history and reference NOS Parts vs. Aftermarket use for restoration

[winstontj]

So far I'm up to three boxes (empty wine/liquor boxes) full of new and unused parts. Some are from the dealer, some are BavAuto, and some are good brands (sachs, skf or fag) from other places like NAPA or other. I also have a bunch (about 30 so far) of unopened small packages/envelopes from BLUNT and a couple other people on the forum. 

 

I know a lot of people think that a restoration with 100% authentic NOS parts is the holy grail. I'm not doing a historically accurate "nut and bolt with NOS parts" restoration --someone even recently pointed out to me that my VIN isn't even a '70 production like I thought. 

 

Does it matter (in terms of quality) if I use parts that were purchased at a 3rd party "imported autoparts" stores vs. OEM BMW parts? Is that just personal preference? I'm mostly concerned with things like hoses, rubber grommets, bearings, seals, bushings, gaskets, etc. Does BMW do anything magical to their warehouses that would make their NOS parts hold up any better/worse than a similar part that was made by the same manufacturer but purchased at a non-dealership? 

 

Last thing I want to do is go through all the effort only to learn that I have used inferior parts on the car. 

 

Thanks. 

 

[Guest_anonymous]

YMMV

https://youtu.be/eG-4sSoXlaM

[gastephens]

I would prefer OEM hard parts but I would be very suspicious of anything rubber. I got some perished OEM valve guide seals that turned out to be NOS but old and brittle. Plastic parts are a toss-up. Sometimes newer parts use inferior material or workmanship but sometimes old parts are brittle.

 

You obviously have an appreciation for quality brands and parts. Apply your common sense, get the best parts you can get, examine them closely and you will be fine. Trust yourself. If a part looks bad it probably is. Send it back.

[Mike Self]

Also keep in mind that BMW didn't make a whole bunch of stuff that goes into their cars--brake and suspension parts, radiators, transmissions/diffs, hoses, carbs, seals, bearings, even more esoteric things like sunroof mechanisms, seats, locks, steering boxes etc.  

 

Many of those parts, when ordered from BMW will come in a BMW box, but were made by Hella, Huf, ATE, SKF etc etc and simply reboxed by BMW.  In some cases BMW specified a higher grade of material for a common part (a random example might be a bearing) but that's kinda rare.  

 

So this kinda blurs the distinction between a "factory" and an "aftermarket" part.  You can buy a Sachs clutch disk in a Sachs box, or in a BMW box; chances are good it's the same part in a different box.

 

mike