Maintaining a vintage car is a fun hobby. You'll have plenty of things to do on idle weekends as you work on the car to keep it in great shape. Plus, you can attend car shows and join groups with other vintage car owners and make new friends. Your time isn't wasted either since a vintage car that is restored properly will increase in value over the years. Finding parts can often be difficult though, although parts for American-made cars are often easier to find than foreign parts. Here are some tips for finding car parts for vintage cars.
1. Match The Identification Numbers
Your car will hold more value and be more of a draw at a car show if you restore it with all original parts. To do that, you should look for identification numbers on the part you currently have and seek to find another with the same markings and numbers. This helps you find the original manufacturer's part and not a replica or aftermarket part. Of course, if you just want a vintage car for its outward appearance and you don't care about hunting down all original parts, then buying replica parts will be cheaper, and they will be much easier to find.
2. Buy Parts Early
Just like any other car, your vintage car will wear through parts as you drive it. You may not want to drive a valuable vintage car much at all, but if you have one you drive often, then prepare for parts replacement by buying them early when you find parts you need available. As you attend car shows or visit junkyards gradually buy the parts you may need in the coming months, so you aren't caught off guard and need to wait weeks to locate a part to fix the car. Looking at parts frequently also familiarizes you with parts that are rare and ones you can find easily.
3. Get To Know Your Local Machine Shop
Sometimes you'll find an old car part that looks like it's beyond its useful life. However, it can still be useful if your local machine shop can restore it by removing rust or spot welding metal. You might even be able to save some of the parts you currently have by taking them to a machine shop.
When buying old parts, you may find them in clean, restored shape, but sometimes they are rusted and dirty. Just because a part doesn't look pretty, it doesn't mean you can't use it. However, it's always best if you can find a part that has all of its original components, so you don't need to keep searching for smaller parts that make it complete.
Contact a company like Reggie's Garage for more information and assistance.
Share26 March 2018
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