Buying A Project Car
Buying your first project car is an exciting time for the buyer. Almost every kid dreamed of owning a classic car growing up. You are probably thinking of a classic car right now as you begin the purchase process. If you are, then there are some items that need to be considered before making that purchase.
The first item that needs to be addressed is time. Even before beginning to look at a project car, the buyer needs to determine if he or she has the time for a classic car. Some people want to buy a project car that is fully-restored, so it takes much less time to own it. If the car is truly an antique, it will have parts that could already be broken or in the process of breaking, even if fully-restored. If purchasing a true project car (one that needs major interior, exterior, or engine work), then the time needed for the project could take all of the buyer's free time. Don't take this statement the wrong way, as working on a project car can be one of the most rewarding hobbies. However, if the buyer's free time is usually reserved for family (especially one with small children), then the project could become stalled.
The second item that needs to be addressed is money. The purchase of the classic car could run into many thousands of dollars. A quick search of auto auctions can show a 1953 Bel Air fully-restored for around $50,000. You can also get the same model year for $2,000 or less, depending on whether the engine is running. The buyer of the $50,000 Bel-Air will know upfront how much they need to purchase their car, and maybe need a little more for upkeep. The buyer of the $2,000 car can probably expect by the end of the restoration process to be very close to the fully-restored model. So, the buyer should have some idea of how much their desired car can cost, and how much they are willing to spend.
Once the buyer has found the first two items acceptable, it's time to begin searching for the car! The best place to start is, of course, the internet. There are so many sites available to help with the purchase of your new car, it would be difficult to list them all. However, the best place to begin the search is most likely eBay Motors. This site helps the buyer determine the market price for the vehicle he or she would like to purchase. I can't recommend the site enough for market pricing.
Once the search for the car has been narrowed down to a candidate, the buyer must make a personal inspection of the car prior to purchasing the project. He or she should leave all emotion behind when making a a purchase of a project or classic car. It's unfortunate, but there are unscrupulous sellers who will make a car's exterior look brand-new and charge full market price while leaving the engine in extremely poor shape.
At the personal inspection, the buyer needs to treat the situation the same as if buying a used car, because that is exactly what you are doing. The usual items: checking the body for rust, taking the car for a test drive, should all be done, of course. But, depending on how original the buyer needs the car to be, one should check for matching numbers on all important cars of the car. The engine should be checked for originality, or at least if it's the same kind of engine that was in the car when purchased. If interested in showing the car at a later date, these can be important items to consider.
Hopefully these tips will help the new classic car owner prior to making that first great purchase. It's an incredibly fun hobby where you can meet many different people, all interested in the same thing as you. Owning that car they always dreamed of as a child.
