Should we create a new Discussion Forum entitled "(Please Help) Identify This Part"?

[63RedBrier]

Instead of these topics getting buried in the General Discussion Forum, maybe they should have their own forum.  Sure we will see lots of hubcaps, but what about those odd parts you find at an estate sale, in your deceased uncle's stash, or at Hershey?  I just got two spackle buckets full of clean brass fittings and I think there may be an early carb or two in there!  Thoughts?  Moderators?  Thanks and Merry Christmas!  Greg

[TheMoneyPit]

You mean just like the one we’ve had for years… or has it been here for decades now?

 

https://forums.aaca.org/forum/66-what-is-it/

 

It’s more that people either don’t know where it is, or are too lazy to use it…

[Terry Bond]

Questions about I'd for cars and parts get better and faster exposure in General Discussion. I know many who just take a quick look at forums and never go beyond general discussion. I guess it's like looking at the dust jacket of a book, or the label on a bottle of wine.  We know there is more but many people just don't have the time to dig deeper. Hats off tho to those who thrive on the challenge and have the knowledge to help.  I see a lot stuff listed on evilbay after its identified though. Wonder if there is some way AACA could get a commission on stuff like that for providing an ID service?

Terry

[Walt G]

The on going biggest issue I see about identifying parts of any kid is that the person who is just so curious about what they have or have found and immediately want an answer for NEVER GIVE THE REST OF US ENOUGH INFORMATION to try and help you out! If it has threads - how many per inch or 1/4 inch, or how long ,wide, tall is something. if it is a wheel what is the diameter or if it has a tire ( or remains of one ) on it what does that say so far as size. Hubcaps - diameter - get yourself a ruler and measure.

For the Europeans who look here, perhaps translate into inches, feet etc as that is the main form of measurement in the USA where you are asking for help from.

Not all of us are fortunate enough to have crystal balls here to gaze as to determine the exact yea, make, model, series of a particular part that is brought up seeking an i=answer. Oh and photos help too, sometimes, maybe, sort of.............  PLEASE everyone, you do the work of telling us as much as you can, not have all of us think " ok here is another one we have to comments a dozen times about and ask questions to even start to thinking about helping.

I am not trying to bust chops here just get you focused.

This is nothing new, 45+ years ago I used to work full time  for Austin Clark in his library at his home ( that library is now at the Henry Ford for some decades and to haul it there from NY to Michigan took a tractor trailer) He used to get letters addressed to the Long Island Automotive Museum  that would say " tell me everything you have about "Chandler cars" ( or any other make fill in what you like) there was no mention about year, body style , model etc. ; those letters got filed away and not answered ( the filing place was the closest waste basket available)

[Terry Bond]

2 minutes ago, Walt G said:

The on going biggest issue I see about identifying parts of any kid is that the person who is just so curious about what they have or have found and immediately want an answer for NEVER GIVE THE REST OF US ENOUGH INFORMATION to try and help you out! If it has threads - how many per inch or 1/4 inch, or how long ,wide, tall is something. if it is a wheel what is the diameter or if it has a tire ( or remains of one ) on it what does that say so far as size. Hubcaps - diameter - get yourself a ruler and measure.

For the Europeans who look here, perhaps translate into inches, feet etc as that is the main form of measurement in the USA where you are asking for help from.

Not all of us are fortunate enough to have crystal balls here to gaze as to determine the exact yea, make, model, series of a particular part that is brought up seeking an i=answer. Oh and photos help too, sometimes, maybe, sort of.............  PLEASE everyone, you do the work of telling us as much as you can, not have all of us think " ok here is another one we have to comments a dozen times about and ask questions to even start to thinking about helping.

I am not trying to bust chops here just get you focused.

This is nothing new, 45+ years ago I used to work full time  for Austin Clark in his library at his home ( that library is now at the Henry Ford for some decades and to haul it there from NY to Michigan took a tractor trailer) He used to get letters addressed to the Long Island Automotive Museum  that would say " tell me everything you have about "Chandler cars" ( or any other make fill in what you like) there was no mention about year, body style , model etc. ; those letters got filed away and not answered ( the filing place was the closest waste basket available)

Thanks Walt, well said. And...wouldn't it be nice to hear back from the OP? Even if only a "thanks."

