evboy said:
so there are companies that sell new any part you would need for and old mustang, ferrari or whatever make.
Depends on the car. For some cars like Mustangs and Camaros, there are pretty good parts sources. A few high end manufacturers, Mercedes in particular, will even re-make a part they have not produced in many years...at a cost of course.
If you're lucky, you might come across a NOS (new-old stock) part, meaning that it was made by the OEM but was never sold when the parts supply was still current, and was later bought up by someone when the dealer or manufacturer went bust. Of course these parts will be expensive due to their relative rarity and the fact that you know they will fit. vs. a reproduction part which may have to be modified in order to fit and may not be of the same quality. From watching
Wheeler Dealers I know that a VW Bus replacement panel that is made in Brazil uses thinner steel than the original made in Germany, so even a later version of an OEM part may be inferior to the one originally fitted to a car.
A good example of NOS is the company currently called DeLorean Motor Company; it had nothing to do with John Z. himself, but when his company went bust, the new DMC bought up the remaining existing parts supply. So you could technically build a brand new DeLorean from 30+ year old brand new parts. IIIRC DMC also bought the tooling as well, so they can make brand new parts, only difference being they were made in Texas and not Northern Ireland. I believe there is another company that bought up remaining Saab parts after it went bust as well; I'm not sure if they bought up the tooling like DMC did.
For others like that Talbot Lago, you may have to manufacture a replacement part if the original cannot be restored or is missing.