linuxrunner

I have been noticing more and more lately that it's getting very difficult to find some parts (mostly trim and interior stuff) that are still in good condition as these rigs get older and older. there are parts like the rear hard top trim pieces that hide the bolts that have long been used (or NOS if your lucky) only but as i look around more and more those used parts are just as old and brittle as what i am trying to replace. Also i have been looking for new (or like new) rubber seals for the rear sliding windows for years now and while i have had 4 or 5 good leads, when i physically check them out all of them are hardened and shrunk with time, even one that was never installed i found was not very plyable after sitting in a garage for 30 years.

looking forward, i am wondering if there is anybody who restores old cars that can tell me what happens in 10 or 15 more years?(i can't see most of my plastic and rubber bits lasting more than 10 more years) i am sure there are many other cars with discontinued plastic or rubber parts much older than 30 years, what do you do when your plastic or rubber parts are 40 or 50 years old and falling apart but there is nobody who makes a new replacement part?

old87yota

I am no professional restorer, but I think most car restorers have to get creative and either make something work from bulk stock such as using generic rubber seals that are fairly close to what you are replacing or custom make a part from scratch. It may not be like the original, unfortunately, but some people who have much more creative abilities can do a pretty good job with making things pretty close to factory parts.

If the owner of a car undergoing restoration has lots of money, parts can be custom made to match the original.

I have noticed that many classic car purchase decisions usually heavily factor on the availability of parts. But then there are people (like me) who would own a car that has little aftermarket support just because I love the car.

If there is enough demand for certain parts, they may start to come to market.

RAD4Runner

Try cleaning then applying 100% silicone dielectric grease. Some can be revived.

slacker

iTrader: (1)

I'm in the midst of making these ..

http://www.toyotafiberglass.com

YoshiMan

I have a few interior plastic bits that have broken/cracked over the years, and sometimes just re-enforcing them with little strips of metal and JB weld can fix them right up.

Also, maybe these will go in the direction of FJ40s, and someone will eventually pick up where Toyota has left us hanging...... Funny how many parts you can get for those still.