How difficult is it to get parts for a 1955 Chevy, first series truck?
To the best of my knowledge almost everything is identical to a ’54. The engine was built on through ’61 or ’62 but the water pump was redesigned and won’t interchange. I’m reasonably sure the 1st series ’55 used the older water pump but would have changed for the 2nd series. The late 50’s engines will work but will require a shortened late 50’s water pump.I haven’t looked in a few years but there were a few companies that specialized in parts. Finding much of anything at the local parts house will be a problem. The parts I remember being a problem were the distributor and spring shackles which used an odd threaded pin.A lot depends on how original you want to keep it. Front end swaps as well as complete frame swaps ( using an S 10 frame) are common and sometimes a complete rolling chassis left over from a swap can be found. Electric wiper conversions are available to replace the vacuum unit. Offie intakes (2 and 3 carb versions) as well as Fenton headers were still available new a few years back.My first truck was a ’54 five window cab Chevy. I still have it but it hasn’t been on the road in over a decade now.
Is a vintage car hard to maintain?
No, a vintage car is not hard to maintain, as long as you can obtain the parts you need for that car. It is however a lot of work to maintain a vintage car. In any case, you have to pick the right car.First, regular maintenance. In the old days, people were expected to be able to carry out their maintenance themselves. So everything was well-documented in manuals etc, and the tools and processes ware developed so that everyone could do it.Second, Repairs. The technology in vintage cars is a lot easier than in current cars. For example, compare a three-speed manual gearbox to a 8-speed DSG. The former, everyone should be able to take apart with a bit of information and help. The latter, even a mechanic at a dealership won’t do it anymore. The same for comparing a single-camshaft engine with pushrods to an double overhead camschaft 24v, all in a crampled engine bay. With a good manual (a Haynes, for example) everyone can do repair and overhaul of a vintage car.Third, Bodywork, and underbody. Whether it is due to rust, paint damage or an accident, classic cars are way easier to repair than modern cars. The bodywork was made of steel in thick grades, so everything can be repaired with welding and cutting. Not something the average joe might be able to do in his home garage, but with a bit of dedication and time you’ll come a long way.But as I said. You have to pick the right car. First because you need information, second because you will need the parts to keep the car rolling. So if you drive a Mini Cooper, a Ford Mustang, an MG, a Jaguar XKE or something, you’ll be fine. Information and parts are easily available and pretty affordable. If you happen to have a vintage lotus, things might get a little more complicated. If you have a Hispano-Suiza or something really exotic, you’ll need a lot of patience, a good network and a lot of luck to find the right parts if you need them. And deep pockets.
What’s the best daily driver vintage truck from 1952 to 1971?
That is a pretty big range of years to pick from. There were a lot of good trucks produced in those years, by multiple companies.In my opinion your best bet for a daily driver would be a Chevrolet/GMC from 67–71, or a Ford from the same years. By those years they both had independent front suspension in the 2wd models. It is essentially the same suspension they used for the next 40+ years. They also got disc brakes in 1971, but the drums work perfectly fine if make sure to keep them adjusted properly.The Dodge models would be fair as well, though, in some ways, they would be a little behind the Ford or GM models. International trucks were decent as well, though, again, a little behind in technology and are becoming more difficult to find parts for.I think the biggest advantage would go to Chevrolet/GMC if only for the ease of parts interchange mentioned in the answer from Doug Smith.I have personally owned several trucks from the 50s through the 70s, mostly Chevrolet of Ford, but had a Dodge as well. Of those trucks the one I drove the longest was a 1976 Chevrolet C10 that I drove as my daily driver through most of the 1990s. It was a good, reliable pickup and was easy to work on when I needed too.
I need info on parts for a 1973 dodge D200,?
Model years 1973 to 1993 were very similar in the cab itself, dash light bulbs should be easy to find, sockets can be found in the same vintage cars/trucks, minor rewiring may be required. The D/W series trucks used the same lighting, seating, windows, dash, etc. from 100 to 300 models, power trains and frame design/strength were the biggest differences. http://www.jcwhitney.com/truck/dodge-d20... has door seal rubbers or did, they MIGHT have window "catwhiskers" and window guides if needed, a fuel tank might be hard to find, but check with JC Whitney, they might have one. LMC has NOTHING for Dodge prior to '94, salvage yards might have doors, fenders, hoods available but nonmetal products will probably be as bad as what you already have.
