Working on a classic car is a painful yet elating task that can take years, if not decades, to complete. The hardest part of the process, aside from actually doing the work, is finding most of the parts you will need to restore the car.
In some cases, finding parts is the most difficult part of the restoration experience, as you might have to locate and use parts from a car that was manufactured as long ago.
To that end, we will explore some methods that enthusiasts use to track down parts for their classic cars and restore them to their former glory.
The Challenge of Finding Rare and Vintage Parts
The reason why it is so difficult to find rare and vintage car parts should be understood beforehand. Unlike modern cars, classic cars are not being produced anymore, and as a result, their parts are no longer being manufactured. Due to the course of time, cars and their parts begin to become scarce for different reasons, such as:
- Limited original production: Some earlier classics were produced in very limited numbers. This means there will be fewer parts to graft onto existing ones.
- Weathering and Wear: Parts experience wear and tear over time, and older cars rarely have functional parts available.
- Collectors’ Market: The fact that a rare part is pulled from a foreign-market car and put on a shelf as a trophy may reduce the quantity of specimens available for restoration.
Considering all these obstacles, classic car enthusiasts have devised several ways to locate the pieces they need.
Networking Within the Classic Car Community
Knowing someone who knows someone in the classic car-restoring fraternity could be one of the best ways of locating a rare or vintage part.
Car Clubs and Associations
Being part of car clubs and associations that focus on particular makes and models is a great perk as well. Many club and association members have been immersed in the classic car hobby for a long time and know the lay of the land:
- They can tell you where to source parts.
- They often organize swap meets.
- Club nights and events are where members can buy, sell, and trade parts.
Online Forums and Social Media Groups
The internet has also made connecting with classic car enthusiasts much easier. There are several clubs and forums online dedicated to different classic cars.
These forums and Facebook groups are great places to ask questions, buy parts, and sell your car. At sites like ClassicCars.com, enthusiasts can trade parts on forums, or at sites like Hagerty; they can read the blog and participate in forums.
Attending Car Shows and Swap Meets
Attending a regular car show or swap meet is also a great way to get your hands on rare and/or old parts. Vendors and collectors show up with all kinds of goodies to sell or trade, and you can wander around looking at things, speak to sellers, and usually walk away with exactly what you need.
Utilizing Online Marketplaces and Auctions
Rare and vintage car parts are now easily found through digital marketplaces and auctions. They’re even easier to find on websites that specialize in parts for classic cars and online auctions.
eBay Motors
For US car parts specialists, eBay Motors is a good place to look for things to fix your vehicle. You also may find a car for sale, but the site does have an extensive online catalog of parts for every make and model.
Shrewd buyers can sometimes grab a good deal. eBay Motors has a search function built in for you to find what you are looking for. Should the sample you need to pick is not listed, you can set up an automatic notification to alert you when a new car for sale is listed. Try to haggle with the driver to reduce the price of the part.
Hemmings Motor News
Hemmings Motor News is a household name. Its website operates classifieds where parts for sale are listed, and it produces a monthly magazine with additional listings for cars and parts – it’s one of the most popular hunting grounds for restoration enthusiasts.
Specialized Online Retailers
Many specialized online retailers stock parts for classic cars. Sites like RockAuto, Classic Industries, and YearOne carry individual parts for almost any older car. The information about these parts is detailed and will tell you if the part you are looking for is compatible with your vehicle.
Visiting Salvage Yards and Auto Recyclers
If you’re looking for classic car components, salvage yards and auto recyclers are treasure troves. However, you may have to dig; there are often a lot of useable parts in your average write-off or compaction pile, but their retailers have to do some hard searching first.
Classic Car Salvage Yards
Some yards specialize in classic cars. In other words, they’re markets for older vehicles, in which the parts are salvaged and then sold to customers, people who can toothily inspect the goods in person and negotiate better prices directly with the yard owner.
U-Pull-It Yards
You are a surgeon, bracing yourself for a potentially messy and bloody procedure. U-Pull-It yards offer an option to individuals looking for parts. As the name suggests, everything is done by the customer.
