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  • Behind the times

    It's not been easy, rounding up the necessary parts to convert this wagon to factory electric windows[xx(]. Frankly, had I known what the switch was gonna be like, I'd have opted for some aftermarket power window kits and been done with it. But I already HAD a PW setup for a 4dr sedan and I felt certain that they'd work in a 4dr wagon of the same era. WRONG!

    I'm now down to ONE little piece that I feel confident I can fudge if need be. I had one vendor sell me this last piece only to have it be the WRONG one when it showed up yesterday.[8]

    But today I looked over the door glasses and while they're at least serviceable, one of them's cracked at one lower corner and chipped along it's front edge. Since I was gonna go into town anyway, I decided to see what these flat, square pieces would cost to have cut new. Yikes! FIFTY bucks apiece! That was at the cheap place. The premium place wanted $83+ for ONE window. I'm sorry - that's too much for a piece of flat glass that costs them a couple of bucks. These windows are roughly 16" X 15". I mean... how expensive can this stuff be?[:0]

    <Sigh> I'm gonna take this piece with me to Fresno later in the week. Fresno usually has more competitive prices than this little one-horse place (population 110K and surging upward!). After all, the one place quoted me 48 bucks for a stick of the flexible window run and I managed to get it thru a friend who works for a glass distributorship for $27.



    Miscreant at large.

    1957 Transtar 1/2ton
    1960 Larkvertible V8
    1958 Provincial wagon
    1953 Commander coupe
    1957 President 2-dr
    1955 President State
    1951 Champion Biz cpe
    1963 Daytona project FS

  • #2
    dang. 110k n going up is a one horse town?
    we got a pop . of 3500 n growing. guess we a one rabbit town lol

    Comment


    • #3
      Yea,in all of Nova Scotia the only place with that large a population is the Halifax/Dartmouth area,or HRM,as in Halifax Regioal Municipality (population 600k).

      Comment


      • #4
        Mr Biggs....a friend tells me that autoglass is one of the true ripoffs of our modern
        times......if only we could cut our own!

        Comment


        • #5
          stephen, I've watched the stuff being cut. I KNOW I could do it! It's having the appropriate sanders to finish the edges that would make it tough - that, and, of course, procuring the raw glass sheet to work from.
          Anyway, if you think there isn't vast latitude to the work, I called around this morning, to shops in the Fresno area. Some didn't know what a Studebaker was and some were sure they could cut my 16X15 inch piece for $165 bucks! No one quoted less than $50 bucks for one glass.
          I finally found one fella who said
          "Sure, I can cut that for ya!"

          I took a deep breath and asked just what amount it might demand
          to do such a project. He shot right back:

          "OH! I can't see where that would cost more than $30 bucks. .... Is
          it tinted?"
          "Yeah, it is"
          "Yup, $30 bucks should do it!"
          "Cool! Say, what's your name?"
          "Tom. Tom Chandler."
          "Well tom, most the car nuts in the area that know me call me
          StudeBob."
          "StudeBob!?? Say, didn't you sell my brother a 1&1/2ton
          Studebaker truck awhile back? Yeah! That was you, StudeBob. Do
          you remember me helping my brother to load the thing on his
          trailer?"
          "You mean that trailer that was so small that we had to chock the
          truck with the front wheels hanging off the front edge of the
          trailer bed while the rear tires were hanging off the rear edge?
          How COULD I forget???"[:0]
          Tom (laughing)"Heh-heh... yeah that trailer. But we did make it
          home OK! <snip> Bob, bring that glass up here on Saturday and
          I'll be happy to cut it myself for ya."

          So, it pays to shop around a bit. $60 bucks and I'll have TWO fresh, tinted window panes for the wagon. The MINIMUM $40 bucks I'll save will buy a whole tank of gas for the Transtar!

          Miscreant at large.

          1957 Transtar 1/2ton
          1960 Larkvertible V8
          1958 Provincial wagon
          1953 Commander coupe
          1957 President 2-dr
          1955 President State
          1951 Champion Biz cpe
          1963 Daytona project FS
          No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

          Comment


          • #6
            Gee Biggs. how lucky can ya get? Do you get down to vegas a lot n gamble? If so i wanna go with ya n bet the same as you
            . lol
            Reminds me of that song: "Some guys have all tha luck."

            Comment


            • #7
              He not only has 'all the luck', but he's got a couple of cool (in the making) rides!

