Category: Cars

Collecting Vintage Car Pieces

Christine Graves
Image by ThreeMilesPerHour from Pixabay

I wrote a post about collecting old cars, but there’s a huge collectors market for vintage car pieces. Being married to a car guy has taught me a lot of things. One of the biggest things is that it’s not just the cars themselves, that attract the avid collector.

My husband is a Volkswagen guy. He has 3 vintage Volkswagen bugs, but it’s all the little things he’s collected that sparked my attention. He has toys, magazines, emblems, and a lot more. I never realized just how many Volkswagen items—other than the cars—were made.

Because of his love of old cars, we also watch a lot of “car guy” shows. The ones I really enjoy are the ones where they have to find specific pieces in order to make the whole car “right”. That’s when I noticed the collecting part.

There are tons of car-related items to be collected. Hood ornaments are a huge thing right now. Adding an original hood ornament to a classy vintage car could seriously increase the value.

Antique shifter knobs are also a highly-sought-after piece. No matter how classy a restoration may seem, adding an authentic shifter knob brings it up another notch.

One item that kind of shocked me was tail lights. Because a lot of older cars have either had theirs broken out or removed and reused, finding original tail lights for vintage cars can be tricky to nearly impossible.

Car parts aren’t the only thing that can be collected. There’s a huge following of brand name items. Collectors look for things like vintage car ads, old owner’s manuals, antique toys, and gas station displays.

I’m a huge fan of the old cars and trucks we played with as kids. Not these plastic pieces made today, but the big, metal trucks that lost their paint and got rusty just like real ones. I was shocked to realize that I wasn’t alone. Though most collectors would rather their vintage pieces were a little more pristine, I prefer the ones that show that they were well-loved.

I never thought I’d be the kind of person who would enjoy collecting vintage car pieces, but I love it. Do you have a vintage car enthusiast in your life? Check out their collections and see if you can’t find something to add to it. You’ll be amazed at what you can find.

The Appeal of Vintage Cars

Christine Graves
My husband’s 1947 Panel Wagon Rat-Rod

 

It seems there are hundreds of shows on TV about restoring vintage cars. My husband is a car guy and our yard is littered with his “vintage collection”. I put that last line in quotes because all I see are a lot of old, worn out clunkers. But he looks at it like a rich man looks at a new yacht. So I’m trying to learn the appeal of vintage cars.

 
Over the years, I have found myself a lot more drawn to older vehicles. I’m not just talking about a tricked out ’67 Chevelle, I’m talking about the old Camero sitting in someone’s yard on blocks. The one that’s missing the front bumper, a little rusty in the back quarter panel, and two different colors of paint. No, it’s not worth a ton of money, but it’s got appeal. 
 
My husband and I watch a lot of those cars shows, namely Counts Kustoms on the History channel. He loves to watch them transform something that looked at though it could never be driven again, into something that brings a tear to a grown man’s eye. I watch it because I’ve learned a lot about what to look for in the details of a vintage car. Who knew all those car shows could be educational?
 
My husband has been collecting vintage Volkswagens for years. Parts, pieces, who vehicles. You name it, he’s either got it or knows where to get it. I’ve always loved bugs but had no idea that they were such a collector’s item. 
 
The 1967 (?) Volkswagon Bug my husband just bought
to teach our 8 yr-old granddaughter to drive.

 

We have Volkswagon stuff all over our place. Not just the real ones either. We’ve got toys, memorabilia, logos and a whole lot more. I never realized that all this stuff was something a lot of car guys will collect. And depending on how old it is, what it is, and even where it’s from, they can go for a lot of money. I’m starting to see the appeal in vintage cars.
 
Though it seems most guys want something that’s both old and in perfect shape, there’s something to be said for vintage cars in their well-loved states. The tales those old cars could tell. I think I like them in that condition more than if they were mint. But that’s just my opinion.
 
What about you? What’s your take on vintage cars? Do you have a favorite? Tell us about it. I know a lot of car guys that would love to hear your story.
 
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Both pictures featured in this post are the sole property of Christine Graves and may not be reused without written permission. All opinions are that of the author who makes no claims to be an expert. 
 
© Christine Graves 2020