dibbons
Well-Known Member
The chain auto parts stores here, of course, can't stock something so common as an oil pan gasket or a Carter Carb two-barrel rebuild kit for a '70's 318 small block. However, one kid at the counter who said he could not help me with my "common" parts list told me to go down the street to "Logans" auto parts. So I did. Never heard of the place, certainly never saw/heard any TV, radio, or newspaper advertising for a "Logans Auto Parts".
There were three stools at the counter, one occupied with a customer holding a Toyota rod and piston assembly. Yes, the counterman was Mr. Francisco Logan, the owner himself! For some reason no gray hair (good genes/hair color?)
Mr Logen asked me what I needed. I said I needed an oil pan gasket and carb kit for '72 318 and out came ... books/catalogs. In no time he showed me photographs of the parts I needed and a minute or so after that, after walking only a few steps to the back, he placed what I was looking for on the counter. So I asked if he might also have just the accelerator pump kit, and he looked that up and said: "That accelerator pump shaft is not round is it, it's flat?" i told him he was correct. He walked outside (an adjacent outbuilding/storeroom/small warehouse) for 3-5 minutes and returned with the accelerator pump repair kit (which included ball checks, new needle valve and seat.
I saw some water outlets hanging on the wall, and asked if he had any. Again, looking up in his book, he found two models/versions, one of which would surely fit. I said I would take one of each. He made a brief phone call and 5-10 minutes later a little truck parked outside and the driver delivered the water outlets.
One more thing, I asked for brake cleaner and was surprised when he said no he did not stock any. However, he followed up by offering me some Mopar brand 13 oz. throttle body spray cleaner, which he claimed was the same thing. I just wanted it to prep some bolts for blue loctite, so I told him I would take it.
Mr. Logan got out his hand calculator and after some figuring he said $510.00 (pesos), then he said just make it $500.00 (pesos) At the current exchange rate, five hundred pesos is $31.25. So for $31.25 I purchased a full two-barrel carb kit, two-barrel accelerator pump repair kit, oil pan gasket, two new water outlets (thermostat housings) and a 13 oz Mopar brand throttle body cleaner. The only thing that was not in accord with my wishes is the base gasket in the carb kit was the thin one, not the thicker (1/4"?) insulating one. But my old insulator is still in good shape, so that will not be a problem. This reminds me why I really pine for the good old days. Today was like stepping back 50 years in time, so refreshing.
There were three stools at the counter, one occupied with a customer holding a Toyota rod and piston assembly. Yes, the counterman was Mr. Francisco Logan, the owner himself! For some reason no gray hair (good genes/hair color?)
Mr Logen asked me what I needed. I said I needed an oil pan gasket and carb kit for '72 318 and out came ... books/catalogs. In no time he showed me photographs of the parts I needed and a minute or so after that, after walking only a few steps to the back, he placed what I was looking for on the counter. So I asked if he might also have just the accelerator pump kit, and he looked that up and said: "That accelerator pump shaft is not round is it, it's flat?" i told him he was correct. He walked outside (an adjacent outbuilding/storeroom/small warehouse) for 3-5 minutes and returned with the accelerator pump repair kit (which included ball checks, new needle valve and seat.
I saw some water outlets hanging on the wall, and asked if he had any. Again, looking up in his book, he found two models/versions, one of which would surely fit. I said I would take one of each. He made a brief phone call and 5-10 minutes later a little truck parked outside and the driver delivered the water outlets.
One more thing, I asked for brake cleaner and was surprised when he said no he did not stock any. However, he followed up by offering me some Mopar brand 13 oz. throttle body spray cleaner, which he claimed was the same thing. I just wanted it to prep some bolts for blue loctite, so I told him I would take it.
Mr. Logan got out his hand calculator and after some figuring he said $510.00 (pesos), then he said just make it $500.00 (pesos) At the current exchange rate, five hundred pesos is $31.25. So for $31.25 I purchased a full two-barrel carb kit, two-barrel accelerator pump repair kit, oil pan gasket, two new water outlets (thermostat housings) and a 13 oz Mopar brand throttle body cleaner. The only thing that was not in accord with my wishes is the base gasket in the carb kit was the thin one, not the thicker (1/4"?) insulating one. But my old insulator is still in good shape, so that will not be a problem. This reminds me why I really pine for the good old days. Today was like stepping back 50 years in time, so refreshing.
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