NOS Parts

[daepp]

I'm curious - I have recently purchased quite a few NOS Porsche parts of for rmy 34 year old car. I have asked the sellers where they got them, but they are reluctant to discuss. Now, I am not trying to cut them out of the process, but where, in general, do they find these.

For example, obscure trim pieces, still wrapped in Porsche bags, with Porsches stickers/decals/ parts #'s. Are they cleaning out old dealerships? I am constantly amazed at what I have come across.

[charleskieffner]

if its anything like old vintage street/dirt bike parts its usually from a biz going under or a swap meet. lots of NOS items floating around cheeezzze bay. sometimes its from some guy who stashed all the crap hoping to make a killing someday. but on the other hand have found parts that are made offshore and then repackaged. one guy we found was selling husqvarna decals as NOS. in reality he was having them printed up and the coloration was wrong. buyer beware.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by daepp
...I have asked the sellers where they got them, but they are reluctant to discuss...

China

EDIT: not saying that YOUR parts came from china, but there are lots of repro parts being sold as NOS

[daepp]

One of these sellers is a significant early car collector himself - I do not question the authenticity - they are frequently not even parts you'd often want to duplicate.

[widebody911]

Could be anywhere. I've come across NOS stuff at swap meets, or buying out an old shop's inventory. Sometimes you get such stuff when you buy a car; a lot of these guys will flip the car and keep the NOS parts. There are guys in the VW community whose 'job' is just to travel and around and buy this stuff up and drag it to swap meets/flebay.

And indeed a lot of repro stuff is pawned off as NOS. There was a guy selling the repro spare tire tool kits as NOS @ the Kelley Park VW show a few years ago, before the general public knew of their availability. Another old-time VW pimp was selling "NOS, in-the-box" VW bug pedal cars on ebay, which were actually brand-new chinese made items from one of the online VW parts sites; he was getting upwards of $500 for them on ebay (retail: $99), and then just having them drop-shipped to the lucky customer's house.

Sometimes you just get lucky - I had a guy email me asking if I wanted some 'old parts' he had just aquired at an estate sale. I still have some of that stuff, and I ain't lettin' it go cheap

[NICKG]

the porsche parts label will have the dealer code on it...that is the dealer it was sold from(or shipped to from the porsche parts wharehouse)

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by widebody911
There are guys in the VW community whose 'job' is just to travel and around and buy this stuff up and drag it to swap meets/flebay.

I remember old Hot VWs Magazine articles where they'd go to south america and buy up truckloads of VW NOS (&used) parts to bring them back and sell them. Safari windows, 21 window glass, sunroofs canvas, radios, etc...

And yeah, lots of stuff in individual basements. Just a question of either working away at someone for years to sell their stuff, or getting lucky at yard sales & auctions.

Not a whole lot of that action in my neck of the woods, but now and then I get lucky. 3 years ago, I stopped at a yard sale to look at a table saw and saw a bunch of car parts. spied a porsche insignia on some packaging... I bought a NOS main bearing set for a 356 for $5. Also got a set of Jaguar wire wheel knockoffs... nice ashtrays!

[daepp]

I asked the gentleman about the provenance of the parts and he indicated that he had learned how to "research" and find them. It left me intrigued to say the least!

[cashflyer]

NOS parts?
Easy... from Holley.

[NICKG]

it is not that hard to find NOS parts really, the trick is getting them cheap

[id10t]

NICKG - cheap is easy. Go to local dealer now, but one of everything, wait 35-40 years and presto - cheap to you NOS parts.