You wouldn’t want to be around BangShift Mid-West right now. Since Project Raven, my 1983 Imperial, is down for engine and transmission work, I figured that now would be the time to get some other minor details taken care of before the engine gets shoved back in it. Since it’s been cold enough to deter me from working on the car, I decided to start with some parts-hunting. One thing I’ve wanted to do to the Imperial is to get the windows tinted. Unfortunately for me, there’s four things standing in the way of getting that completed: the two outer and two inner door glass weatherstrip pieces, which are so sun-rotted that they are cracked, falling apart and would shred tint in a matter of seconds. Even the weatherstripping on the Project SuperBeater Dodge Mirada was shot beyond recovery (as the photo shows), and that car lived in Washington State all of it’s life! Anyone care to guess what the likelihood of finding a NOS set of weatherstrip pieces for a 1980’s Chrysler is? I’ll save you the trouble: I’d have better luck trying to put a unicorn on a leash.
So, as I paw through all of my resources and swear at my computer like an angry Samuel L. Jackson, I ask you, the readers: What was the one piece for your project that took you forever and a day to find? Engine pieces? Body parts? Trim? Or, if you are like me, what’s the one thing you’re pretty much assured you will never find? Blow off some steam and let it out here.
Make them! I have a 1937 Hanomag Rekord 2 door sedan. German car never imported to USA. Zero parts yet we built it into a street rod. It is apart now awaiting rebuild but had a 2.0 pinto,automatic trans pint wagon rear 69 Opel its with rack and pinion,65 mustang radiator, mustang II master cylinder.Drove it from Grand Rapids Mi. To Street rod Nat’s in. St Paul. Engine parts? Try egge sheet metal cane be made Go for it
Weatherstripping. That stuff is always a pain to hunt down.
Easiest question ever. AMC Matador coupe 1. Quarter window trim 2.Center console 3. Gauge cluster. Pretty much any AMC part that’s not made for an AMX, Javelin, or small car (Gremlin, Spirit, Hornet)
Distributor dust boot for a 1970 Toyota F135 engine.
Believe me, I’ve tried.
Bryan,
Have you been in contact yet with Brad’s NOS parts for your Imperial / Mirada? I’ve had good luck with them in the past with getting parts for my 1974 Dodge D100 Club Cab. If they don’t have them, then maybe they know of a unicorn that has a leash.
1964 / 1965 Chevelle hardtop quarter window sashes that are NOT cracked or broken.
Pontiac OHC “H” Cam.
Followed up by the Pontiac OHC 250 “Sprint” harmonic balancer.
A four speed console for my ’65 Impala. They regularly come up for sale on Ebay, but they are either butchered, missing parts, or bid up to stupid prices. I bid on a dozen of them that were nice with opening bids at a reasonable level. The price would quickly rise up to beyond I was willing to pay. Over a year later, I finally got a nice for a nice price $175.00 with shipping.
I could use a billet input clutch drum for a 200-4r, know where to get one? Don’t say PATC, those ####s don’t have what they advertise.
I have 2004R parts here at work but nothing billet if you do need anything. We sell automatic transmission parts
I used to be discouraged, alot of items go away. Only to find seals of the nitrile base .. mid 80s and older, no good anyway. I have learned to find universal, and industrial supply..and learned machinist basic tools to keep in any simple garage. Weather stripping is an easy swap over. I would even photo the type of pinch or seam and check check JC whitney before getting uptight. Consoles or plastic shapes.. there is entire business making that look easy, better than factory never was.
Have fun with it.
Corner lights for a four light 81 Coralla. The only thing keeping me from getting the cocksucker on the road
At the risk of sounding like a idiot, have you checked the stealership? I’ve been able to source all the lights and lenses as well as weather strip for my ’83 RN38 Pickup directly from the stealership.
Dan at the parts department of American Toyota in Albuquerque (aka “Cruiser Dan” the Land Cruiser parts wizard) can find just about anything.
Heater and Defrost cables for my 715. As most were heater delete the cables are a hard find, I found one of the two and got a heater from an an early wagoneer. Other 715 parts for the 230 OHC Tornado can be a bear as the mil spec timing set, fuel/vacuum pump are different from the civilian ones. On my mundane hard to find list is the fiberglass under hood AC parts for 67-72 Chevy pickups, all the hard parts are available new but not the glass (last time I looked anyway) and the original stuff is always broken. I feel bad for guys with actually rare or import rigs.
IF THEY ARE JUST METAL CONDUIT CABLES YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO BUY THAT STUFF AT NAPA OR POSSIBLY A LAWN MOWER REPAIR SHOP. USUALLY SOLD BY THE FOOT.
THE KNOBS ARE SPECIAL AND NOT SHARED WITH OTHER MV’S!
I’m jealous that you have an M715 with the stock OHC motor still in it. Do you have any pictures?
I parted out the OHC and made sure the parts went to guys who were putting theirs back together. Sadly someone took the plugs out twenty years ago and #6 filled with water and wasted the block. All the hard to find stuff found good homes.
That and they are not really worth keeping if you want to use them on a daily basis. I have 6BT plans.
Bryan…..check out….http://www.profitautointeriors.com/cars/Chrysler/1983/Imperial/Weatherstrip–Felt–Body-Seals/Imperial-parts.html
Tailgate for a 1961 Chevrolet Station Wagon =
Nomad (Impala trim)
Parkwood (Bel Air trim)
Brookwood (Biscayne trim
Fullsize / Passenger Car / B Body – whatever you want to call them. With the same part fitting three different trim levels, you would think that it would not be so hard to find, but I have been looking for a solid one for years.
The worst for me was trying to find new weaterstripping for the 72. I got the two front doors done after hitting ebay and finding a place that makes it.
The next iten was the glovebox catch that snapped off, then the seatbelts. Took a few months on ebay and got lucky.
The main thing is quarter panels for a 4 door………..nope.
The trunk monte carlo crest for my 73 monte. Only one year for that particular crest. Fought on ebay for it no dice. Found it at Carlisle. Try steel rubber products they sell that type of weather strip in bulk.
Headliner for a G-body wagon!
The lady came in to the store looking for a headlight. Recharge Kit because her headlights we’re going dim. Yup true story! Refused the charging system problem or ground problem answer, so she is probably still looking for it.!
1970 1/2 z28 camaro gauge cluster, made them for half a year in 8000 cars. literally have to find someone dumb enough to take theirs out.
The instrument panel/radio trim for a 66 chdvy b body that hasn’t had the radio area cut up for a later radio.
66 b body center console with gauge pack. Nicest one I found on eBay was over a grand.
1968 Amc rebel wagon sending unit.
Any sheet metal for a pre 67 dodge dart.
Regular 66/67 Belvedere tail light lenses. GTX and Satellite sure but good luck with plain Belvedere trim level
The one year only 270 level side trim on my ’66 Dodge Dart.
If I wanted to find the interior door panels, they probably wouldn’t be any easier.