Identical parts: the Hollander Interchangable Parts Guides

Auto Motor Klassiek » Special » Identical parts: the Hollander Interchangable Parts Guides
Purchasing classics there

Many car manufacturers use parts that they buy elsewhere. Clocks, mirrors, windscreen wipers, headlight units, starter motors, buttons… you name it. But hardly anyone realizes that there have been Austins with the same parts as on Rolls Royces. The rear lights of the Jaguar XJ 220 are identical to those of the Rover 200. The mirrors of the Jag are the same as those of the Citroen Second generation CX. The headlights of a Ferrari F40 are identical to those of a Volvo. The Lotus Esprit has the same rear lights as the Rover SD1. So on and on. And the price differences and availability between and of those identical parts?

And then there are the 'Hollander' parts lists

If the Great Depression in the 1930s would not have been there ... If there had been no cameras .... Then contemporary car collectors, restorers and repairers could display their classic cars on wooden blocks instead of driving them comfortably. Oh yes: and then there were the Hollander brothers. The fathers of the Hollander Interchangable Parts Guides.

The double-ended economic depression and the decline in the interest of live entertainment, caused by the introduction of the film with speaking actors M / V, chased singers Roy and Hildur Hollander from the stage to the garage. There they created what has become the largest system of interchangeable auto parts in the world, known in the industry as the “Hollander Interchange”. Those were impressive books. True parts Bibles. And they were hardly or not at all to be found for a long time.

 

It seemed like a great idea

Roy Hollander came up with the idea to think which parts actually fit brands / types for which they were not intended. He got that idea while working as a car salesman at the start of the depression. He had given a $ 75 customer for 1919 Diamond Truck. And that truck was not much more than an engine, gears and wheels. After several failed attempts to sell the relic, Hollander approached a local car breaker in the hope of recouping part of his investment. The man gave him $ 100 for the thing, explaining that the rescue parts would be sold for reuse on other vehicles. And there was a sweet profit in it.

The idea became a practice

A few years later, with their music career still on hold and moving from one job to another, Hollander and his wife embarked on a year of research to find out which parts of vehicles were interchangeable. The plan was to sell their findings to car dealers, fitters, garages and anyone interested in reusing car parts. Because it was still crisis time. The Dutch concept of “recycling” of used car parts was decades ahead of the sustainability concept that we are now beaten with.

Manufacturers were not enthusiastic

The requested parts information turned out to be difficult to access. Car manufacturers were reluctant to admit that some of their parts would work equally well in other models. Usually because they were purchased from the same suppliers. Roy Hollander stopped and published the first edition of the Hollander Interchange Manual in 1934. The first 'What also fits what' Bible.

 

They became a kind of biblical

Hollander Interchange handbooks have now been an important part of car recycling activities for more than 70 years. But their existence largely remained an American secret. In recent years, they have also become a trusted reference among individual car enthusiasts, particularly classic car collectors, restorers and parts suppliers. But as said, they were very scarce for a while. And largely unknown in Europe. But they are considered the world's most complete and accurate auto parts index for classic or restored cars. And the information is now available again.

Hollander Interchange makes searching for parts easier

With the Hollander Interchange, automotive recyclers, enthusiasts and parts suppliers can find the parts they need to keep their vehicles in original condition. The manuals index millions of car parts and their interchangeable equivalents with other vehicles. The user-friendly system allows anyone interested in restoring or repairing a car to broaden and simplify the search for hard-to-find replacement parts, and save money in the process. In the meantime, there are more providers of this type of information within and between brands and types. And that is damn handy to know.

 

the Hollander Interchangable Parts Guides

REGISTER FOR FREE AND WE'LL SEND YOU OUR NEWSLETTER EVERY DAY WITH THE LATEST STORIES ABOUT CLASSIC CARS AND MOTORCYCLES

Select other newsletters if necessary

We won't send you spam! Read our privacy policy for more information.

If you like the article, please share it...

7 comments

  1. The reason why headlights for the Audi 200 became scarcer soon after the model went out of production: they were also in an Auston Martin, which lasted a lot longer.
    And there are plence examples.

    The fastest Mondeo rear lights in the world are standard in a Noble M12. 🙂

    • Nice not 🙂 We are originally leafmakers. And with making and selling AutoMotorKlassiek we earn our money. The site is a service to our readers. And they should all - there are almost 14D subscribers to the newsletters - a subscription to the magazine as a gift if they don't have one yet :-). We are extremely positive about the digital world. But we have already seen many companies go under because of the fact that 'everything is free' on the Internet. And if we put all that stuff from our archive online for free, we will get people out of their mouths. That then falls further under the chapter: Do not do to someone else what you do not want to happen to you ”

Give a reaction

The email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

Maximum file size of upload: 8 MB. You can upload: afbeelding. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. Drop files here