How do you walk into NAPA to buy 40 Ford Parts?

[FHFD]

Originally Posted by Kube

I have good fortune at NAPA IF I speak to one person in particular. He's been there since the early 80's and although not a "car guy" he is a good counter person. He is intelligent enough and cares enough to dig into a book to (very often) find what it is I seek.
NAPA has a huge assortment of VERY old mechanical parts in their warehouses to this day. It just requires a guy smart enough to find it.
I chuckle when I see starters, etc. on eBay and the likes for big money. All a guy has to do is go to NAPA and get the same thing (often better quality) for much less cost.

My "buddy" wasn't there last summer when I needed a starter for a small block Chevy I was working on that happened to be wedged in to a '46 Ford. I knew to bring the starter with me and had already cleaned the numbers on the body so they were easy to see.
Guy asks me what car? I tell him a '46 Ford. I also tell him the starter is SBC. He looks at me like he'd seen an alien.
He then asks what year engine. I tell him I have no clue but here's the starter I need to replace. I get the alien look once again.
I TELL him to pull the book out and cross reference the number. He does this. Yippee!

A few days later after I called (he didn't call me as promised of course) I went to pick up my new starter. Not even close.
I ask the same guy WTF? He looks at me and the starter as if we are both aliens. I had asked him about the part number stamped in the body. He tells me (catch this!) "Well, I got the first five numbers".
At this point I told him he was an idiot. Yes, I did. I then asked to be taken care of by someone else. Older guy comes over, looks at the starter, pulls out the book and two days later, here's the correct starter.

Delco-Remy starters basically use the same "body" for the SBC's..allowing the rebuilders to install the interchangeable "nose cones" on various bodies..therefore "numbers on the body" would'nt help in this situation.

Albeit, a knowledgeable counterperson should know that, and identify the starter by the "nose" which had been installed.

Back in the day, the experienced counterperson, would be able to give it a quick glance, and sell you the right starter recognized by the nose..those days are gone.