Hard finding parts

Restoring and maintaining C bodys is not for wimps like the B & E body guys. Your at the best forum for locating what you need. Advertise in the "wanted" thread here.
You want a REAL challenge ? Get a forward look car.
 
Guys,

I have a 1965 Dodge Polara and it's my first mopar. I don't understand why the parts are so hard to find. Every time I find a place that has catalogs (yearone, Classic Industries) they completely skip over the C Body. I'm not understanding why. Is there any vendor at all that sells new C Body parts? I need a headlight switch, taillight lenses and other miscellaneous parts. Is scouring for used parts the only way? (it can't be)

First rule of searching for parts is to KNOW what other Chrysler products use the same or similar parts. IF you are looking for sheet metal or soft trim parts, then you'll need an exact model year and model match. But if you are looking for mechanical items, there is some lee-way there, in other models/years of Chrysler products. AND, some of those things can cross with other Chrysler product platforms, including the beloved B/E-cars.

Going to any aftermarket vendor and asking for a part for a car platform they don't support will always come up short, BUT if you know that the same exact part can fit a Satellite or Challenger, then you might find something. BUT don't ask THEM about these things, as if their catalog doesn't have it in there, THEY will always say "We don't have that".

Similar things exist in GM products, too. The body mounts on my '68 LeSabre have casting numbers which are in the "Chevrolet number series" for the same year Impala. But ask the Chevy vendor if he has any Buick parts and you'll get the "We don't have Buick parts", when they most certainly might and do.

But searching for C-body parts is no different than searching for B/E-body parts 30 years ago, before the repro industry got cranked-up for them. It was about salvage yards and swap meets, back then. Going on word-of-mouth of what might be where.

In many cases, the "heavy cars" got crushed-out first, as there was more money in them than in the lighter cars. Plus, they were usually the slow-sellers for parts and such at the salvage yards. Just the normal way things were/are done in that business. Keep the inventory moving and crush what takes up too much space. Like any other retail business.

There are still some bright spots, as Murray Park is, in the Mopar-oriented salvage yard business. There were many more, in the past decades, but as owners retired/passed away, the "collections" were disseminated to other places and such. End result is "fewer now than then" in places to look for parts.

Get a copy of Hemmings Motor News or one of the major Mopar magazines, as many of the salvage yards and vendors will have ads in them. There are still some larger players in the salvage yard areas, just depends upon whose closest to you.

Don't feel like the Lone Ranger! The big-car Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Cadillac, and Mercury owners have similar issues! "Muscle car" rather than otherwise, when they look for parts.

You'll just have to check each vendor's catalog for C-body listings. It never will be like the B/E-body cars where you can buy almost every part NEW for those cars! Something we never suspected 30 years ago! When you could buy new fenders for a '57 T-bird, but not a '57 Fairlane. When the bulk of the repro parts were for '57 Chevys, early Mustangs, or Corvettes . . . cars which, for that time, were popular with collectors/owners/restorers. When "numbers match" meant additional judging points at national-level shows.

Chasing C-body parts now is no different than chasing B/E-body parts 30 years ago. Salvage yards/word-of-mouth/swap meets. In those earlier times, the annual Mopar Nats was usually the holy grail of swap meets/car events to find Mopar parts, including NOS/used C-body parts.

BUT, you need to do your own research on YOUR car and see what might work with other model years (mechanical parts, usually) of your car. There CAN be some cross-overs, but you need to know these things BEFORE you start looking. Relying upon the knowledge of the seller can result in wrong parts, by observation.

What parts are you seeking?

CBODY67
 
Bro, parts for a 1965 C-body are NOT that hard to find, as a rule. I have a 1966 Newport, and know whereof I state this. You can get a headlight switch from O'Reilly, though Rock Auto is cheaper. Here's a Google resu8lt for ya:

https://www.carparts.com/details/Do...3T5ZoypU9zdY8CdETqEaAqLpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Took all of 15 seconds for me.

Now BODY parts CAN BE a pain, admittedly! BUT, a clever bloke can FASHION HIS OWN in many cases. For example, I bought a sheet of clear red acrylic and a "tailight lens repair kit" for big trucks which has a decent sized sheet of adhesive backed textured clear red plastic DOT approved. I use state of the art red LED 1157 bulbs for my tail lights by Cree. So, I made a cardboard template for the old lens, cut my acrylic sheet to fit, then stuck the DOT rated patch sheet over that to make a decent tail light lens. Acrylic sheet bends easily when gently heated by a propane torch, so I will redo this job to make a better looking lens later. My point here is: YOU CAN DO THIS IF I CAN! :D It helps sometimes going to a junk yard just up the street from me, but even this Enlightened Sage is down to just the front end of a 66 Fury III now. If you can score off a junk yard, do it.

I admit to heavy use of eBay and Parts Geek in addition to Rock Auto for mechanical parts. For little crap I might use VatoZone or OH-Really as well. I favor AutoZone w more business than they deserve because they take PayPal, but they still vend CHINESE GARBAGE so don't rely on anything with their house brand.