Terry

[Walt G]

Thanks Terry, I am not trying to be cranky about this or "in your face" at all. But there are a few of us who have the resources immediately at hand to help out and would like to. It took decades ( me 55 years +) to acquire and know what we have, we want to share, that takes time ( can take hours/days) but the enthusiasm to do so is on the wain. We who have to look this up do not press a button- it is original research , no instant answer, no button to press on the cover of a 90+ year old publication , program, catalog etc.

As my other interest field - local and state history - has been mentioned by their organization constantly over the years " you are a local historian, not a personal historian" that holds true here. If you don't make the effort - think about what you can provide to get the answer you seek then do not expect those of us who have that answer to even look at your request.  As Terry notes too - be polite, say thanks. not just to us , but to AACA as well who is responsible for hosting all of us with the material you see here.

WEG

[63RedBrier]

MoneyPit!  Thanks!  I never knew that forum was there!  Maybe the Moderators can unbury it as a sub forum under Photo(s?) & Videos and make it a Main Forum.  Look at how many "what is it's" are on the first two pages of the General Discussion Forum right now.

[63RedBrier]

I count EIGHT people looking for help identifying a part on the first two pages.

[plymouthcranbrook]

54 minutes ago, Walt G said:

Thanks Terry, I am not trying to be cranky about this or "in your face" at all. But there are a few of us who have the resources immediately at hand to help out and would like to. It took decades ( me 55 years +) to acquire and know what we have, we want to share, that takes time ( can take hours/days) but the enthusiasm to do so is on the wain. We who have to look this up do not press a button- it is original research , no instant answer, no button to press on the cover of a 90+ year old publication , program, catalog etc.

As my other interest field - local and state history - has been mentioned by their organization constantly over the years " you are a local historian, not a personal historian" that holds true here. If you don't make the effort - think about what you can provide to get the answer you seek then do not expect those of us who have that answer to even look at your request.  As Terry notes too - be polite, say thanks. not just to us , but to AACA as well who is responsible for hosting all of us with the material you see here.

WEG

Unshared knowledge has no value to the world. Especially in a forum like this.  Thanks to everyone who has helped me when I needed help. 

[Peter Gariepy]

Better?

 

[Bhigdog]

Oh yeah! Yet another category/sub category/heading/topic to wade through. Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket.............NOT............Bob

[Mark Wetherbee]

4 minutes ago, Peter Gariepy said:

Better?

 

I think it’s better, it really didn’t fit in the photos section and hopefully will get more use as a standalone…

 

A long time ago the moderators did a juggling thing moving posts around but I am sure it was a huge hassle for them, now we have far more people on this forum and it would be impossible to do that sort of thing…

 

[Terry Bond]

Thanks Peter - that's much easier to find and in a prominent location too.

Terry

[Terry Bond]

24 minutes ago, Bhigdog said:

Oh yeah! Yet another category/sub category/heading/topic to wade through. Yeah, yeah, that's the ticket.............NOT............Bob

Just moved so you can find it easier.  Sometimes a change is good.

Terry

[JV Puleo]

Walt makes some very good points but I'd like to add another aspect to this, one that came up in my other interest, 18th century arms.

Very often the person asking the question just wants a value - either so he can buy it or, more often, so he can immediately list it on ebay. Generally I have no problem helping people but I do resent the notion that those of us who have spent years accumulating knowledge are somehow obliged to supply that knowledge, free of charge, to people who are just looking to flip something. They can, of course, ask any price they want but as a person of limited means I am not enthusiastic about helping a flipper when the only advantage I have over them is that I probably know what I'm looking at...

 

I have a rule for this sort of situation. If the answer is readily available in a book that is currently in print let them buy the book like I did. If the answer is in some obscure location — usually a source that isn't on the internet (and most aren't) or long out of print I will usually answer the question but refuse to assign a value. If, as we often are, called upon to help an heir dispose of their husband's, father's, uncles or cousins estate I have no problem with assigning values. It's always a judgement call but generally the folks here are quite realistic about values...something that is usually missing when the person is basing their assessment on idiotic TV shows or fanciful ebay asking prices.

