Finding it's only half the battle...

[1project2many]

From time to time people will call me and ask if I want some old parts they have hanging around. I usually can't say "No!" even though I know I'm headed for trouble. See, I love to find and identify old stuff. Sometimes it's fairly easy and sometimes, well, I end up with yet another item to put into the mystery box or to stash on a shelf.

My grandfather passed away in November, six months shy of his 100th birthday. Last weekend I spent a little time cleaning out part of a corner of his garage. No one else wanted to get in there because it looked like a mess but I had an idea it would be more fun than work. Grampa had a trucking company for many years and I knew the work bench and a bunch of his old parts were in there. I had about 5 hrs available so I made the most of what I could. Among the interesting items:

REO Truck brochures, owners manuals, warranty documentation, maintenance schedules. Reconditioned honeycomb radiator believed to be from a Reo that must weight 70 lbs. (Grampa had a Diamond Reo at one time).

Vintage warning devices used in breakdowns. There are three boxes of reflectors, I'm guessing mid '70s to '80s vintage, red fold out with original red flags. There are also two boxes and two racks of older kerosene warning devices. These are little metal pots with a wick that you set out and light. Maybe late '60s vintage? I remember seeing these on the road at night as a kid.

A plastic handheld vacuum cleaner that connects to engine vacuum for cleaning the car / truck. Original box and instructions intact.

Old technology paint and body supplies. Phosphoric acid "paint and metal etch," "filler primer" so thick you were supposed to dole it out with a spoon and press it into the low areas with your thumb, and clear "bonding agent" which was a solvent so agressive it would probably lift any paint it spilled on. That stuff's headed for the hazardous waste disposal center.

Original GM Top Engine Cleaner in a sealed can. "Can't hardly get that no more." That came home with me.

Old tin one gallon maple syrup can with "white gas" written on the side in marker. Yep, it had some white gas inside. Yep, it's still good! You'd better believe the old timers when they say gas today is garbage. I brought that home, too.

Original GM headlight bucket appears to be for '50s truck. Has headlight and wiring harness installed. Also found a pair of original T3 bulbs in good shape.

Piles of six cylinder distributors. Grampa felt a six cylinder manual trans was always more economical than an eight with any trans and he tended to carry spare distributors with him in the trucks.

AIR tubes for a GM six cylinder engine with emissions controls painted OEM orange. The sixes only came with AIR tubes for a few years.

Fuel pumps, voltage regulators, and carburetors yet to be identified. Some new in boxes.

Original GM replacement tie rod ends in yellow and black GM boxes, yet to be identified.

Vintage manual tire changer with air powered bead breaker and three boxes of accompanying tools. That should save me some $$ over the years.

Grampa was really good about saving documentation and manuals, and the garage stayed dry so many of the things I've found are in good shape and fairly easy to identify. I've still got boxes of stuff to go through as I find time and it may keep me busy for years.

I doubt I'll have a chance to get back down there before my father and his siblings finish the cleanup and disposal process but at least I had a chance to look around and save some cool stuff. It's neat to find this but it's even neater to think I might set aside a few items to give to my son if his interest in cars extends to working on them as he gets older. Come to think of it, I'd better save a few car things for my daughter, too. Just in case.

Anyone else here have a tendency to get into trouble like this? Or am I headed for an episode of "Hoarders?"

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

Anyone else here have a tendency to get into trouble like this? Or am I headed for an episode of "Hoarders?"

Yup, I'm the same way. I save anything made of metal.
I think I have a good excuse though (or at least it's what I tell my wife.) I live way out in the country and it's a half hour drive to get to any kind of parts/hardware store.
If that old etching primer is still good, you might want to save it. You can't buy that stuff anymore and IMHO it works a lot better than today's etching primer.