Antique auto parts fall into two major distinctions: Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or parts constructed as aftermarket equipment. Many collector car owners refuse to purchase antique auto parts that are not OEM for the simple reason that many collector car owners want completely original components. By falling into this camp, consumers cut their options—OEM parts are harder to locate and more expensive to purchase than aftermarket equipment. But, as previously stated, costs rarely figure prominently in the minds of antique automobile owners.
To find OEM parts for an antique car, consumers are presented with three distinct options. Junkyards provide an unorganized avenue for auto parts, replete with mounds of old, bashed-in vehicles which may or may not contain usable components. Car owners might get the needle-in-the-haystack feeling from junkyards, but despite appearances, feasible parts often turn-up in piles of unwanted junk. Sometimes, junkyards present the only means for uncovering OEM parts. For instance: Certain car manufacturers are now defunct and obviously cannot continue to produce OEM parts. And certain car manufacturers simply refuse to continue forging components for older models. In these circumstances, some kind of veritable junkyard (whether in the boondocks or online) is required to requisition OEM antique auto parts.
Old-fashioned auto parts providers are the second option for car collectors in search of OEM components. While typically expensive and unorganized, auto parts store routinely offer quality advice in tandem with parts. Purchasing online, while often less expensive, doesn’t afford the selfsame customer care of actual establishments. Reputable antique auto parts suppliers are a staple of car collectors for this very reason. In addition, mechanical and aesthetic advice is routinely doled out at junkyards as well.
But for those antique car owners in search of good deals on OEM parts rather than advice, online options may prove to be the ticket. Websites specifically assigned to certain makes and models proliferate throughout cyberspace advertising quality OEM parts. As with all services, online or otherwise, claiming phenomenal deals: caveat emptor—let the buyer beware. Don’t let your penchant for thrift cloud your better judgment, especially with something so important as your antique car. Ascertain the reputability of an online vendor before sending a check for parts.
Assuming you’ve heeded the warning above, e-commerce sites prove to be excellent resources for auto parts (both antique and otherwise). Suppliers buy directly from manufacturers, limiting the contamination of costs by middlemen. In addition, specialty parts are readily available in the warehouses, since bulk buying creates surpluses. Shipping of these OEM antique parts is typically free after purchases over a nominal amount (usually $50). By securing components online, car collectors are certainly cutting costs, but also cutting the advice and know-how of auto parts shops and junkyards. If deciding upon online suppliers, consumers must realize that they are primarily on their own (although most websites include toll-free customer assistance numbers). If this doesn’t scare you, go right ahead and count your blessings and your savings in your fully refurbished antique car.
By Jean-Pierre Lacrampe