The 58 Questions I Asked Before Buying a Classic Muscle Car (with Answers)

 

Why do I want to do this?

• Enjoyment
• Hobby that can last a lifetime
• Satisfaction in completion
• Meet others with the same interests

Why is it important to me?

• Owning a piece of history
• Expand your knowledge base
• Drive a classy and distinctive automobile

What will I do if I get stuck?

• Know this: if you have the resolve to own and drive a vintage muscle car, the means are out there for you to do just that. You can find everything you need to keep you mobile and not always at a premium price. An enthusiast can do most of the maintenance at home.

• Find a support network. Car clubs have many highly skilled members whose main interest is to expand their hobby. Members with skills, knowledge, and equipment needed to bring a car back to original condition are active in clubs. Small business restorers, who are also motivated enthusiasts, will often provide more of their resources and skills for the classic car.

How do I find people who have already done it?

• See above, but also show & shine events, a drive by, and car swap meets are a few perfect places to find cars, parts, and folks who have been there and are willing to share with other fans.

How much is this going to cost me?

• A tough question to answer, but an astute MCF can drive around in a classic muscle car in fair condition or better for as little as $10,000, possibly far less. A more realistic figure might be as high as $20,000, but in this price range, you could find an example of almost any year or model from all manufacturers in moderately good condition. There are also many bargains out there waiting for a new home for less than $5,000 if you take your time and/or look in the right place. A used car will carry a lower price tag than a collector classic car. So I would check the used car section first.

Which car should I buy?

• Research is the key. Know a vehicle model’s track record and frequent the right circles to talk with other enthusiasts.
• Buy a vehicle you like and will happily own for the long term. Do not settle for less than that.

© Maxym022 | Dreamstime.com Ford Ranchero

What should I look for?

• Rust-free and serious accident-free
• You can easily search for a clear title to the vehicle without liens. This will also let you know whether it was stolen from another jurisdiction. The VIN is often recorded in two or more places. Make sure the visible ones all match.

How much should I pay?

• Fair market price.

What should I avoid?

• Rusty body and a vehicle with frame damage are poor candidates to restore.

Where should I look?

• Estate sales are often a good place to find a car.
• An informed buyer can always drive home a bargain if you’re ready to act whether it’s from someone’s garage, an auction house or on an Internet site.

Who should I buy from?

• An estate sale might be the best place to find value. Other collectors and car club members are good places to look, particularly if you want an older restoration.

What should I do myself?

• Re and re all the mechanical is a good place to start your learning curve, but don’t try to do everything at the same time. Get your vehicle in working order so you can use it and get a feeling for the most important things to attempt first.
• All the menial tasks like taking the mechanisms out of the doors for painting and rebuilding
• Anyone can do bodywork, but a classic will need work beyond the standards of modern crash repair. I would find another enthusiast to do all the bodywork and paint. The owner should stay around and take a hand in the preparation for painting.

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What should a professional do?

• Anything you cannot do yourself. I would have a specialist do any fine-tuning.

How do I explain to the professionals what I want?

• The right person to do your work will explain the possibilities. I would accept those opinions or find another person to do the work.

How do I increase the value of the car?

• Keep the car in as good a condition as you can with regular maintenance. Proper storage and regular use will help keep a vehicle from deteriorating too quickly. The best plan is to drive and enjoy your car. Over time, the value will increase on any collector vehicle.

What improvements can I make?

• Insurance or any special licensing for collector cars in your jurisdiction may not accept any kind of moderation. Find out what the rules are where you license your vehicle before you make any changes. Changes you make on your classic should only be those you can easily remove without a trace. Avoid adding holes to the dash or aftermarket scoops or sunroofs to keep the vehicle’s value.

What improvements should I make?

• You can’t go far wrong if the vehicle is kept stock with no modifications at all. Safety is paramount and things like adding seat belts or upgrading to disc brakes may also be okay, but be certain to keep the old parts

Where do I get parts?

• Swap meets, car rallies, and other similar events are good places to frequent, and one day, you will see exactly what you need and in the right color. Joining a car club can put you right in the center of a network of individuals who will help find the part and know all the best places to look. Joining a car club will also put you in touch with like-minded people, who have a wealth of knowledge and skill to share and are always ready to accept a new member.

