Going through my "receipt" book tonight for my '72 Supreme, and I thought I'd throw this out there for the gang to ponder.

How many of you remember the very first part you bought for your car?

For me, it was this...

And there's a story behind this...
When I bought the car, the passenger side drip rail trim was MIA. The seller suggested I purchase a set aftermarket, but after doing some research, my conclusion was OEM was the only way to go. So, I hopped on eBay and did a search. Lo and behold, there was a set in the same city where I bought my car!
So I laid down the C-note the seller was asking, as well as the 14 bones for shipping. The next day, he reached out to me and said that if I go pick it up (15 mile drive), he would refund my shipping. I counteroffered, and said if he brings it to me, he can keep the 14 bucks. He brought it to me the next day!😀

 

Edelbrock O4B 1978

 

Which car? The first one, that was more than a half a century ago, probably a tire for a model AA truck but could have been something else for the same rig....Tedd

 

For the 442, I bought a quadrajet to play with. Still in pieces somewhere, from a late 70s buick.

 

I bought a full set of 70 442 and W-30 emblems when I was 16 from Empire Oldsmobile in Denver. I have the receipts somewhere.

 

The first part that I bought from the local dealership was a pair of grilles for my 1970 Supreme back in 1982.

Prior to that was everything for an engine rebuild, plus lots of repair stuff from auto parts stores.

 

1977 Hooker Headers,

 

Fan clutch ,to replace the one that failed on the way home from buying the car in August 1977. 1971 Cutlass convertible I still have. ( This car has never left me stranded!)

 

My first car in 1975 was wheel bearings/races and a complete tune up package of points, condenser, cap, rotor, wires, spark plugs, oil and filter. Funny thing, this current car I bought the same things plus brake shoes and front wheel cylinders. My dad taught me that when you first buy a used car to go through all the safety items and tune it up before you put it into service. Its a habit I've followed for 45+ years.

 

First car (not oldsmobile) Oil filter and oil, (service parts) first part for it A swap meet g.m. service manual

First Oldsmobile , junkyard th350 and parts store front and rear seals, pan gasket and fluid.
Car 50.00, Transmission 75.00 parts 30 ish.

The Olds I have now Sport bullet mirrors

 

1979-1980, bought a set of Hedman headers from Don’s Speed Shop in Newington, CT for a 70 Supreme w/ 350. Still can’t believe they fit with that offset driveline and all. Bought a lot of stuff from Kenne-Bell & Joe Mondello through mail order back in those days which wasn’t the streamlined process that has come about through evolution. I remember being befuddled by the BBO differences - early vs late 400’s, bank angles, etc. The Chevies were easy, local speed parts suppliers had or could get everything, all you had to know was early or late BBC as the oil circuits changed slightly and bearings were different.

 

I remember walking up to a little parts store in downtown Dewitt Michigan for a piece of fuel line at about 16 years old..That was probably my first purchase at a parts store. I also remember about a year later buying a turn signal stalk for my 66 Cutlass at University Oldsmobile in Lansing. I remember thinking any part bought at a dealership would be really expensive, but seems like it was only $7.00 or so. Good memories!!

 

My first car was a 1929 Ford. I think the first stuff I bought was probably engine parts because it needed a timing gear. Also ordered lots of parts from J C Whitney.

 

Hooker Headers in 1976 for my '69 442 conv.

 

Grant GT Challenger steering wheel in 1992.

 

when i was 13 in 1975 i bought a 1970 opel gt that sat behind my dads shop for a couple years,don't really know if you would consider this a part but from sitting in the hot summer sun the steering wheel was sticky so i bought one of those cheesy steering wheel wraps that had the long string you wrap around at about a 1 inch gap.

 

First car 64 F-85 V6 Sports Coupe (225 odd fire) from my grandparents in 1984 ish. Deluxe had same hubcaps and similar chrome as Cutlass, vs. plainer base F-85. I’m sure the first parts were exhaust system that my dad and I installed as they always rusted in Northeast. Interesting story, my engine mount broke in 1987 ish and engine moved a lot as they weren’t the interlocking type. I’m surprised this car missed the big late 60’s GM engine mount recall as my German grandparents were sticklers about maintenance. I went to Napa and every parts store all over the place and they said not available, not even a listing in catalog. They tried to sell me 66 Cutlass mounts but that was an inline Chevy 6 used in those later years and doesn’t fit. I used a cable to keep engine from moving too much and drove for months that way. I even contemplated sending them out to those restorers that re vulcanize obsolete mounts for Duesenbergs and such. I finally went to Oldsmobile Dealer, really just to see if he knew any local junkyards or classic car guys that might have them. He looked up on computer and Bam, still available for $12 each – I just had to wait a week to be shipped in from Detroit. I was shocked as its now 23 years after car was made, but I guess there wasn’t enough demand for the aftermarket to ever supply the V6 mounts or Olds never allowed them to be made by the aftermarket. Only issue was the odd fire V6 vibrated a lot and since the new mounts were safety interlocking type, it transferred the vibration to car and it didn’t seem as quiet anymore.

 

Carburetor rebuild kit. For a non running 1966 Malibu 250 inline 6. And it worked. Back in the late 70's. I could sit on the fender with my legs in the engine compartment. Miss those days sometime.

 

I do remember my first parts purchase !! it was a front brake drum for a 65 Tempest, the place was D&S Auto Parts, Posen IL.
You see they also ran a small salvage yard so they sold new and used parts. The guys name who ran the place was Fran
he was large and intimidating always in a flannel shirt with a stogie hanging out of his mouth when you finally got a audience with him (and make no mistake he was King) he would bark at ya" whadda ya want kid !!" I responded "a brake drum sir" the "response YMM " King of parts talk for year make and model, "a 65 Tempest sir " then he would utter the words that every gear head and do it yourselfer for miles around knew , remembered and loved " new or junkyard , I got both for this " response "junk yard sir" music to the years of a 16 year old with a perpetually
empty wallet !!! LONG LIVE FRAN AND D&S AUTO PARTS at least in my memory !!!

 

JC Whitney/ Warshawsky Is the reason I went to 4-1/2 years (summer school) of high school. I spent more time ditching class and going to the J/C Whitney/Warshawsky warehouse in Chicago than I did in the classroom.

 

Also had a 65 Tempest. White with black interior. Rear tail lights, looked so cool to me.

 

mine was also white with a 215 cid 6 cyl auto, orig had red bench seat interior , Purchased a all black interior from a totaled out 65 GTO
I guess it was the start of a tribute car before anybody knew what they were!!!

 

GTO with his and her shifter with key lockout. Mine had the small V8 two door.

 

My first parts were for my first '68 Cutlass. They were tune-up parts; Cap, rotor, points, plugs, and condenser.

 

Just saw this post. I owned a white black top and interior 67 Le Mans. 326 four barrel. Loved that car. Had a guy that I worked with bug me every single day until I sold it to him. I had that car running so so good. First weekend he took it home. He decided that he could make it run better. Car caught on fire and burned to the ground. I was so pissed.

 

Gasket set, rings, timing gear, brake parts, and paint. I was 16 yrs old and my first car was a 1929 Ford coupe. Didn't run and wouldn't stop when pushed it off of the trailer. Good old days.