Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22784 Location: UK

Hi all,

Do you scour the internet, autojumbles, and classified ads for parts to suit your vehicle(s) with a view to build up a stock of parts, that you may need one day, "just in case"?

Or do you subscribe to the buy-it-when-you-need-it-only approach - ie "just in time"?

Perhaps you've started out doing the former, run out space, and been forced to adopt the second option?

RJ
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BigJohn · Joined: 01 Jan 2011 Posts: 954 Location: Wem, Shropshire

If I see a part that is not extortionately priced I usually buy it as a psychological insurance policy. From then on the newly acquired part will gather dust (hopefully!) If I didn't buy it Sods Law decrees I would need it within two weeks.

Riley Blue · Joined: 18 Jun 2008 Posts: 1751 Location: Derbyshire

The quick answer is, "sometimes". It depends on the part and my idea of how difficult or expensive it would be to get hold of one in the future - so I've probably a garage full of parts that'll never get used and none of the ones I will need one day Sad

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David

1963 Riley 1.5
1965 Riley 1.5

kevin2306 · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 5:48 pm Post subject:

Ive bought spin off oil filters when I see them at a price im happy with, same goes for brake pads and shoes (2 sets of each. all new old stock so need to be careful with the friction material during servicing).
Other than that I dont bother unless it drops in my lap.

Kev

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22784 Location: UK

I do tend to buy up old bulbs when I see them at car boot sales, especially 6v "just in case".

RJ
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peter scott · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 7214 Location: Edinburgh

In the last few years I've bought virtually nothing at Beaulieu Autojumble because I didn't see any parts relevant to my car.
That said I do have a fair stock parts.

Peter
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1939 SS Jaguar 2 1/2 litre saloon

Phil - Nottingham · Joined: 01 Jan 2008 Posts: 1252 Location: Nottingham

YES - sometimes more than once as I have forgot I bought one bfore or where i PUT IT
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

MikeEdwards · Joined: 25 May 2011 Posts: 2704 Location: South Cheshire

Yes. Partly because I've always been a bit of a hoarder, and partly because you never know when you'll need something and not be able to find it, and remember passing over one at a sale.

I also keep old bits (not old bulbs, obviously, or broken stuff that can't be repaired), for example if I put new suspension bushes in I'll keep the old ones on the basis that at some point in the future, an old one might be better than none at all.

Minxy · Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 273 Location: West Northants

I guess it largely depends on the car you own. If I ran something mainstream with a good back up of parts, MGB for instance, I doubt I would stock pile but as parts for Rootes cars are a bit thin and for my model thinner still I do buy parts as I see them - which isn't very often.

Rick · Site Admin Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22784 Location: UK

You know that you've really got it bad mind, if you stockpile bits for a car that you don't currently possess, but wouldn't mind owning one day Embarassed

RJ
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Penman · Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4857 Location: Swindon, Wilts.

Phil

goneps · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:59 pm Post subject:

I'd go along with the consensus of stockpiling affordable or hard-to-find items. Original fluted headlamp lenses are one item I'd never pass up; most Morris Eights have been converted to the later pre-focussed-type lamps, and the flat fluted lenses are becoming very scarce indeed. They break all too easily when stone chips are flying about.

And, yes, I too keep a lot of old parts that've been replaced, on the philosophy that the day I need it will be the day after I've thrown (or given) it away. It's not unusual to find a use for an old part or tool years or even decades later.

Richard

Ellis · Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 11:35 pm Post subject:

Yes, I stockpile parts. At one time I had a garage full of Jaguar parts for the Mark 2 and I was glad of them, still am.

I currently have three Land Rover engines, two gearboxes and a myriad of other parts including those from a 1977 Series 3 I dismantled some years ago. Last September, for example, I needed a radiator and I had a good one "in stock".

Storage is starting to become a problem though and I dare not put any more in the loft.
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

Ray White · Joined: 02 Dec 2014 Posts: 7106 Location: Derby

As I can never find scarce 'Swallow' parts, I can't build up a collection of things that I don't need. On the other hand, Austin Seven parts are still quite easily sourced so there is no point in stock piling them.

Old Dodge parts all need to come from abroad so the cost of shipping and import duty make buying "just in case" something of a luxury that I can't justify.

Penguin45 · Joined: 28 Jul 2014 Posts: 384 Location: Padiham

Panels. Always buy panels. I scored two doors and a (pattern) sill over the summer, for, shall we say, advantageous prices. Mechanical bits can always be found or worked around for my cars.

P45.
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'67 Wolseley MkI 18/85, '70 Austin MkII 1800 The Landcrab Forum.