What if I can’t find them?

• You will eventually find what you need, but furthermore, you will find a substitute or a way to make the original piece last a little longer, until you do. A padded dashboard with a vinyl covering in pristine condition is one item that’s very difficult to locate. A dash like this may be an even bigger challenge to duplicate, making innovation your best option. Mechanical parts can sometimes be made from scratch, but they can be very expensive to make, for an example, an iron casting that needs machining.

How much should I drive it?

• Drive the classic vehicle regularly to keep all systems lubricated. Gasoline can deteriorate in as little as two months. Put the muscle car through its paces once in a while, as well. One or two short drives a week is adequate, and if you burn off a tank of fuel each month cruising around, the car will perform the way it should.

How should I store it?

• Keep a classic car under a roof; in some places a heated garage is a necessity for a vehicle with a large value. A cotton cover is a good thing to use anytime, but there are also “four season” covers available for heavy-duty protection. Long-term storage would involve a number of preventative measures such as removing the battery, lifting the tires off the ground, and draining the oil, all very basic precautions

What happens if it sits idle for long periods?

• Long storage calls for preparation. Remove the tires and sit the vehicle on blocks; remove the fuel from the tank; remove the battery or disconnect it even for short periods. A battery cutoff device is also a great theft deterrent.

Where can I find shows to share it?

• Car clubs hold events regularly; new members and non-members alike can take part in most events.
• Events take place every weekend the weather cooperates.

Where can I learn about my car?

• The best teacher is hands-on experience. Working on your classic will teach you volumes.

What customizations are possible?

• You can modify as much as you like, but if resale value is important to you, then do not wander too far from the original, although there are exceptions.

What modifications are possible?

• A good rule of thumb is to not to make any permanent alterations or anything that leaves a mark or hole when removed. Some safety items like seat belts or disc brakes may be a good idea but keep all the original pieces just in case.

What if I want to change out the engine?

• Not difficult, just make certain you use one that you could have ordered with that model when new.

How do I make it sound like a muscle car?

• The exhaust system is the key to having a rumbling muscle car noise.

What can I inspect?

• All windows, doors, and gauges should work properly. Look for oil leaks. The engine should start easily whether a cold or warm start. Do a long test drive at all speeds in traffic and on the highway. Clunks, clanks, shimmy, vibration, and rattles are all signs of a pending problem. An automatic should shift gears without hesitation, and the clutch is slipping if the revs increase in a standard without the vehicles speed increasing, as well.

What should I have a professional inspect?

• As the purchase price drops, the need for an outside inspection also falls.
• An inspection by a competent mechanic could cost between $50 and $200 or so. If I’m paying more than $500 or so for a used vehicle, I would want to have a look at the undercarriage with the car on a hoist.

How do I transport it across long distances?

• Buy a trailer; one with a cover is best for an expensive unit, but a tow bar is a cheaper option.Both of these can attach to the back of any vehicle with enough torque to pull it; a modern six-cylinder engine would work fine. For a one-time tow, a commercial auto transport or train can do the job, but this is expensive. For across town, try a tow truck.

Why do sellers sell classic cars?

• Financial problems
• To make room for a better vehicle
• Profit-motivated

How do I get a good deal?

• Have an objective attitude rather than buy with emotions.

Should I buy one that’s in good condition, or should I buy myself a project?

• Make a list of the pros and cons to each
• Too difficult a project may be a bad idea
• A perfectly restored vehicle may have too high a price tag
• Between the two may work well or an older restoration

What is the difference in cost between a restored car and an unrestored car?

• The cost difference can be huge. A complete restoration can cost tens of thousands of dollars even for minimal results. The cheapest way to go

What traits do I need to pull this off?

• Resolve all the above.

What tools do I need?

• A basic tool kit is mandatory, and you can select the rest as you go.

How do I make sure it’s safe?

How do I preserve it?

• Proper storage and regular maintenance

What are the different levels of restoration?

