Are you looking for a cheap and easy weekend or showery daylight project that ’s guaranteed to give you that feeling of expiation of a job done dead ? Then you well stick with building plastic , scale models . you’re able to find a ' 68 Mustang for $ 7.99 at your local sideline shop class .
Or , with century of hours , thousands of dollars and shouts from your shop class that would make a sailor blush , you canrestore a real classic car . The crux can be finding the character . With the right parts , you ’re depend at a full - scale version of that plastic hobby model . Without the parts , you ’re looking at a pile of old junk .
If you require to fall into the first family , here are 10 places to look for the correct division for your classic car .
10: Swap Meets
These are the traveling circuses of classic car parts , where trafficker pay off for floor space and buyers browse hundreds of tent . If you ’re new to the restoration game , consider going here first – as much for the information as for the parts . Unlike an on-line auction sale or single - possessor part computer storage , a trade meet lets you chat with hundreds of sellers and possibly thousands of definitive gondola partizan about what you require , what you need and what you should debar . Restoring a classical caris a word - of - mouth game , and specialty swap meets are the A-1 origin for this sort of info .
CheckOldRide.comfor a lean of upcoming classic car events in your state .
9: Brick and Mortar Stores
think it or not , places still exist where you’re able to physically walk into a store , overstretch out your wallet and leave with a part . And like swop meets , one big reward of these brick - and - trench mortar stores is being able-bodied to peach with expert about what you take and how to get it from the ledge into your drive . The disadvantage , of course , is that the store may not have it . Call in advance with your make , model and year to ensure you ’re in the approximate range .
One last give-and-take on shops : The unspoken rule is that if you use the expert , buy the part . No mediocre extracting advice and then going home to look for the part online .
8: Online Forums
You ’re not the first person to search for classical elevator car role , and you’re able to check from those who have been down this long and winding route before you . In addition to swap meets and clubs , a undecomposed place to get these people is in online forum . The more specific the assembly , the better ( if you ’re expect for parts for a 1929 Model A , there ’s no point in joining the conversation about ' 68 Mustangs ) . get your lookup with your make and example and the Good Book " meeting place . " Within a assembly , you might even search for screw thread specific to the type ofrestorationyou’re doing , or you might find citizenry talking about the specific part you involve .
Remember , no one like a toughie . take first . Be helpful when you could . And be specific , unmediated and humble when asking where users found the parts you need .
7: Knock-off Manufacturers
It ’s a dilemma as old as time itself : Do you require an veritable , vintage part that may have quirks , or do you require a new , knock - off part that starts when you turn the key ? Take into account your sense of authenticity , the specific part and the quality of the belt - off .
First , ask yourself what your goals are in restoring this railroad car . If you cheat with a bump - off fender , will it make you respect the car less when all is state and done ? Or is looking definitive good enough ? If it ’s the 2d , new , caricature parts may be the best , cheapest and easy path to go . ( If it ’s the first , keep looking ! )
Also , consider the difference between visual and operative part . you’re able to usually rejuvenate optical vintage to beneficial precondition if you incur the proper model / make / year it ’s warrant to fit , and it ’s not like a rescued fender is pop off to give you driving problems .
Finally , if you buy new pieces for Hellenic machine , make trusted you ’re not buying rubble . Sometimes authoritative is better . If you ca n’t differentiate the deviation between calibre authoritative parts and junky fresh parts , drop some time around Friend ' projects , swap meets , starter task and rebuild shops before diving into yourdreamproject .
6: Classic Car Magazines
These are a great place to go for ideas as well as parts . demand stirring ? nibble up a copy of " Hot Rod " magazine , and get your drool bucket ready . Like forums , swap meets , strength workshop and , well , any place you might find classic auto parts , the more specific the magazine is to your make / model / year , the good .
The mag are also a great place to go for how - to advice straight from experts . Most have online searchable databases , but if you ’re a classic automobile enthusiast , you probably know that there ’s nothing like hold the real thing in your hand .
TheYahoo ! directoryis a secure position to begin in your hunting for classical auto magazine .
5: Wrecking Services and Auto Body Shops
Sometimes cars go direct from the side of the highway or your backyard to the junkyard . But often , motorcar go through a wrecking service or body shop first . And if these wrecking services are smart , they hold onto the good parts . Wrecking services lay out from a guy with a hand truck and a garage filled with consummate parts to wreckers with fleets of motortruck , used machine heaps and their own 100 - acrejunkyards .
It ’s metre to get on the phone . wait up your local towing or wrack services , and ask around until you find the right tow truck for your projection . citizenry have a go at it people . And finding just the right part mean that you might need to have it away people , too .
4: Salvage Yards
The flashy path to get classic parts is to line up them yourself . This think taking a route trip , place on your work boots and dick belt , and wandering around thejunkyardin search of thatdiamondin the rough .
The most important formula of junkyard salvage is to know what you ’re looking for . If you do n’t , skip it . Also , once you regain the rusting frame of your dream machine , you ’ll need the acquirement to appraise what ’s classic and what ’s junk . The salvage thou is not the lieu for the inexperienced . That allege , it might be the thoroughgoing place for the expert .
OldRide.comlists 59 salvage G around the country that specialise specifically in classical car portion .
3: Clubs and Organizations
One sad fact ofclassic car restorationis that the only citizenry who can truly apprize the hundreds of hours and thousands of dollar mark you put into your project are people who have done the same . Sure , it ’s a great feeling to see your task sit there end up in the garage , sparkling with a unexampled coat of paint , the chrome glitter in the glow of your shop light . But it ’s also courteous to kick thetiresand lookunder the hoodwith guy wire ( or gal ! ) who know the look of quality work when they see it .
Joining a club is the on - the - land version of an Internet forum – a perfect situation to verbalize about the parts you have and ask about the parts you need .
2: Online Dealers
A quick Internet search come back hundreds of dealers with searchable databases of Greco-Roman car part . Type in your make / model / year and a description of the part you ’re looking for , and you could have it express shipped to you in a few short days . More often than not , it ’ll get looking sheeny and raw , ready to be installed .
On the downside , this can also be the most expensive way to find part . If you ’re long on cash and short on time ( and experience ) , this is a great elbow room to go . If you ’ve been playing therestorationgame for a while and do n’t have deep air pocket , keep face .
1: Online Auctions
One parole : eBay . Or is that two words ? Anyway , it really does have everything . And because bargainer have to compete with diversionist and individual Peter Sellers , prices are likely to be much less than at the site of speciality dealers . call back , though : You have to be a petty more careful about what you get .
At ajunkyard , you’re able to wham parts with a pipe wrench . And you know the audio of a pipe twist hitting solid metal . A solid striking is a serious part . But on eBay or other equal - to - match sellers , you have to calculate on a vender ’s rating , pictures and description of part . You ca n’t scrape for rust fungus or reek it with a sledge .
That said , here ’s another one word : cheap . finally the trade - off of cheap versus easy is up to you .
For more great information , check out the links on the next page .
