Trying to get points, cap, etc. but......

So trying to get points, cap, rotor, etc at NAPA today and he asks me if I have an IG? whatever or I?? whatever distributor. Told him I have no idea but it is a factory 58 CJ5. He said it makes a difference and should be market on the distributor. How do I tell, and where under almost 60 years of crap do I find whatever markings he is talking about?

I was shocked to find general fix up of points, condenser, rotor, cap, plugs, wires, coil, upper and lower hoses, thermostate with gasket (no antifreeze), fan belt, oil filter (no oil) was over $600. What the heck? Did not get and will have to look around. Was wanting to just start with all new but rethinking that now. Going to look at each part first.

 

If you have found a counter guy who knows to ask which distributor you have on your motor, you are indeed lucky.

 

There may be an ID plate on the outside of the distributor. Possibly it will be on the "wrong" side, but can be read with a small mirror, if cleaned up.

Another way is to take in some of the parts and simply compare them to the parts book at the counter, or the actual new parts.
Helps a lot to develop a good relationship with a cooperative old-school counter guy who can do more than just read a computer screen.

I'm really surprised that you found the prices so high.

Ebay can be both a useful research tool, and a source for NOS or replacement parts at low prices. Also the catalogs and websites of the several specialist Jeep suppliers are full of good info.

 

35 years ago (or longer) the Jeep dealer would have asked you the same questions.
Jeeps aren't Nissans....
Try owning a Scout.
Either know what you have or take your samples with you.

 

600 bucks is an out of the ball park figure. Completely unreasonable. Go to rockauto.com then take their part numbers and punch then into google, ebay, and amazon. Find the cheapest and go from there. I never go to any local parts suppliers anyone unless its an emergency. I get better prices and service from my computer.

 

The problem with this is when you do have an emergency, you may no longer find your friendly local parts man anymore.
My two cents...find a GOOD parts guy, not a $10 an hour flunkie at the local OreillyAdvanceZone, and give him your business...even if it costs a little more.

 

yup, do that if its available. Its not here. There was a place not too far from me that would pull real books like it was an everyday thing. They were expensive, about twice the cost on amazon or similar for the same exact part, manufacturer, country of origin etc, and I almost always had to order it anyway, but they are out of business. Only thing left is a couple NAPA's and autobone. Not my fault they went out of business. I try real hard to use local guys, but price, availability, attitude and convenience play a big role in where my money goes.

 

Amen to that.
"A what?"

 

A scout is what you take Dana 44 axles out of. Have never found anyone that will pay more then scrap value for Binder parts.

 

Wheels , too. Don't forget the wheels.

 

That's why they're so fun to build. Cheap!!

Scout II frames were pretty awesome too, if you can find a clean one.

Sorry for the derailment.

 

i agree whole heartedly. no substitute for a good parts man or if you go where i do a woman

 

like this?

 

Speaking as somebody who is actually working in parts, at one of the OreillyAdvanceZones, the reason you're not seeing Good parts guys anymore, for the most part, is because the parts stores don't pay. Most of them are making the same $10 the kid at OreillyAdvanceZones are, and it's hard to pay the bills on that kind of salary. When I started out in this business (spent the better part of 20 years in Heavy/Mining Equipment, starting as parts flunky, and graduating to Parts, Service, and Store Manager positions), I had my first Store Manager tell me "There isn't a parts guy in the world that's worth more than $12 an hour." And it's a prevailing attitude from Upper Management in most sectors.

"Anybody can look stuff up on a computer, why would we pay for experience?"

It's crap, but it's how they think.

And you're just going to see it get worse, based on what I've been seeing over the course of my career.

 

The distributor on my 58 CJ5 has a metal tag, engraved with the model number, which is located on the bottom side (6:00 position). You may have to clean off some grime to see it and read it.

 

I've been selling parts since 1988...11 years at a local speed shop, 15 years as a Ford dealership counterman, and the last two years at a Mack truck dealership. I couldn't agree more with you...Ford paid me pretty well, but I once had the general manager of that store tell me (when he cut my pay by a buck an hour) "any trained monkey can do your job"
I now work for a company that pays well and genuinely cares about their employees, and I'm much happier.

To the OP....sorry about the thread hijack, but this is an issue that I feel pretty strongly about.
Oh, and $600 for a bunch of tune up parts? No f***ing way!

 

I went back and added up myself and came to under $200. The guy must have had some stuff loaded from another quote. But to even think that over $600 was in line, he should have known something was amiss and checked. He also quoted $13.xx for filter and when was only one in town I decided to get one just to get oil changed and other guy there rang it up as $7.xx. Very strange but not installing confidence.