Finding a rare part can often prove to be very challenging depending on the vehicle in question. You are bound to encounter other roadblocks, hurdles and challenges when restoring a car. Finding a replacement part shouldn’t be one of them. But for the right car, collectors are willing to go the extra mile.
If you have not already chosen a car to restore, you may want to check out our article on the 10 easiest classic cars to restore. Otherwise here is a list of places to look when searching for a hard-to-find replacement part for your classic car or truck.
Where We Source Our Parts
I wouldn’t be right if we didn’t give a big shout out to the companies we turn to for our restoration parts. Between these three places, we almost always find what we are looking for. Classic Industries and National Parts Depot are who we first turn to for all our builds that are American made. Moss Motors is the most trusted name in classic British car parts and can usually help you land any other parts from European manufacturers. Click any of their names to be taken directly to their parts website.
Car Clubs, Shows and Swap Meets
Probably the best place to find those rare parts is at shows, car club events and classic car swap meets where all the classic car enthusiasts gather together. You may run into a fellow collector with the same car who just might have the part you are looking for. If the car show doesn’t pan out the swap meet probably will. These traveling car part carnivals are filled with knowledgeable car guys and hard to find parts. Swap meet vendors aren’t going to bring along a part that can be easily found online. They usually have the rare stuff or at least know where to find it.
3D Print Your Part
What once sounded like a futuristic fantasy is now a present day reality and is bringing classic cars of the past back to life. We are talking about the evolving technology of 3D printing. The rapid advancement of 3D printing technology now makes it possible to re-create those near impossible parts to find. Materials like plastic and metal can be fed into these printers to produce parts to such high tolerances and to exact specifications just like they came out of the factory. Check out our full article on this amazing new technology.
Part Stores
Even in the modern age of online shopping, classic car part stores still exist. These specialty stores are also going to have knowledgeable staff that can help guide you in the right direction if they do not have the part you need. We suggest making a phone call first to see if they carry what you need. It can save you a trip.
Online Forums
Our first online option are Forums. Simply search your vehicle’s make and model with the word forum and you are almost guaranteed to find a forum full of conversations pertaining to your specific classic car or truck. Forums are not only a great place to ask for parts, but a great resource of experts in case you have any problems with your restoration process.
Aftermarket Manufacturers
There are plenty of companies out there that sell knock off replacement parts for classic cars and trucks. The problem sometimes comes down to quality. These parts are sometimes made with less desirable materials and craftsmanship than the originals. If you think you can get away with an aftermarket part without compromising the build then we say go for it. If it has to be all original then keep looking.
Magazines
While many magazines are all available online, there is something special about flipping through pages the old fashioned way. Magazines are a great place to look for new and used replacement parts. As a bonus you are also going to get expert tips and other great reading material as well.
Wrecking Services and Salvage Yards
Both of these businesses are an excellent source for finding parts locally. These guys are usually aware of what parts are hard to find or valuable and will have pulled them for resale well before the car reaches the junkyard. Making a few phone calls can yield you the part you are looking for. Situations arise however where you may need to grab your tools and head to the salvage yard yourself to hunt for the part that you need. The challenge with this is that you better know what you are looking for and be able to evaluate the part’s condition. If you have any reluctance, you are better off leaving this to the professionals. OldRide.com has a great list of salvage yards across America that offer parts for classic cars and trucks.
Online Dealers and Auctions
Our last and most obvious resource is the Internet. One search for the part you need and you are likely to find plenty of websites that will sell and ship it directly to you. One problem with online shopping is that it tends to be the most expensive route. Another common issue is part quality. Be sure to find a website that offers a no hassle return policy in case what they deliver is not what you expected. If you don’t have a huge budget and are not pressed for time, we suggest exhausting the options above before searching online. You are likely to get a better deal and probably learn a thing or two from your fellow enthusiasts and other classic car restoration professionals. We also have a great article to help you shop for classic car parts on Ebay.