Philosophical Question: How many parts are too many parts?

[bluec10]

Maybe this is an age thing - you tell me.

I've got the remains of two trucks squirreled away in the rafters of my shed. I've also got all kinds of other parts hanging on my garage walls or taking up floor space. Part of me is sick of keeping all that crap hanging around, another part of me can't part with it because, you know the song, I might need it some day.

What does a guy do?

[QKENUF4U]

same story my old man has sang for 20yrs.. thats why the 67-72 3/4t 2wd long bed has rotted away in the barn , along with the 2wd sb 72 and 66 impala ss... all junk now cause it was always "im gonna restore them someday" hes now 81yrs old and wont ever touch them....

[bluec10]

At least my truck is running and on the road. It's the parts that are everywhere.

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by QKENUF4U

same story my old man has sang for 20yrs.. thats why the 67-72 3/4t 2wd long bed has rotted away in the barn , along with the 2wd sb 72 and 66 impala ss... all junk now cause it was always "im gonna restore them someday" hes now 81yrs old and wont ever touch them....

Just buried our best friend, on Friday. He had a 30x60 shop, with a 20x30 "shed" on the backside. Inside, there are 3 1966 Mustangs; a '67 Mustang and 2 Mercedes Benz...one is a 450SL and the other is a 280SE. In addition, he bought out the NOS parts from a Ford dealership, that included parts from the mid-Fifties, into the late Sixties....primarily Mustang, but there's some Edsel stuff, too. None of the Mustangs have seen the light of day in over 30 years.

He asked me to help find a buyer...which I did. Now, his wife won't sell anything because his daughter's have gotten the idea that someone is trying to take advantage of them. Like my buddy said, he could give it all away. Now, THEY have to deal with it. Still gonna fall to me to be the middleman, but it won't be nearly as easy as it could have been before he was totally incapacitated. All of that took place from Feb. 22, to Aug. 8. He would have been 81 on Aug. 14.

[kcsa75]

I used to be a pack-rat but I saw the light about 15 years ago. I was cleaning out my garage and ran across stuff I'd had since college -- stuff that I had moved multiple times -- including a cross-country move -- and never opened the box. That was all it took.
Now when I find something that been sitting around for a while, it's eBay, Craig's List, Goodwill or the trashman.

[special-K]

I say too many parts are the ones you have no place to store. As long as they're kept proper you can never have too many.

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by special-K

I say too many parts are the ones you have no place to store. As long as they're kept proper you can never have too many.

I agree

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by special-K

I say too many parts are the ones you have no place to store. As long as they're kept proper you can never have too many.

I agree. A good friend of mine has 60 storage sheds, yes 60 full of parts and cars.

[vectorit]

I use to hoard parts, then I had to move once, twice, three, four times.

One gets tired of humpin junk around, especially engines and bulky parts.

I ended up just moving things that belonged on the burb, everything else was if it didn't fit in one of those flip top plastic storage bins - it found a new home.

Though, I have to say. Now that I have my own place, with a garage and places behind the garage. Chevy parts are appearing like weeds

[67CC]

I think it's what you can realistically use. I used to be just like the guy that had boxes of stuff from college that I moved five times and never opened the box. Truck parts might be different........Nah. Not if you don't have room. I was going to save my original split rims and get them redone so I could use my dog dishes, but someone stole them. Then I realized I probably never would have and didn't have the room anyway.

[19673ontree]

my wife is gone kids are grown I got mom and dads house so that leaves my 14x80 trailer empty ? or IT WAS EMPTY 67 to 72 truck part's KEEP GROWING IN THERE ! I got a bunch of stuff from a friend of mine yesterday , he had a project he sold and I got the left over's LOL he bought a new fleet bedside ? that thing even followed me home ?? did I need a new bedside ? NO ? BUT I MIGHT ONE DAY ! ,,,,,,,,,,,WHAT WAS THE QUESTION AGAIN ?

[wilbilt]

I, too have parts and stuff I have kept for 30+ years. I have gotten rid of things here and there, but nearly always regretted it later, such as giving away all of the spare parts from my C10 I sold 8-9 years ago. Now it is getting to the point that I don't remember what I have or where it is.

I need to thin things out, but maybe I will think about that some more first...

[Shyguy]

When my son sells one of his trucks he tends to give away parts that he thinks he will never use.

Before long he decides to fix up another truck and finds that he needs the parts he gave away.

I tend to collect as many parts as I can from him so when they are needed we have them. A few days ago he said he needed some bench seat brackets, luckily I had saved a set from a seat he was going to throw away.

I do need to organize my parts better, I guess so I can get more and also so I can find them when I need them.

[Ackattack]

I try to keep them to a minimum. Usually I try to sell what I can to pay for other parts that I need (that I will use).

[m6z]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

I try to keep them to a minimum. Usually I try to sell what I can to pay for other parts that I need (that I will use).

Same here. Yeah I might end up selling somthing I could use down the road, but I'd rather have the money now to use on the current project. I've got a few things right now that are going to be listed as soon as I find a running and driving truck. That's is if I can't use them on it.

[rcrahn]

Originally Posted by Ackattack

I try to keep them to a minimum. Usually I try to sell what I can to pay for other parts that I need (that I will use).

My approach as well.

[flashed]

My extra parts will probably end up on the local Craigslist soon after my truck is finished .

[pritch]

This ain't a philosophical question, it's a trick question!


Seriously, though-if I have stuff that I ain't gonna use ever and no one wants to buy it, it usually goes in the scrap bin. One extra is usually enough for me, and if I come across a better one, the lesser one goes.

[konasummit]

I tend to keep parts because it seems like every time you get rid of something, you need it the next day!

[bollybib]

Originally Posted by konasummit

I tend to keep parts because it seems like every time you get rid of something, you need it the next day!

x2 on that

[Shyguy]

We are building a '67 swb stepper and '71 lwb fleet for my grandson and me so I have been going through my spare parts.

I found all the patch panels he needs for his cab, all the new wheel cylinders and brake hardware, power brake booster with bracket and push rods, plus misc interior stuff in my spare parts.

My spare parts are running low so I guess I better start looking for a donor truck.

Since my son, my grandsons and I like to work on trucks we always need spare parts. We have not sold a lot of trucks we have put together so far, I think only 5 or 6. We have two built and two being built for our use.

My son and his family do a lot of the work, I help when I can. Being an old fella I am not able to do some of the stuff any more, but sure can supervise. I find it is hard not to get my hands greasy so I find myself on turning wrenches on occasion.

My son's wife helps with the clean and wet sanding but so far we haven't got a wrench in her hand.