It can sometimes be difficult to find the parts I need for our fleet of classic cars, especially for the more obscure ones. There might not be certain parts being reproduced, or a part was used for just one model year. And a lot of times (at least near me), junkyards only have parts for cars made within the past 15 or so years, so they never have any of the good stuff.
So where do I go when I need a part for our cars? Here's a list for each vehicle. All of these places offer great customer service and reasonably fast shipping. I’m not sponsored by any of them, either; I just figured I would share.
Diamond: 1967 Plymouth Fury VIP
It’s gotten a little bit easier over the years to find Mopar C-body parts, but it can still be a bit of a pain. Back when Diamond was a brand-new car, automakers were changing the styling every single model year to help keep their showrooms fresh. And that means that I can’t always use interior or exterior parts from a 1966 or 1968 Fury — a lot of the time, they won’t fit.
One vendor I frequent is Vans Auto. They offer a variety of reproduction parts, including antennas, battery trays, windshield washer bottles, body seals, and gas tanks. They also sometimes have a few used items available from parts cars.
Perhaps my favorite source for C-body parts is Murray B. Park, who has a ton of used and new old stock stuff. They don’t list every item they have in stock on their website, but there’s a pretty good chance you’ll find they have what you need if you just email or call them. In the past, I've purchased quarter panels and a trunk pan from them, and I recently just purchased a set of electric door lock solenoids from them, too.
For steering or suspension parts, I recommend Firm Feel. Though they can be a bit on the pricey side, they offer high-quality parts that they have made in the U.S. I have a set of torsion bars, as well as front strut rod bushings, from them that will be installed on Diamond someday.
Another great place for steering components is Steer and Gear. This is where I purchased Diamond’s power steering gearbox from, and with the “modern feel” setup, it was a night-and-day difference compared to the old unit that was on her. They also make a seal boot for the steering column coupler that holds stuff together so much better than the regular seal and retaining clip.
Olivia: 1979 Dodge D-150
While parts for Olivia aren’t as hard to find as Diamond’s, they can sometimes still be a bit of a challenge. Again, Vans Auto is a good source for reproduction parts for these old Dodge trucks, as well as LMC Truck, who offers things like bumpers, door glass, seals, and some generic parts and tools.
Another great source is Dodge Connection, who is also a great vendor if you happen to need some parts for a Lil Red Express Truck. They have reproduction and new old stock items, including the wood for the cargo bed, decal sets, interior trim parts, and gauges.
1972 Opel GT
For the Opel GT, there’s really only been one place I’ve ordered parts from, and that's Opel GT Source. They carry parts for the engine, transmission, and fuel system; interior and exterior pieces; and even body kits. There are also a bunch of tech notes available on their website (which they include with orders) to help you through whatever project you’re working on.
1987 Chrysler Conquest
While the Chrysler Conquest is one of the hardest cars in our fleet to find parts for, one of our favorite places to shop is Starquest Parts. They carry a lot of OEM and used parts, including interior and exterior parts, things for under the hood, electrical parts, and even entire cars.
Other places we like include Dads Engine Parts and MKS Motorsport, who both offer OEM and aftermarket parts for engines, brakes, and electrical and fuel systems. Both places manufacture some of their own parts for Conquests and Mitsubishi Starions, as well.
1961(ish) Austin Mini
Since a couple of the major parts suppliers went under within the past few years, it’s gotten a little weird finding parts here in the States for our little Austin Mini. One place we’ve ordered parts from recently, though, is Mini Sport. They’re based in England, so you may need to pay for tariffs, but they carry almost everything you’d need, including body panels, wheels, interior trim, and mechanical parts — even remanufactured engines and transmissions and Cooper tuning kits.
1977 Porsche 924
One of the places we source parts from for our 1977 Porsche 924 is Pelican Parts, who offers OEM-quality parts for anything from sheet metal to lighting, to engine and transmission parts. There’s also Rare Porsche Parts, who is based in the U.K. (so again, you might have to pay tariffs), but they also offer pretty much everything, plus some used parts for those extra hard-to-find pieces.
Other Sources for Hard-to-Find Classic Car Parts
Besides all of those online stores, some other favorites have been online message boards, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and swap meets. On any of these online platforms or at a swap meet, you may find that one person who has been hoarding every single kind of part related to your particular vehicle. If you find a seller who lists a few parts online and are wondering if they may also have what you need, I suggest just sending them a message. That’s actually how I got the parts for Olivia’s power steering conversion; the seller had listed a few other Dodge truck parts on Facebook Marketplace and I sent them a message. It turned out that they had everything I needed for the conversion (well, besides hoses and such, which is fine).
