REPRODUCTION VS OEM RESTORED VS NEW OLD STOCK
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REPRODUCTION VS OEM RESTORED VS NEW OLD STOCK
Which parts are best for your build?
This is an interesting topic to discuss because of cost and availability. I used to think that NOS meant show quality original parts. That is far from the truth. I remember buying a set of 4 NOS wheel covers for a car I was building. I was really looking forward to having some flawless looking hubcaps on a stock original looking car. You can find used wheel covers online for about 25-40 dollars each , depending on condition. The set of 4 NOS covers were about 350 dollars. When I got them, I was very disappointed. They were in the original boxes but they had factory imperfections , scuffs, scratches, dings. Etc. A real waste of money. It was at that point that I started to question the value of NOS parts.
So what is the value of NOS parts? Well that depends on what part you are talking about! One thing to understand with NOS (new old stock) parts is that they are not show quality. They are production quality. They were mass produced at one point, with minimal quality standards. Bumpers, bumper gaurds, stainless trim or aluminum trim are going to be production quality chrome or anodized plating. They will not be show quality triple chrome. Car manufacturers in the 50s and 60s were not concerned with producing show quality cars. Their objective was to make affordable automobiles for the working class people.
There are tons of aftermarket or reproduction “repop” parts available for 61-64 impalas and other years. Some are good quality, some are decent and some are poor quality. Some examples of good quality would be antenna bases, tail light lenses and bezels, and small emblems. Poor quality comes to mind when talking about 1964 impala eye brow moldings, hood lip moldings, and sometimes door handles. These parts often fit poorly, and just don’t line up the way they are supposed to.
One instance where I would advise to buy NOS over reproduction would be when shopping for body panels. Fenders, doors, hood. Those items would be worth buying if you can find them NOS. OEM would be the next best option. I often get questions asking me my thoughts on reproduction hood and deck lids, doors, and fenders. My answer is always the same, if you can find a rust free OEM part, then buy that instead of reproduction part. When buying a reproduction body panel, all you are buying is a rust free panel. It will still need to be reworked, body worked and shimmed as needed.
On the topic of stainless and aluminum moldings, and triple chrome OEM part will also look and fit better than a reproduction trim piece. Always. What is also noteworthy is the clips or fasteners used. OEM clips will always work better than most reproduction clips. Often times the clips don’t even fit into the molding and you have to trim and cut the clips or fasteners to get your brand new part to fit properly!! One thing to consider when sending off trim or emblems for re-chroming is that the end result is going to be as nice as the original part is. Chrome and metal finish shops can only do so much, sometimes the parts are too far gone. At that point it would be worth it to find an OEM part in better condition and have it chrome plated.
When building a show car, I think the most ideal solution would be to have an NOS part and have it chrome plated. The fit and finish will be excellent at that point. Of course, this is the most expensive option available. For a budget friendly build, reproduction parts will suffice. Sometimes you can add more fasteners or use a different type of fastener to help pull the trim piece closer to the body to have it fit nicer to the car.
It really depends on what level you want to take your build to. If you are looking for something to get on the road, OEM trim is a great option. If you are looking for something nice to own, reproduction is a great option. If you are wanting that show quality finish, then a chrome plated NOS piece is going to yield the best results!
