TheSamba.com :: View topic - looking for a junk yard/ westy part place near L.A.

Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:11 pm

Hi,
i'm from eastern canada and in california right now, i'm in san jose for 2-3 days, but going down to los angeles by highway 1.

would you know a place where i'd be able to find a slidding door with a window around 100$ (if it's realistic) plus an index for my pulley (1700cc)

i have to go at a garage monday to get the van timed caused it's overheating a bit, i think it migy be my timing cause we can't really time it cause my index only have 2 mark (TDC and 10')
at least that's what i read in :how to keep your vw alive"
the clearance on my valves are perfect, they're all at .006 tight (intake) and .006 loose (exhaust)

thanks

Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:49 pm

I have bought new and used parts from

Bfy Obsolete Parts
1460 N Glassell St
Orange, CA 92867
714-639-4411

I didn't have any problems, but have seen some negative reports.
Not sure if the address and phone number are current.

Aloha
tp

Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:08 pm

Tom Powell wrote: I have bought new and used parts from

Bfy Obsolete Parts
1460 N Glassell St
Orange, CA 92867
714-639-4411

I didn't have any problems, but have seen some negative reports.
Not sure if the address and phone number are current.

Aloha
tp

Dude, :shock: :shock:
This is the worst advice you could have given to him. BFY, in its last months of life screwed a number of customers and is now dead like you can read here :
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=95624&start=760

Cornestache,
my advice would be check the classifieds ads in the L.A area and if you see something you need, arrange a meeting with the sellers. That's what I did during my last trip to L.A in january with great success. I also visited the local junkyards (pick your part, $2 fee entrance), and found nothing until the 3rd and last of the day where I scored a deluxe front grill, turn signal housings, plus other misc. small parts for $20. But that was the one and only VW bus in 3 junkyards. I saw some late beetles, but mostly japanese and US crap modern cars.

Try Vee Dub parts unlimited in Huntington Beach as they have some used parts. Call them or e-mail them first.
Hope this helps.

Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:45 pm

Vee Dub unlimited is kinda far from san pedro. Hit up samba member 420GOAT as he is a LA member and hosts a bus meet in san pedro every once in a while. if you do head south a little ways though theres

Bill and Steves in downey, Foriegn Unlimited in Long Beach, Socal Imports in Lakewood

Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:53 pm

sorry if I gave bad advice
the last time I bought parts at Bfy was about five years ago
had excellent help and no problems then
just trying to be helpful
caveat emptor
Aloha
tp

Sat Mar 20, 2010 11:08 pm

BFY is literally next door to my mechanic's shop. My bus sat there for about half a year. I noticed the VW shop next door when I pulled out behind the tow truck that was towing my bus to my house. :roll:

Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:24 am

How's Russ's VW Parts in Duarte doing lately? http://www.russvw.com/

They have changed ownership in the last year; just haven't personally been there since then.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:38 am

get a hold of Raul - VW76westy and see what he can do for you as he knows where many parts vehicles are. He is in Claremont. There is a wrecking yard with many cars in the high desert - Hesperia I believe and there is also Jim at Interstate VW in Lake Elsinore which is somewhat between Orange County and Riverside. The two yards I just mentioned are about it in California these days. Maybe 200 buses between the two yards. There was also Avery's Air Cooled just north of Vancouver Washington but you are south of them now. Very little exists in Northern or Central California except one here and there. Most were crushed about 5 - 10 years ago.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 2:48 am

Tom Powell wrote: sorry if I gave bad advice
the last time I bought parts at Bfy was about five years ago
had excellent help and no problems then
just trying to be helpful
caveat emptor
Aloha
tp

No worries 8) . BFY was a good address years ago. I bought from them too in the past. But the story went bad, and it's now closed with lots of angry customers...

Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:18 am

Check out these guys,had good sucess in recent times.

www.interstateusedparts.com

They have two yards in the area you are travelling.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:47 am

Small Car Connection in Hesperia Ca.760 244 9811. It aint LA and there is one heluva hill to climb.

Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:23 am

if in south LA like the Harbor Area,

a&d Buggy talk to Wayne 310-320-0642
powerhause(kinda pricey)
walters garage on 6th and Gaffey in pedro
carlos's auto vehicle repair in San Pedro
Forien Unlimited In Long Beach.....good luck. pm me and i may have other numbers from a database at work.

for parts call Jack's 310-549-4673

Sun Mar 21, 2010 11:50 am

Tom Powell wrote: I have bought new and used parts from

Bfy Obsolete Parts
1460 N Glassell St
Orange, CA 92867
714-639-4411

I didn't have any problems, but have seen some negative reports.
Not sure if the address and phone number are current.

Aloha
tp

BFY is no longer in business. They closed down, moved to an
office about a mile away for 2 months and then disappeared. :!:

Mon Mar 22, 2010 12:31 am

Quote: How's Russ's VW Parts in Duarte doing lately? http://www.russvw.com/

since they changed owners
its like they stopped stocking air-cooled
& they raised prices on some of the things left

im sure youll still find a slidding door there
but it will be a leftover & more than a $100

interstate & small car connect
are another 100miles from la

if you were coming for the bug-in in may
then finding a $100 rust free slidding door would not be hard

any body have info on that field of air-cooled vw's
that can be seen on the south side of the grape vine (5fwy by castiac lake)

Mon Mar 22, 2010 1:09 pm

There are some ACVW yards up in San Luis Obiso (Pismo beach area) like Randy's. :wink:

For videos of Interstate and small car connection:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=werksberg&search_type=&aq=f

Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:24 pm

vwbuff wrote: Check out these guys,had good sucess in recent times.

www.interstateusedparts.com

They have two yards in the area you are travelling.

Ditto. Good stuff here.

Mon Mar 22, 2010 4:30 pm

i called interstate and they took a week to call me back. they wanted $50 more than Nates core charge for spindles. like im gonna drive to BFE and buy those just to ship and create another charge. needless to say i passed. theyve got retail prices and i may never buy from them. good luck finding a door for a bill from them. go to puick your part in 90744. there are even ecology and you pick you save in 90744.

Mon Mar 22, 2010 7:26 pm

420GOAT wrote: i called interstate and they took a week to call me back. they wanted $50 more than Nates core charge for spindles. like im gonna drive to BFE and buy those just to ship and create another charge. needless to say i passed. theyve got retail prices and i may never buy from them. good luck finding a door for a bill from them. go to puick your part in 90744. there are even ecology and you pick you save in 90744.

I guess your that type of guy that thinks he is the only person in the world sending them a part request.... :roll:

And what is wrong with charging a fair price for hard to find, OEM parts that he has acquired over 30+ years, moved it 3x times to different yards just so you could buy them to keep your old bus on the road or looking better! :wink:

My guess is you like to see them (all ACVW shops) to disappear like BFY or Serrannos....that did not stay up with part prices increases or living expenses....cost of living increases.

You don't want to take a nice drive up to Lake Elsinore, fine...stay in the swamp land then...... :)

Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:02 pm

werksberg wrote: 420GOAT wrote: i called interstate and they took a week to call me back. they wanted $50 more than Nates core charge for spindles. like im gonna drive to BFE and buy those just to ship and create another charge. needless to say i passed. theyve got retail prices and i may never buy from them. good luck finding a door for a bill from them. go to puick your part in 90744. there are even ecology and you pick you save in 90744.

I guess your that type of guy that thinks he is the only person in the world sending them a part request.... :roll:

And what is wrong with charging a fair price for hard to find, OEM parts that he has acquired over 30+ years, moved it 3x times to different yards just so you could buy them to keep your old bus on the road or looking better! :wink:

My guess is you like to see them (all ACVW shops) to disappear like BFY or Serrannos....that did not stay up with part prices increases or living expenses....cost of living increases.

You don't want to take a nice drive up to Lake Elsinore, fine...stay in the swamp land then...... :)

I wouldnt say that. I think goat as others have been miffed at the lack of attention to some of the smaller orders. Its a true fact about interstate. It is what it is. Thats why I always tell folks to make the trip-bring cash-go to the lake elsinore yard and Jim WILL treat you right.

Goat might not go there but I would hope he will visit it on a planned trip bassis. He wouldnt be disapointed. :wink:

Mon Mar 22, 2010 8:34 pm

Agreed but I hate to hear people whine that they didn't get handle the same minute (or day) they sent an e-mail....

This is a cottage industry..not Amazon.com :wink: