Throwing Out Good Model A Parts

[Wick]

I love finding model a parts people pulled off and replaced with repop because they were not shiny anymore.

[Step-down]

I'm forced to buy repop. Manifold , they all seem warped.....

[Jeff/Illinois]

Originally Posted by mshmodela

Sea,

My 3 year old dishwasher is surely and example. Two parts $175 and $135 to fix an electronic problem... I've chosen to cut my loss since dozens of others having the same issue and get rid of the Maytag -$450 down the drane... Steam and electronics DON'T mix...

Maytag definitely NOT quality anymore like they used to be. That was a management decision to cheap-it-out. There was a Maytag plant in Galesburg, after the State of Illinois gave them millions of dollars to improve and modernize, they took the cash spent it and then bailed went south of the border.

Maytag stuff across the board is basically junk today stay away from it.

[Kurt in NJ]

At a car show and saw 4 3x plugs being thrown away--- as I grabbed them the guy said those $$ plugs are no good, get black and it won't run right----- burned them clean in my car on the way home, runs fine with them

At Hershey I would collect stuff from the left behind piles, many times I would get asked if I would sell one of the items-----many times I would have to distract them while I scratched off the original price because I was asking for more

[Tom Wesenberg]

Originally Posted by Jeff/Illinois

Maytag definitely NOT quality anymore like they used to be. That was a management decision to cheap-it-out. There was a Maytag plant in Galesburg, after the State of Illinois gave them millions of dollars to improve and modernize, they took the cash spent it and then bailed went south of the border.

Maytag stuff across the board is basically junk today stay away from it.

I agree. My Mom threw out a good Frigidaire and bought a Maytag about 10 years ago, and the Frigidaire held more clothes, cleaned them much better, and spun them much drier.

[jeep44]

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I've got a pole barn with shelves groaning under the weight of Model A, T, Jeep, and motorcycle parts. I know what will happen to that stuff when I'm gone-my son will have an auction, and a bunch of old guys just like me will move selected bits to their garages and barns, to be sold at another auction when they check out.

[Barber31]

Originally Posted by biggieou

There are younger folks like myself sitting in the wings. Granted, there aren't many like myself (33) into keeping cars stock and not cutting them up, but we are out there!

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

I'm just like you. (32 yrs) I wouldn't dare ask someone to just give me there old stuff but I also can't stand to see a piece of history just slowly rotting away or worse get thrown away.

[Mike V. Florida]

Not having a whole lot of extra parts myself I really cannot comment on those that do. It seems that most here realize that the vast majority are going to be scrapped.

[denis4x4]

My father was a child of the depression and when he passed away, the things he saved was amazing AND worthless! Over the years, I've bought a lot of Model A stuff and have sold or traded most of it. My brother gets what's left and the cars.

When it comes to tools, a friend of mine is working on a program that will provide tools to scholarship students taking vocation courses. Can't get into a lot of detail here, but it will certainly be a better way to make sure tools go to a good home.

[Marvin/TN]

I just got rid of a pick up load of Pontiac parts some new and some good used. I have been trying for years to get a swap meet person to make me nominal offer for them and not expecting market price for them. Couldn't find anyone interested. Finally gave them to a friend and took he them to a local cruise in last week. He only sold $45 worth. I also had a lot of NOS Mercedes parts. I hope he does well with them. These parts were 60's and 70's stuff. We filled an 8' truck bed to overflowing with parts.

[asapguy]

Nobody wants/needs Model A mechanical parts like they used to. Sheet metal parts are another thing. I have tons of mechanical parts, flywheels, cranks, cams, blocks, timing covers, valve covers, pans, heads, etc, etc. Approx. 50 or more of each of those listed items. I got this stuff about 15 yrs ago, the items came from three wrecking yards. I also got frames, cowls, gas tanks, doors, moldings, & lots of misc. stuff. I've sold just about all the sheet metal stuff, frames, tanks, all the popular doors sold quick, no body wanted fordor doors unless they were for SW. I also had tons of double A parts that nobody wanted so I gave it all away to a guy who drove up from Calif. I get calls all the time for sheet metal stuff but not mechanical stuff.

