NAPA Store that closed

[Swear57]

This morning I got a phone call before 7am from a friend of mine who never is up before 9. This has to be an emergency for him to be calling me this early. He said most everything in the local NAPA store that closed 2 years ago is free for the taken. When my son and I got there & got the rest of the story. We started loading our pickups with what was left. Brake parts, ignition parts cap, rotors, wires, battery cables, hoses, belts, filters, starter parts & shelfing. I talked to the new owner to find out what he was going to do with the building. Office for his business & apartments upstairs. I asked about the Sunnen rod resizer, rod heater, valve grinder, brake lath, broach & many more tools he put a price on it so low I had a hard time getting my money out of my pocket. He said he just needs to get it gone. He gave me until Saturday to remove it all. Today was a good day. Has anyone else ran into a deal like this.

[37_Roadmaster_C]

If the mods do not like the funny I posted they can remove the WHOLE post!!!   Get a life

Edited September 23, 2022 by 37_Roadmaster_C
remove vulgarity (see edit history)

[edinmass]

I admit I would take the equipment and leave the parts……..with valuable real estate and possible haz-mat issues, giving away contents is better than paying someone to clean up a giant mess. Have you seen the cost of dumpsters lately? And the labor to move, inventory, ID, and resell most parts simply isn’t worth it, even if the stuff is free. Look at what you can by from Rock Auto on line for modern cars……..it’s insane. I bought factory Motocraft loaded struts for my Ford two months ago for thirty five bucks each……that’s strut plate, spring, and strut, assembled! The old girl is just a grocery runner. We ended up going through the entire car. Rides and drives like new.

Edited September 22, 2022 by edinmass (see edit history)

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Nice find, good to see a lot of basic stuff like ignition equipment is going to find its way to the right cars someday.

 

The stuff is still out there.  Indeoendent gas stations akways had back rooms and a lot of those buildings had crawlspaces and attics jammed with older stock.  This story sure beats the dumpster.  Congrats on your finds!

[Dandy Dave]

Good find. I'm with Ed on bringing home the shop tools first. Dandy Dave! 

[63RedBrier]

I wonder why the former NAPA store employees were not given first dibs?

[Captain Harley]

7 hours ago, Swear57 said:

Has anyone else ran into a deal like this.

Only in my dreams!  Good for you and make sure you sell the parts for a reasonable price to fellow car guys.

 

Capt. Harley😉

 

"Skirts are for Women not Car Fenders"

[John_S_in_Penna]

2 hours ago, 63RedBrier said:

I wonder why the former NAPA store employees were not given first dibs?

The new owner likely had no affiliation with NAPA

and wouldn't know who were the employees 2 years previous.

 

Yes, an excellent find!  

[60FlatTop]

3 hours ago, 63RedBrier said:

I wonder why the former NAPA store employees were not given first dibs?

The uplink to the main NAPA server may have been shut off and they didn't know what the stuff was.

 

Is a sudden burst of cynicism  usually followed by chuckles?

 

NAPA usually had a retired production worker or ex-cop at the counter. Advance Auto had the High School kids. No parts hoarders there.

 

Had to add this:

 

"So, John, what made you apply for our opening as a NAPA counter person?"

 

"I just retired from my production job at the local fertilizer plant and wanted to work with people."

 

"Say no more. Can you start tomorrow?"

Edited September 22, 2022 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

With real estate becoming more and more precious in some areas,  it might even be getting hard to find guys to take stuff for free, less they are scrappers as you have to have the room to store all the stuff. Think a typical guy with a 2 car garage gets a deal like this and then your garage is packed with stuff,  you very likely will never get around to selling,  and much will be newer stuff that has a strange market.  under 10 years old ,  might move fairly well if priced super cheap.  over 10 years but under say 40 and you have a really slow market.  That aftermarket 80's and 90's stuff , even OEM , was like a curse to me.  I have had brand new Buick Tail lights from the early 80's in the GM boxes on ebay for 10 years now at 9.99 and 19.99 and no one has bought them in mint condition. 

 

That being said,  glad you got the stuff and will help find it a new home.

 

I've had a few similar deals but on much smaller scale.  Usually a few boxes of stuff.  Once a pickup load and that was better as it was genuine GM stuff from the 40's -early 70's but had been very picked before I was give a chance. I had to take everything though and sweep the floor clean. 

