A visit to Stephen's Performance

Well, I have know Ted and Jackie yes 35 years, Ted had a local parts store and wound up in the Mopar boneyard business. He bought cars from states away. Always friendly and real Mopar folk. But sharp at business. I never was. But money was never my priority in life. I sold hm a few 69 Roadrunner fenders once on way from my old Ga hometown back home to Mo. He did not need them said, he had a "lifetime" supply! I sold them wholesale for sure. But I needed gas money! Never been to his yard, I knew I would not be a customer to afford his parts. Stopped off at their home one Christmas eve on way thru Al., good folk. But, buying and selling are two different things usually in this old world.

Onetime down there I had picked up an AAR Cuda shell. No suspension roller, no ood and no spoiler.... gone. Ted wasn't there but Jackie was. She said WHERE DID YOU GET THAT!!!!!! smoke coming her ears!! I told her I got it from our mutual friend Jack that got it out of a boneyard for me. I just said not bad for NO title and $400?? ( I sold it about 92 and it took me a year to get $1500 for it after I added f and r suspension!!This was about maybe 88 or 9. ) She was not happy!!! ha

First time to go to Mopar Nats was back in the 80s and last time was about 2003 maybe. Always saw them there, Ted was walkng and buying a few parts and Jackie was carrying stuff like hood, fenders and BB heads!! Back what 30 years ago, they bought some of the movie Vanishing Point ( was that the name?) remake movie cars. Thewere steping out. Ted made his money I bet dealing with the big guys and what they soldout of the yard was maybe considered a nuisance? Don't know/ I remeber him taking a dash apart and selling each piece for like $25 each. Most would have sold the wole dash for $40. years ago that was makng a $//

I will say this abou R and R. Ron Slobe ( R and R) was a real Mopar guy, he loved everything about Mopar and all that the cars and parts involved. But this is what can happen. Local guy hauls in a wrecked and dented 72 Dart and sells it to Ron for a little over scrap. Months later the guy needs let say, a 69 Dart trunk lid and Ron quotes $300. We the guy poops in this shorts. "what!! I just sold you a whole car for $300!" Ron says good thing you don't need a 68 Coronet truk lid, they are $600! Ron made his $ shipping parts nationwide and pricing them on the national price scale of things not local! They sold tons and parts every day and shipped ebverywhere. The locals could feel like they were mistreated unless maybe Ron knew you well. Bought parts there, sold parts there, and Ron was a real guy. A fair guy. He ran a super successful business that lasted till cancer took him.

There are old yards around that are great to deal with and others, well ya better garb your wallet and ***. All is fair game to those guys!