Started out as a brief mention of a parts source for my Stag. A friend
was picking up a couple a TR7 motors from me and asked if I had ever
dealt with Matthews in Birmingham. He told me that it was a recycling
yard and they usually had good deals and usually had Stag parts listed.
I seemed to recall I hearing of them but for one reason or another, it
never stuck in my mind. I called them up and asked for their flyer.
That was about three weeks ago and from what I saw in their flyer, I was
pretty excited and felt I had to go visit.
A buddy from Jackson, MS and my teenage boys and I decided to celebrate
MLK day by meeting in Birmingham,( about half way between our homes )
having lunch, and going to Matthews . I got there a few minutes before
my buddy and drove around the block. A big red brick building with a few
LBCs outside, and a few more in a closed off loading dock area. I
wondered out loud to the boys what this place was going to be like.
My buddy showed up and we went inside. Your usual fare at a parts
source, shift knobs, Haynes manuals ( Sorry! No TR6 manuals, I already
asked for y'all!) and some nice trim pieces. There was also a rebuilt
TR6 motor with an alloy valve cover sitting on a pallet and wrapped in
plastic waiting for a new home. We met the owner, Richard Matthews and
his son Tim. After a few minutes of small talk, we asked if we could
look around. No hesitation, 'Sure go ahead. Tim, give them a tour.'
The building is a maze. We started out by going through the NOS and new
stock area. Very, VERY organized. The walls were lined with gaskets
sets and individual gaskets. But we left that room and went down to the
cellar. Motors, heads, more motors, transmissions, differentials, and oh
yeah, did I mention motors?
Then we went up several flights od stairs to the seat room. A room
probably 30 x 40 full of seats. Only 1 TR seat that I could be certain
of, but lots of leather in that room.
We next went down to the convertible tops area. Next was the Carb room,
with intake manifolds, any one need a TR8 set up? It's there! As well
as several Spit pieces and 'other' makes. Hmmm wonder if that SAAB FI
setup would work? Need a Stag intake manifold? It's there. The next
room was the exhaust manifold room. Lots of 'em hanging from the walls.
Want a Stag exhaust manifold? He has 4 of them.
Next was the gauge room, floor to ceiling neatly displayed gauges.
Next came the exhaust pipe room. New stuff as well as VGC used stuff.
Again from the floor to the ceiling and hanging from the walls and
ceiling. Next was the body panel room. Spit hoods, TR6 fenders and
hoods, new floor pans, doors....I was getting confused by now at the
massiveness of this place. I asked our guide what was this place before
they made it into a car parts warehouse. Turns out it was a meat packing
plant...that probably explains why the had brick floors on the second
floor.
Next was the interior room.. Lots of TR trans tunnel braces, door panels,
dash tops, on and on..... Next was the wheel room. Lots of TR wire
wheels, Spit wire wheels, and a set of TR7 Victory Edition spoke
wheels...wasn't some one looking for a set fro a few months ago? Last
place inside the building we saw the 'show room'. Parts that they take
when attending show. A like new Stag grille was hanging on the wall, as
well as a Healy grille.
We still weren't done. We went out to look at the cars in the loading
dock area. They were the ones that were being parted out, being brought
inside piece by piece. There was a TR6, XJ Jag, and a Stag.
We next went to the storage yard. A few miles away Richard has an old
lumber yard where he stores the hulks that he has already stripped out.
There were some neat parts left there and it was well worth the drive.
BTW, that is where I saw the CT113L car.
We went back to the warehouse, and found out that Richard used to be the
parts manager for the Birmingham BL dealer and when that business closed
in 1970, Richard stayed in the BL parts business by opening Matthews and
has been going strong ever since.
Lots of deals, and lots of surprises there. Need an obscure part? they
very well might have it. Give them a call, or write to them on the
internet. No web page yet, but they are working on it. They ship out
UPS daily.
Matthews Parts
Triumph, MG, Jaguar, Volvo, Fiat, SAAB, Alfa, Yugo, Lancia
1221 2nd Ave. North
Birmingham, AL 35203
1-800-533-3839
matthewcarparts@webtv.net
Oh, Yeah!....no financial interest etc, etc, etc. Other than I bought
some parts there during my visit.
Hugh R. McAleer
Jonesboro, GA
'68 TR 250, owned since 1980
'71 Stag '73 Stag
75 TR7 Victory Edition
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