Thread: any advice on what car to get?

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I am new to classic cars and i need some advice on what to get. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty and my budget is around $15k, any suggestions???

First get a good handle on what you want. For 15,000. you can pretty much forget having a nice Deuce,unless you get very lucky. A T-bucket kit makes a great starter car,or buy an existing car,and alter it to suit yourself. Hank

Thanks for the tip. I have found 1 car that i like on the web in my pricerange, it is a 1965 buick wildcat convertable(its only $11k). Would that be a good buy?

The only one who can say it's a good buy is the buyer. If it's what turns your crank, it's worth it.
Mad Mike, eh? after MM Hoare, by chance?

I'm with the Pope on this one.... Value is for you to decide. If it's what you want and you think it's worth the money, get it. If it's just the first decent car you've seen in your price range, keep looking......

What are you looking for? Do you want an early car 20's to 40's or later 50's to 60's? Do you want street rod or a custom or something in between, like a resto-rod? Do you want something 50 - 60 % done, 80 % done, a turnkey or a basket case? Do you have the experience and talent to build a car or repair one?

There are a lot of cars out there that can be had in the $15k range, even some decent street rods. If you are web shopping there is a lot to look at. But first you need to know what it is you would like. No use buying a 50's/60's car if you really want a street rod, or vice versa. If you do that you might want to kick yourself every time you get out of it.

There are cars for sale all over the net and in local papers and at local car events. Get a good idea what it is you want than start searching, comparing and pricing. Like Denny said check out all of the features you like or want in the car. The more you like the less you will have to put out to get something to the level and style that you want. A lot of people look for cars on EBay. But there are a lot of other sites where cars are advertized. Might be good if you could find something with a couple of hundred miles of where you live, so you can go see what it is you are interested in, before putting up the cash.

"Classic cars" is a term that usually refers to a nearly original older cars. You can use Google to find "Old Cars Prices" or "values", or "automobile auction sale prices". This will give you an idea what they are currently selling for, depending on their condition.

If you mean hot rods or customs, it is harder to determine a market value. It's also harder to get your money back in this area, as it usually costs more to build a car than it is worth. In this case, make sure the car is one you really want, and get some of the value back in enjoyment, and finding new friends who love cars like you. Buying a car that is finished, or nearly finished, is the best way to save money.

I am looking more twards the mid 60's to early 70's.

Not a bad place to be! The more collectible cars of the '60s & '70s are going up in value right now.

If you watch the auctions, don't let the high prices scare you. Those are for cars that are documented rare editions, or cars that have a special history because of who owned them, and so forth.

There are still affordable cars out there if you will settle for a commonly available model, then you can modify it to suit yourself, or dress it up to look like a special model.

Chances are good that the highly collectible cars will drive the prices up a little on similar cars, too.

Before you just take my word, In the past I've bought and sold a few dozen Corvettes, and many other collectible Chevies of the '50s & '60s. I've also been around the hobby, or working for enthusiasts for over 40 years. There are many other well experienced people on here who can give you insight into the hobby. You will enjoy it here....a great group!

Do you have any specific models that you think I should take a look at?

My personal criteria when someone is in the mood to buy their first project car...

Rust, replaceable parts, and glass are the big three for me. A lot of times that great deal you find isn't a deal at all when you start adding up what it's going to take to get the car in to a safe driving condition. Is the frame (or unibody floorpan) rotted out? Are replacement panels available to fix all the rust? For cars from the mid 60's and earlier, can the old single pot master cylinder and brakes be swapped out for a more modern dual reservoir design (and a factory front disc setup) without too much hassle? Is the car an orphan, meaning you are going to be fabbing your own parts or having to modify something from another brand just to get the car driveable? My personal pet peeve is having to get replacement glass for a 40+ year old car. There can be problems with a car that are no big deal to me, but to someone else, they are huge issues, and vice versa.

I guess what I'm saying is, your first project car should probably be something that you can do the work on yourself with just the basic hand tools. In a perfect world you'll find a body style that appeals to you and get something that is mostly stock and unmolested. Then it's up to you to begin the molesting, heheh. Yank out the old inline 6 and drop in the V-8. Swap that bench seat for a set of buckets. Once you get it done, you'll probably see things you want to change and start all over again.

If you go with a car from one of the big three (Ford, GM, Mopar) you should have decent access to replacement or swappable parts.

Actually the 65 Wildcat might be an excellent choice if it is pretty solid (not much rust.) The fact that it is a convertible enhances it's value now and down the road. Convertibles are always popular. What kind of engine is in it? A Nail head or possibly the 425? Both would be great engines for added value.

My brother in law has a 67 Buick Skylark convertible with the 425 and it is one very sharp car. It's also a very low production car, which always adds value.

While $11k is a reasonable price for a well kept convertible, you should still do some comparison shopping. Try this site as they usually have a lot of cars for sale: http://www.collectorcartraderonline.com/

I agree about the Buick ragtop being a good choice. If you find a car that needs a lot of parts replaced, you should see if there are people making parts for the car you are looking at.

An example would be something like a 55-57 Chevy. You can buy virtually 90% of the parts new. Sheet metal, chrome trim, upholstering....anything! Make it a 55-57 Studebaker, and you may not be able to even find something simple like a windshield, wiring, brake shoes, or weatherstripping.....so check it out!

One of the places I like to visit is "project car" and "project truck" on ebay motors. Also, try www.craigslist.com to add some variety to your search.

Thanks for all the great tips, ill check out those websites.