What to Do With Old Car Parts

A restoration can be a journey filled with fun, excitement, frustration, and everything in between. As you repair, replace, and restore parts from your classic car, you can find that some classic car parts that need replacing may still hold some value--even if they seem completely useless. Depending on the facilities available in your area, old car parts may even put some money in your pocket; cutting down on the overall cost of your restoration or repair.

Before we dive into what you can do with old parts, let's briefly talk about what common parts you can recycle that you may instinctively consider junk.

• Used motor oil and oil filters
• Auto glass
• Engines and transmissions
• Batteries
• Scrap metal
• Rubber hoses and tires

Recycle

Many of your car’s old parts can be recycled, even if they look like complete junk. When you take parts to a yard or facility that can recycle your old parts, the part is washed, cleaned of dirt and debris, and melted down to form a new part. Some facilities will even pay for your scrap metal parts while others may offer a pickup service. Don’t just think that the aluminum trim from your windows or the fenders from your car are the only metal parts that can be recycled. In addition to metal, rubber and plastics are also recycled. This means that in addition to parts like old radiators, old wheels, and scrap metal parts, your tires, rubber hoses, belts, and even plastic trims can be recycled.

Call the Junkyard

Ever heard the statement “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”? Well, that’s exactly the case here. Sometimes your junk parts may be a haven to your local junkyard thanks to their ability to resell recyclable or reusable old parts. If you don’t feel like trying to sell your parts one by one or calling around to see who will buy particular parts, try calling your local junkyard and see if they’ll come to pick up your parts. While a junkyard may not pay you much (or at all) for your old parts, at least they’ll be out of your hair.

Special Trash Pickup

Have you ever seen couches or old bed frames left next to the trash, but the garbage man comes, takes the trash, but leaves the large items like the furniture and old household accessories? That’s because those special items aren’t within the scope of normal trash pickup; however, your city or town may have special instructions or special pickup days where you can arrange this special pickup. Check with your local municipality to see if they can come to collect your old car parts.

Parts Dealers

If you happen to have parts that are in fair shape, consider contacting a used parts dealer. These dealers often buy non-working, but restorable parts, and they recondition them before selling them. Although different parts dealers have different criteria for what parts they will and will not buy, water pumps, power steering pumps/assemblies, engines, and transmissions are popular items that can be sold to a parts dealer to be refurbished.

Getting rid of your old classic car parts can be a simple process, thanks to local junkyards, part dealers, and recycling plants who can make good use of them. When you’re on the hunt for new car restoration parts, check out our inventory at Collectors Auto Supply, and find the exact part you’re looking for--the first time.