              [8D]

              StudeDave
              San Diego, Ca


              '54 Commander 4dr
              '57 Parkview (it's a 2dr wagon...)
              '57 Commander 2dr
              '57 Champion 2dr
              '65 Cruiser
              StudeDave '57
              US Navy (retired)

              3rd Generation Stude owner/driver
              SDC Member since 1985

              past President
              Whatcom County Chapter SDC
              San Diego Chapter SDC

              past Vice President
              San Diego Chapter SDC
              North Florida Chapter SDC

              Comment


              • #8
                Hey, Miscreant

                Here In Newton Grove, NC we recently went big time and got a new AutoZone store. I was glad not to have to drive to Dunn (18 miles) to get to the next nearest AutoZone.

                However, I got the really small town (population, 610) treatment when I needed a part. The clerk quoted me $29.95 for the part in question. I told him I could buy the same part in Dunn at AutoZone for $23.95. His reply? Oh, you want the Dunn price? Okay, I'll sell it to you for $23.95.

                Pays to know prices and ask!

                Regards,
                Bob (stude53)

                Comment


                • #9
                  I agree, Bob. And it don't take a small town situation to get you price leverage. I've said - more than once - that I could get something done or bought cheaper at such 'n such (and KNEW that to be true - not just bluffing) and had the price adjusted accordingly. People will give a bit if THEY have the authority to do so and know you're right with your proposal!

                  Speaking of prices, I was in a local hardware store today and they had a 50% off clearance shelf with some tools an such on it. One item was a kit of dremel tool type tools (rotary stones, sanding wheels, cutoff wheels, sanding spools, etc..) that had a price of $29.99. That means it should have rung up at half that - or roughly 15 bucks.
                  So I take it to the teller (little gal with the scanning tool and not much else) and she scans it and it comes up $19.99. I said: "That's not right. It's supposed to be 50% off."
                  She says: "Look - it discounted it 50%. See - $19.99!"
                  I said: "Ya know hon, my math might be a bit shakey but 20 bucks is hardly half of 30.
                  She says: "Well, that's what the machine says!"[)]

                  Manager comes over: "What's the problem?"[:X]
                  Gal says: "This fella says the discounted price ain't right - but there it is - right on the screen."
                  (Manager's stymied too)[V]
                  Manager says: "I'll get the guy that does the tools."

                  Guy that stocks the tools confirms that they're supposed to be 50% off. So what's the problem?
                  I (trying to keep from looking TOO disgusted[xx(]) explain the whole thing to the guy - he looks at the register's screen and then at the two gals.[|)] "Ladies, half of 30 is 15."
                  Two gals: "oh."[:0]

                  Just another day in doofusville[8]



                  Miscreant at large.

                  1957 Transtar 1/2ton
                  1960 Larkvertible V8
                  1958 Provincial wagon
                  1953 Commander coupe
                  1957 President 2-dr
                  1955 President State
                  1951 Champion Biz cpe
                  1963 Daytona project FS
                  No deceptive flags to prove I'm patriotic - no biblical BS to impress - just ME and Studebakers - as it should be.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    They sound like products of the wonderful Louisiana public school system! That's why my boy's in Catholic skule! Kevin in the Stoogebaker

                    1963 Champ

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      quote:Originally posted by Mr.Biggs

                      ...he looks at the register's screen and then at the two gals.[|)] "Ladies, half of 30 is 15."
                      Two gals: "oh."[:0]

                      Just another day in doofusville[8]
                      And you know what? They're allowed to vote too [:0].

                      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Tom - Sterling Heights, MI

                      Ancient Chinese Proverb: "Injection is nice, but I'd rather be blown!"

                      1964 Studebaker Daytona - Laguna Blue, Original 4-Spd. Car, Power Steering, Disc Brakes, Bucket Seats, Tinted Glass, Climatizer Ventilation System, AM Radio (136,989 Miles)
                      Tom - Bradenton, FL

                      1964 Studebaker Daytona - 289 4V, 4-Speed (Cost To Date: $2514.10)
                      1964 Studebaker Commander - 170 1V, 3-Speed w/OD

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        You've just described a common problem - "if the screen says so, it must be right". Too many people are mesmerised by the super-nintendo and forget the 1st principle of computing - SISO (**** in, **** out).
                        /H

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Remember when you could hand a clerk a few coins to 'round out' the change you would receive? Don't try that any more,the computer says you get this much back....
                          Went to Staples,paid $190 something for a camera-later I noticed she had rung up a little free-bee that came with the camera.[worth $4.00]plus tax.When I returned to the store with the receipt told her that item was supposed to be free,she had to issue me a credit-then she removed all my cash from the register,handed it back to me,and proceeded to do the whole thing over.
                          But when I stood there shaking my head,the man behind her explained the credit had to be issued for the total amount then re-rung....I said I just don't see the reason for physically handing my cash back to me-and he looked at me like I was Stupid.
                          Guess I was stupid,I should have just walked out with the money..

                          Studieous Maximus
                          Oglesby,Il.

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