The look on the Autozone guy's face when.........
- Thread starter 67Dart273
- Start date
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That is that "Deer in the headlights look". Been there, done that! LMAO
Was He Lookin' at You or Lookin' at Me?
33IMP
Well-Known Member
I get the same look when I ask for parts for my 64 English Ford, the one with the 6.6 liter engine and power glide, or my opel with the 7.4 liter engine and turbo 400.
'What's it for" 
Lmao! Right click n save that baby! I called about balljoints the other day for the 69 cuda.....kid on the phone....Ply mouth?(like plywood but 2 words lmao)
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
I could "write a book" about my some 15 years as parts sales
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We used to have a cranky old machinist named John Pointner but I liked him and I think he liked me. I was in his shop a couple times. When he was in his 80's he spent thousands on gear cutters to "go into the gear makin business"
But his wife was a real beaoutch. One day she and her friend came in and told me they wanted so many feet of chain for a dog. Now I had no idea whether this dog was a poorly trained wolf, a mastiff, or a tea-cup poodle. So I innocently asked her "what size."
OMFG you'd think it was the funniest thing those two old bitches had ever heard, that some stupid kid at the store would need to know "what size" for some dog chain. I think we sold chain up through 5/8 and may have had a remnant of som 3/4 out there. I wish to hell I'd drug out about some 1/2 and said "here ya go"
==========================
One day a guy wanted a "foot valve." What I had in my head was the thing at the bottom of a well or fire pump. Asked him "what size." "1//2 I think". I told him I doubt we had one that small and went back to look. All we had at the time were a 3/4 and a 1". I took the 3/4 out thinking he might bush it down. Turns out he wanted a TREADLE VALVE for the airbrakes on his truck
===========================
The Navy up at Bayview had a work boat with an old flathead I-don't-remember-what Hercules, Continental, Chrysler, who knows. We ordered a front main seal for that thing THREE TIMES before my buddy figured out they needed a FRONT seal because the engine was reversed in the boat, driving the prop off the front
============================
When I worked at the other place we sold Acme paint. One day a guy called up and wanted so much of such and such type paint code XYZ123 it's white for white he says?
What is this paint code?
"It's white"
This turned into a regular slapstick routine until he and I finally figured out he was talking about WHITE paint on a WHITE BRAND truck!!!!
======================================
State Highway had some damned imported piece of equipment, guy calls up and wants a 3/4 hydraulic hose so long with no 12 swivels. Well even in "Murica" there can be pipe swivels, no 12 JIC/ AN, or in uncommon use could be SAE flare. So right there you have 3 possibilities assuming it actually IS no 12. I think 2 different parts guys there made 2 different hoses, when my buddy George got ahold of it he demanded they just bring in the hose. Turned out to be some "British Standard" fitting which we had to order
======================================
Two youngsters come in with a VERY beat up 69 RR. This was maybe the early 80's so they were not worth much. He wanted to price pretty much everything in the front end, and I told him "I'd do that, but this is going to be some money. Are you sure that car is worth all that?"
"Oh yeah, he says, "this is the first year of this model so it's a collector"
I really broke his bubble when I told him that 69 was not the first year RR Of course if he still had it, it might have been worth it now!!!
===========================================
Guy came in and wanted a stock bore piston for a 283. I told him "we don't stock pistons but we'll be happy to order one." He was in a great big hurry and left. The manager absolutely ate my ***. Turns out we had ONE FRICKING PISTON IN THE WHOLE DAMN STORE and it was..........for a standard bore 282 Chev
================================================
Guy comes in with a nice early 'Vett about a ?62? He wanted some of the big vent hose for the vent/ heater under the hood. I went out with him to measure it up and a crowd gathered. Some voice says "327?"
"Yes," says the owner, "327"
Now I thought that odd because as you all know could be most anything in there
The voice from the crowd continued........."You can always tell these Corvette motors because THEY ARE JUST A LITTLE SHORTER THAN A REGULAR CHEVROLET"
I didn't say a word......................