[carolinamudwalker]

asapguy, I do not see rims in your listing of parts! I sure need a pair og good wheels Bob

[coupe1942]

I'll fit this in here as it is a true story and sort of seems to fit a bit.

At about 7 am, yesterday, suddenly I felt as if something had just gotten beneath my carpeting and zipped through like a giant earthworm (Remember the worms uprooting all the earth and sand in the movie Tremors). I was sitting at my computer at the time and it only lasted for a few seconds, but it was something you will remember for quite some time. Having been stationed in San Diego and Naples, Italy in the past, I instantly recognized that it was an earthquake. No real damage and just a flirting with Mother nature here. The main event happened near Tulsa, about a 2 hour drive from us.

We had planned to attend a car show in Ardmore yesterday. The unexpected quake was sort of a bad omen, but at every stop along the way, folk were speaking about it, so it added some interest to the trip, especially at the restaurant we chose to eat at. The car show ended up surprising us, as nothing had been said in the ad about any fees for attending if you were not there participating with a car to show. My intent in going was to possibly see some Model A's and meet some folk who owned them. The $ 20 buck apiece price tag was a surprise, but it included watching the drag races at the event. Unfortunately, there were zero Model A's and the cars there were just not my cup of tea. A lot of muscle cars, drag racers and many modified cars of the 50-70's. It was sort of a let down and we left early.

We went back to the restaurant to have a late lunch, but stopped at a couple of antique stores first. Well, low and behold, at the second shop I found some Model A parts just collecting dust in the back room. Come to find out the owner of the shop had picked them up at a local barber shop which had closed down a few years ago. Apparently, the barber had made an attempt to hang them on the wall as some type of wall art display. He had siliconed a mirror to the back side of a radiator shell and used it as an art piece. There were two headlights, two tail lights, a carb, the tail light mounts and the radiator shell. Each needing some clean up and care, but all are essentially reusable. I didn't really need any of them, but they are good for spares and you never know how handy they may become.

Any rate, I have no (absolutely no) idea as to the value of the parts or if I overpaid or underpaid for the lot. I got them all for a hundred bucks. The owner was satisfied, as he really had no use for them. He had planned to finish off the art display in his shop, but they had sat there gathering dust for quite a while in his shop. It sort of improved my day, so I felt good about picking the parts up and sort of rescuing them in the process. Like say, they are not pristine, but i believe they can be touched up and reused.

The day started out unusual, but ended up pretty good for me. I guess I rescued these parts as no telling what would have become of them otherwise. Like say, no telling if I made a good or a bad deal, but it made me happy just to walk away with them.

I didn't see any numbers on the carb. Anyone know what it is? I am not a carb person, so my expertise is severely limited in identifying them.

Any way, it was overall a good day. Got some good leads on some another part I was looking for here at the swap area and met some nice folk in the process of discussing such. Hope you guys all had a good day, too.

[dean from bozeman]

For years I collected every Model A part that didn't have a good home. Found parts cars in fields (asked land owner), got parts from hot rodders scrap piles, and bought several "collections" so that I would be able to restore a couple A's.

Being the son of depression parents, I couldn't throw anything away. However, as my dad aged I realized that my sisters and I would have to deal with his massive collection of stuff. It made me wonder if it was right to saddle my kids with the tons (literally) of Model A parts that I had accumulated. I needed an "end game".

Like they say on American Pickers, I had to break the ice...my own ice. My dad thought that he would eventually use everything. He really thought that he would live forever. He died at the age of 94. I, too, want to live a long time but I also want a bit of freedom from my possessions. So I put my plan into work.

First I sold several trailers of frames, front ends, engines, trannies and second rate sheet metal (probably got 25 cents on a dollar). Second, I started selling at the national meets and other swap meets (50 to 75 cents on a dollar). Also, I sold a car trailer full of quality parts, a car body and good sheet metal to my favorite Model A parts dealer in Denver. Third, I made several deals, e.g. dozens of shock cores for a restored set. Fourth, I gave parts to young Model A guys who I knew needed them and would do well with them.

