Given that we’re all going to be in the market for parts, it’s reasonable to take a look at the parts-buying process and to offer some pointers on good and less-good ways to get parts. Of course, depending on the age and uniqueness of your project, any of these ways that work may be the best way for you to obtain parts, so don’t take any of these sources off your table right away.

New Old Stock (NOS) parts - If you can find these, they’re the holy grail of restoration. If you haven’t heard the term NOS before, it means just what it says - factory original parts that have never been installed on a car. Generally, these are in good condition and you can’t beat the fit and originality. Your best sources for these are shops that have been in business forever and your brand owner’s club. Sometimes you’ll see parts advertised as NOS on auction sites and in auto classifieds, and you should use all appropriate caution to determine the truth of the claims. You’ll usually pay a premium for real NOS.

Remanufactured/Restored parts - If you can’t find the original still-in-the-box part, then your best bet is usually a quality restored older part. These parts have been gone over by a professional, crack-checked or rebuilt as appropriate, and they should work as well as an original, even if they don’t last as long. Generally, that’s OK, as your restoration isn’t being driven like a new car. The better news is that these parts are far more widely available than NOS components.

Reproduction parts - Reproduction parts are a little more dicey than any new original or rebuilt original parts. Many of these parts are being made overseas in the modern era, and their fit and finish is not always good. For example, in restoring an antique farm tractor, I purchased an overseas-made replacement intake/exhaust manifold. This is a cast part that had been gang-drilled for its mounting holes. Five of the six holes lined up perfectly, but one drill bit was misaligned in the production process and the mounting hole was more than half occluded when I installed the part. The good news with reproductions is that if you buy them from a reputable vendor, that retailer should stand behind their sale if there’s a problem.

Used parts from swap meets - Swap meets are one of the joys of the old car hobby. They are a great opportunity to get together with hundreds of other like-minded people, walk around, look at parts, projects, and finished cars, and find the rare pieces you’re looking for. On the other hand, swap meet parts have been getting to be less of a bargain recently as the restoration hobby has blossomed and the Internet has made it possible for sellers to become aware of the best prices their parts can possibly bring. The negative corollary is that many sellers are unrealistic about their pricing, expecting top dollar for less-than-top parts.

Used parts from online auctions and classified ads - The rise of Internet auction sites such as eBay and classified sites like Craigslist have dealt a serious blow to the swap meet scene. If a collector has his parts organized and knows what they are, why not put it online from the comfort of home instead of loading it up, paying for a space, setting it all out, haggling with whomever walks by, and then trucking it home again? The good side of online auctions is that you can find the parts you need regardless of where you or the parts happen to be located. The downside of auctions is that you’re competing against every other owner of your make and model for those parts, and the auction sites have every incentive to get the highest price for each auction. Add to that the problem with buying parts sight-unseen with no opportunity for personal or professional inspection and you’ve got a recipe for potential disappointment or even fraud. So, approach online auctions with a skeptical mind and pay attention to those previous transaction ratings. You want someone who has a long history of good transactions. Be skeptical of someone who claims to have been in business a long time, but has fewer than several hundred feedback ratings! No matter what, be prepared for a little disappointment now and then.

Used parts from junkyards - I’ve had good luck in junkyards over the years. Of course, most junkyards won’t have anything in stock more than 20 years old, but there are exceptions. It pays to ask the question. The issue with junkyard parts is that if the clock, for example, is broken in your old car, then chances are that the one in the junkyard is similarly broken. You can spend a lot of money buying junkyard parts that are all broken (or about to break) in the same way that your existing parts are broken! But you can also find the cigarette lighter, trim piece, or miraculously undamaged fender that you need. Many junkyards are putting their stock online now, so you can browse junkyards nationwide from your desk.

In general, you want to use the same mindset about buying parts that you did when you bought your restoration project -unless you just bought the first rusty heap you saw because you fell in love! In that case, be smarter about your parts purchases. The cheapest part is often far from the cheapest solution.