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Buying A Collector Vehicle
(Originally published at www.autorestorer.com)

So 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!” It takes a lot of passion to restore an old car, and if yours doesn't make you dream, then you'll never finish it.

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. Most of all, trust your first instincts—if it sounds shady, it probably is.

However, 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. When you get there, do a complete visual inspection before even starting the engine. This is important—if the car is marginal, please 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 just 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? Unfortunately the nice-looking cars are typically 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 and lead. The weak magnet won't stick to places where excessive 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 "orange peel" 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 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 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.

6) Interior. Is it clean, complete and intact? Do the gauges all work and in are they in good condition? Do the clock and radio (if equipped) work? Lift up an edge of the carpet and check for rust or rotted wood in the floors, especially above the exhaust system and in the foot wells.

Upholstery can get expensive and it isn’t usually a DIY type of thing. A good interior is a big plus. Make sure the material isn't rotted or dry, check the seams for signs of splitting threads, sit on all the seats, front and back, and use your backside for checking for thin padding and broken springs. Check the headliner for crumbling. Check all the rubber seals around the doors and windows. Check the windows—are they clear and crack-free, or are they starting to bubble and get cloudy? Or, if your car is like mine, did someone shoot out a few windows with a BB gun? Think about replacing things like the pedals, steering wheel, gearshift, etc. and decide whether these are things for which you can realistically expect to find replacements.

If it’s a convertible, make sure the top assembly is complete. You can replace the top fabric easily enough, but replacing lost bows and hardware can be impossible.

7) Engine. Does it run? Check for smoke. Blue smoke is oil consumption and indicates bad rings or valve seals. Black smoke is typically a poorly adjusted carburetor. Gray smoke can be anything from a cracked block to a blown head gasket to a cracked piston. White smoke, which is often water vapor, is normal until the car is fully warmed up after a drive. Just idling the car will not warm it sufficiently to get water vapor out of the exhaust. Get the car on the road and up to operating temperature to make a final assessment. Does the engine pull smoothly or does it stumble when you tip into the throttle? Are there any unpleasant noises? Frequently, old cars will have some valve train noise that is normal. Listen carefully for any knocking, tapping, etc. that might indicate a mechanical problem. If the car has functional gauges, monitor them closely to check for proper oil pressure and water temperature.

After your drive, check the entire drive train again; a lot of bad things can happen when metal parts get hot. Check the coolant again—is it leaking anywhere? Check for oil leaks around the valve covers, the rear main seal, front timing chain cover, and anywhere else there’s a gasket sealing the inside of the engine from the outside world. A dirty engine is a sign of neglect, and probably indicates some leakage somewhere. Pull a spark plug or two: they should be golden brown in most cases. Black and oily indicates that the car is running rich or there's an oil leakage problem into the cylinder or that this particular plug isn’t firing properly. White might suggest that the air/fuel mixture is lean and because of that, there might be damage to the cylinder head, cylinder walls, head gasket or valves because of it. A missing electrode probably qualifies as VERY, VERY BAD. Smell the coolant and make sure it doesn’t smell like exhaust gasses. Pull out the dipstick and check the condition of the engine oil. Even if the owner just dumped fresh oil into the crankcase, it will have sludge in it if the engine's dirty, especially on an older car without an oil filter. Check the carburetor and make sure it isn't covered with sludge and doesn't have varnish inside the barrels. Pull the air cleaner and look down the carburetor’s throat. It shouldn't be black in there. Make sure the air cleaner has been properly maintained and is functional. Check exhaust manifolds for cracking, and make sure the exhaust is not leaking. If there are any heat riser valves, make sure they are functional (non-functional heat-riser valves can cause burned exhaust valves and other internal engine damage from backed-up exhaust gas).

8) Transmission & Drive train. Older manual transmissions that have received even cursory maintenance are practically bulletproof. Early automatics are often finicky, but the hardware is pretty tough. But you should always test all components to insure that there isn’t any indication of abuse or severe neglect.

During your test drive, be very aware of the transmission. Does it shift smoothly? Are all the gears functional and quiet? You should probably expect some gear whine in first and even second on older cars, however. Are the synchros functional (most cars after 1932 or so have synchromesh transmissions) or do the gears clash? Go up and down through the gears several times to make sure there are no bad teeth, worn bearings or bent shift forks. If there's a dipstick, pull it out and inspect the lubricant: automatics should be clean. A burned smell indicates damage. On manual transmissions, it's tougher to look at the lubricant, so check the drain plug and housing for leaks.

Clutches in older cars are marginal in most cases—the technology just wasn’t there to make durable clutches. Because of this, it’s doubly important to make sure that whatever type of clutch is installed in your prospective car is functioning properly. Check for a slipping or burned clutch—a slipping clutch often smells like overheated brakes. If you're on a test drive, put it in high gear at a relatively low speed and tip into the throttle aggressively—it should pull cleanly and evenly. If the engine speeds up without pulling the car with it, the clutch is slipping. Make sure clutch engagement is smooth and not grabby, and that the linkage moves easily without any lumps in the effort.

Check the universal joints for wear (they are usually visible unless the car has a torque tube, in which case you can only check for leaks). On your test drive, try to see if the driveshaft vibrates. You can usually feel this through the seat of your pants more than through the wheel or pedals.

