Most parts store employees around me are idiots.

[JIMJAM]

I needed a 8mm x 1.25 tap and a matching bit. Also a M8 bolt 75mm would be nice.
30 minutes or more with the usual Autotzone,OReileys,Napa,,,, on the phone and got conflicting answers. Finally a woman who every other words was Uuuuhhhh.. said she had what I needed and it would be at the desk. Got there and UUHhhhhhhhhh..... **In case you do not know this NEVER say DELOREAN. That will turn them into drooling Zombies.Might as well ask for a rocket engine for the space shuttle.
Anyways,I needed to drill out a stripped M7 and go to a 8mm. She gave me the bit and even to my weakening eyes it was obvious it was to big.UUUHhhhhhhH No thats right she said and triple checked her book and ask another UUhhhh guy.
Dropped by O Reileys who said earlier on the phone they did not have something and uuuuhhhhh , well it was there. I showed him the bit and he said,uuuuuuuhhhh, thats to big! Ok, so then he goes gets another and I see him eyeballing them against the light next to the bolt I had. I ask if he had a chart and he said,UUhhhhhhhh , I aint got no chart. I told him I was not throwing darts that I wanted it to be the right size.He then told me as long as it was close the tap would take care of the rest. He then put it back and walked off.
I about got really bent out of shape but owning Delorean I know its just a test of will power,besides I am not going to jail over a few dollars in bolts. Went home,got the correct size via online sources and went bought it without even asking a single question.
Ok,mini vent over. Bottom line some of the parts store have good people and some are just dangerously dumb

[Bitsyncmaster]

The drill is sized for 75% thread. To small and you will break the tap. To large and the threads will strip out.

Go to a hardware store. Taps should be packaged on a rack. Look at the package and it should say, 17/64" drill bit.

[Ikeaboy1]

'It's for an old tractor.'

It wouldn't save you from this situation, but it works waaaaay better than saying 'Delorean.'

[EdR5150]

Why deal with the employees when all parts finders and inventories are online? I refuse to deal with the employees. If I do deal with them, I hand them a printout from the website and ask if they can find or order that part #.

I've also used AutoZone's order online feature. Employees don't even ask questions at that point, they just get you your order, and try to get you out the door fast.

[JIMJAM]

I shop online a LOT.To much and this is one reason. I know that some of the guys who answered my call probably sat the phone down,finished what they were doing and then told me ,nope do not have it.
From what I understand from reading some forums from employees, most of the old school guys were ran off and replaced with just out of high schoolers at min wage. Their main job is to sell you addons. The old saying "If they leave just with what they came in for we did not make any money." applies.
Do not even get me started on the cheap chinese crap these places sell. OmG its a bunch of crap!!! Oh if we could go back in time we should have killed Walmart before it flooded the country with this worthless junk. But it was inexpensive and we bought it and ran the Mom and Pops out of biz. Thats for another rant.


Well Dave it looks like I got it done. I used a drill and went slow.Got it threaded at least as deep as the bolt stick out of the W pipe. I did a quick a dirty test and it seems to hold. Now I get rid of the old crap and replace the paper gaskets on the W pipe. Put back on the old WUR, tighten it all down,fire it up and go from there.

BTW-Ace hardware had the LEAST selection.NO m8 75mm and no tap. The closest one referred me to another store that was 18 miles away. The guy "thought" he had seen one but the guy who would really know for sure was taking a delivery and told me to drop on by and see what they had..ERRRR....

[Bitsyncmaster]

Yes it's a shame the mom and pop stores are getting replaced. Just 4 miles from my house is Dyson's hardware/lumber store. The owner "JC" and I know each other. Not only is he knowledgeable but his prices mostly beat big box stores. If I go in for one nut or bolt he just says no charge.

[NightFlyer]

Do not even get me started on the cheap chinese crap these places sell. OmG its a bunch of crap!!! Oh if we could go back in time we should have killed Walmart before it flooded the country with this worthless junk. But it was inexpensive and we bought it and ran the Mom and Pops out of biz. Thats for another rant.

Can't blame the WalMarts of the world for supplying cheap goods. You can, however, blame the mindless zombie consumers who buy it without even bothering to investigate where what they are are purchasing was made. Whenever I shop, I always check to see where the product was made - I guess in today's world, that makes me relatively rare (and especially amongst my generation). America receives preference, even if it's a higher price. Next is Canada, followed by western European nations and Australia/New Zealand. Next down the list are Japan and South Korea, followed by South/Central America nations, eastern European nations, and Russia. India, and all other Asian nations except for China come next. Finally, China is dead last.

By doing this, I actually own very few goods that are made in China.

[David T]

Can't blame the WalMarts of the world for supplying cheap goods. You can, however, blame the mindless zombie consumers who buy it without even bothering to investigate where what they are are purchasing was made. Whenever I shop, I always check to see where the product was made - I guess in today's world, that makes me relatively rare (and especially amongst my generation). America receives preference, even if it's a higher price. Next is Canada, followed by western European nations and Australia/New Zealand. Next down the list are Japan and South Korea, followed by South/Central America nations, eastern European nations, and Russia. India, and all other Asian nations except for China come next. Finally, China is dead last.

By doing this, I actually own very few goods that are made in China.

Try to find out where most auto shops go for their parts. In any large city there is always 1 or 2 go-to places where they can still look at a part and know what it is without scanning the SKW # or looking it up on a computer. Even in the "good old days" you never really could trust the parts guys. In all fairness, they are not mechanics. That was one reason I always tried to bring the old part with me to match up so at least it "looked" like it might work! Today, if a part is not a quick mover the computer gets it off the shelf so if it is unusual you have to order it anyway. By the time you drive all over and waste gas you could have ordered it and if you need it that bad you can have almost anything the next day if you order it early enough.

[Nicholas R]

Very rarely find autoparts stores to have tools like taps and drill bits. You're much better off at a sears or a hardware store.

Also, everyone on this site should have a McMaster Carr account. Great prices, huge selection, and very fast shipping

[David T]

Very rarely find autoparts stores to have tools like taps and drill bits. You're much better off at a sears or a hardware store.

Also, everyone on this site should have a McMaster Carr account. Great prices, huge selection, and very fast shipping

Not true. The larger independent ones will have kits for the "Saturday Mechanic" who screws things up bad enough to have to drill things out. Even metric. When I get caught and need a bolt RIGHT NOW I make one if I have to. If necessary you can weld two together to make a long one. It is handy to have a set of taps and dies in SAE and metric. M/C is VERY expensive, it is usually cheaper to buy what you need from a Delorean vendor, especially when you figure shipping. There is always something else you can also order from the vender like a filter or a strut to help with the shipping. BTW, in a pinch you don't even need an insert. You drill oversize, and tap the hole, screw a bolt in and cut it off flush. Now redrilll and tap to the original size. That is where a full set of taps, dies, and drills can come in handy!