Parts houses

[Rick 427 Cobra]

Planning a trip to LA this weekend. What happened to all the speed shops (ala Summit)? Only seems to be shops like So-Cal that are pretty narrow in what they sell. Has mail order killed them all? Any recommendations?

[Rick Parker]

Mail order and the off the street demand did most of them in. Not a lot of guys buying cams, headers, carbs, and ignitions for anything but 4 cylinder Hondas anymore. It's hard for them to stay alive. I am lucky to have a well established one locally that does very well and has a very good machine shop on site. They have been in business since 1973 and pull from a large area.
I feel very fortunate.

Edit: Kragen, Pep Boys and Shucks, all seem to devote a minimal amount of shelf space to some chrome & glitter in the way of a little bit of Holley coverage, and some Edelbrock stuff. If you need a wing for a Honda deck lid they can fix you up

[Ron61]

We still have Franklins up here which has a machine shop and carries a pretty good line of stuff, but not like they used to. We have a NAPA also but I think they get some of their stuff at Franklins as I have seen them in there with big boxes of parts paying for them.

Ron

[rokndad]

Rick,

I have lived in So Cal my entire life and indeed, the old speed shops that used to be along every major downtown through street are all gone. There are a few "mom and Pop" type shops still around but are few and far between.

However, Dean Moon's shop on Norwalk Blvd. just south of Telegraph Rd. in Santa Fe Springs is still there after all these years, and pretty much looks like it used to with a lot of old drag racing stuff and spun aluminum goodies. Their machine shop is still in business and in fact, one of the old aluminum experts that started the shop is still working there at around 75 years young. I'd definitely take a ride by when you're down here.

Tom

[D-CEL]

There is also Hawaii Racing in Simi valley, not a bad place. Except for the @#$#% owner fills the place with freakin short blocks and crate motors, instead of the stuff you need to walk in for!!

D-cel