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.