 

[Joe in Canada]

Idea! These one time members that only ask what is it makes me wonder how many are E bay sellers / resellers. Charge a nominal fee for the library if their first posting is a what is it or value question. 

[TexRiv_63]

Peter, I love it. Thank you.

[1912Staver]

1 hour ago, JV Puleo said:

Walt makes some very good points but I'd like to add another aspect to this, one that came up in my other interest, 18th century arms.

Very often the person asking the question just wants a value - either so he can buy it or, more often, so he can immediately list it on ebay. Generally I have no problem helping people but I do resent the notion that those of us who have spent years accumulating knowledge are somehow obliged to supply that knowledge, free of charge, to people who are just looking to flip something. They can, of course, ask any price they want but as a person of limited means I am not enthusiastic about helping a flipper when the only advantage I have over them is that I probably know what I'm looking at...

 

I have a rule for this sort of situation. If the answer is readily available in a book that is currently in print let them buy the book like I did. If the answer is in some obscure location — usually a source that isn't on the internet (and most aren't) or long out of print I will usually answer the question but refuse to assign a value. If, as we often are, called upon to help an heir dispose of their husband's, father's, uncles or cousins estate I have no problem with assigning values. It's always a judgement call but generally the folks here are quite realistic about values...something that is usually missing when the person is basing their assessment on idiotic TV shows or fanciful ebay asking prices.

 

 

I agree to a point. But sometimes I have become aware of something I want to buy through just such an inquiry.  If they list the item on ebay at a " looking for a fool " price then yes a total waste of time.  But if it gets a rare item into the right hands then why not ? The person with the knowledge might not bennefit directly, but the hobby or area of specialist collecting as a whole might. Otherwise as rare and obscure items are passed down to people with no idea of what they are the danger they will just end up tossed in the trash increases. Too much of that happening already.

[keiser31]

Thank you for keeping it simple, Peter!

[1937hd45]

What is it? A question without dimensions or photographs, clueless as to what make it came from, but they list the part number, those are the real wonders. 

[alsancle]

I see a lot of parts that need to go in a dumpster.

[Walt G]

43 minutes ago, alsancle said:

I see a lot of parts that need to go in a dumpster.

A.J. I totally agree - BUT we don't need measurements, photos, and detailed information about the dumpster. 🤨

[63RedBrier]

 Not the dumpster, AJ!  Scrap yard!  I took a pretty good size load of shreader steel, lots of aluminum, and a couple of buckets full of old plumbing fixtures (copper & brass) last week and came home with $465!

[1937hd45]

3 hours ago, Walt G said:

A.J. I totally agree - BUT we don't need measurements, photos, and detailed information about the dumpster. 🤨

I had picking rights on a 4 foot tall 20 long roll off dumpster years ago, real money maker. The working 1930's dynamo flash light that still worked was the most amazing piece. 

Edited December 22, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Larry Schramm]

On 12/22/2021 at 9:25 AM, 63RedBrier said:

 Not the dumpster, AJ!  Scrap yard!  I took a pretty good size load of shreader steel, lots of aluminum, and a couple of buckets full of old plumbing fixtures (copper & brass) last week and came home with $465!

 

I did that a couple of months ago and came home with $250.

[Terry Bond]

1 hour ago, Larry Schramm said:

 

I did that a couple of months ago and came home with $250.

HERSHEY FUNDS!

 

[wayne sheldon]

I do think that having the "What is it?" under its own sub-heading is better than the sub-sub-heading where it was. 

However, my usual bad timing, I was doing my end of the day wind down and nightly checking the era photos and including the "What is it?" And it disappeared. It had been a long difficult day, so it took a minute to convince myself that I had not just gone crazy. I then told myself that whatever was new, could just wait till the next night, shut down my computer and turned in.

 

Peter G and Steve M and all the rest and the AACA as a whole that make this forum possible? THANK YOU! 

Have a Merry Christmas and make this a wonderful New Year ahead for yourselves and all!