After many, many trips to the local car parts store I became friends with the counter people. When I needed fittings I would go past the counter and go thru the back door and help myself to the large display of fitting in 60/70 pull out plastic boxes. The counter people knew very little about fittings and it wouldn't do any good to ask them for help. I would just get what I needed, take it to the counter with the numbers off the plastic box and pay for my fittings. Building many hot rods I did the same thing with radiator hoses. I would simply walk into the back area where all the parts are stored and where hundreds of hoses hang on the wall. I would pick the hose that had the correct shape and diameter to fit the engine outlet and the radiator as well as the correct shape to fit in the engine bay. It would have been impossible to describe to them the picture in my head.
