[dataway]

I've always heard that the folks with real deep pockets can basically find NOS stuff for just about any vehicle. Like there is a circle of people that only deal with biggest collectors and the rarest parts. People that only deal word of mouth, concours shows and maybe ads in Hemmings. They will never be seen at the major swap meets etc.

Is that true? Is there a secret cadre of enthusiasts you don't find on forums, on YouTube, or hobnobbing with us lessor folks?

When I was into vintage motorcycles there was definitely a bunch of serious collectors that wanted nothing to do with the average vintage restorers, they basically only sold their unobtanium to a select group of other rare bike owners.

I know a couple of times I've had people with some unbelievable stashes of hard to find parts help me out, but it's not like they are listing their parts, or actively trying to sell things ... they just kind of "find" you and quietly offer what you need.

[Roofy]

I believe thats definitely in the realm of possibility. You can usually see that with the vintage exotic and high dollar auction car crowds. And simply put, it might just be a factor that alot of the big parts hoarders are older, started their stashes years ago, and really dont advertise or sell on ebay, FB marketplace, and the usual places.

[Half-Inch Stud]

That "high-end" hobby click exists in these :

Beer Cans vintage cans of investment grade values on the order of $3,000-$15,000
HiFi Vacuum tube audio for McIntosh, Fisher, Heathkit, etc
Guitars, Rickenbacher Bass, WEM Amps & Speakers
Autos
Horses
Ham equipment for Collins equipment, Moon bounce comms

maybe custom mega yachts, planes, trains and mansions
I dunno if anybody donates a crap about sports cards, stamps, and coins...

[kingbuzzo]

There are tons of old fellers out there with hoarding issues...maybe they'll get to a project, maybe they won't...maybe they get put into a crooked home and their kids throw it away as scrap

For me the only way to tap into this market is to be seen, either on the street or cruise nite. They come out of the woodwork then but definitely don't advertise for a variety of reasons I'm sure.

"I used to have an old pontiac like that...still have some parts in the shed..."

[unruhjonny]

I was astonished at what all was in the classifieds on yenko.net - unfortunately you have to be a paying member to post in the classifieds.

[61-63]

There is no such group and no such forum, meet, website, or unique place. I've known and know and have visited and talked to a number of very wealthy collectors and in some cases hoarders of rare Pontiac stuff and they encounter rare and or NOS stuff just like the rest of us. Sometimes on ebay, sometimes in Hemmings, sometimes at Spring Charlotte, Spring Carlisle, or other swaps, sometimes Norwalk, sometimes a friend puts them onto something, sometimes Craigslist, sometimes in Smoke Signals or on the POCI website. Of course the longer you've been in the hobby the more people you know and the more that know you and what you are doing and we of course help each other out. Some of these wealthy folks have helped me out and me them even though I am not in their economic tier. Tom S. has and has had all manner of rare stuff go through his hands but that is because he has been into the hobby since the 60s and knows almost everyone, and they know him and what he is into, not because he is aware of or a member of some secret clique of NOS Pontiac hoarders. JMO.

[hobbygto65]

That and having the the money to snap up the gold when you see it. If you procrastinate its gone.

[Formulabruce]

Some folks buy or own these parts just to say they "have or had" them, or want to be able to say they had a part in xx special car restoration . I know a junk yard owner that has a 1970 mopar wing car and a 70 GTO near his entrance, been there 40 years and rough but they are conversation pieces..or were. It must suck for someone to actually USE an NOS parts lol, I have...WAS asked 3 years later about buying them back lol

[Goatracer1]

I know several people that always have "that Part" you need. For years they bought all the good stuff that was available. As far as I know they have never advertised anything. They are willing to sell to anyone. You just have to know they have stuff.

[ta6point6]

There is a guy in a town about 50 miles away that has a good number of Firebird/ Trans Am parts. I arranged with him to buy some parts but was delayed picking them up which I told him about. He said fine well I go to pick them up he said the price went up since the deal we made was for the day before. The guy was jerk even calling him and then to meet him face to face, even worse. I still think swap meets are the best place to find parts and at good prices.

