Getting classic car parts remade

Restorers know the problem: the car is complete except for one cracked knob, a missing trim clip or a broken window-winder handle that nobody has made for decades. Reproduction suppliers cover the popular models; for everything else, the original is often the only reference.

Manufacturers face the same problem. Porsche Classic, which looks after a range of some 52,000 parts, began 3D printing very rare parts where making tooling for small batches is inefficient, including a clutch release lever for the 959, of which only 292 were built (Porsche, February 2018). Mercedes-Benz Classic prints genuine parts such as sliding-sunroof rollers for older saloons, because the process suits small quantities when the original tools no longer exist (November 2018).

Parts makers commonly remake

• Dashboard, heater and radio knobs, and switch caps
• Window-winder and door handles (interior, non-structural)
• Interior trim clips, escutcheons, bezels and grommets
• Badges and emblems for your own car (see the note on trade marks)
• Glovebox catches, ashtray and courtesy-light housings
• Small brackets and spacers for trim and accessories
• Seat and trim fasteners for non-structural parts
• Tool-kit holders and storage clips

Don't have these remade

• Brakes, steering, suspension and wheel parts
• Seat-belt mounts and anything holding a seat
• Fuel-system parts
• Exhaust-side and engine-bay parts near high heat
• Lights and lenses that must meet road-legal standards

Buy certified originals for these and have them fitted by a qualified person. The safety page explains why.

Try these first

1. Check the marque's own classic parts service and the main reproduction suppliers.
2. Ask the owners' club: clubs often commission small batches of hard-to-find parts.
3. Search autojumbles, breakers and used-parts listings with the original part number.

If nobody sells the part at a sensible price, a maker is the next step.

Good to know

Logos and badges can be protected by trade marks even on old cars. Making a badge for your own car is common, but selling copies is a different matter, and makers may ask about it. Check the rules where you live.

Send the best surviving original you have. For a pair (left and right), say whether the maker should mirror one.

What to put in your post

• Make, model, year and chassis number, and the original part number if known.
• The colour and finish to match (a photo next to a colour card helps).
• Whether you need one, a pair or a club batch.
• Photos from every side with a ruler in shot, and the measurements that matter. The measuring guide shows how.

Step by step: find the model number, measure the part and photograph it for a quote.

Not sure it is a good job for a maker? Run the checker. Ready to write it up? The brief builder drafts the description for you.

Post your part on The Spool List

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