This is a short list of things to look for when you buy a classic car, if you do these things it will make you a lot happier with the purchase of your classic car.
1.Locate the right car for you The Most Important Step, this car need to excite you, it should make you feel like a diamond ring feels to a woman, you should be all giddy, just like a little school girl on her first date.
2.Make sure that you inspect the car, for rust, collision damage, leaks, make sure it doesnt over heat wile running, look under the carpet and floor mats for rust, be sure all the gauges are working correctly, look for electrical problems, like flickering lights, or lights that dont come on, check the blinkers, check the tail lights and brake lights, fire the engine and listen for knocks, clicks, pings and the like, these are all signs that you may have a lot of work to.
3.The test drive, look for: excessive play in the steering, engine running rough or misfiring, brakes that dont stop the car like they should, whining from the rear end or transmission, if it has a standard transmission be fore warned if it pops out of gear, this means that synchros are going bad, and listen for a grinding sound when you press the clutch as this indicates a bad pilot bearing, and if the car has a hard time moving when you let off the clutch this indicates that the pressure plate and disk are bad. If it has and automatic transmission, look for the trans to slip, or not go in to gear like it should, pull the dipstick and look and the transmission fluid to see if its dark or burned, ask the owner of the car to jack up the front of it so you can move the wheels to check for bad tie rods, this is done by grabbing the wheels one at a time and wiggling the, with your hands positioned and 9 Oclock and 3Oclock and moving the wheels back and forth.
4.Engine: pull the dipstick out of the engine and look at the oil to see if its black and sludgy or smells burned, and if it has a with honey looking appearance to it, this indicates a cracked head or a bad head gasket that leaks water in to the oil pan, look at the rocker covers to see if they leak excessive oil, also with the engine running listen for a grinding sound from the water pump or alternator, this indicates that these item are going bad.
5.Also I forgot to mention, while your inspecting the body of the car, be sure to look at the rocker panels for rust holes and bad body work, also look at the quarter panels for rust holes, and bad body work, and dont forget to look at the engine compartment for rust and bad wiring.
These are all reasons for you to get a better deal on the car you choose to buy, use these factors to barter with the owner of the car, point them out and use them to your advantage.
I've been in the automotive business for about 20 or 25 years, I have worked in all facets of the industry, from parts to restoration, all different makes and models, I just want to keep people interested in the old cars because it's where my heart is.
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