How To Buy a Classic Car
Tips and hints
Owning a classic car can be a wonderful and fulfilling thing. If this is your first purchase
of a classic, there are a few things that you need to know How to Buy a Classic Car and decide
upon before starting your search. Is this going to be a project car that you are going to work on yourself or are
you going to have the work done by a professional? Is this going to be an investment that you will eventually sell
for a profit? Are you going to be driving it on a daily basis
or just weekends? Are you going to show the car? All these sound silly to be asking but they are all good questions
and the answers can really make a difference in what you buy. Can you do
the repairs yourself or will you need professionals and can afford the expense?
If you are buying a classic for the pure fun and enjoyment of owning an old vintage car like "Dad" used to have
(that way is the most fun!), then you can get something that is not absolutely numbers matching concourse type of
quality and still have a great car. If you are buying for the investment aspect then all the numbers and equipment
need to be original and close to perfect condition or restorable to perfect condition. The price will definitely
reflect the quality. Purchasing that classic motor can be costly!
Also keep in mind that quality does not necessarily mean perfect condition. For example, a 1970 Hemi Cuda
convertible can be beat up, rusting with a blown engine and still it will demand over $500,000.00!
The following tips can be used either way, but remember; the price difference between a 69 SS Camaro and a 69
"Yenko" SS Camaro can be over $150,000.00! A 69 Camaro SS big block can be a lot of fun to own and drive, where as a Yenko big block Camaro would be a great investment
that you would not want to drive simply because of the extreme value that it has.
Regardless of which type you are going to look for, you need to look out for a few things that can really take away
from the value and look for the little things that add to it. Talk to all the people you can who own classic cars.
Have a look at online classic car forums that are applicable to the make and model you desire.One thing to keep in
mind, all classic car owners LOVE to talk about their cars! They will point out the good, the bad and the ugly of
buying and owning a classic. Here are seven tips to get you started. Most of these tips are based on looking for an
original as possible unmodified classic car.
- Make sure there is a clear title to the car. Is it registered to the
person who is selling it or is not registered at all? DMV fees and penalties can be
enormous.
- Where is the car from? What states has it been registered in? Has it been
registered in a place where the roads are salted when it snows? Salt causes corrosion and rust which eats
metal like a cancer. Not all cars can come from a dry climate state like California where you will not have
a rust or corrosion problem. Most of the higher valued classic cars have never seen snow or ice.
Rust can be repaired but it must be done by a
professional body man with that type of experience.
Do the numbers match? Is the engine code right for the engine that is in the
car? The vehicle identification number, (VIN) is coded with engine size, transmission type, body style and
more. Is the engine and drive train the same as what came in it form the factory or has it been modified?
Did someone take out a six cylinder and put in a 396 big block? Everyone wants the big block but if it did
not come from the factory, it can take away from the value. Again, this depends on what you are looking
for. Maybe you want an updated vintage car, then the big block would be great.
- Take the car for a 20 minute test drive. Most serious problems will be
demonstrated in that period of time. Listen for noises, squeaks, clunks and any thing out of the ordinary.
How does the car feel going around corners and going over bumps? Is it loose, does it have a washed out
kind of feeling? If so, the suspension will need some repairs. Depending on the age and make of the car the
cost of repairs can vary greatly. Most Chevy classic cars are not all that expensive to get parts for
simply because of their popularity and the availability of NOS (new old stock) and aftermarket replacement
parts for them. If you are looking at something like a Mercury Cougar, then expect spending two to three
times as much on parts. The more common the car, the better prices and availability there are for parts.
You really should have the car inspected by a qualified mechanic if possible. A honest and sincere classic
owner will not object.
- The Body. Look down the sides for any signs of damage. Check out the seam
gaps between the doors and hood, are they straight or do they look uneven? You want to be able to roll a
marble down them smoothly. If they aren't, the car probably has had body damage repaired. Look very closely
inside the door jam area down at the doorsill plate and the rear quarter panels for any signs of welds or
repair work. Welds and welding marks are a sign that the car has been clipped. Clipping is where a damaged
car has an undamaged cars body panels welded in. A hard hit car might have a half of the body welded in
from another car. You really want to stay away from this kind of repaired car.
- Check underneath as much as possible for rust damage. Look inside the
wheel wells and when you are looking inside the trunk area, look closely at the area below where the rear
window glass and package tray meet. These are two of the most common areas for rust damage. A little can be
expected on an older car but seeing complete sections of floor boards or body panels welded in is not a
good sign. Unless the person that repaired the areas was a professional body man, it more than likely will
return.
- The Interior. Are the seats original? Is the upholstery original? Are the
badges and emblems intact? One thing that doesn't sound like much but is hard to restore or repair is the
dash board. Has someone cut a big hole for an aftermarket radio? Are the floor pans in good shape or are
they rusted out? Original seats and emblems can be very hard to replace in some of the older classics. You
want as much as possible of the original pieces to be there. A small emblem or badge that was original can
become quite a problem to find.
These are just a few things that can be helpful when you are looking for a car. The little things will tell you
that the owner cared for and took care of their car. But remember when looking for your classic motor, there are
many idiots in the world that just want to make a fast buck. Use your commonsense when looking for a car. Do your
homework. Most cities and towns have the small weekend car shows that can be a wealth of info for you. Most all the
people you find there would love to talk to you about cars. The Internet has some great resources for classic car
pricing and values. Look at more than one car. Take your time. Do not buy anything until someone that has classic
car experience has looked at it with you. Make sure that you are buying what you want. One thing to keep in mind is
that the cost of classic car ownership will be a lot more than a family station wagon. Parts and service costs are
a lot higher then newer cars, but so is the enjoyment factor too!
How to Buy a Classic Car is learnt by trial and error, it can often be a large investment of both time and
money and should be treated as such. I recently saw a program on TV where a youg woman had bought her ideal car for
restoration, she paid about $1400 for the pile of parts and budgeted about $4500 for the repairs. In the end it
cost her $11,600 and the car was probably only worth about $9000. But she got what she wanted and was "over the
moon" with it and it looked superb as good and probably better than new. This doesn't matter if you can afford it
but if you are buying to resell you will have to keep a very careful eye on your costs. If it starts to look bad
ask for advice and at worse, cut your losses and resell it before it costs you too much more and start again. Get
all the facts concerning that particular car and you will be much better off when negotiating the purchase. Once
you own a classic car you will enter a whole new world. It truly can be a wonderful experience! Good Luck!
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