I got a good laugh at AutoZone today.

[evintho]

I took a shot and went to AZ looking for wiper blades for my '54. Couldn't find 'em in the aisle so I asked the 12 year old at the counter to look them up. Which he did and promptly asked me.......'is it the front or rear wiper'!
I was polite and told him I wasn't laughing at him....I was laughing with him!

[fordor41]

probably most counter people have never been in a car without rear wipers, seat belts, roll down windows, hi-lo beam on the floor, w.s. wiper control on the dash & no seat belts. even a 40 yr old that was born in '83 and started driving at 18(2001) wouldn't have been in a car without the above features!

[KULTULZ]

... hi-lo beam on the floor ...

You know why the FEDS had them move the switch to the stalk don't 'ya?

It was too hard for drivers to reach down with their left hand to hit the switch ...

[5851a]

You could get a rear wiper. My parents 53 Mercury had one.

[oldbugger]

Were you the wiper?

[Merc Cruzer]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

First offered in 52'

[Daves55Sedan]

I had a '51 Ford Deluxe 4-dr sedan in the late '70's that had a rear window wiper. The wiper arm was gone but the hud stuck out of a professionally punched hole in the rear window trim and the wiper motor (vacuum) was under the rear window package tray. They ran a rubber vaccum hose all the way from under the dash, then under the rubber floorcovering up to the rear window motor. It was activated any time the wiper switch was turned on along with the front wiper motor. Inspecting it overall, it looked like a factory installation, especiallyt the bracket that held the motor under the package tray.

[Bob T]

It was an option on the 1951 Mercury. The only one i ever saw was installed on a 1951 Merc. at the James Dean Run several years ago.

[evintho]

Wow....learn something new every day!

[Gene F]

Whoda thunk it ya know. But Mercury had that car with the
operable back window late 50s early 60s...

[Grumpy Rick]

Wow, I would have lost money on that one.

[Gene F]

I think we can all agree that a good parts person is hard to find these days.

Any one think that junk yards have a higher percentage of good parts people, even though they deal in used parts?

[KULTULZ]

Any one think that junk yards have a higher percentage of good parts people, even though they deal in used parts?

I would think yes, as today's salvage parts systems are far more advanced from the 'walk in the yard until you find it' days.

Some high demand cars are pieced out and cataloged for repair shops, esp CRASH PARTS.

I try to stay away from box stores and stay with capable parts jobbers, or the inner-screen these days ...

[fordor41]

another thing to consider is that back in '60's and '70's there were 4 car companies basically most people dealt with. Ford, GM, Chrysler and VW. A lot of the parts were used on multiple models. Now there are multiple dozens of car brands on the market and a lot of the parts are model specific and no one could remember what part goes on what model or brand. Just my thought!

[51504bat]

And you need the vin to order parts

[Gene F]

Heck at NAPA they need to look up a water pump for a small block chevy ...

[fordor41]

Originally Posted by Gene F

Heck at NAPA they need to look up a water pump for a small block chevy ...

so you're saying that every "small block" chevy ever made takes the exact same water pump?

[Ford blue blood]

My most fun is going in for parks for the street rod. Of course the first questions what year? 1936. What make? Chevrolet. What engine? 351C............and it stops there!

The guys and girls at my NAPA know me and now their first question is "What are we working on now", they just took all the fun out of it! I do get to roam freely behind the counter for "stuff" that there is no "computer ID" for........

[Gene F]

Originally Posted by fordor41

so you're saying that every "small block" chevy ever made takes the exact same water pump?

No. The small block chevys of the late 60s, and the 70s are all either short, or long. Hey, I put my core on the bench, and they say what is it...

[Gene F]

Originally Posted by Ford blue blood

My most fun is going in for parks for the street rod. Of course the first questions what year? 1936. What make? Chevrolet. What engine? 351C............and it stops there!

The guys and girls at my NAPA know me and now their first question is "What are we working on now", they just took all the fun out of it! I do get to roam freely behind the counter for "stuff" that there is no "computer ID" for........

Yes my streetrod throws em' for a fit too. What is the car? 1936 Plymouth

Last time I needed a brake caliper. I had it on the bench. Mustang II (rack system) suspension, and those calipers were used on tons of cars, like Ford Ranger trucks, Maverick, Granada. A for real parts person makes a difference where I shop.

My muscle car, believe it or not the people at Jegs are very knowlegable. They look at a part, and they can have intelligent conversation.