 

One of the better deals I got, and more fun, but I had to pay for the stuff,  was a good sized Studebaker Dealership This was maybe 10 years ago.  They were taking the building through eminent domain and it was going to be demoed in 30 days.  The parts department was in the basement along with the shop. It was pretty big and they had everything still stocked on the shelves.  Door handles, Gauges,  some chrome accessories and emblems, etc.  The neat part was they even had shopping carts from some place so I went shopping and filled a few carts.  The weird part was the guy still was trying to figure value piece by piece,  so I held back on stuff I probably should have bought as I had no idea what prices would be until checkout.  I wish he would have just said,  X number of dollars and fill your truck.  That would have been alot easier.

 

Biggest mistake I made is there was several shelving sections of IH stuff as they took on the IH dealership after the Stude one ended, Lots of chrome and door handles,  gauges etc.  The way he talked he wasn't sure what to do with it and didn't think it had much value.  Being it was a good 3+ hour drive away each way,  I didn't go back or give it much thought until later as I was busy with the Stude stuff.  I made 2 trips out for that.  Though not filling the truck,  the owner also went to auctions and bought other dealership (non stude)  stock and just heaped it in the service side of the basement,  so I spent alot of time digging through that and the attic which also had stuff.   Again when buying it piece by piece,  it takes alto longer than by the truck load. 

 

[keiser31]

Years ago when I was about 17 we took our annual trip up to a summer cottage in Michigan that my Dad rented. Dad used to let us 5 kids and Mom sleep in while he went into Charlevoix to get coffee and a donut or two. One morning he came back and woke me up and said, "Let's go into town." We drove back to a little drug store with a coffee counter and met with a man who owned the old Chrysler dealership across the street. It was called Brown Motors. The man said the attic was full of parts and needed them to go away. We went across the street and went up into the attic of the old, brick building. We could not believe our eyes. There sat, in new old stock packaging, a TON of parts from the 1930's to the 1950's. Not much was said and my Dad and I started loading up the trunk of Dad's 1966 Chrysler 300 hardtop with new old stock parts. After all was said and done I asked the guy what he had to have for all of the parts. He handed me his coffee Thermos and said if you go across the street and fill this with coffee, the parts are yours! I think we paid about $1.37 for the trunk load of parts. I sold those parts for years and that was way before Ebay was around. I think this is the old building....

Edited September 22, 2022 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[1937hd45]

Saw a hand written Estate Sale sign on a Thursday on my way home just before turning onto my street. Got on my bicycle and peddled over to see where it was, about a half mile as the crow flies from my house on a short dead end street, one I never had any reason to ever drive down. Small ranch house, the yard looked like it had been neglected for  over a year, someone old had passed on and this would be everything that was left behind. Got there at 9:00 sharp, some small furniture pieces were on either side of the walkway to the front door. Picked up a French wall clock and asked the price, $10.00, that went in the back seat of the 1995 Chrysler Town Car that was my daily at the time. Next was an unusual book from France with some early auto photos, $5.00, in the TC next to the clock. I noticed some more books on my way to the front door where I was greeted by a woman that I guessed was the mother of the girl that sold me the yard items. I asked if there were any books in the house. She looked at me like I was out of my mind, and explained that a roll off dumpster would arrive within an hour. I offered her $100. for all the books in the house as I looked at a bookcase stuffed floor to celling to the left of the fireplace. Fast run to the ATM and back and I started loading. FILLED the Town Car with just enough room to drive. Half mile to my house and unload and back again. Got the trunk filled, and then the roll off backed in the drive. Livingroom was finally emptied, the lady then asked, "Are you going to take all the books in the other rooms too?"

       Some books sold very well and there are others still on my basement shelves, but the two full loads also came with the history of the former owner. Born in Des Moines Iowa, served in WWII, degree from Yale, Shakespearean actor, writer, piano teacher, spoke French and traveled to Europe. I even found a published genealogy study of his mothers side of the family, they arrived from Germany in 1740. He was mentioned on the second to the last page. Never married, passed in his mid 90's, outlived everyone, they never give him an obituary in the local paper. He lived a half mile away from me, never knew he existed, but he has made my life better. All the stuff we find has a story, you just need to listen to it. Bob 

Edited September 23, 2022 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[3macboys]

https://goo.gl/maps/3tunQjjdvyxqBUYw8

 

About 4 years ago bought out the inventory of this building that was an original Ford dealer in a small town.  New owner of the building needed it cleaned out for his business and knew nothing of car parts and service manuals.  Most of the inventory is gone, sold one piece at a time and for those who say 80's and 90's parts don't have much value price out a 5.0 Mustang turn signal lever and try to find one!  Still have an NOS Model A axle shaft in it's original wrapping as a show piece.  

