Antique and Vintage Equipment Parts
After approximately twenty years, most power equipment and vehicles are considered to be vintage, and antique items are even older than that. If your equipment is considered vintage, it may still have some time left in it. If you want to repair or re-build your antique and vintage equipment, take a look and find the parts you need to put it all together.
In addition to parts, are accessories available for the equipment?Accessories available for the vintage equipment include raised lettering, logos, and emblems in the same style as those from the original time period. Some of the accessories will be from the original equipment manufacturer, so youll know they will fit your antique and vintage equipment as they did when you first got it.
Are parts universally compatible within each brand of equipment?There are a few pieces which you may be able to use in more than one style of power equipment, particularly if they are aftermarket items. These pieces include brake linings, fuel filters, and spark plugs. Youll want to keep in mind that any compatibility between equipment will be within the same brand. Using pieces of one brand in another brands power equipment will likely cause damage to both the part and the equipment. Its recommended you reference your service manual before choosing parts to ensure you pick the correct one.
What are the differences between OEM, aftermarket, and custom parts?The original equipment is the exact same part issued with the products. These are unlikely to be found, especially if the equipment is no longer manufactured. Luckily there are OEM, aftermarket, and custom parts that can get the job done.
- OEM - An OEM part is a repair part from the original equipment manufacturer. The part comes from the same factory, with the same material, and set to the same specifications as the original.
- Aftermarket - Aftermarket parts are items that come from a third-party company. The material and specifications may be different, so the fit may not be proper.
- Custom parts - These are designed for a one-of-a-kind product. They will need to fit your design exactly to work.
The make, model, and serial number are critical items of information when selecting your parts, as they ensure youre receiving the proper item for your equipment. This information can often be found in the users manual, on a label on the equipment, or stamped on the equipment itself.