by James Shakespeare

Created on: February 16, 2009

Crusty old car restorers most likely won't read an article on the subject,they are already busy turning wrenches, or polishing that old paint till it gleams,and showing off their baby at car shows.

This will be written for those considering the purchase of an antique car. The future antique car owner would be well advised to consider all the ramifications of their current situation and abilities prior to beginning the actual search. There are many things to consider,the first being in what condition must the car be, and how much work do I want to do? My end of the spectrum has been to buy vehicles that require restoration,to varying degrees, rather than buy something already restored.

The vehicles that need restoration are almost always cheaper to buy, but require a lot of time and effort, and expense; as opposed to the restored vehicle which usually comes with a substantially higher purchase price. As most of the work is already completed, the owner of this type of vehicle can often enjoy it sooner.Suprisingly,it sometimes ends up being cheaper to buy the restored vehicle rather than restoring it yourself. The tradeoff is, you don't know the quality of work,like you do your own.So this decision requires some thought and realistic financial estimations; even then there is always the chance things will not go exactly as planned!

That's actually part of the fun,believe it or not.

Once the brand and model of car have been decided on, usually based on the look of the car, and the financial estimates and decision as to buy restored or not, it's time to find the car of your dreams.

There are many places to look online, craigslist,ebay, old car trader,hemmings, as well as local print such as newspapers or old car magazines. If you don't have a computer, most libraries have them for patron use for free. Be very wary of scams,you will see warnings on craigslist ,I recommend you buy local. Ebay has some policies in place that do provide some protection for buyers and sellers, but ask questions and get answers in writing prior to buying to help protect yourself.

One place often overlooked for non restored cars is junk yards,as long as your the type that wants to do it yourself. Many don't advertise,so it's a hunt,which for me is part of the fun. Good sources for out of the way places are counter people at the auto parts stores,the kind that do a lot of commercial work,and have been around for years. Every town has a few places where someone stored cars they have bought over the years,and never did anything with(don't look at me!),ask around,you'll find them.

Either way you go, once you've found your car, know ahead of time what the market is pricewise for this vehicle for it's condition. Know what the parts to fix it will cost if restoring,and double whatever time you think it will take to do the restoration work.

If you don't feel completely confident in your mechanical abilities and/or are not that familiar with this specific car,by all means have a mechanic you trust go over it before you buy.

Make sure there is a clear title and/or signed bill of sale, which contains the corrcet sellers name, mileage, and correct VIN(Vehicle Identification Number),if appliciable.Many older cars did not have a VIN, they used a serial number off the engine block,which may be long gone by now. See why I keep saying this is fun? They did things a little different in the old days.

So, whether you are a crusty old restorer, or a new old car owner, welcome to the club!

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