Personally I have been collecting parts for about a decade.
I started with Kappa unique parts. Many of the parts come from the GM catalog and will be available from GM once you figure out what the new or different part number is. For example, for several months you could not get a charcoal canister but it turns out that the canister from the HHR is a direct replacement for the Sol/Sky part with minor mods. Saturn part numbers started drying up early and we went to Pontiac numbers. Then we went to on-line resellers, ebay and places like Redline Auto parts to locate spares.
The unique parts include things like the rubber bumpers that mount to the top of the fenders and cushion the hood. The Sol and Sky use different fenders and hoods, so of course these rubber parts are different. Ths Sol parts are still avalable, the Sky ones are getting hard to find. We have the 3d model for the Sol parts (two different designs) and print them as needed. Dont have the Sky part yet.
Other unique parts are things like:
The cable assembly in the trunk releases the buttresses and opens the trunk latch. Plus the cables that run from the assembly to the latches.
The buttress latches, left and right are a wear item as well
Flap cables, flaps, flap hinge parets, cable clips are all wear items that need sparing
High wear items on the top include the side sliding cables, the front latch, wear tabs over the windows, rubber feet in the trunk,
The buttress trim bezels
The trunk latch - built in relay
The trunk tortion bars, left and right. They do break occasionally or if you leave the trunk open . . . they go.
Headlights and Tail lights Unique to the car. The back up lights on Sol and Sky are parts bin items.
The hood release cable
Having a spare top is a good idea if you can find one in good condition that is not too expensive.
Inner fenders are unique and tend to break
and everything that is made of rubber or similar material that keeps water out. Door perimiter seal, door inner and outer window seal, trunk seals, rubber feet that the top mates with when in the up position, rubber seals on the top of the fenders, etc.
Some of the coolent / heater hoses are getting scarce. Take a look at those for sure.
radiator fan and controller
a place to start.
