I don't know why I bother...

[SilveradoDude]

I have been down this road before. I go down to the parts store to find a small electric terminal connector for my distributor module (you know the kind of connector with a small tab for locking into it's plastic housing?).

So I go down there and show them the connector and they look at me like I arrived from Mars and then proceed to give me a pack of standard yellow and blue terminal connectors. Then I said no see they have to look like this...

Anyway where can you find connectors like this? Maybe online?

[Eyegore]

Been there done that, feel your pain!! They ask so many questions just for one part, I've finally included in answer what color my seats are and what air fresher I use.
I suggest you go to ACE Hardware they perhaps will have the connector, if not Radio Shack should have it.

[S10Fan]

I think I passed you on the same "road".

Jegs has them.

[Grande Rojo]

I can find that plug in the HELP section. Its the aisle with all the little red boxes.
Its the HEI pos+ plug right?

[spr85gmc]

yes i been there i went in for spark plug it felt like i was taking my SATS
what yr is your truck?
what model?
what size engine?
what size tires?
blah blah blah blah we dont car those here sorry!


wtf???

[old Rusty C10]

LOL @ Bill i should try that with the seat color and air freshener

[ont_guy_38]

LOL...yup i have been in your shoes before too...actually i just sold my winter beater (1990 YJ)...a little while ago i pulled in a station to fuel up and a young kid comes out and says to me...your on the wrong side...i said no I'm not....he being a young know it all says YES YOU ARE!!!!!!...i said to him the gas cap is behind the license plate and at one time pretty much all vehicles were like that..really????...he says....lol

[SilveradoDude]

Radio Shack didn't have it, I know the hardware store won't have it. I checked the HELP!!! section I didnt see it. Any idea on what the part name would be at Jegs?

It's this connector:
http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD/121/83645/10002/-1

Maybe I would be better off if I just ordered a new HEI module. Have you guys ever used these?

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by SilveradoDude

It's this connector:
http://www.jegs.com/i/MSD/121/83645/10002/-1

Maybe I would be better off if I just ordered a new HEI module. Have you guys ever used these?

Sorry, I was thinking about the power connector that goes to the cap.

[SilveradoDude]

Originally Posted by S10Fan

Sorry, I was thinking about the power connector that goes to the cap.

I went ahead and got this dizzy tune up kit since that cable was toast anyway, what do ya think:

http://store.summitracing.com/partde...C&autoview=sku

[S10Fan]

Look like you've got it under control!

BTW, I carry a cheap module in the glove box of my HEI equiped vehicles. It's good cheap insurance.

[Slonaker]

Try getting parts for a '37 Chevy with a 350. They can't comprehend the fact that it didn't come with that engine from the factory, so they can't look it up under '37 Chevy. They usually just tell me "We don't stock parts for a '37 Chevy. You'll need to go to the dealer." Like that would help any...

Slonaker

[BLE 'BURBAN]

Check out this sight for acdelco terminals

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by Slonaker

Try getting parts for a '37 Chevy with a 350. They can't comprehend the fact that it didn't come with that engine from the factory, so they can't look it up under '37 Chevy. They usually just tell me "We don't stock parts for a '37 Chevy. You'll need to go to the dealer." Like that would help any...

Slonaker

True story......

I walk into Auto Zone and get the standard greeting, "Welcome to AZ, How can I help you?" I respond with, Just grabbing some sandpaper and paint. I get " What year and make of car sir?"

Kills me. Or I get the counter person that will not go any further until I give them the make model and engine size. I tell them it's a 87 Chevy S-10 with a 383. Then they try and tell me I must mean 3.8 and they can't find that one either. LOL.

[raiders3581]

I dont know but somehow I think it sounds like some of us walk into these places wanting to be frustrated. As far as the stuff that should be straight forward well that is lack of training by the employer. But KNOWING that there is no listing for a 383 and asking for parts for one will get you nowhere. Most of us walk into these places knowing we know more about OUR vehicles than they do but still insist on playing the same game. Auto zone and napa allow you too look up your own parts before you even walk in the door. I KNOW my 67 didnt come with hei soooo I ask for a 77 chevy truck cap and rotor. I KNOW r45ts didnt come in my 67 so I ask for a model I KNOW came with. The fact is most of these kids were not even born when most of our trucks/cars were made. Yeah at one time you put gas in the back of a car at one time you had to change points at one time everything was six volt ... but how long ago was that 20 plus years ago? 30? 40? Having been on both sides of this discussion I put forth put the odds on your side by knowing your donor vehicles knowing your modified small block didnt come stock and asking for the vehicle that came with the part your looking for. Ok granted they should have a clue but the reality of the situation is most chain stores dont even have full time help anymore. These kids know more about imports than we do most of the time for "current vehicles" also. So I say use your superior parts knowledge look up your parts online walk in with a print out and watch the relief on the counter persons face.

[COMP]

there used to be a couple (wholesale) stores here that had them on the shelf,,,talked nice and they took care of me

[87Lowrider]

For me: if it's something more than oil, spark plugs or antifreeze, I come here first with my questions. You guys really know your she-ite.