[auburnseeker]

Yeah Mustang parts and some pickup parts sell,  The rest is slow if not able to move at all.  Tbird has some value as well,  but don't expect to get rich off it.   What you will often get is big truck parts and family sedan / escort stuff.  Ford stuff is usually especially picked as the numbering sequence makes it very easy to find the Mustang and Tbird parts without any books.  

[TAKerry]

My next door neighbor died unexpectedly a few years ago. He was a Pontiac guy with a large garage full of parts and a few cars. I knew his wife but not very well at the time. Overtime I would check if she needed anything, clear the snow from the drive etc. and we became friends. When she decided to move she asked me if I wanted anything from his shop/garage before the auctioneer/junk man came to clean it out. Of course I obliged knowing he had lots of Pontiac engine parts including super duty stuff! When I got there the place looked like it had been ransacked. Quite a few of his friends made it there before me. 

[8E45E]

16 hours ago, 3macboys said:

Most of the inventory is gone, sold one piece at a time and for those who say 80's and 90's parts don't have much value price out a 5.0 Mustang turn signal lever and try to find one!  

1980's and '90's cars are rightfully getting more and more popular; especially Fox-body Mustangs with the desirable equipment, including that 5.0 liter H.O. engine.   

 

Craig 

[TAKerry]

36 minutes ago, Bills Auto Works said:

Funny, Years ago I would have jumped at the chance to buy out these kind of places but now I am older with more money &  it just doesn't  interest me any more. I have an upstairs parts area that has so much crap. From time to time when I transport a vehicle from an estate, I am asked if I know anybody who would be interested in buying a few boxes of parts/junk from the family/ kids of a car guy. They generally could care less about the vehicle I am picking up or their Fathers legacy in our hobby, which saddens me terribly! I generally have more money than common sense, so I give them a few hundred dollars & leave with the boxes full of parts. Now I have a bunch of stuff that I do not want to burden my wife with (even though I have no health issues) So it sits & am not planning on going anywhere anytime soon!  I just don't have the time to put stuff up for sale or get it ready for shipping even if I do sell it

 

God Bless

Bill

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/nationwide-single-car-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

Sounds like you need to make that trip to Hershey sooner than later, LOL.

[3macboys]

1 hour ago, Bills Auto Works said:

Funny, Years ago I would have jumped at the chance to buy out these kind of places but now I am older with more money &  it just doesn't  interest me any more. I have an upstairs parts area that has so much crap. From time to time when I transport a vehicle from an estate, I am asked if I know anybody who would be interested in buying a few boxes of parts/junk from the family/ kids of a car guy. They generally could care less about the vehicle I am picking up or their Fathers legacy in our hobby, which saddens me terribly! I generally have more money than common sense, so I give them a few hundred dollars & leave with the boxes full of parts. Now I have a bunch of stuff that I do not want to burden my wife with (even though I have no health issues) So it sits & am not planning on going anywhere anytime soon!  I just don't have the time to put stuff up for sale or get it ready for shipping even if I do sell it

 

God Bless

Bill

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/nationwide-single-car-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

Just consider it a retirement project - I knew that I was going to be retiring young (51) and began to stock pile parts and manuals for about 3 years before retirement.  Now it pays for the shop and more for the cars.   Definitely not a get rich project but if not for the few gathering up this stuff where do you suppose the rest of you would find your parts? 

[Paul Dobbin]

About 15-18 years ago I was asked to help clean out a car collectors garage after he died.   At first I had to deal with the greedy son who was selling the cars.

He had a 1903 Ford in parts and a 1905 Queen, complete.  I was interested in a #3 1934 Ford V8 Cabriolet.  the son turned down my $35,000 offer and later sold it to his friend for $30,000.   After the cars wer gone, they said clean out the garage.   I got a bunch if 1920;s in 30;s feneder and splaxh aprons with no way to identify them.

I posted oictures on this Forum and found a guy out west who thought one was a Studebaker front fender, which I sold ans shipped,  wasn't aStufebaker.   I got a nice vice and a full cand of Kendall 2000 mile oil.     I used a front and rear fender and splaxh apron to make a garage was art piece.   Still have the rest, but it was fun at the time.   

