Vintage Car Parts
Vintage car parts are needed for cars built between 1919 and 1930. Opinions vary on the exact cutoff years.
The term Antique Classics is used in reference to old cars as well. According to Antique Automobile Club of America, an antique car is generally defined as a car over 25 years of age. However, the exact legal definition for the purpose of antique vehicle registration varies widely from State to State.
With about 12 years being the normal design life of modern cars, 25 years is about double and therefore a car that's reached 25 is a rare survivor, and probably not economic to maintain as regular transportation.
Vintage Cadillac
The term Classic Car is often used synonymously with the term Antique car, but the formal definition of that term is restricted to specific high-quality vehicles from the pre-World War II era which began with the Great Depression in 1930 and ended with the recovery after World War II in 1948. The Classic Car Club of America (CCCA) defines the term Classic as a "fine" or "distinctive" automobile, either American or foreign built, produced between 1925 and 1948. A Classic was high-priced when it was introduced and was built in very limited quantities. Although, by 1930s most of the manufacturing technologies had already been invented, certain factors like including engine displacement, custom coachwork and luxury accessories, such as power brakes, power clutch, and automatic lubrication systems, help determine whether a car can be considered a Classic.
Some exemplary pre-war Antique Classics are:
1. 1934-1940 Bugatti Type 57. The Type 57SC has become the singular classic car.
2. 1934 Citroën Traction Avant. Has the distinction of being the first mass-produced front-wheel drive car,
3. 1936 MG T series, a sports car meant especially for American soldiers fighting in the war.
4. 1938 Volkswagen Beetle, the most-famous automobile of all times. It was a pre-war design that continues to exist even in the present times.
The CCCA Club keeps a thorough list of the vehicles they consider Classics, and while any member may petition for a vehicle to join the list, such applications are carefully scrutinized and very rarely is a new vehicle type admitted. They also acknowledge the fact that their rather exclusive definition of a classic car is by no means universally followed and hence they generally use terms such as "CCCA Classic" or the trademarked "Full Classic" to avoid confusion.
After 1930 the number of auto manufacturers came down sharply, as the industry consolidated, and developed after the war more advances in engine design were made, like the compression V8 engines and modern bodies from General Motors, Oldsmobile and Cadillac brands.
Check out Jay Leno's 1966 Cherolet Corvair Corsa
Owning an vintage car is a dream shared by many men and women. Cruising down the street in a classic car not only turns a few heads it makes you feel great knowing that you’ve invested in something of value.
Vintage car parts are needed to restore the antique car they’ve purchased. They know that even though it involves a lot of time and work, the end result is well worth the effort.
One of the first things to consider if you are planning on taking on the restoration of an antique car as a hobby is where you’ll go to find parts. Vintage car parts can be difficult to find. You generally can’t walk into your automotive supply store and request the part. Instead you have to do a bit of research to find out where the antique car parts you need can be purchased.
The first place to go to research vintage car parts is the internet. Pull up a search page and type in the phrase “vintage car parts”. With any luck several results will pop up that will give you a resource locally.
If the results of the search aren’t as favorable you can begin to research online stores that specialize in antique car parts.
There are several companies who work with their customers to find the antique car parts they need. They are much like a locator service. You request a part and they put the leg work in to find out where the part can be purchased from. You then pay them a finder’s fee and purchase the particular antique car part from the source they quoted.
There are also companies whose focus is strictly in antique car parts. They compile a vast collection of varied parts and offer them to their customers through their website or store front. There will be additional charges for shipping but if you’ve been having trouble locating a specific part this can be a welcomed resource.
Another source for finding vintage car parts is your local newspapers. Sometimes collectors decide to sell off certain parts. You simply peruse the listings and contact the seller asking about the condition of the antique car part you are searching for and the price. Quite often they are excited to help you with your project and will offer you a reasonable price for the required part.
Sometimes you can find a treasure in an unexpected place. Auto wreckers often have antique cars in their lots. These are cars that were not restored and they reached such a debilitated condition that they are now being used strictly for parts.
Some auto wreckers keep a very close inventory on what is on their property. In this case you’ll simply need to call them and inquire about the part citing the type of antique car you have and what you need. They’ll search their computer database and be able to tell you whether or not they can supply you that antique car part.
Other auto wreckers prefer their customers to come to their location and look over the vehicles themselves. You’ll want to take a few tools with you just in case you do locate the part you are searching for. The majority of auto wrecking operations require the customer remove the desired part themselves.
Although it can be tricky to find the antique car parts you need, with a little research you should get what you need to completely restore the vehicle.