Is it difficult to find parts for old cars?
This is actually a great question, and while I feel like it has been well answered, I'll also add my perspective to it.Not including popular classic cars (Mustang, G-bodies, F-bodies, etc.), things tend to require more effort than simply walking into Advance, but tend to be pretty easily doable so long as you're willing to put yourself to it.Personally, I've never had to spend more than a week looking for a functional part. Things that are standard, like fuel and brake lines, vacuum VSV’s, and general wear items are all pretty easy to find, unless it's something that rarely fails (like an igniter on the Celica or the hard fuel line on the Poopra), in which case most junk yard hunts will locate exactly what you need.Creature comfort items tend to be a step above in difficulty, things like original radios, a/c components, blower motors and things of that nature tend to take more time to find, likely because their complexity leads them to be more prone to failure over the years, and that they are usually discarded rather than repaired when they fail.Personally, the most difficult thing to find seems to be body panels. rust takes a huge toll on relatively thin sheet metal, as well as the fact that typically you see the cars enter the junkyard due to a collision. Any clean body panels are usually hoarded by enthusiasts, or part of a well kept model that is still on the road.Equally difficult, of course, would be extremely specific items, limited to certain models within the car’s run. For instance, the Celica digital dash, or the TOM’S valve cover. These things can easily be a once-in-a-lifetime find, and will often be extremely expensive at best, and downright inaccessible at worst.The most important thing to keep in mind that people often forget, is that nothing is impossible. Can't find the original part? Anything can be fabricated. It's often expensive, but hand-made, fabricated parts tend to outlive their mass-produced varients, and also virtually guarantee a future replacement, as if it could be made once, it can be made again.
I was given a vintage Frigidaire Model STD-76. Where should I look for parts? Can I swap for energy star?
We were able to transport it home standing up in the back of the truck. It made some noise the first time we plugged it in a few days later, but made no sound this morning when I plugged it in. I know the gasket needs replacing, is there anything else particular to vintage refrigerators that I should check out?
How do I sell an antique truck online?
You will get the widest exposure through eBay Motors. I would start there, but set a starting bid or reserve that reflects the minimum you would take for the vehicle. You’ll get a lot of dreamers and time wasters on eBay, but you don’t necessarily have to sell it through eBay (and there are benefits to not doing so, such as not having to pay a seller’s premium.). eBay sells a lot of vehicles but it’s also home to a lot of unreasonable bargain hunters who will try to offer $1000 for a restored, vintage Rolls Royce Phantom. But eBay can act as your primary advertising channel at a competitive rate with wide distribution and lot of control over the format and content of your listing.Shipping is always a problem with all online sales, but it’s worst on eBay where people see a car for $1500, buy it with a mouse click, and then freak out when they find it will cost another $1500 to ship. You can indicate in any online listing that you won’t ship the vehicle, but this will limit your sales. An alternative is to inform buyers they are responsible for shipping, but that you will cooperate with their chosen shipper (such as being home when the shipper arrives to pick up the vehicle.)The best publication, online or offline, for selling an antique truck is Hemmings Auto News. They have online listings, and the print edition of Hemmings is a fat, monthly magazine sold on newsstands with a good print subscriber base. The magazine caters only to classic and vintage car, truck and vehicle buyers. Readers are generally more accustomed to buying cars and trucks remotely, shipping, title and transfer, etc. With Hemmings, you’ll reach people who understand the value of your truck and won’t try to lowball you.One other possibility is Autotrader, which used to be very good for antique and vintage vehicles but has developed into more of a general vehicle sales tool.
Could Cuba be a good market for vintage remanufactured classic car engines and parts?
If memory serves, the average Cuban earns about $20 a month. Cuba would need to develop a functional economy before there is a market for anything much beyond subsistence items (food/clothing/shelter), which is unlikely to happen any time soon. Beyond that, their tariff structure makes importing much of anything cost prohibitive (said to be roughly 600 percent on vehicles, for example).