Parts, Parts and More Parts

Walk into any collector car enthusiast's garage or workshop and what will you find? First, hopefully, a car or two (or more if you're lucky). One is your pride and joy, rescued and brought back to life with a lot of long hours and loving care, or picked up at an auction with your hard earned money. You stretch its legs on sunny day trips to an occasional car show or cruise in, or maybe for a visit to the local ice cream parlor. The other might be your current (or next) project, in some state of breakdown or rebuild, or patiently waiting for that day to come. Then there's tools, the more the merrier. Hand tools, power tools, air tools (and compressor), maybe some welding, metal working and painting tools too. And of course the specialized gizmo you needed to pull that bearing on the last project (every collector car hobbyist has at least a couple gizmos in their toolbox).
But what I suspect you will find more of than anything else are parts - parts, parts, and more parts. Parts of every shape, size and condition. Parts in bags, parts in boxes, parts up high on shelves and down low on benches and under tables. And not just in the garage or workshop, but squirreled away in attics, basements (or crawl spaces), sheds, closets (right behind the dish towels), any unclaimed space you can find.
You see, what others just don't understand (even though I've explained it on numerous occasions to my wife, the last time when she had to move a fender to get to the Christmas decorations) is that we need all of those parts. Maybe not for this project, or the next, but at some point in the unforeseeable future I'm going to need that '37 DeSoto grill. I'm pretty sure of it. Well, maybe not, but it sure does look neat. And who hasn't felt the thrill of victory when you finally found that elusive original trim piece or steering linkage in Hemmings, on eBay, or during a stroll through the back lots at Carlisle. In many respects the collector car hobby is a parts hobby. We restore them, replace them and refit them. We research them and hunt for them. We buy and sell them. No wonder our garages and workshops (and homes) are full of them. To help fend off complaints from other household members (and let's face it, for your own sanity) here are some practical tips to help you deal with all those parts, the ones you have in your possession today and the ones you are sure to come home with after the next swap meet.

• Tip #1: Know your parts. Be sure you know exactly what parts you are looking for. Just because a part came off of your vehicle doesn't necessarily mean that its original or even correct. The same holds true for a part taken off a parts car or advertised by a parts dealer. But don't worry, there are plenty of resources you can use to identify and find the right parts. Start with shop manuals and parts lists from the manufacturer. Many are now available in softcopy that you can view and search on your computer. Also take advantage of interchange manuals, like the ones from Hollander. They will tell you what parts are interchangeable with others. Make sure you know as much as possible about your vehicle before trying to determine the right part(s). Decode the car's VIN (and other ID numbers) with the manufacturer's shop manual. Look for part numbers (and other distinguishing marks) on individual parts. Finally, join and make use of your vehicle's car club and its many resources and knowledgeable members.
• Tip #2: Buyer beware. When buying used parts, whether at a swap meet, in an online auction or from a parts dealer or bone yard, you can generally assume no returns and no refunds. So its important to know what you are getting before you buy it. For some parts, a front bumper for example, a close inspection of the part (in person or via the seller's description and pictures) can give you a pretty good idea of its condition. But for other types of parts, say an engine block, it can be very hard to ascertain its true condition before buying it. These factors should be taken into consideration when deciding where to buy and how much to pay for a part. Buying locally may enable you to negotiate a refund if the part is determined to be unusable or in need of major repair after professional inspection (at your expense). Many reputable bone yards will allow you to exchange their parts for an equivalent. Remember, if you don't buy locally you will likely have to pay for return and exchange shipping of the part (if the seller even accepts returns and exchanges) which can get quite expensive, especially for heavy or bulky parts.
• Tip #3: Stay organized. The best way to keep your parts organized is to catalog them as you acquire them or take them off your car. One way is to keep a spiral notebook with an entry for each part, its condition, part number, location (where you stored it), and notes. Its a good idea to take digital photographs of your parts at this time as well, lots of them. A better (and easier) way to stay organized is to use a software tool like Collector Car Companion. It lets you capture all sorts of useful information about parts including notes, picture links, replace/restore tasks, supplier info and storage location. Unlike the spiral notebook approach, this information can then be searched and sorted in all sorts of useful ways using the program's versatile search and reporting features. It also generates a unique number for each part (handy for labeling parts) and makes it easy to link and organize your digital photographs.
• Tip #4: Store smart. Once you've cataloged your parts you'll want to make sure you store (and pack) them properly. Keep small parts and fasteners together, organized by the system or assembly they are associated with. For example, when removing a fender pack all of its fasteners together. Put them all into a ziplock bag and tape the bag to the fender, or keep them in a clear plastic container and store it in a box with fasteners from other body panels. Ziplock bags work well for collecting small parts, especially as used above. They come in a variety of sizes and can be labeled with a permanent marker. Go for freezer bags, as they are tougher than regular lunch bags. If you plan to store small parts in boxes or on shelves, its better to pack them in see-thru plastic containers (not ziplock bags). These containers are easier to find and get at later. As you stock parts away, use a simple system to identify your storage spaces. For example, when storing parts in cabinets, closets and shelves, number them top to bottom and left to right (if wide enough). For a set of shelves 4 high and 3 wide, this would give you a grid labeled A1 (top left shelf) thru C4 (bottom right shelf). Then note the corresponding location when you stow a part. For multiple shelves, just continue the numbering scheme (the next shelf would start with D1).
• Tip #5: Sell unneeded parts. That '37 DeSoto grill notwithstanding, why not sell (or give away) those unused parts. Someone out there is probably looking for them, and you can earn a little extra money (to buy more parts). I'm pretty sure you could use the extra space for other parts (or even give your wife that linen closet back). Even if you're replacing a part don't throw it away, somebody else might be able to use it. With the internet at your fingertips, its easy to put your unneeded parts up on an auction site or in a classified listing. Try selling them locally using Craigslist, especially when dealing with bulky or heavy parts which would involve exorbitant shipping charges. Other options include local swap meets and car clubs. For small or rare parts (regardless of size or weight) consider using an auction site like eBay or a classified publication/site like Hemmings. When selling this way, be sure to specify your return policy (if any) and shipping charges. Use actual shipping charges instead of a flat fee to protect yourself against buyers from Timbuktu.

There you have it, some practice advice for dealing with your parts. We hope you found it useful. What other tricks and tips are you using to deal with all your parts? We'd love to hear them. Send your tips or comments to support@collectorcarcompanion.com.

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