in "Henry's Lady" I wonder what ever happened to that car?

Re: Carl's early Ford parts Mar Vista, CA
 

I remember Carl's. I was going to Santa Monica City College in the early 60's and passed it every day on Lincoln Blvd. The reason I remember is because I was driving my '29 Roadster PU back and forth from Westchester (near LAX) to school and once in a while I needed parts and he was close and convenient. I still have the PU. 60 years now! My how time flies.
Thanks for the memories. . .
Dick Wyckoff

Re: Carl's early Ford parts Mar Vista, CA
 

I bought my Model A in 1962. I grew up in Culver City about 2 miles from Mar Vista. I remember Carls but don't remember why I didn't shop there more. Does anyone remember when they closed?

Charlie Stephens

Re: Carl's early Ford parts Mar Vista, CA
 

Carl's Ford Parts was on Lincoln Blvd in Santa Monica, CA, not Mar Vista. He was still in business in 1965 when I shipped out for my military tour. When I returned a few years later he was gone.
Carl's wasn't the type of store with a sales counter and shelves full of parts. Although he did carry a limited supply of reproduction parts. It was a greasy jumble of parts and was more like an indoor junk yard. More parts were scattered around the parking lot which had been fenced in.
After Carl closed I had to travel to Valley Ford Parts. This was a completely different experience. He had parts. But he also had an attitude to go with them. Showcases full of nice used original parts made your mouth water. His sign on the entrance door summed him up. Step Up or Step back. Spend Money and Make a friend. He closed shop in the '70's.
These days I don't know anyplace in Los Angeles that caters to old Ford lovers. The Early Ford Store in San Dimas is a great place. But it is a 40 mile drive through the worlds worst traffic. C.W. Moss in Orange is another spot. But most of their inventory is manufactured by Vintique. If you have ever tried to use a Vintique part on a restoration you will understand the problem with their stuff.
You would think that a city with a population of 18.8 million people would have someone to sell reproduction Ford parts.