• There are purists who may say there’s only factory condition or better and that anything less is merely maintenance. Although if you’re talking to an enthusiast who likes to frequent racetracks, the answer is likely an entirely different one. Show cars are the ultimate restoration and need to be transported in a closed trailer and rarely, if ever, driven. I think for most of us there are also levels of daily or often-driven classics in various stages of restoration.

Where do I get the technical expertise I need?

• You should have the complete set of factory manufactured manuals, including shop manuals, body manuals, schematic diagrams, and electrical manuals. Some sets are eight or 10 books.

• Just starting a project is the way to develop your skills.

How much space do I need?

• A single car garage is about 20 feet by 12 feet and would work in a pinch, but a double garage would leave plenty of room for storage and working on the vehicle.

What can I do with the interior?

• You can purchase a new interior complete for the most popular models, but an upholsterer can tailor a new interior with similar or identical material as the original

What can I do with the exterior?

• The quality of a paint job depends on how you plan to use the car. If you drive it regularly, you won’t want to spend the money on a show car finish. A car can look really good without your being terribly concerned with a normal driving incident like a stone chip that you can cover with a bit of touch-up paint. As long as all the sheet metal is covered with paint, it’s protected from oxidization. A flat base paint will only offer short-term protection, and a vehicle should be sealed with an enamel,, lacquer, or acrylic for lasting protection.

How do I remove rust?

• You can neutralize rust with a commercial metal prep; vinegar and water will also work.

What should be repaired or replaced?

• If a part can be repaired, it’s preferable to replacement. Do only what you absolutely need to do. If an assembly is working, don’t try to improve it unless you know precisely what you’re doing.

How do I fix dents?

• This isn’t difficult, but it involves skill and lots of practice with a few inexpensive body-working tools to have a perfect job. You can push dents out from the back side or sometimes a toilet plunger can easily pull out a large dent on a panel to make it look more presentable.

How do I learn as much as possible as fast as possible?

• Hands-on work will help you develop the skill set you need. Start with removal of assemblies that are nonfunctional.

Where can I get advice and help?

• Join a car club.

How do I get the most out of my time and money?

• Restore only what needs restoration. Do not go overboard with your plans.
• Set realistic goals.
• Don’t try to improve something that’s already doing the job.
• Doing all the re and re on your own will save you a lot of cash.

Where can I find examples of other people who have project cars?

• Join a club
• Go to events such as car parades, swap meets, and show & shine events.

Where can I meet other people who have project cars?

• Owning a classic is a lifestyle. Join a club and be active; take part in community events.

What questions should I ask the seller?

• Asking what needs work implies all vehicles need work. You’ll get a better answer asking that than asking what’s wrong with the car, which puts the seller on the defensive, and nothing is wrong with the car is the answer you’ll get.
• Ask about the unit’s history.
• Ask the seller if he has any spare parts or manuals.

What questions should I ask the person who does the inspection?

• Make certain they know you need a pre-purchase inspection.
• Make a list and show it to the mechanic although the right mechanic will know better than you what to look for.
• If allowed by your shop, look for anything that does not look proper while the car is on the hoist and the mechanic is doing other inspections. Ask the mechanic about things that look wrong or worn.

What is the single biggest challenge that awaits me?

• Bodywork done correctly is time-consuming and a good job for a perfectionist. The paint prep is the most challenging chore ahead of you.

How can I get my kids involved?

• There are lots of jobs where little helpers can be a bonus, and owning a classic is very much a family thing. The kids will love your car and want to take part with you.

What can I expect to learn?

• You cannot help but learn a lot with a hands-on restoration.

What engine should I look for?

• An engine that could have been in the car when it rolled off the assembly line

Where can I learn more about muscle car history?

• Car clubs and other enthusiasts are a great and willing source of knowledge. The Internet can help you to fill in the blanks.

Where can I find stories about people who have restored a muscle car?

• Any club meeting will have someone who will share stories of trials and tribulation.

What are the pros and cons of buying local rather than long distance?

• Local is the easiest place to find a car. If you must go a long distance to find what you want, prepare to do an inspection in person. The transportation of a vehicle across the country is possible but find out the costs involved not only with transporting but also re-registering a vehicle in a new country or even another state. It could involve reams of paperwork and possibly an inspection by the licensing agency.

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