Idiot Parts Stores

[FuzzyDriver]

What is wrong with these data selection morons that select which parts are the "normal" or "perfect fit" for our Comets in online search software?! Special order these "exact replacements" and watch the look on the poor clerk's face when he sees how ridiculous his inventory search software is! Go to O'Reilly or Advance or AutoZone website and look for something as obvious as a HEADLIGHT and watch them tell you the exact headlight you need is a 6024 - the 7-1/2 diameter single headlight. Checking as carefully as I could, Mercury hasn't put these headlights on ANY cars since the four-headlight system came out in 1958!

What's next? Are they gonna tell us that a 16" tire is an "exact fit" for our 14" rims???? Hey, it's within two inches, same as the headlights! Grrr!!!!

[Joe Travers]

There was a nice older mechanic worked @ the local NAPA until he had to retire due to health issues. I ordered original wiper blades for my car to be delivered to the store for pickup the following day. When I went in to pick them up, the other workers couldn't find them. He went to the back and was @ the counter in just a minute. He grinned and asked an older lady if she remembered them. They both floated off into memory lane.

Find what you need online and have it delivered. 99.9% of people in the retail business are too young to know anything about classic cars.

Joe

[A/FX]

Finding a good auto parts store is difficult. We have a good independent store near here that uses CarQuest as a supplier, the counter guys are knowledgeable and will take the time to find an a obscure part. We also have a family owned NAPA store that is a good source for parts, they will find the part and usually have it in a matter of hours.
I do not have much respect for O’Rielly, Auto Zone, or Advance. It seems like the employees are not knowledgeable, they have to depend on the computer to find a can of wax. I’m sure last week most of them were asking their customers “do want fries with your order”! ( Mickey D’s)
Jim

[Boss/Cyclone]

1971 Mercury Comet has 7 1/2" headlights and a few years later Mercury Bobcat does too. But I get it. I almost never get parts locally anymore because of everything you said above.

[FuzzyDriver]

I completely forgot about the Bobcat! It and the 71 Comet were so Pinto-ish and Maverick-ish they never made it to my radar. But, as you said, the point is still valid.

Just to close the loop on my rant (heh heh), I ended up ordering Sylvania XtraVision H5001's and H5006's from Amazon. I wanted to keep the sale local, that's why I sent to the local stores, but I couldn't stand the obvious corporate apathy, inattention to detail. Interestingly, the Amazon H6024 came up as a replacement for my poor Comet, yet the text for the H6024 item said the right bulbs are the H5001 and H5006.

When they get here, I'm going to power them up and see exactly how much current they draw to determine if I can trust my stock light switch. I hope so. The light switch has an auto-reset circuit breaker, and my relay's fuses do not. So I guess I'd have to search for an auto-reset circuit breaker if it comes to that.

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OK, I got the halogen H5001's and H5006's. I cleaned everything up in the headlight buckets and sockets before installing them. I checked to see the current draw on low and high beam.

Setup: Battery fully charged; engine off; no other loads on of any kind (and I mean that - nothing); (+) terminal -> switch B1 -> dimmer switch -> headlights -> stock radiator support grounds.

I guess it took some Sylvania engineering to get these values (I was surprised anyway). On low beams the current draw is almost exactly 6.0 amps. On high the current draw (all four headlights lit) is almost exactly 12.0 amps.

If voltage was higher due to engine/alternator I suppose current would vary and be higher, but I wanted to get constantly repeatable values. Hopefully this information will be useful to other Comet guys.

[MY63COMET]

I ordered front and rear shocks from O' Reillys last week. Total was about $120. I waited about three days for them to come in.
When I went to pick them up they handed me two thin boxes. I'm thinking to myself "now how did they fit two shocks in those boxes?"
Sure enough they had ordered me one front shock and one rear shock!!! I said my car has four shocks, not two. Idiots!
There was no way I was going to order two more at that price, so I got my money back. I then ordered the rear shocks from Summit and the front shocks from Amazon and they were still way cheaper than getting them from O'Reilly's.
Serenity now!!!

[pfleuret]

I try to buy locally but increasingly frustrating. For car stuff Summit has a warehouse outside of Reno. Usually next day delivery. For hardware McMaster-Carr has a warehouse in Los Angeles often next day two at most. Beats spending hours and gas in the 100 degree heat and then not getting what you need.

[FuzzyDriver]

I have a recent gripe with Summit.

Q: Which of their kickdown cable kits is the right one for a 64 Comet with C4 transmission and 6-cyl stock engine and carburetor?
Summit: Comets have switches in the steering column.

Think about that. Yes, that was quite annoying. While part of the information I gave them was that my C4 has a switch, it had NOTHING to do with a kickdown cable kit.

Now, before I hammer on JEGS, someone please tell me if this is my Comet's stock carburetor (pretty sure, but I'd hate to be wrong):

[A/FX]

Summit and Jegs are not parts stores in the general term. They are focused on performance not everyday maintenance. Find a NAPA store, they have people who know their stuff, the other chain stores are mediocre at best.
Remember you are asking about parts for a vehicle that is almost 60 years old, some young kid who was born in the early 2000’s probably has no idea what a Mercury Comet is.
Jim

[Joe Travers]

I would suggest researching the '65 Mustang kickdown on the 200/C4 combo and see if it will work or make it work.
There are a lot of Mustang vendors selling the kickdown lever and cable.

Joe

[FuzzyDriver]

I installed the C4-end of JEGS' 157036 and then saw how completely incompatible the carburetor end was. It couldn't even move the cable in the right direction! The JEGS guy assured me it would work and not need any extra brackets or any other parts. I get it that some of these guys aren't familiar with our babies, but IMO they should say so, rather pretending that they know what they are talking about - and then bum-doping customers.

I resumed searching and found a thread on FordSix where "Bubba" gave a guy part numbers for a '65 Mustang kickdown cable. By carefully studying Ellie's '65 Falcon (Ellie's Garage (quite entertaining) ) I see she has a cable that, if I see that right, is attached to the end of a shortened (factory or modified?) kickdown rod. Is this the cable you are referring to, Joe? Can I attach this cable to the '64 kickdown arm (the end where I took my factory rod off)? Or am I headed down another dead end?

Man, how I wish some of you experienced guys lived close to me as I spend so many hours learning about my Comet!

[pfleuret]

Turns out there is a Napa store just 5 minutes from the house in a direction I never go. So will try that for a while.

[Joe Travers]

Turns out there is a Napa store just 5 minutes from the house in a direction I never go. So will try that for a while.

Pat, the best route I have found is to go online, find the part you need and have it delivered to local NAPA store if it isn't in stock.
That way you aren't stuck w/ shipping charge.

RockAuto has pretty good stock of older parts but you pay S&H.

Joe

[pfleuret]

This is a very good place for practical support!