A sign of the times

[AUTOHOLIC]

My 1965 with the original distributor and coil died the other night and had to be towed. Turns out the condenser wire was melded to the breaker plate and fried the coil.
Anyway, we were shocked to find that the local Napa, Autozone or O Reilly did not have a coil in stock. Now this is a simple standard coil not anything odd like a coil for HEI or anything and these coils were used on literally millions of cars in the past. I never would have dreamed they would not be in stock. So for guys that carry extra parts on long trips this is something that you might want to add.

[RMVette]

Kid behind the counter wouldn't know what a dwell meter was either.

[StudleyJames]

Originally Posted by RMVette

Kid behind the counter wouldn't know what a dwell meter was either.

Or a match book either (old timer's will get it)

[Tikiman]

I was a Mopar guy. I never went anywhere without one of these in the glove box.

[Bruze]

Originally Posted by StudleyJames

Or a match book either (old timer's will get it)

They can be eyeballed in a bind.

[Bill]

I noticed parts houses reducing their range of stock quite a few years ago. If you need bs like vanilla air freshener, hey, no problem. If you need something to make the car run, chances are, you'll have to order it.

I needed a resettable fuse for my car's cigarette lighter, and after calling around, everyone including the dealer had to order it. I had to order a fuse for a later model Cruze. That tells you there's a problem.

[Tikiman]

Originally Posted by StudleyJames

Or a match book either (old timer's will get it)

Using the cardboard from the box the new points came in would get you close.

[Tikiman]

Originally Posted by bill_daniels

I noticed parts houses reducing their range of stock quite a few years ago. If you need bs like vanilla air freshener, hey, no problem. If you need something to make the car run, chances are, you'll have to order it.

I needed a resettable fuse for my car's cigarette lighter, and after calling around, everyone including the dealer had to order it. I had to order a fuse for a later model Cruze. That tells you there's a problem.

Last time I went into a parts store, I was looking for rubber caps for vacuum ports. I went up and down every aisle and all they had was crap like fuzzy steering wheel covers, air fresheners, and neon windshield wiper blades. It was all just crap. Nothing useful at all. I ended up going up to the front desk and asking. A couple of them looked around back there, but no luck. Ended up ordering them.

[Rodnok1]

Been so long since I was able to just get parts needed without ordering them...
Standard GM EGR gasket only used on millions of vehicles isn't stocked.
Two trips to parts store and wait a day, i just save the trips(and gas money) and order online.
Even simple stuff is next to impossible to find at a parts store

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by Tikiman

Last time I went into a parts store, I was looking for rubber caps for vacuum ports. I went up and down every aisle and all they had was crap like fuzzy steering wheel covers, air fresheners, and neon windshield wiper blades. It was all just crap. Nothing useful at all. I ended up going up to the front desk and asking. A couple of them looked around back there, but no luck. Ended up ordering them.

Shoulda just used a golf tee.

[CurtP]

Originally Posted by Tikiman

I was a Mopar guy. I never went anywhere without one of these in the glove box.

Or one of these in the trunk...

[Bruze]

My local family-owned and run parts store has many common parts in stock for my 1951 Ferguson 6-volt tractor.

If they don't have something, they will have it by noon the next day.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by Tikiman

Using the cardboard from the box the new points came in would get you close.

Doesn't that kind of assume that when you are out on the road, and your points got burned, that you had a new set in the box in the car?

[MadInNc]

Originally Posted by AUTOHOLIC

My 1965 with the original distributor and coil died the other night and had to be towed. Turns out the condenser wire was melded to the breaker plate and fried the coil.
Anyway, we were shocked to find that the local Napa, Autozone or O Reilly did not have a coil in stock. Now this is a simple standard coil not anything odd like a coil for HEI or anything and these coils were used on literally millions of cars in the past. I never would have dreamed they would not be in stock. So for guys that carry extra parts on long trips this is something that you might want to add.

I changed my internals to Petronixs. Never worried after that. Also kept a condenser and points in glovebox. LOL

[Bruze]

Originally Posted by Mick

Doesn't that kind of assume that when you are out on the road, and your points got burned, that you had a new set in the box in the car?

I've never had a set of points "suddenly" burn, and I've had the gap off by quite a bit and the engine would still run fine. And I've never been stranded by a points ignition including countless cars/trucks and 3 motorcycles. Two of the motorcycles were 4-cylinder and had two sets of points run by a cam on the end of the crank. So every set gave a dead spark on the exhaust stroke also, so they sparked twice as much as a single point system but I never had any problems with them.

However, I have been stranded by an electronic ignition three times by my 1987 S-10, once by my '88 Harley, and three times by my '07 Corvette -- for which there was never any real diagnosis, it just wouldn't run or even turn over, so probably nothing to do with the ignition system.

I replaced the failed factory electronic ignition in my Harley with two different after-markets, neither would run right. So I put points in it (very easy to convert) carried a spare set and condenser with me, but never needed them over tens of thousands of miles.

So yes, I hate modern shit.

[KenHorse]

Originally Posted by Tikiman

I was a Mopar guy. I never went anywhere without one of these in the glove box.

Mopars are known for smoking ballast resistors?

(glad I sold mine then!)

[ZipZap]

Those were the days, when you had about a 50/50 chance of getting zapped working on the car, or creating lighting with a tool.

[69camfrk]

Originally Posted by Tikiman

I was a Mopar guy. I never went anywhere without one of these in the glove box.

Resistor block?

[AUTOHOLIC]

Originally Posted by MadInNc

I changed my internals to Petronixs. Never worried after that. Also kept a condenser and points in glovebox. LOL

I have had those as well but NEVER again. By far more unreliable than regular points distributor. Even the K66 ignition in my L72 is better than the modern or aftermarket electronic ignition but not by much.