Why do people keep things

[Tony Betts]

Been having a sort out (throw out).

Going through some of the last trays from kirby whiskey,  and this one made me laugh.

Not sure why it was kept, perhaps waiting for the other 3 for a matched set to come up  

Tony.

   

[Colin Swinbourne]

Things like this always come in useful. I used a pair of knackered A7 rods to make the fuel tank mounting brackets on my Delage 

[Peter Clayton]

I have often been asked by HiD ,and others , why Ihave so much "junk" . My reply is a simple one. I work on the principle of what I call the fortnight rule :- Two weeks after you throw something out you can guarantee you'll need it.

[Bob Culver]

Not only does a need arise but when I do throw things out I later spend hours looking for oddments which dont exist.
The chuck on my lathe became overtight. I was able to adapt an old conrod off another car to grip and hold the mandrel. Incidentally it is amazing how ductile conrods often are. I have seen them off other cars completely folded.

[John Mason]

Colin how do you mean knackerd. They were keeping it until they had the time to straighten it.

John Mason.

[andrew34ruby]

Tony, if you were in the habit of calling in to Kirby Wiske and chatting to David and his mother did you not find that they liked a good chat? Things like this con rod were always a good talking point. if it was mine I would never throw that away.

[Tony Betts]

never went to kirby wiske.

had a bad dealing with them early on, never traded with them again after that?

tony.

[Tony Griffiths]

Here's a story about Kirby Wiske.
Many decades ago, when I was running the Sheffield A7 Group, we had a Ruby owner, Alf, a lovely chap who lived in a terraced house in Crooksmore. He was employed as Forman at a Sheffield company that made springs. Calling to see him one day, I was greeted, in the kitchen, by a great pile of tote boxes full of Austin 7 valve springs. Asked what they were doing there, he grinned and explained that the workforce had asked the boss for a rise (it was the 1970s, with inflation running out of control) and, despite the company owner having just bought a new Jaguar, it was refused. Somewhat put out, the men and women on the shop floor decided to step up the "foreigners" regime and Alf phoned KW and inquired if valve springs might be needed at a "favourable" price. Indeed they were - and supplies were rapidly arranged. I hesitate to say what else Alf could manage to make in the way of springs, but let's say this, he was never stumped, no matter how complex the component.

[steve davidson]

Here's one with a bend that I found a very good use for.  A few carefully placed cuts, a touch up with a file and you've got an excellen bottle opener for the workshop.
   

[Chris KC]

Not sure about bent con rods but I'm never in a hurry to throw out bits if I have space to keep them.

There are certainly things I wouldn't have bothered fixing (or wouldn't have thought it possible to) 40 years ago which nowadays I would see differently. I left behind entire cars back then! Who knows what supplies will be available 20 years from now?

And then you look at the broken crankcase and realise it still has perhaps an oil pump and a bearing housing & various plugs and fittings all of which can be re-used at a pinch. For those of us who don't have stock it can be a godsend to find a re-usable stud or bolt when the alternative is waiting 3 or 4 days for an order by post.

Also I have found scrap parts very useful for 'study' if you need some measurements, or for a bit of practice if you want to attempt a mod or repair. I have a smashed case on my bench right now ready to do a bit of exploratory drilling...