Mallory Comp 110 fuel filter and 140 electric fuel pump, $5 both.

It should come as no surprise to anyone reading this entry that cars are America's passion. We have always loved working on our own cars, making them quicker, faster and better handling. The high performance automotive aftermarket parts and supplies industry has always been there to help us with whatever we need to improve our ride, and Mallory is one of the best known.

"The Comp Pump Series 140 fuel pump from Mallory is an excellent choice for high performance street, racing, and marine engines. These 12V electric pumps provide the high volume and high pressure you're looking for. The quiet Gerotor design of the 140 Series has a free flow rating of 140 GPH and must be run with a pressure regulator. These pumps feature a fully CNC-machined housing and pump body as well as a high quality permanent magnet electric motor for quality and dependability. They include a mounting bracket and hardware for easy installation."

Wait a minute - let's start off here with the most important lesson you could take awar from this entry. We may have already covered this one elsewhere in the Gallery, but it's so important that we really can't go over it enough! Although I'm a staunch advocate of 'thinking outside the box,' you should also make it a rule to always look inside the box.

One very important thing I've learned in this business is that old items of any kind are very often placed right into the box that the new item came out of. I guess this is so they can be saved in case they're needed later on. This 'later on' never comes, and the wole mess ends up at a future yard sale, waiting to fool unsuspecting buyers. I've encountered this phenomenon countless times, with shock absorbers, carburetors, car stereos, small appliances, wristwatches, speakers and anything else you can think of that comes in a box, bag or container of any kind. I wonder how many millions of people have gotten back home, only to find that the new-in-the-box item they thought they were getting was actually the gnarly old broken one! Always look in the box!

As you can see, both of these items are still new in the boxes. All paperwork and everything that originally came in the boxes is there, even the sales receipt!

When it comes to high performance car parts, numerous factors can influence the desirability and selling price of a particular piece. The best trick is to pick out a few of the most powerful positives to ensure that you're going to make money, which is what I did here.

- First of all, both of these parts were expensive when bought new. The receipt in the box showed that the purchaser had paid over $200 for both of them way back in 1992, which means they'd verty likely cost much more than that today.
- The parts are still brand new, which means I don't have to explain anything about the condition of these items to my bidders.
- I only have to pay a tiny fraction of what they cost to buy new.
- Mallory is a very recognizable name in the high performance car accessory business, so I know that this brand will have staunch followers out there on eBay.

So as you can see right off the bat we have some important factors in our favor.

This Mallory electric fuel pump sold on eBay for $104 and the Mallory fuel filter sold for $63.