Classic car parts - How to find the parts for your restoration project

More than likely you did not buy your classic car in showroom floor condition, but you sure want it to be like that. I won't show you how to accomplish it completely, but I will give you some good advice on locating the replacement parts for your projects. Depending on a few conditions, it may be more difficult to find used parts, especially on older and rarer cars. In that case you may need to find a replicate part.

Used Classic Car Parts
In the old days, one had to contact every junkyard they could find. Magazines and monthly buying guides became a great source for parts, but then the world was revolutionized by the computer and the internet. Today you can find parts from ebay and craigslist, or you can call your local salvage yard and more than likely they are on a network of computers from other salvage yards, sharing their inventory. It is like having thousands of salvage yards in one place. The salvage yard you call can have the part shipped locally, with sometimes small fees, including the shipping cost. You will need to do a cost/analysis of whether the shipping is worth it or not.

The two main salvage yard networks are Hollander and Pinnacle. You may want to find a salvage yard that is on each network (Usually yards only have one or the other). There are over 2,000 yards on each network, so don't overlook this potential goldmine. The salvage yards will also be able to find parts that are interchangeable. Most manufacturers use the same parts over many years and many models. An example is the fuel pump from a 1980 GMC van fits a 1969 Camaro. Knowing this may help you save a considerable amount of money.

It is generally more cost affective to purchase used parts for your restoration project, but there are a few instances where you may want to look at remanufactured or new parts. Many parts on classic cars are not designed around today's safety standards (such as brakes, steering wheels, etc.), or parts manufactured today perform better. You may want to install power steering into that old classic, making it easier and more comfortable to drive. In these instances you may want to look at newly manufactured parts. The newer technology may even help in performance. A transmission or shocks built today with newer materials that were not available 40 years ago will probably make for a smoother ride.

New Classic Car Parts
When you can't find a used part, your next option is to find a newly manufactured part. Many places will build new body or interior parts for your classic car, but it's generally a hefty price. You should easily find a number of online places to contact using your favorite online search engine. Asking in forums or contacting a local car club specializing in the model will also lead you to a source to find those hard to find parts.

Car Clubs and Online Car Forums
Finding online forums pertaining to your classic car can be a valuable resource, and not just for parts. Someone may be able to lead you to the part you're in search for, but likely you will learn more than just where to locate the part. Many restorers before you have gone through the same troubles, and people are willing to share their troubles and tips they learned as they restored their vehicle. Car clubs geared towards your car are very valuable in the same way, and the local car club fans may even lend a hand in a project.

Finding those parts to restore your classic car may be more difficult than doing the restoration work itself, but hopefully these tips will steer you in the right direction to find the parts you need.