Sears, the history

[stall]

This is a complete history of Sears with some truly fasinating pictures. I enjoyed it and hope you guys will.
Murray

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-sears-company-history-timeline-htmlstory.html

[Buzzard]

Thank you Murray for a very interesting post. I find it sad but still most interesting as this seems to be the way of the future.
Bill

[64V-K7]

It's truly the wave of the future... short story follows

I had to replace my mufflers recently and soon after getting into the dismantling of the exhaust, I realized a resonator pipe was necessary. Went online to find it and one showed up for $235.00 (CARID) . Since I wanted to check my area, went to a Car Quest store close by and they looked and found for $275.00 in Kansas City. They suggested I go up to NAPA. So I went to NAPA and made my case... They found one in Laurel, MD, could have it by tomorrow. I asked the price....$335.00. Looking a bit dazed, I asked if he could do any better on the price and showed him the quote(s) I had. He looked at the papers, then looked at me and said "Nope"... I replied, I wasn't asking for the cut rate online price and it's better to make something than make nothing. He just shrugged his shoulders and repeated the "Nope".. So I walked out, drove home and ordered it online.

What are these people thinking? Can't they understand their jobs are on the line? What a dolt!!!

[jnormanh]

It's truly the wave of the future... short story follows

I had to replace my mufflers recently and soon after getting into the dismantling of the exhaust, I realized a resonator pipe was necessary. Went online to find it and one showed up for $235.00 (CARID) . Since I wanted to check my area, went to a Car Quest store close by and they looked and found for $275.00 in Kansas City. They suggested I go up to NAPA. So I went to NAPA and made my case... They found one in Laurel, MD, could have it by tomorrow. I asked the price....$335.00. Looking a bit dazed, I asked if he could do any better on the price and showed him the quote(s) I had. He looked at the papers, then looked at me and said "Nope"... I replied, I wasn't asking for the cut rate online price and it's better to make something than make nothing. He just shrugged his shoulders and repeated the "Nope".. So I walked out, drove home and ordered it online.

What are these people thinking? Can't they understand their jobs are on the line? What a dolt!!!

I'm not certain what a resonator pipe for your car looks like, but isn't it something a muffler shop could fab up easily?

[studegary]

I'm not certain what a resonator pipe for your car looks like, but isn't it something a muffler shop could fab up easily?

First you have to find a muffler shop. All of the ones that I knew of around here went out of business.

EDIT: The 18 year old car, that I purchased new, that I drove today, is still on its original exhaust system and it is not a high dollar car,

[64V-K7]

I'd show you but it say that I can't post attachments here ??!!


Here's the old Resonator pipe

http://www.studebaker-info.org/DSCN4733m.jpg

The new one did not have the heat shield or whatever that is and is not stainless steel, but will last long enough.


The mufflers, again not stainless, but aluminized steel

http://www.studebaker-info.org/DSCN4739m.jpg

[jnormanh]

First you have to find a muffler shop. All of the ones that I knew of around here went out of business.

EDIT: The 18 year old car, that I purchased new, that I drove today, is still on its original exhaust system and it is not a high dollar car,

Our daily drivers are a 1996 and a 2004, Both have the original exhaust systems. Plain steel.

I assume you are old enough to remember when mild steel exhaust systems rusted out in a few years, but they no longer do so. The reason: unleaded gasoline. No lead = no acidic exhaust fumes. And no piston rings worn out at 65K miles either. Or spark plugs burned up at 10K.

We live in a smallish town, population 45,000. There are still two muffler shops which will bend and fab up whatever you need. They're old and seedy, and have one employee each, but they are still holding on.

There were four fully equipped automotive machine shops, each with multiple employees, and they stayed busy rebuilding engines. There is now one, with a single old codger employee who works one or two days a week. Unleaded fuel killed that business too.

The good old days....weren't.

[Dick Steinkamp]

I'd show you but it say that I can't post attachments here ??!!

You can...they just can't be hosted by this site. If you have the picture(s) somewhere on the internet, paste the URL into the box when you click on the add picture icon

http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...ng-attachments