When you want your classic car to be as true to its original state as possible, modern substitutions make you cringe. After all, you went through the trouble of restoring your classic car to be its most classic self. Purists think, "Why waste the effort to do that if you resort to using substitute parts?"
If you are a classic car restoration purist yourself, you want the most perfect parts. That includes brake parts for classic cars, which may be some of the most difficult of all parts to find. As you begin your search for brake parts for your classic car project, keep the following in mind.
Newer Salvage Yards
Any salvage yard that has not been in business for at least twenty years is not going to have what you are looking for. Most of what these "young upstarts" have are parts from cars made in the last decade, give or take five years. It is extremely rare for them to pick up a demolished 1980's or 1970's vehicle that still has most of its parts intact. Even if they do bring such a vehicle to their lot, it might not be the right year or the brakes may be completely rusted out (which is why brakes are hard to find).
Private Sellers in Foreign Countries
As desperate as you might feel when you are searching for brakes for a classic car, try to avoid private sellers in foreign countries. A good rule of thumb is that if you cannot see pictures of the parts, and/or examine the parts in person, do not sign the check. Exceptions to this rule are online auction sites, where pictures are displayed, and your purchase is insured against dissatisfaction or fraud.
Classifieds Where the Seller Does Not Know What You Are Talking About
Posting online in a "parts wanted" section of online classified ads is always risky business. You could end up with the treasure trove of brake parts for your classic car, which is always a bonus if you ever need to replace them again. You could also end up with someone harassing you about a set of brakes that are definitely NOT what you want or what you are looking for. When a private seller tries to sell you the brakes to a '71 Chevy Impala and you want and need brakes to '69 Chevy truck, it gets really annoying really fast.
For more information, contact companies like Brake & Equipment Warehouse.