Sheet-metal can be fashioned when necessary too. That might be for the best with stuff under the floor. I have some work waiting there too. I think 16 gauge is as thick as it gets, with 18 being more common.

These vehicles are 40-59 years old now, so yes, its a little difficult to get some stuff, especially good quality New Old Stock parts. One thing you need to consider is whether you plan to use your 65 Polara as a daily driver, like Mathilda, my Newport, or are you looking to make this a car show museum piece with all original period only parts. The CO$T of your efforts climbs geometrically if you aim for the latter.

There are a few companies that make new, modern mechanical replacements for suspension, steering and such. Check out Firm Feel and Hotchkiss for openers. As a hideously impoverished owner of a 1966 Newport, driven daily in baking desert heat through city traffic jams to rural locations serviced by "roads" paved only in the imaginations of Google Beowulf cluster computers, I spent only ~$1200 on parts these past 11.25 months. For functioning motor transport, that comes to just over $100/mo. plus insurance at $48/mo.

I'd call that a BARGAIN, the BEST I EVER HAAAAAAAAADDDDD!

You have a GOOD car if it can still support the paint on it.
 
Restoring and maintaining C bodys is not for wimps like the B & E body guys. Your at the best forum for locating what you need. Advertise in the "wanted" thread here.
You want a REAL challenge ? Get a forward look car.

Yeah, parts for THAT vintage are pricey if not unobtainium.
 
It's half the fun, finding parts for our cars...
It only took me 5 years to find NOS taillight lens for the wagon. :steering:
DSC02211.jpg
 
BEEEEAUUUUTIFULL! Nice job, really! I've found NOS lenses, but can't afford the ticket, so opted for function for the present. I DID SCORE some lovely old Westinghouse 4000 headlights for the lo-beams, and GE 4001s for the high. The lo-beams were ABSURDLY CHEAP, like under $2 ea. God is good.
 
Guys,

I have a 1965 Dodge Polara and it's my first mopar. I don't understand why the parts are so hard to find. Every time I find a place that has catalogs (yearone, Classic Industries) they completely skip over the C Body. I'm not understanding why. Is there any vendor at all that sells new C Body parts? I need a headlight switch, taillight lenses and other miscellaneous parts. Is scouring for used parts the only way? (it can't be)
i may have tail lights ,,and i had a whole dash ,call me i may still may have a head lite switch3155289185
 
Sad but true. A few respected and enthusiastic C body parts suppliers are:

Murray Park in Tiffin Ohio (NOS and used)
National Moparts (Nigel Mills) NOS and used
Arizona Parts (Martin Kolner - a member here Marty Mopar) NOS and used

Wrecking yards like Desert Valley in Arizona, Wildcat Auto in Sandy Oregon, and I'm sure others will chime in with their sources.

Best of luck!

The first place to start is a Wanted post on this forum. Chances are someone on here will have some of what your looking for.

Also I would recommend you familiarize yourself with the 65/66 parts manuals on MyMopar - Mopar Forums & Information - Parts & Accessories Books. Often the same parts are used on Chrysler and Plymouth and occasionally the same parts were used on B-Bodies.

ABC Moparts also has c-body parts. He is making aftermarket interior parts. He's a good guy to deal with. Seat Backs Hinge Covers | ABC Moparts.

E-Bay, Craigslist and others are always worth searching but make sure you know what your buying. There are a lot of postings that say they're for a year/make/model that are incorrect. Always ask to see a pic of the part number if possible so you can verify it's the correct part for your car.
 
you want to try getting c body parts in the uk its near impossible but it hasn't put me off
 
you want to try getting c body parts in the uk its near impossible but it hasn't put me off
I sent some window trim over there, the window was unbelievably expensive to ship. Apparently it's cheaper to get things from Australia, but finding them there is probably just as fun.
 
Company in Wisconsin sells quite a few C body parts. Got a new washer bottle and arm rest bases from them. Vansautollc on ebay. They show up at the Midwest Mopar Nationals in Farmington, Mn every year. Good show to go to, early June when the weather isn't too hot. Other dealers selling useful stuff. Lot of people selling mopar stuff in the swap meet area too. Bring plenty of cash, a few take credit cards. The Minnesota State Fair grounds in St Paul has several large shows every year with a lot of vendors selling items. Great place to see some really beautiful restored cars of all makes and models. I take the wife every year, she loves it. Check their website.
 
They show up at the Midwest Mopar Nationals in Farmington, Mn every year.
They will be moving that show to the Steele county fairgrounds this coming June, just in case you didn't know. We (@DocMcNeedy and myself at least) are hoping for a thirty plus C body turnout each day! If we get a little help from the Wisconsin crew, I think we could do it.

Check out Mega Parts as well, I found some little pieces I needed in their booth, and more that I plan on getting.
 
Scott, I haven't seen an update for months...thought they were moving to Washington Co. ? Now it's Steele Co. fairgrounds?
 
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