How to Find Oem Body Parts
It used to be that when you wanted to repair, rebuild or restore your car, you need look no further than your local dealership. Parts departments used to stock large quantities of fenders, quarter panels, door skins, etc. It was not uncommon to find body parts for vehicles that were no longer in production, especially on American made models such as Ford, Chevrolet, Pontiac and Buick. However, as material storage costs increased and as the manufacturing of OEM body parts for older vehicles decreased, the ability to locate and purchase these parts became increasingly difficult. As a result, a subset of manufacturers began developing aftermarket replacement body parts.
Automotive purists will argue that aftermarket body parts are not manufactured from the same casts as their OEM counterparts, often resulting in parts that do not line up correctly or require serious modification during installation. In addition, the grade of steel used in these aftermarket parts does not have the same integrity or quality of the OEM parts, resulting in parts that fatigue or rust more easily and detract from the overall value of the vehicle. However, because of the absence of available OEM parts, many people turned to these aftermarket parts out of necessity.
Before the advent of the internet, locating OEM parts was limited to local dealership searches or combing through junkyard after junkyard to locate a body panel that might be in good enough shape to be re-used. Even then, most of the searches were in vein and, when a successful match was found, still often required significant repair to the part before it could be re-used. However, with the development of the internet, a new generation of automotive restorers have discovered that the world wide web has re-opened the door to locating available OEM parts.
When using the internet to locate OEM parts, it is still important to have a clear understanding of exactly what you are looking for. Doing your homework before beginning your search will increase the probability that you will find what you are looking for. Most OEM parts have a multiple digit part number stamped on them or tagged to them. While you may not have access to that part number, there are a number of sites on the internet that you can use to locate this number. Even if you know the year of your vehicle, it is still important that you confirm that you are searching for the right part. Remember that many vehicles came with different trim levels and, in some cases, different body styles (two-door versus four-door, SS versus base model, etc.) and knowing the differences in these parts will help eliminate the "buyers remorse" you might feel if you purchase the wrong part.
Once you've determined the part you are looking for and have gathered all the pertinent information relating to that part, you can begin your search. There are many venues for beginning your search, but some of the simplest search tools are often the best. Ebay and Craigslist users list a surprisingly large number of OEM parts online for consumers to purchase. The downside is that many times neither the poster nor the consumer know exactly what they are looking at. It is important to understand some of the terminology that is used parts are listed. NOS (or New Old Stock) is another way of describing OEM parts. New Old Stock parts are parts that were manufactured years ago but never installed. NOS is a common descriptor used by people trying to sell OEM parts online. It is important that, even when looking at NOS parts, that you identify the part by confirming the casting/tag numbers on the part being sold.
If conventional sites such as Ebay do not provide the results you are looking for, another option is to explore the internet for automotive group sites whose members specialize in the vehicle you are attempting to locate parts for. Many of these sites have forums with members from across the country and sometimes even around the world. Many members of these sites are often very knowledgable about how to locate parts for your vehicle and can greatly aid you in the search for OEM parts. In addition, one or more of these members may actually have the part you are looking for and might be willing to work a sale directly through these sites.
A third option within the internet is locating a vendor who specializes in OEM parts. Again, as the internet has grown, many independent parts suppliers have launched an E-business where they can sell their wares. The problem with OEM body parts is that, within a local market, are as difficult to sell as they are difficult to find. Because a local market is limited, the odds that someone would be searching for a vintage quarter panel for a 72 Dodge Charger might have been minimal, but because the internet has global access, these vendors have discovered a market that is limitless. The result is that many OEM/NOS parts suppliers have emerged and are combing the internet themselves looking for other OEM/NOS parts. Because they specialize in vintage parts, they can help guarantee that you are going to locate the right part for your vehicle. It is still important that you have a clear understanding of what you are looking for, but having the aid of these vendors will most certainly help in your search.
Lastly, the most conventional way of locating OEM parts is also probably the simplest. Throughout the year and throughout the country, annual swap meets are hosted at fairgrounds, convention centers and other large venues. Swap meets are a great way of shopping for parts in real time and provide an added benefit of allowing you the ability to physically examine the part you are searching for before you purchase it. While the internet may offer a more expansive market, swap meets provide the direct interaction between buyer/seller and make the purchasing process that much easier.
Ultimately, locating the correct OEM part for your vehicle requires a clear understanding of the part you are looking for as well as an understanding of what parts are available in the market. Always make certain that you have as much information as possible when searching for your next OEM body part so that you make an educated purchase and end up with exactly what you are looking for.