========================================
Guy had bought a generator/ regulator and a battery for a 50's 6V GM/Chev pu. Bear in mind we had a BUNCH of countermen, including the manager, outside sales, and the owner, who all worked the counter at times. All told about 8 of us. This means that sometimes things happen the rest are not aware of. Turns out this guy had brought a new battery back TWICE for return warranty "because it won't hold a charge."
So I had talked to him about the generator, etc, and he claimed he'd checked all that. So he came in and I've forgotten "what all." At one point I told him ARE YOU SURE the fan belt is tight" "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, etc etc etc"
So I went out and he opened the hood AND I COULD TURN THE GENERATOR BY HOOKING MY LITTLE FINGERNAIL INTO THE GENERATOR PULLEY FAN BLADES
========================================
We used to have a cranky old machinist named John Pointner but I liked him and I think he liked me. I was in his shop a couple times. When he was in his 80's he spent thousands on gear cutters to "go into the gear makin business"
But his wife was a real beaoutch. One day she and her friend came in and told me they wanted so many feet of chain for a dog. Now I had no idea whether this dog was a poorly trained wolf, a mastiff, or a tea-cup poodle. So I innocently asked her "what size."
OMFG you'd think it was the funniest thing those two old bitches had ever heard, that some stupid kid at the store would need to know "what size" for some dog chain. I think we sold chain up through 5/8 and may have had a remnant of som 3/4 out there. I wish to hell I'd drug out about some 1/2 and said "here ya go"
==========================
One day a guy wanted a "foot valve." What I had in my head was the thing at the bottom of a well or fire pump. Asked him "what size." "1//2 I think". I told him I doubt we had one that small and went back to look. All we had at the time were a 3/4 and a 1". I took the 3/4 out thinking he might bush it down. Turns out he wanted a TREADLE VALVE for the airbrakes on his truck
===========================
The Navy up at Bayview had a work boat with an old flathead I-don't-remember-what Hercules, Continental, Chrysler, who knows. We ordered a front main seal for that thing THREE TIMES before my buddy figured out they needed a FRONT seal because the engine was reversed in the boat, driving the prop off the front
============================
When I worked at the other place we sold Acme paint. One day a guy called up and wanted so much of such and such type paint code XYZ123 it's white for white he says?
What is this paint code?
"It's white"
This turned into a regular slapstick routine until he and I finally figured out he was talking about WHITE paint on a WHITE BRAND truck!!!!
======================================
State Highway had some damned imported piece of equipment, guy calls up and wants a 3/4 hydraulic hose so long with no 12 swivels. Well even in "Murica" there can be pipe swivels, no 12 JIC/ AN, or in uncommon use could be SAE flare. So right there you have 3 possibilities assuming it actually IS no 12. I think 2 different parts guys there made 2 different hoses, when my buddy George got ahold of it he demanded they just bring in the hose. Turned out to be some "British Standard" fitting which we had to order
======================================
Two youngsters come in with a VERY beat up 69 RR. This was maybe the early 80's so they were not worth much. He wanted to price pretty much everything in the front end, and I told him "I'd do that, but this is going to be some money. Are you sure that car is worth all that?"
"Oh yeah, he says, "this is the first year of this model so it's a collector"
I really broke his bubble when I told him that 69 was not the first year RR Of course if he still had it, it might have been worth it now!!!
===========================================
Guy came in and wanted a stock bore piston for a 283. I told him "we don't stock pistons but we'll be happy to order one." He was in a great big hurry and left. The manager absolutely ate my ***. Turns out we had ONE FRICKING PISTON IN THE WHOLE DAMN STORE and it was..........for a standard bore 282 Chev
================================================
Guy comes in with a nice early 'Vett about a ?62? He wanted some of the big vent hose for the vent/ heater under the hood. I went out with him to measure it up and a crowd gathered. Some voice says "327?"
"Yes," says the owner, "327"
Now I thought that odd because as you all know could be most anything in there
The voice from the crowd continued........."You can always tell these Corvette motors because THEY ARE JUST A LITTLE SHORTER THAN A REGULAR CHEVROLET"
I didn't say a word......................
