The Ford Barn - View Single Post

raceron1120 · 01-11-2014, 07:18 PM

Brighton (MI) Ford is affiliated with the NAPA store, not sure how though. I worked as counterman and Parts Manager at several dealerships over the years. Everything from cars to line-haul heavy truck parts. When in heavy truck Ford had partnerships with the suppliers (Rockwell, Eaton, Fuller, New Holland, etc.); orders went thru Supplier Direct Ship - the stuff came in vendor packaging but invoices from Ford. And the Ford district parts rep would come in to the department and sometimes comment on the non-Ford car parts. I pretty-much told him if Ford could provide like-items at competitive pricing I would certainly stock it. Not much was said after that.

Another short story, I worked at a small dealership in northern Michigan in the 70s; often the former parts guy (he was in his 70s or 80s at the time) would stop by to BS, he'd tell about how parts came in via train and they'd park a train-car behind the shop on a siding to unload. He said in the 30s, they could nearly build an entire vehicle out of the parts department if necessary. That old dealership building still had a stash of obsolete parts tucked away in the rafters upstairs. Most of it ended up in the dumpster when they moved to another building. I cringe to think what stuff was up there that ended up in the landfill.

But I loved listening to Ernie's stories about 'the good old days'.

01-11-2014, 07:18 PM	#9
raceron1120 Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ellsworth Michigan Posts: 1,807	Re: Old Parts Department photo Brighton (MI) Ford is affiliated with the NAPA store, not sure how though. I worked as counterman and Parts Manager at several dealerships over the years. Everything from cars to line-haul heavy truck parts. When in heavy truck Ford had partnerships with the suppliers (Rockwell, Eaton, Fuller, New Holland, etc.); orders went thru Supplier Direct Ship - the stuff came in vendor packaging but invoices from Ford. And the Ford district parts rep would come in to the department and sometimes comment on the non-Ford car parts. I pretty-much told him if Ford could provide like-items at competitive pricing I would certainly stock it. Not much was said after that. Another short story, I worked at a small dealership in northern Michigan in the 70s; often the former parts guy (he was in his 70s or 80s at the time) would stop by to BS, he'd tell about how parts came in via train and they'd park a train-car behind the shop on a siding to unload. He said in the 30s, they could nearly build an entire vehicle out of the parts department if necessary. That old dealership building still had a stash of obsolete parts tucked away in the rafters upstairs. Most of it ended up in the dumpster when they moved to another building. I cringe to think what stuff was up there that ended up in the landfill. But I loved listening to Ernie's stories about 'the good old days'.