Why I hate trying to restore a car

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Future

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I e-mailed GM asking about different parts for my 87 eldo. and I just got this responce...

GM has discontinued the part(s) you are requesting and is no longer available.


:(
 
How Long

Future said:
I e-mailed GM asking about different parts for my 87 eldo. and I just got this responce...

GM has discontinued the part(s) you are requesting and is no longer available.


:(
Click to expand...


Most parts are obsoleted after 10 years. That is an almost 20 year old car. This is where the aftermarket is supposed to pick up the ball, but they will only do so if there is financially sound interest in that car and that particular part. Time to hit the salvage yards. Good Luck on the resto.
 
been to many salvage yards, but even parts that should fit don't or parts that I need are malled beyone belief.

What research I've done on this is that only 22,000 of this model were made, making it near impossible to find anything.
 
Welcome to the world of Restoration! I had this issue with my '85 T-Bird Fila edition only 3,000 made. I was fortunate enough to purchase a lot of interior parts and specialty emblems before Ford stopped making them. I even got orignal seat material from the supplier - Still have a bolt in fact. I realized after restroing a couple of 60's T-birds inthe 80s that if I wanted to keep a car for a long time and keep it nice i would have to make an investment fromthe get go. I was lucky. Try Hemming's Motor news, both the web site and the publication can help track down rare parts and suppliers.

Good luck and thanks for not scrappin' but fixin'!
 
I'd like to find orriginal parts, and Hemmings has nothing for me.

The car is almost perfect mechanically, I'm after those small detail parts that are specific for the car, and keep running into dead ends.

I'm actually starting to believe that either there are far far less of this car made, or people have just scrapped 95% of them. I'm leaning towards the rarer ideal ideal only because I bought it off of some wealthy inventor who used it only 2 months a year, and gave my wife a great deal.
 
I think I'm kinda screwed on this project.

I just ran my VIN for the body style, and came up with nothing. Everything checks out fine, but my body style is 11 and there's nothing listed for that year :(

On top of that I came up with worse numbers
Eldorado - 6E - L57 - 2-door Coupe - Seats 6 - $23,740 - 3360lb - Manufactured 17,775

I just lost roughly 5000 possible donors, plus my style isn't L57 it's L11
 
That is a tough one, good luck though. have you found anything on ebay??
 
What few things I've been able to find on e-bay have been hood ornaments, new vinyl for a carrage top that's uncut, so I should be able to fix my 1/4 top with it, a radio that doesn't have the same connectors, but the best find was almost brand new chrome window/roof moulding.
 
I don't know how much the car means to you as far as restoration but if your willing to go out of state I just seen a 88 Eldorado on auto-trader. It seems to need some minor thing like a muffler. The add says the body is in good condition and he wants $500 or best offer. I believe its in Illinois or close.
 
Thanx, but that's a bit too far for me. South Florida to Ill. just doesn't seem worth it.
 
I did the search based on my zip code. Maybe if you did it you might find one closer to you.
 
Well the other thing is this is almost complete except for minor details now in the looks department and 1 small electrical problem with the engine. If the car is/was an 87 eldorado biarritz, then I'd considder a drive.
 
Been a while since I've been here. Basically the whole resto was put on hold for a while. Lots of other stuff going on kept me from doing anything.

I just about said the heck with it and was ready to dump the car and just get something else after i closed the trunk and the latch broke. Trying to find a new replacement was futile. The wife went to a friends house one weekend and her friends husband, come to find out, has restored many cars where parts couldn't be found. Elated by this alone, he fixed the trunk to damn there factory operation in a few hours and even offered to help restore the caddy :leghumper

Total costs should be from nuts to factory firemist paint $2000
 
Isn't this (mechanically) the same car as the Buick Regal, as well as some Olds model? Should be plenty of spare parts in junk yards if you look for all 2 or 3 brands.
 
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