========================================
Guy had bought a generator/ regulator and a battery for a 50's 6V GM/Chev pu. Bear in mind we had a BUNCH of countermen, including the manager, outside sales, and the owner, who all worked the counter at times. All told about 8 of us. This means that sometimes things happen the rest are not aware of. Turns out this guy had brought a new battery back TWICE for return warranty "because it won't hold a charge."
So I had talked to him about the generator, etc, and he claimed he'd checked all that. So he came in and I've forgotten "what all." At one point I told him ARE YOU SURE the fan belt is tight" "Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, etc etc etc"
So I went out and he opened the hood AND I COULD TURN THE GENERATOR BY HOOKING MY LITTLE FINGERNAIL INTO THE GENERATOR PULLEY FAN BLADES
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Princess Valiant
A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
Around here the autozone guys are typically significantly younger with bad acne and look like they just swallowed a pizza whole.
The auto zone girls are even worse because they gotta go out of their way to make it seem like you don't know what you're doing. Not today beeeoch!!!
The auto zone girls are even worse because they gotta go out of their way to make it seem like you don't know what you're doing. Not today beeeoch!!!
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
There used to be 3, now there are 2 girls at the local O'Reillys. If I had a parts store I would want all three. Those girls KNOW their stuff. One little bitty short hottie, 'Maggie" told me "she grew up with 4 brothers"
mopowers
Well-Known Member
The only way I deal with those stores anymore is call with a part number to make sure they have what I need in stock, or order what I need online for in-store pickup. Even that can get frustrating though at times.
Great stories Del, thanks!
There is one store here that is actually pretty good, the staff are reasonably knowledgeable, I've gotten to know the assistant manager a bit, he's a Mopar guy and we seem to be on the same wavelength at least.
Ironracer
Gearhead
Some of the lil gals ARE sharper that the "guys" these days....
69_340_GTS
Well-Known Member
There is one like that here, at O'Reiley's, and she's a real cutie. She also knows her crap.
I needed two Dorman part #s.
1- check Advanced Auto site
2- They carry it
3- back to store site to see which local has them
4- Cool, in stock at the closest.
5- put in cart
6- print cart off to bring and pay there.
7- Store is Empty.. "Hello, can I help you"
Yes and hand him the print out ... "I need these two Dorman #s and your web site says you have them in stock.
"Oh OK, he goes to the key board, looks like we have them ... let me go in the back.
-He comes back to the keyboard "what's that for again"
"I gave you the part #s..... blank ... he's starting to look like the guy in the OP above. "it's a 70 Plymouth Duster"
He says "wow those are fast"
"Yeah, 340 drag car, jerks the front wheels...hahaha"
He rocks back on his heals "whoa" and walks back in the in the back.
I'm like WTF? So I go down the electrical isle and bingo I find one # ... oh and then there's the other ..headlight connector.
I bring them to the counter, he come back "oh, you found them?"
"How much I owe ya' "
======
The time before that I needed some fuses - Same deal, I had to find them in the isle, he never would have.
1- check Advanced Auto site
2- They carry it
3- back to store site to see which local has them
4- Cool, in stock at the closest.
5- put in cart
6- print cart off to bring and pay there.
7- Store is Empty.. "Hello, can I help you"
Yes and hand him the print out ... "I need these two Dorman #s and your web site says you have them in stock.
"Oh OK, he goes to the key board, looks like we have them ... let me go in the back.
-He comes back to the keyboard "what's that for again"
"I gave you the part #s..... blank ... he's starting to look like the guy in the OP above. "it's a 70 Plymouth Duster"
He says "wow those are fast"
"Yeah, 340 drag car, jerks the front wheels...hahaha"
He rocks back on his heals "whoa" and walks back in the in the back.
I'm like WTF? So I go down the electrical isle and bingo I find one # ... oh and then there's the other ..headlight connector.
I bring them to the counter, he come back "oh, you found them?"
"How much I owe ya' "
======
The time before that I needed some fuses - Same deal, I had to find them in the isle, he never would have.
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