Classic Car Online

Classic Car Rim

How To Find Great Quality Old Car Parts

Is your vehicle in desperate need of a few repairs, but you don’t want to spend a lot of out of pocket expense?  Or maybe you want to restore a vintage classic?  Whether you’re looking for replacement parts or need extra nuts and bolts to keep your car in smooth running order to survive the grind of daily commuting back and forth to work, you can save hundreds of dollars by purchasing great quality old car parts for the best possible price!

When it comes to old car parts, many vehicle owners probably think of them as nothing more than a pile of useless rusty bolts and scrap sheets of, however, that’s not true at all!  Depending on the replacement parts you need, and knowing where to locate exactly what you’re looking for, you can find what you need quick and easy while saving your hard-earned money.   

Need Rims or Bumpers?
It’s important to realize that not all previously owned parts will work with your car, however, old car parts such as rims and bumpers can be refurbished to look like brand new.  Other popular used items include: catalytic converters, oxygen sensors, bucket seats, headlamps, and rearview mirrors just to mention a few.  Other used items like old tires, brakes, brake pads or brake lines should be avoided, buy new ones.  Even though you could save a lot of money on a set of used brakes, it’s well worth paying more for a brand new set to ensure your family’s safety!  A simple caveat:  Never buy or put a replacement item on your car if you’re not comfortable with it.  Remember safety first!

Where to Start Looking?
If you don't know much about repairing or restoring cars, it’s a good idea to take someone along with you who does know about cars.   Local junk yards, auto shops, flea markets and even browsing through your local classified ads are all great places to begin your quest to find the old car parts that you’re looking for.   The disadvantage to shopping around locally is that your options may be very limited.  The advantage of buying local is that you can examine what you’re buying before you actually purchase it.
If you don’t have any luck finding what you need locally, then you might try searching Internet auction sites such as e-Bay or used parts’ websites that allow you to search for the specific part(s) you need.  Of course shopping online opens up a treasure trove of old car parts.  The disadvantage, however, is you may not get what you paid for.  Unfortunately, photos don’t always accurately depict items for sale.  Before making a final purchase, ask the seller about his/her refund policy.  Always ask before final purchase!

Shop Around
As when shopping for anything else, always shop around for the best deals even when shopping for old car parts.  You may even be lucky enough to find what you need for free!   Whether you call around to several different junk yards for price quotes or spend a couple of hours online comparing prices, it’s important to do your own research as to not to be taken advantage of!

 

About the Author

 Looking for  car new parts to prepare a car for selling?   Locate great quality hard to find car new parts.

Questions about selecting new rims/wheels on a classic American car...?

Okay, so a '73 Chevy Caprice is not really considered a classic but just a really old car, but hopefully I can still get some feedback to help this project along.

My main question is, how do I determine what size wheels to get for this car that's slowly being restored and given some mild/street-legal upgrades?

I know the diameter that I want (15") but I'm still not sure about the width the wheels, and what factors I should consider in selecting these.

So my questions are:

1) What's the WIDTH of the wheels on the typical muscle car?

2) If I want wider tires in the back, do I necessarily have to get different size rims/wheels for the front and back of the car?

3) What kind of modifications may be necessary to fit new wheels?

Any feedback will help. Thank you.

I have restored many muscle cars and upgraded many. You have to check the clearance of the weel wells and measure them. You can still place larger tires on the same size rims slightly. You may have to purchase spacers that go between the drums on the rear and the rim (second choice). My first choice has always been to buy negative off set rims instead of spacers - they are safer.

AERO RIMS Novelty Car Fragrance