Needed a Battery for the '74 Midget. They made 'em until 1980, so I figure this
shouldn't be too bad a trip to Auto Twilight Zone. (Sears still lists them)
Looks through the manuals, Nope. Gots to bring in the battery. Head down to the
local Napa locally owned and operated. Gordon asks what I need, tell him, knows
what I'm looking for, takes him about 10 minutes looking through older books
etc, never asking another question, let alone a stupid one, and he finally
plops one on the counter.
BTW, twice before I've gone to the Auto Twlight Zone for replacement batteries.
Twice they told me if the battery's bad, it gets replaced under warranty, twice
they tell me the batteries are fine, twice the batteries were actually bad and
I bought them elsewhere.
You should go for parts for an Innocenti when they ask for the car info! I try
to be polite and tell them they won't recognize the name or have a listing that
was. Often, it doesn't help to tell them it's the same as Midget, or a Sprite,
either.
Last week I was gassing up the Innocenti when a guy walking by stops and ooo's
and ah's over the car. He tells me he has an MG he is restoring. I ask if it's
a Midget or a B and he responds: "A "B". Midgets aren't real cars". Then he
asks what model Fiat my car is. I tell him it's an Innocenti, an Italian
Midget! He still liked the car though.
But it's no better with the new MINI.
Q What kind of car is that?
A It's a MINI.
Q A what?
A A MINI.
Q Mini what?
A A MINI
Q But who makes it?
A MINI
etc. etc. etc.
jay fishbein
San Francisco, CA (temporarily)
wearing a flower in my hair.
-----Original Message-----
>From: Frank Clarici <spritenut@comcast.net>
>Sent: Jul 22, 2006 11:53 AM
>To: "Peter C." <nosimport@mailbag.com>
>Cc: Spridgets <spridgets@autox.team.net>
>Subject: Re: Part #710. Not politically correct. Some automotive content
>
>Peter C. wrote:
>
>> Parts people are stupid idiots.
>
>Not you Peter but this passed week, Jen (Frankie's wife) and I went to
>all the usual places in search of "Seat Belts" for his Mini.
>Not too hard a part? Lap belts no less. I have bought them at ching,
>chang, & wang before. About $10 each.
>So off the chink boys we go, they changed the place around so the belts
>were not in the same spot. We asked for seat belts and got a dumb look
>from the girl. We asked the older guy behind the counter. And of course
>he asks "What kind of car?" So Jen says Mini. What year? I jump in and
>said all we want is a pair of "UNIVERSAL" lap belts. Again, what year
>Mini? So I tell him a 73. Well Mini didn't make a 73 according to his
>computer.
>I asked one more time for universal lap belts before going to No auto
>parts zone. Same thing, complete idiots!!!.
>Off to Advanced nonauto parts. Once again, what year Mini? So now she's
>waiting for the JC Whitney box to arrive.
>It's amazing, you can buy chinese tools, peanuts, gummy bears, and wax
>at all of the above joints but try to buy something for a CAR?
>I am convinced Advanced auto is a front for something else. I have yet
>to come out of there with anything. And all I go there for is oil, brake
>fluid, batterys, or an occassional light bulb or wiper blade.
>Now you know why I get my wiper blades from Peter. Not only does he know
>what a wiper blade is, he has good ones that fit Fords. :)
>
jay fishbein
wallingford, ct
http://home.ix.netcom.com/~type79/
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