by Marlene Cady

Created on: June 21, 2008   Last Updated: November 07, 2008

Before you start looking determine what your objectives are. Do you want to buy a car that you can just drive and have fun with or do you want to buy something as a collector car for an investment. Then decide the make of car, model and year. There may be more than one type of car you really like, this can make your search easier as you have more than one choice.

The term "muscle car" usually refers to certain models built from 1964 starting with the GTO, and lasted through 1972 with the big block Chevelles. Generally this included the intermediate size cars but can include the Corvette and some of the larger models such as the Impala. The introduction of the smog equipment in the 70's pretty much put an end to the "muscle car". There was a resurgence in the 80's with the Mustang 5.0 and the Buick Turbo V6.

Take an inventory of your skills and your pocketbook. If you have the ability to do most of the work yourself all the better but if you are going to farm out the work be prepared. You can go out and buy a car that has been restored but will pay more as these cars now rank high with the Barrett Jackson crowd.

So what do you look for in buying a used muscle car? Let's start with a car you are going to restore, here's what you want to look for: find a car that is original and has not been repainted. New paint or primer can cover up rust, dents and inches thick of body putty (Bondo). Rust, check in the trunk and under carpets for visible signs of rust. Cars that have sat outside for years develop leaks and the water pools in the trunk and floor pans. Replacing the trunk floor and floor pans is a major job, not for the inexperienced. Look underneath if you can for obvious signs of an accident. If it runs and doesn't smoke and the engine runs somewhat smoothly chances are you won't have to spend a lot of money on it, it just might be a useable engine. But remember just because it sounds good now doesn't mean next week that will be the case. Cars are more valuable if they have the correct drive train, the one that came with the car from the factory. This refers to what is often called "numbers correct". It answers the question: "Is the motor in the car the motor the car came with?" This ads to the value of the car, a very big difference. There are publications available that show the locations of the serial numbers on engines, transmissions and other parts of the vehicle. Engines being the most important. The serial numbers show the makes and models that those engines

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