Like the transmission, it’s pretty hard to break a rear end in an older car. Just to be sure, give it a thorough inspection as well. Make sure the rear end isn't leaking. Listen for any noises coming out of it. A clicking sound in turns can mean that a limited-slip differential is worn. Check the ends of the rear axle for signs of leakage and bad seals. Listen for bearing noise (a low-pitched rumbling hum). If you can, get the rear end up in the air and turn it manually to check for any rough feeling in the gears. On an open differential, turning one wheel forward will turn the other wheel backwards. On a limited-slip unit, both wheels should turn in the same direction and it should be difficult to do so. Check the axle housing for signs of damage, bent axle tubes and cracks.

9) Brakes. Before you take a drive, CHECK THE BRAKES! Sit in the car and push the brake pedal and listen—is there a squishing sound that would indicate a leak? Can you hear the mechanism working (squeaks, groans)? Is the pedal soft or firm (in cars with hydraulic brakes, it should be pretty firm)? If you feel confident, take the car for a drive. Do the brakes slow the car down? How well? Pre-1960s cars typically have terrible brakes, so don't compare them to modern brakes. However, they should still slow the car at a progressive pace in response to pedal pressure. The car should not pull to one side when you apply pressure. Listen for squealing and grinding that might indicate worn pads or shoes. Feel for pulsations that may indicate warped rotors and/or drums.

If possible, pull the wheels and inspect the brakes. Check the drums and rotors—if they’re ruined, are replacements available? Look for fluid leaks, especially around the wheel cylinders. Check the wheel bearings and make sure they've been serviced regularly. If the car has mechanical brakes, make sure all the levers and pulleys are straight and lubricated. Check all hydraulic lines for signs of rot, rust or leakage. Lines on these old cars often rusted before the fittings did and from the inside out, so make sure they are all intact and leak-free. Stick your finger into the master cylinder and check the color of the fluid. It should be clear and golden in color, though some older cars might use some special fluids. Just make sure it's clean. Black fluid is bad and indicates moisture and overheating of the brakes. Rust in the master cylinder indicates that the entire brake system is probably shot. Make sure the linkage from the pedal is not bent or damaged. If it has power brakes, make sure whatever booster is used is functional. Check any vacuum lines feeding it—if they're missing, they can be a real headache to re-plumb properly.

10) Suspension. Make sure there are no bent suspension members. Turn the steering wheel to check for play in the linkage. There will always be some, but it should not be excessive. Sitting still, turn the wheel from lock to lock and feel for any unpleasant sensations coming from the steering box. It should be consistent and smooth. Make sure the car isn’t sagging and that the ride height is consistent from front to back and side to side. A low corner can indicate a broken spring or frame damage.

Bouncing up and down on a bumper isn't really a good gauge of the shock absorbers' condition, but doing so can reveal any squeaks or groans from the suspension that you might not hear on the road test. Take it for a drive and listen for any rattles or groans from the suspension. Make sure the car rides properly—a Cadillac is probably supposed to float like that! See how it tracks down the highway and make sure it isn't the crown of the road causing it to pull to the right. If there's power steering, check the fluid to make sure it is clean and unburned. Make sure the power steering unit doesn't moan under load, and that the system has no leaks.

Finally, DON'T FALL IN LOVE—be objective. Don't let one great feature overshadow a lot of shortcomings in other areas (“Wow, the engine's missing, but it has the rare knock-off wheels! Heck, I’ll take it!”). A low-mileage car is nice to find, but if it's really low mileage, be concerned that things like seals, gaskets and other replaceable items might just be shot anyway, just from sitting. Remember, unless it's a high-end classic or rare muscle car, there are probably other cars just like it around somewhere, so keep looking.

Plan to spend several hours inspecting the car—don’t make this deal on a 10-minute test drive. An honest seller will understand this. I know it's exciting, and any car you see in person will make it easy for you to imagine yourself behind the wheel. But there are a lot of amateur restorers out there (and I stress amateur), and they've done a lot of damage to old cars over the years. For example, I recall hearing stories about one old car that was restored by a plumber who changed all the threads on the car to NPT, making it impossible for anyone else to service it or get replacement parts. Make sure you don't have to spend your money undoing somebody else's mistakes just to get back to zero.

The oldest advice in the hobby is the most seldom followed: It's always cheaper to purchase the nicest car you can afford rather than to restore a basket case yourself. It’s so easy to say to yourself, “I’ll just do all the work myself and save a ton in labor costs.” Wrong. A finished car is usually worth less than the cost of its restoration, so the seller's loss is your gain. And if you’re doing this for financial gain, I’d argue that your money is probably better invested elsewhere. Cars are notoriously poor investments, no matter what make or condition they are.

In order of priority, I look for three things when examining a potential restoration candidate: rust & damage free body, completeness of the entire car, and condition of chrome. Mechanicals are easy to fix on old cars, and the costs of doing so pale in comparison to the cost of bodywork, chrome and replacement trim parts.

Be a smart buyer—do your homework and be objective. It took me more than two years of searching before I found my '41 Century, and that’s probably about average. It is exactly what I wanted. Read my web page for my story, and you'll understand why you don't want to "settle" for a car that just isn't right. There are always other cars out there, I promise.