The money I got from selling parts/bodies came in handy to finish A495 and buy two driveable V8 Fords (I love A's but do not fit in them). I still have a few things: '29 Leatherback that needs work and a restored '29 chassis (soon will be finalizing sale to a friend).

The "end game" I decided on was to limit the burden on my wife and kids. Also I wanted to downsize and change quantity into quality. At first, it was hard to accept that I wouldn't get a dollar for a dollar's value. I also was intimidated by the task ahead of me when I began. But so far my plan has worked for me. We each need to think about and put into action our own "end games"...or our problem becomes someone else's.

[Tinbasher]

Now I'm in the opposite mode. I'm throwing away A/M parts and replacing them with restored originals. Tired of working with A/M junk that doesn't hold up. Just got a leed on 5 Canadian Valve stem Covers. Yippy!!!!

John Poole

[coupe1942]

Wife bought me a new sign to put up on my parts cabinet which houses my spares for the Model A. Seems to fit. :-)

[Barber31]

Originally Posted by coupe1942

I'll fit this in here as it is a true story and sort of seems to fit a bit.

At about 7 am, yesterday, suddenly I felt as if something had just gotten beneath my carpeting and zipped through like a giant earthworm (Remember the worms uprooting all the earth and sand in the movie Tremors). I was sitting at my computer at the time and it only lasted for a few seconds, but it was something you will remember for quite some time. Having been stationed in San Diego and Naples, Italy in the past, I instantly recognized that it was an earthquake. No real damage and just a flirting with Mother nature here. The main event happened near Tulsa, about a 2 hour drive from us.

We had planned to attend a car show in Ardmore yesterday. The unexpected quake was sort of a bad omen, but at every stop along the way, folk were speaking about it, so it added some interest to the trip, especially at the restaurant we chose to eat at. The car show ended up surprising us, as nothing had been said in the ad about any fees for attending if you were not there participating with a car to show. My intent in going was to possibly see some Model A's and meet some folk who owned them. The $ 20 buck apiece price tag was a surprise, but it included watching the drag races at the event. Unfortunately, there were zero Model A's and the cars there were just not my cup of tea. A lot of muscle cars, drag racers and many modified cars of the 50-70's. It was sort of a let down and we left early.

We went back to the restaurant to have a late lunch, but stopped at a couple of antique stores first. Well, low and behold, at the second shop I found some Model A parts just collecting dust in the back room. Come to find out the owner of the shop had picked them up at a local barber shop which had closed down a few years ago. Apparently, the barber had made an attempt to hang them on the wall as some type of wall art display. He had siliconed a mirror to the back side of a radiator shell and used it as an art piece. There were two headlights, two tail lights, a carb, the tail light mounts and the radiator shell. Each needing some clean up and care, but all are essentially reusable. I didn't really need any of them, but they are good for spares and you never know how handy they may become.

Any rate, I have no (absolutely no) idea as to the value of the parts or if I overpaid or underpaid for the lot. I got them all for a hundred bucks. The owner was satisfied, as he really had no use for them. He had planned to finish off the art display in his shop, but they had sat there gathering dust for quite a while in his shop. It sort of improved my day, so I felt good about picking the parts up and sort of rescuing them in the process. Like say, they are not pristine, but i believe they can be touched up and reused.

The day started out unusual, but ended up pretty good for me. I guess I rescued these parts as no telling what would have become of them otherwise. Like say, no telling if I made a good or a bad deal, but it made me happy just to walk away with them.

I didn't see any numbers on the carb. Anyone know what it is? I am not a carb person, so my expertise is severely limited in identifying them.

Any way, it was overall a good day. Got some good leads on some another part I was looking for here at the swap area and met some nice folk in the process of discussing such. Hope you guys all had a good day, too.

Sounds like me and that Barber would of gotten along just fine. Cutting hair and wrenching on A's.