Building Custom Car Parts

If you can't buy it, build it

Matt Carlson / autoMedia.com

The befuddled counter guy has been looking at the computer for about 10 minutes now. Finally he looks up from his monitor and says, "Sorry, I don't even have a listing for a '69 BMW 1600, much less have a master cylinder." This incident happened to me at a mere 17 years old, while trying to work on my first car. Unfortunately, it would turn out to be one of many.

Part of the Job

A 1969 BMW brake master cylinder. A 1972 Porsche 914 door panel. A 2000 Husqvarna clutch cover. What could all of these parts have in common? They are all parts that had to be fabricated in one way or another for various resto projects.

Not all parts are fabricated, though, just because they are out of production. Sometimes, the original part just does not do the job that you have chosen for the vehicle. And not all parts have to be fabricated new. Often another similar part can be used, and only the adapters need to be fabricated.

Art and Craft

What exactly is fabrication? It can involve many things, but in this article it refers to the process of making a new part from the raw materials, or perhaps modifying already existing parts. This multi-part series of articles is not so much about how to make the part yourself as explaining how these parts are made, and what goes into this type of craftsmanship.

With this sort of information, you'll likely be better prepared when asking a professional fabricator to help you with a resto project. So we'll be looking at the subject from the car owner's point of view, along with the fabricator's, and the various reasons that a part might be fabricated and how people go about getting it done.