You pay a fee to enter the yard and a lower cost per part since the labor is free. This is a good option for the do-it-yourselfers who enjoy the hands-on work of restoration.
Connecting with Specialty Part Manufacturers
Rare or vintage parts could sometimes never be sourced from any other party. Specialty part makers might then have to recreate them from the specifications of the original parts.
Reproduction Parts
The reason modern manufacturers continue to offer reproduction parts is that there are plenty of owners of classic cars who want to restore their pride and joy to their original condition and keep it that way, whether they’re able to afford original equipment parts or not.
Manufacturers such as Original Equipment Reproduction (OER) and Dynacorn offer thousands of parts for classic cars, many of which are identical to the originals in both appearance and performance.
Custom Fabrication
For truly scarce parts, custom fabrication can be a viable solution. Talented craftsmen craft from scratch parts on-site using original parts or blueprints as a guide, a costly approach but one that will be precisely right.
Utilizing Parts Locators and Brokers
Parts locators and brokers find rare and vintage car parts. They can be helpful for enthusiasts who need more time or who need a very particular part.
Parts Locator Services
Some services, such as Parts Locators and Kanter Auto Products, could track down almost any part you wanted, with sources across the country and worldwide at their fingertips.
Metro Parts Market even gives SPFs a routing number so they can use the parts-locator service along with their MasterCard for repairs anywhere. For that, they charge a percentage of the part price, often up to 15 percent.
Broker Services
Rare part brokers attempt to match buyers and sellers of car parts, sometimes getting their clients through ‘wheelers’, people who know collectors and salvage yards.
Brokers try to locate parts that might not be currently available through traditional sources. The brokers typically collect a commission for this service.
Exploring International Markets
Rare and period pieces, which are undoubtedly more valuable, could be more easily available internationally than domestically. There are also stories of hobbyists who source or barter parts from other places in the hope of finding something rare and old or of great value to any immediate needs.
Importing Parts
Buying parts from other countries is one possible and very often the only option to find rare parts for your car. Like on eBay and other online shops all around the world, but also in specialist international shops, there are some different ways to find parts elsewhere than in your home country, which might be shipped over the world. So consider shipping costs and customs duties.
Networking with International Enthusiasts
Cultivating friendships with enthusiasts in other countries can help find additional sources of parts. International car clubs and online forums can be good starting points.
Making friends with your international contacts can turn up lost or obscure parts that you might never find otherwise.
Restoring and Refurbishing Existing Parts
When new parts cannot be found, refurbishing existing stuff remains a good alternative. Many parts of classic cars can be repaired, restored, or refurbished to perform almost like new.
Professional Restoration Services
Professional restoration services are offered for classic car parts by companies that refurbish and repair car parts to look and function as they did originally. Companies like White Post Restorations do these services for various parts and Classic
Restoration Enterprises for brake systems, lighting, steering and suspension, and cooling assembly parts.
DIY Restoration
Since DIY restoration is a practical option for hobbyists with the right training and tools and since certain auto parts can easily be decontaminated, repaired, and repainted, the online world is swarming with how-to guides and dedicated forums that guide enthusiasts through every step of the process.
Building Relationships with Trusted Vendors
Finding rare and vintage items within the used-car community requires strong relationships since ties to suppliers can net good deals and exceptional findings.
Regular Suppliers
You can do that by scouting out regular suppliers who sell classic car parts and developing relationships with them. Often, they have a good stock and can alert you when new finds arrive.
Negotiating and Purchasing
If you become trusted by vendors, the terms by which you buy goods might be better, repeat customers might get exceptional deals or early access to special parts, and when a vendor is found, he might go a little further to find those elusive parts for a good customer.
Final Thoughts
Restoring a classic car is a brilliant thing to do, yet the passion and ingenuity that you’ll need, fuelled by your enthusiasm for the car itself, should be supplemented by a good dose of patience – with much of the job – as well as ingenuity, to track down any hard-to-find original parts.
Exotic vintages often require exotic parts, so be prepared to work hard to find what you need. However, you do have a variety of options available, from networking to get that elusive part to checking out salvage yards and even having parts made from scratch by specialist manufacturers.
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