One time i went to a old auto parts store that was closing and found it nearly empty.  Looked in the upper loft and found most of the shelving was made from new Exide battery signs placed face down and a box 12 NOS 6 Volt battery flange signs.   I kept a couple for my barn and gave the rest away to car club friends.   One of the flange signs came back to me when a friend was dying of cancer.   I got $220 for him for that sign in ebay.   Bought the parts house guy a 1.75 Ltr bottle of booze in the brand of his cholice

[60FlatTop]

16 hours ago, Bills Auto Works said:

I am older with more money &  it just doesn't  interest me any more

"One man's trash is." to paraphrase my attitude today. I used to have two rental buildings full of items but the cost of selling has reached a point where I could pull in the same money working part time pumping gas one day a week if I needed.

 

Maybe what helped turn me off was the people coming to my garage imitating their favorite TV personality. There are comical. They use the same phrases, same gestures (or is that jesters). I have noticed that I work with the door closed more often and don't list anywhere near the amount of stuff for sale.

Edited September 24, 2022 by 60FlatTop (see edit history)

[LI_BENTLEY]

An independent parts store went out of business a short walk from work. I emptied the dumpster every night after work. Some one  took all the brake lining and brought it beck when he found out it was asbestos I took it to that great recycling center at Hershey, still have some.

[Paul Dobbin]

9 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

"One man's trash is." to paraphrase my attitude today. I used to have two rental buildings full of items but the cost of selling has reached a point where I could pull in the same money working part time pumping gas one day a week if I needed.

 

Maybe what helped turn me off was the people coming to my garage imitating their favorite TV personality. There are comical. They use the same phrases, same gestures (or is that jesters). I have noticed that I work with the door closed more often and don't list anywhere near the amount of stuff for sale.

            I can see your feeling s and can agree.   I hinlk it's because we love our junk and want to keep it    Unless somebody will over pay to               get it.    However I know a lot of it is just decoration and will probably be given aay when we're gone, just to get rid of it. 

           I;m afraid its a age thing  .

[60FlatTop]

Old men gravitate to two motivations:

 

If they will overpay I will sell.

 

If I can steal it I will buy it.

 

I learned that when I was fairly young and it was an example set that keeps me feeling young today.

[pkhammer]

On 9/23/2022 at 8:17 PM, Bills Auto Works said:

Funny, Years ago I would have jumped at the chance to buy out these kind of places but now I am older with more money &  it just doesn't  interest me any more. I have an upstairs parts area that has so much crap. From time to time when I transport a vehicle from an estate, I am asked if I know anybody who would be interested in buying a few boxes of parts/junk from the family/ kids of a car guy. They generally could care less about the vehicle I am picking up or their Fathers legacy in our hobby, which saddens me terribly! I generally have more money than common sense, so I give them a few hundred dollars & leave with the boxes full of parts. Now I have a bunch of stuff that I do not want to burden my wife with (even though I have no health issues) So it sits & am not planning on going anywhere anytime soon!  I just don't have the time to put stuff up for sale or get it ready for shipping even if I do sell it

 

God Bless

Bill

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/nationwide-single-car-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

  Put an ad here on the forum and sell it as a lot. There are those of us that buy parts lots from estates of the deceased or elderly collectors that don't want to burden their families. They typically have no interest in selling individual pieces and can't or won't take the time to set up at places like Hershey. Heirs many times have no clue what to do with the stuff and just want it gone. A guy like me puts a lot of work (and expense) in selling off these collections but if a little money can be made to help support our hobby that's great. Mostly I like to see parts get into the hands of people that need them and I love making new friends. If it weren't for guys like me there would be few vendors at events like Hershey and a lot of these items would end up in a dumpster somewhere.

[Pete O]

A NAPA store closed where I used to live and the owner was giving away much of the inventory too.  Must be a thing.   Anyway, a friend of mine picked up two  30 lbs tanks of R22 refrigerant from the owner.  That stuff is like gold!  Between the two tanks it's got to be worth maybe $3,000 in today's market.  Either the owner didn't know what the R22 was worth, or he was just dumping everything.

[60FlatTop]

My personal experience has been that those estate cars or hoards of parts have become more frequently represented by what I call "widow protectors". The last couple were quite vocal and smelled like alcohol. The last one was representing a Packa Baker in the hills of western New York. He followed me around the car one time and I left. I thanked the lady and told her she needed to scrape him off her shoe.