I will say I've had better luck with Advance Auto Parts than anywhere else though.

Ken

[SilveradoDude]

As a man grows older he realizes when to cut his loses. There is absolutely no point in running all over town in some sort of scavenger hunt, waiting my precious time and gas for a $.39 terminal connector.

Gone are the days when you could go down to an old school parts store and spend an hour hunting through a bunch of bins looking for a connector you need. Oh well, I ordered a tuneup kit for the dizzy which includes the cable and connectors and that's that. Thank God for the Internet!

[87Lowrider]

Originally Posted by SilveradoDude

As a man grows older he realizes when to cut his loses. There is absolutely no point in running all over town in some sort of scavenger hunt, waiting my precious time and gas for a $.39 terminal connector.

Gone are the days when you could go down to an old school parts store and spend an hour hunting through a bunch of bins looking for a connector you need. Oh well, I ordered a tuneup kit for the dizzy which includes the cable and connectors and that's that. Thank God for the Internet!

You mean, Thank Al Gore, right?

[Slonaker]

Originally Posted by raiders3581

I dont know but somehow I think it sounds like some of us walk into these places wanting to be frustrated. As far as the stuff that should be straight forward well that is lack of training by the employer. But KNOWING that there is no listing for a 383 and asking for parts for one will get you nowhere. Most of us walk into these places knowing we know more about OUR vehicles than they do but still insist on playing the same game. Auto zone and napa allow you too look up your own parts before you even walk in the door. I KNOW my 67 didnt come with hei soooo I ask for a 77 chevy truck cap and rotor. I KNOW r45ts didnt come in my 67 so I ask for a model I KNOW came with. The fact is most of these kids were not even born when most of our trucks/cars were made. Yeah at one time you put gas in the back of a car at one time you had to change points at one time everything was six volt ... but how long ago was that 20 plus years ago? 30? 40? Having been on both sides of this discussion I put forth put the odds on your side by knowing your donor vehicles knowing your modified small block didnt come stock and asking for the vehicle that came with the part your looking for. Ok granted they should have a clue but the reality of the situation is most chain stores dont even have full time help anymore. These kids know more about imports than we do most of the time for "current vehicles" also. So I say use your superior parts knowledge look up your parts online walk in with a print out and watch the relief on the counter persons face.

Actually I do, in cases like that, try to look it up online first. I have been through this before. I know what will happen, and I don't want to waste time trying to explain the concept of an engine swap yet again. I try to come prepared, but sometimes I don't know what application the part is from, and I'm not going to junk the car because nobody understand how to look up parts.

The most recent time this involved an exhaust donut. I asked the counter kid to just match it up by eyeball because I don't know what the manifold came off of. I told him I just knew it was from a smallblock Chevy, probably from the 60s or 70s. I told him that, if he brought out the box of donuts, I would be happy to do it myself.

He insisted that he could only look it up by application. I told him that the engine was not original, and 30 or 40 years NEWER than the car. He still didn't get it, and insisted on looking it up on the computer. His response, in the end was that they don't sell '37 Chevy parts. That was really helpful, you know?

I asked if they sold smallblock Chevy parts. He siad they did. I asked him to bring out the box of donuts. He did, and it took about 2 minutes to match it up to one from the box. It just wasn't that hard, but they don't teach them that you can do any of this without depending on the computer.

The best counter person I have come across in a long time was a 17 year old high school kid that worked at a local O'reilly. He was into Hondas, so his knowledge of stuff for old Chevies was limited. He was still really helpful, though, because he wasn't afraid to dig through boxes. He wasn't afraid to pull out a book and try to match stuff up to pictures, or look up parts from a guesstimated application to try to find something that would work.

He left for college 2 or 3 years ago. I still miss him.

Slonaker

[1970pelle]

Is this what you are looking for?http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...pe=216&PTSet=A

[DirtyLarry]

[SilveradoDude]

Originally Posted by 1970pelle

Is this what you are looking for?http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductD...pe=216&PTSet=A

Yup. I went ahead and ordered a tunup kit which included that harness. Honestly, if I had gone into a parts store that knew what they were doing they would have suggested that harness in the firstplace.

[piecesparts]

Slonaker made reference to a 37 Chevy confusing the parts guys.....Hell tell them (the kids of today's knowledge) anything but a new car and they are for the most part lost. If you have an older vehicle with anything that is not origibnal, they are just LOST. I have a truck that was rebuilt in a body shop and now has a Kansas State Identification tag on it, vice the VIN number plate. The dealers are lost without that stinking number.

[pa_snowman]

here is a good one for you to add to the list.. severl years ago i went into a Checker auto parts store in Tucson, Az. I ask about a seal for the dash a/c ball outlets in my '67 Chevy CST. The person at the counter told me that truck never came with a/c. After telling him they did and him insisting they didn't i invited him outside to look at my truck. He was dumbfounded but still coudn't find the part.