[694.1]

I know some guys who won't sell a thing.
Hope they never need a fire extinguisher

[muscle_collector]

ive never heard of any secret underground parts sellers, but as with anything, a lot of it is who you know. also in the last few years i have turned loose of several very rare items to a few of the top restorers in the country and it is because they are willing to pay up for certain parts to get their hands on them. i cant tell you how many times someone calls and tells me how bad they need a part and then when i offer to sell it they think they are entitled to get it for a give a way price or they dont think they should pay shipping for it. i personally would rather throw it in a car and crush it than sell it to a whinebag.( and i dont care what its worth or how rare it is)

[thepontiacman]

I am still amazed where I find NOS and used parts.

Right time and right place. Extra $ on hand at the time is also helpful!

Good Luck!

[poncho-mike]

If you've been in the hobby for a long time, then a lot of people know you have rare parts and come to you for badly needed parts. The problem is that I have more friends that need parts than you have parts to sell. Once you sell, somebody will be unhappy because they didn't get a shot at buying them.

[unruhjonny]

/\ lol

luck-of-the-draw, or murphy's-law;
take your pick!

I tend to try to look, and look, and not get too impatient.
Everything shows up eventually...

but when it DOES show up, you had better be ready with a max orice you are willing to pay so that you don't regret:
1) missing out, because you didn't go high enough
2) buying it, and paying more than you maybe should have.

[gobrdgo]

I’m sitting on some trim for my bird. Came in the trunk with the car. Rats used most of the blue white clear GM plastic for a nest. Ha ha. But plenty still there. My car isn’t a NOS trim car. Need to get off my butt and sell. I don’t see much for NOS parts anyone cares about on eBay lately.

[unruhjonny]

post them up here in the classifieds with some good pictures, and I'm confident they will sell.

[dataway]

The reason I asked the original question is because right now I'm putting off some aspects of restoration in hopes of being able to find NOS parts in the future, at that point in the future the expense wouldn't be a concern.

I've only been happy with about 20% of the reproduction parts I've used, most of them just barely acceptable, more often than not ... total crap.

I've seen high end restorers find NOS parts for cars from the 30's, I've seen them find NOS for oddball foreign makes. Guys like Jay Leno apparently have people than can find him original parts for anything in the world

So ... two or three years from now when I start looking in earnest ... am I going to be able to find ... say ... NOS 68 door panels, valance, trim pieces, console door, instrument panel etc. ? Would I be well served by putting a wanted ad in something like Hemmings?

Years ago I hung out a while with a guy that had some very early 60's Corvettes .. it was all Hemmings, all NOS, no reproduction parts, very very picky bunch. And .. people would come up with what they needed, yes crazy prices, but someone always had the stuff.

[Jeff Hamlin]

As mentioned there is no "Premier" Market, there were always guys who made a business out of buying and selling over the years.
These are the guys who were first at the gate and slept in their car just to be the first into the swapmeet.
You always had a few vultures, you know the type that would push over a pregnant woman just to snatch up the pretty little GM boxes.

I would always laugh when cruising the annual swap meets and run into the same guys over and over.
And just like the prior years they still had all the same overpriced boxes of fool's gold that they have been carting around for decades in hopes to "Sell",
it became evident some of these guys really weren't sellers they were just collectors (HOARDERS). Ohh, look what I have.

Now, most are no longer among us, and all their years and years of hoarded parts which they sat on while rubbing their nuts just talking about what they have and what they're worth
are being sold off or thrown out by family members and other people who don't know what it is or really care.

Most of the good guys like most of the good parts are gone and/or have been used.
Not to say there aren't still parts to be found but sites like EPAY have pretty much destroyed the market,
so I would not hold out too long for a load of NOS parts to finish your project.

Over time I've found it best to refurbish/restore/reuse as much as possible but do keep an eye on the parts sites for things that may come up.
If I locate something and purchase it I just swap out the parts if feasible.

Also as mentioned prior, when a part(s) do come up and you need/want it you better be prepared to overpay or you'll likely miss out.

Happy Hunting

[Half-Inch Stud]

All relevant. I used to enjoy selling what parts i gathered. Noticed the regulars at dawn, before the Gates would open.

Problem i reasoned is i (we all, you all, yinz, you'nz) can only sell the part once. The junkyards and discoveries just don't happen for me anymore.