What gets me is I ask for a part for my 1964 Spitfire, and according to
their "book" the earliest model of a Spitfire was 1972.
Nowadays I just answer "It's a race car" and they quit looking for an easy
catalogue match and now they have to find something that fits my purpose.
Most humorous was when I installed the Volkswagen radiator in the Spit, and
the hose connections both were on the opposite side from the stock Spit rad.
The top one was easy, just turned the thermostat housing to the other side.
For the bottom I went in with measurements ("I need a hose X inches long
with a 90 degree bend at the bottom end") and they just let me prowl through
their hose inventory until I found one (a Ford unit) that would work after I
cut unneeded sections off.
Fortunately, I guess, since local parts stores have nothing that goes on my
car more specific than a nut and bolt, I do most of my parts shopping by
mail-order. I have a drawer by my desk full of nothing but catalogues.
--Rocky Entriken
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert MacKenzie" <list@mackenzie.aero>
To: "'FOT'" <fot@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2013 9:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Fot] Sadly a Sign of the times-
> My recent AutoZone experience:
> @ parts counter
> Me: Do you have Champion RN9YC spark plugs in stock?
> AutoZone Guy: How many do you need?
> Me: I need four but I'll buy eight if you have them.
> AZG: What car are they for?
> Me: I know you don't have the car in your database.
> AZG: That's the only way I can look them up?
> Me: You can't search by part number?
> AZG: No.
> Me: Really? .well ok, it's a 1962 Triumph Spitfire
> AZG: Well there's your problem, we don't carry motorcycle parts.
> Me: It's a car.
>>Click click click.
> AZG: No, we don't have that car listed in out parts database but let me
> check the stock shelves.
>>At this point AutoZone Guy spends about 5 minutes going through every bin
> containing Champion spark-plugs looking for RN9YCs.
> AZG: We don't seem to have them on the shelf; what car was that again?
> Me: 1962 Triumph Spitfire
> AZG: we have a '63 Herald with an 1100 engine.
> Me: That's it. Same engine. What plug does it list?
> AZG: Champion RN9YC
> Me: Do you have it in stock?
> AZG: No.
>
> Robert MacKenzie
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: fot-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces@autox.team.net] On
> Behalf Of gasket.works@gte.net
> Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 10:03 PM
> To: FOT
> Subject: [Fot] Sadly a Sign of the times-
>
> I went to my local auto zone today. Behind the counter a clerk perhaps
> 28y/o asked me what he could get for me. I asked "Where do you have your
> timing lights?". He looked at me then calmly went to the computer and
> asked
> "What year and model?".
>
> I should have known better. I was there a couple of months ago. At that
> time I asked for rod bearings for a small block chevy. it was a different
> clerk similarly aged. He asked "What year and model?". I said "1972
> chevelle 350". He responds "front bearings?"
> "No- all of them" I say. "Both sides?" He queries. Then I get this "a ha"
> moment when I seriously believed we are doing an Abbott and Costello
> "who's
> on first". So I tell him " I don't think you understand" - "Engine rod
> bearings standard size". So he looks at me and says. "What's that?". I
> look at my son and then back at the clerk and say "I made a mistake I
> thought this was an auto store". We walked out.
>
> I am going to write to their corporate office.
>
> M
> Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
> _______________________________________________
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>
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>
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>
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