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to make an old car new again, this would be an ideal profession. Just make sure you have the proper safety gear, as the fumes from some of these paints can ruin a good set of lungs. A professional auto body class runs from six months to a year, and many times classes are offered at local community colleges in the evenings. Advanced classes may go on for another year.

If you're good at body work but not at painting, you could buy an old car, fix it up and sell it in primer. Let the new owner pick his or her own colors. Take the profit from that sale and buy another, and another, and another, and soon you will be able to afford an older, more complete, high priced antique to work on. As you work on these cars, you'll find yourself becoming more proficient with each one.

If you have a location that is zoned for sales, you could take cars in on consignment and sell them from your business address, taking a percentage of the sales as your commission. This is an easy way to make some money with very little work involved. Many people don't want to bother with the selling aspect of their vehicle, and they just want to see it gone. As you sell more and more cars on consignment, you will make a name for yourself and people will contact you, asking you to find them the year and make they are looking for.

Another way to make some easy cash is to purchase a car hauler and take vehicles from one part of the country to the other. In this computer age, many people buy cars at on-line auctions, and if they win, they need someone to take the car to them. Offering a car hauling service would net you a quick income, and all it would entail is the initial investment of the car hauler and gasoline for the trip, which the new owner would pay. Depending on the number of trips you book, the hauler could be paid off in a short time. This would also be necessary if you started a consignment business, picking the cars up from the last owner and delivering them to the new one, if they don't want to drive it away themselves.

Before you embark on a money-making scheme, attend several antique auto shows in your area. Read the "wanted" ads that are posted at each show. Get to know the owners, and find out what is lacking in your area. Perhaps someone needs help installing his new convertible top, or upholstering his seats, or installing new carpeting. Car show people are always in need of something, and they always will be as cars fade or break down. A little schmoozing will net you a lot of ideas.

Learn more about this author, Avis Townsend.
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