Rare Parts In Strange Places
 

I was wondering if anyone would like to share any stories of finding rare parts in the last place you would think of finding them.

I recently found a pair of 1967 Impala SS427 hood inserts that were being used as taillight covers on a custom Firebird. Each SS427 Impala got one of these hood inserts, that means they either bought them new from GM or liked the look so much that they hunted down 2 of them.

It got me thinking of other parts found in unusual spots like rare car radios being used as shop radios, vintage factory car tachometers in boats or tune up testers, etc.

Anyone have any interesting finds in unusual places?



Jason

I spent years looking for a vintage Knapp Houston emblem for my Knapp sold 69 Z28. One popped in in Phoenix Az. eBay for 7.00. Needless to say I grabbed it in a heartbeat.

There is a local swap meet at the Drive In Theater here in Guthrie, America on most Saturday mornings from 9 til noon. It is not auto related; in fact I have never seen any car parts. Lots of old tools. Mostly junk. We have picked up some unusual items. I bought an old marble and bronze clock that came from a bank in Prague, OK, and an old mechanical well pump, along with a vintage mechanical well pump.

I am strolling down the lane and there in a milk crate and there is an Opel GT jack WITH the original lug wrench. Really good shape, hardly any rust (no pits). Ask the guy what he wants for it. Says $10. I give him $20. I needed it for my newly purchased GT. Pretty hard to find in good shape.

Some time back I was buying Hurst shifters on ebay and restoring a few. So a nice one with only one so so picture came up and looking very closely at the only side shot I could just make out one leg of a big block mounting bracket on the back side peeking out and still mounted to the shifter, and no mention of it in the description. BINGO ! made out on that deal. I sold the BB bracket for 400 bux +


Mike

I go to Studebaker swap meets. Studebaker owners and vendors are older than dirt, just like me. Most of them have no idea that some of the Delco parts used on Studes were also used on GM's, and some of the Autolite/Prestolite parts were same as used on Mopars. Best non Studebaker parts found there was a 53 to 61 Corvette jack for a mere $10.00, and a real wood Corvette steering wheel in near NOS condition for $75.00. The Avanti / Corvette connection is another plus they don't understand.

Going through a flathead ford parts at a swap meet at the Atlanta dragway - and run across these. pair of left and right 2 Bar knockoffs.
The man stated he had drug them to the states from Australia and had them since at least the mid 1980's. I gladly paid him the $20 he was asking for the pair.

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My dad bought a beautiful black walnut farm table in the 1980's. It was nailed to the side of a barn covering a hole. He had the hole in the barn repaired and bought the table from the lady. She had originally stated she couldn't sell it because it was covering up a hole. -

----At one time while living in Ft.Liquerdale I was doing repossesion work and went to an address that a guy had given as his. Knocked on the door and there was no such guy living there. As I turned to leave I glanced at some flowers planted in an old aluminum wheel. Asked the homeowner if I could take look as they reminded me of something. The plants were dead so he said go ahead. I turned the 1st one over and it was a 1967 Corvette optional bolt on wheel and the second wheel matched it. He told me the other two were in the backyard. Bought 'em for $50.00 bucks. He was happy as a clam and obviously so was I......Bill S

Fall Carlisle, don't remember the year. Passing by a vendor with used '40s-'50s Cadillac parts, nothing of interest to me. He had a cardboard box out front marked "Everything $1", I couldn't resist looking. Inside was an NOS in the box '67 SS427 front grille emblem and a nice '61 SS trunk emblem.

Bill W

I bought a rough '69 Camaro project about 15 years ago that came with a few milk crates of stuff. At the very bottom of one crate, among other alternator cores and random junk, was a perfect '67-68 Z/28 fan clutch. That was a very good day....

When i first got my 69Z28 back in the 90s i needed a 837 alternator a friend of mine told me about a guy he met at a swap meet that had Camaro parts i called him and he sold me 2 837 alternator s and 2 480 distributor s for $30 ea and front and back seats no rips for $50 all the deep grove pullies for$ 30