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Car Buyer's ArtBy:Matthew N. Harwood You’re interested in buying a collector car. You’ve thought about it, and decided that plunging into the hobby is right for you. Excellent choice. Few hobbies are as rewarding, fun and feature as many great people as the old car hobby. With an old car, everybody is your friend, and you’ll feel like a celebrity everywhere you go. But where do you start? What do you look for in an old car? This isn’t just a used car we’re talking about, but one that’s decades old, and has probably been through several owners with who knows what kind of maintenance standards. The most important piece of advice I’ve learned is to be prepared to walk away from a car that isn’t right. It’s the hardest thing in the world to do, but I’m guessing that it’s also the number one reason why there are so many unfinished projects out there—somebody got in over his head because he bought the wrong car. The wrong car can be something too far gone to restore with your skills and/or budget. The wrong car can be a V12 Packard when it’s your first crack at restoring anything. The wrong car can even be something that you buy in the heat of the moment just because you “gotta have something!” I spent more than two years searching for my ’41 Buick Century, and I couldn’t be happier with it. It is exactly what I wanted, and exactly what I set out to purchase in the first place. I was distracted along the way, mostly because the ’41 Century sedanettes are so rare and I was anxious to get started on a project. But instead of buying the first car that came under my gaze, I stuck to my goals and eventually succeeded. This is a very important point to make: you don’t want to “settle” for a car that isn’t exactly what you want. Set a goal, in terms of make, model, price and condition, and STICK TO IT! Don't get pulled in another direction because you have the money burning a hole in your pocket or you're anxious to get on with the enjoyment. If there's a car you really want, nothing else will satisfy you. For example, one of the first cars I looked at was a ’38 Buick Roadmaster convertible sedan. I was tempted because it was “sort of” what I wanted—a big Buick. It was rough, but 100% complete, running and priced right. It was rare, being one of less than 350 made, and it was, of course, a convertible. But the cost of restoring it to the condition such a car deserved was probably out of my budget, even considering my above-average skills (the all-leather interior alone probably would have cost $15-20,000 to restore). And it wasn’t a ’41 Century sedanette. So don’t let your ambition get the better of you. Wait for the right car—it’s out there, I promise. OK, let’s assume you’ve found a car you’re interested in. I suggest taking three steps when examining a car: Call, Look, Drive. First, call the owner. Don’t E-mail, don’t drop by, call him. Invest nothing more than a phone call until you’ve reached a point where you think the car is good enough to warrant further investigation. Ask a lot of questions on the phone—if he won’t answer them or is evasive, walk away. If he can’t answer your questions accurately, it’s probably a bad deal for you, the buyer. Ask about completeness, drivability, overall condition, rust, storage conditions, interior, etc. Always assume that it’s worse than he’s telling you. This is where you start building a relationship with the seller that is based on trust, so listen carefully to what the seller says and how he says it. If what you hear on the phone sounds good, your next step is to visually inspect the car. If it’s out of state, you’re now making a significant investment in time and money for a maybe, so you’d better be as sure as you can be that this will turn out to be a good candidate. Do a complete visual inspection before even starting the engine. This is important—if the car is marginal, don’t put yourself and others at risk by putting it on the road. Your visual inspection will also tell you if a drive is necessary—if you like what you see, drive it. If not, thank the seller for his time and walk away. Remember, get away as soon as something turns you off. The longer you stay with the car (and especially when you drive it), it becomes easier for you to talk yourself into buying it and you will rationalize the problem areas that turned you off in the first place. You must resist this temptation—there are other cars out there waiting for you. If you like what you see, drive it (if it is a drivable car). But you’re not out for a pleasure cruise. No, your job during a test drive is to check every single mechanical system on the car. I recommend doing it one specific system at a time; don’t try to “get a feel” for the overall car during your drive. Test the brakes. Then test the suspension. Then test the clutch, etc. Allocate a section of the drive to focusing on one system at a time to evaluate it properly. Reduce distractions, and don’t let the owner yak away while you’re trying to listen to the wheel bearings. Focus on one thing at a time, and it’s less likely that you’ll overlook a problem. Finally, if everything is in order, make a reasonable offer. This isn’t like haggling with a used car salesman in most cases. You’re buying a lifestyle, a hobby. You’re buying fun. Understand that the car has a value (if you’ve done your homework, you probably know what it is), and realize that a fair deal for all parties involved will make the experience that much more pleasant for you. Don’t start off on the wrong foot with your new hobby. With that said, here are a few rules of thumb that I follow whenever I look at a car: 1) LEARN EVERYTHING YOU CAN ABOUT THE CAR! I can't stress this one enough. Do some homework, know what is original and what isn't, and if you can, talk to others who have a similar car and find out what problem areas may exist. Be an educated buyer so you don’t get in over your head right off the bat. 2) Assess the overall condition. By this I mean just get an overall feel for the car when you approach it. Is it visibly a junker, or does it look pretty good? The nice-looking cars are the ones that need the most careful inspection, since most flaws are hidden. If it's a junker, well, first impressions and all... 3) Bodywork. Is it straight? Sight down all the body panels looking for waviness or imperfections that could indicate previous repairs. Original panels are almost always flat and straight. Don't let them tell you that old sheet metal "gets like that." Waves mean repairs, and poorly done ones at that. Who knows what is lurking underneath? Bring a low-powered magnet to check for plastic body filler. The weak magnet won't stick to places where filler has been used to fill a problem. Don’t be fooled by glossy paint. A fresh paint job is nice, but was it well done? Look for overspray, bad masking and waves in the finish. The prep work is critical to a good paint job, and good prep can make bad paint look good. But there’s no paint that can make bad prep work look good. Be critical of paint more than almost anything else on the car. If it’s new, what is it hiding? should be your only thought on fresh paint. 4) Chrome and trim. Is it all there, and is it straight and clean? Replating chrome is often the most expensive part of a restoration—starting with good base stock will save you a lot of money down the road. And if pieces are missing, consider the cost and trouble of locating replacements. For some cars, it can be impossible. 5) Rust. Some of the best advice I ever heard was this: THINK LIKE A DRIP. Funny, maybe, but true. Think about areas where water could have collected or leaked and look for damage there. The bottoms of doors and cowl panels, inner fenders, rocker panels, etc. are all the easy places you absolutely should check first. But take a few moments to think like a drip. For instance, on '41 Buicks, the windshield had a tendency to leak into the glove box, rusting the inside of the metal dash panels. Also, check the floors and the trunk, especially inside the lid and around the opening. The gas tank filler door is another hot spot for rust to start. Basically, anywhere two pieces of metal come together at a seam is a place for rust to thrive. If you can't see anything, poke your fingers in there and feel for powdery residue, then pull it out and look at it. Corrosion can be black, white, gray, red, brown, etc. If it isn't smooth, it's likely rusty. Crawl into every nook and cranny. You don't want any surprises. Be aggressive with your probing. An honest seller won't stop you from doing this.
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