1965 Corvette Hardtop Coupe 327 cu in, 300hp
this is a nice condition, good running car
Buying a Project Car? BE VERY CAREFUL
I read an article in the automotive section of our local paper last week that caught my attention. It was the sad story about a person buying a midyear Corvette on-line and when the car arrived it was nothing like seller’s description. Buying a project or classic car is like walking through a minefield; the buyer needs to be well armed and protected or else. So I thought, why not offer some advice based on my experience.
If you want to read the newspaper article here is the link: http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/cars/story.html?id=59a36ddd-e78a-4ef6-9
In 2000, after searching for a number of years for a Corvette restoration project car, I bought a very worn out 1956 Corvette from Joe Calcagno owner of RARECorvettes. I was looking for a car that could be restored to NCRS Top Flight condition and I wanted a car that was in good original condition with matching numbers and one that had not been wrecked or abused.
Fortunately, I answered a Hemming's ad placed by Joe for a '56 Vette that he
purchased in Southern California that had been a school teacher’s daily driver.
I say fortunately because first, Joe helped enormously with his knowledge of solid axle Corvettes that was willingly offered and he had a vast stockpile of hard-to-get parts, and second and most important we became close friends. By the way, three years later my 1956 Corvette received Top Flight award at the Monterey NCRS National Convention.
Just buying an every day car is stressful for most people. But buying a classic car that you plan to spend thousands of hours restoring and thousands of dollars for parts and services can multiply this stress considerably. So how do you find a good restoration project car and how do you know it's a suitable car for your needs?
Most people have some idea of the model of car they want to restore, how much time they can spend restoring it and how much money they are willingly to spend. People underestimate the work and cost involved as I've seen many 'basket cases' over the years; these are cars that have been completely taken apart with their owner losing interest or running out of money. I'd like to focus on just the first step, buying the car.
There are many routes to finding a car. You can find project cars at swap meets, auctions, Craigslist, eBay and other on-line websites, newspaper ads, trade ads such as Hemming's and through friends and acquaintances. But once you find the car, how do you know it's what the buyer says it is? Knowledge is the answer, but first let me relate my experience on a recent field trip that Joe and I took.
Joe was hired by an East Coast buyer to inspect a very expensive C3 big block coupe that was being offered for sale by a reputable classic car dealer. Joe invited me to tag along as the facility had numerous collectable cars for sale and a small museum of rare race and sports cars that he knew would interest me. Besides the extensive sales operation and the museum the company also had an immaculate shop where various restorations were being done in hospital-like clean room conditions. It was one of the most professional operations I’ve ever seen.
The big block C3 was beautiful as you might have expected given it's six figure price tag. The interior, exterior, engine and underside were all immaculately and exquisitely restored. But on close inspection Joe found many small incorrect details and also, and potentially more serious, the frame or front suspension seemed out of alignment or bent. Only an expert or very knowledgeable person would have found these defects. Inspection and knowledge is key to knowing what you are buying.
Here is my personal opinion on how to get a good project car based on my modest experience restoring a Corvette and seeing other restorations being done.
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• Buy the best original, complete, un-hit car you can find. Money spent repairing the car or replacing rare parts later will cost much more than you expect. Money spent on a good start will save you more later.
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• Do NOT ever buy a car sight unseen. See the above newspaper article.
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• Never buy a car that you do not inspect personally. Make sure you can put the car on a lift to inspect the frame. I've seen a lot of rusted frame members that were impossible to find unless you were underneath.
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• If you don't have expert detail knowledge of the model car you are buying, hire an expert to go with you. Money spent on an expert will save you thousands later.
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• Never buy at an auction. It’s hard to inspect a car thoroughly and a combination of heated bidding and buyer/seller fees will cause the price to be higher than warranted.
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• And finally, take advantage of car clubs. These people are usually very knowledgeable and can help you find a good car that meets your requirements.
Written by: Jim Schultz