| I know that I have done articles like this in the past, | | | | the years |
| and this one may or may not be different from | | | | If you're just restoring it for fun, the sky is the limit. |
| them. My goal here is you help you with the | | | | You can customize the car any way that you'd like. |
| questions that you have as you restore your classic | | | | Inspect the car closely before you buy it. Most used |
| or antique car. | | | | cars are sold As Is, and you will not have the option |
| The only thing that will change from a classic to an | | | | to return it. |
| antique is how hard the parts are to find. The older | | | | If you're not an experienced body restoration |
| the car gets, the harder it is to find good | | | | technician, try to buy a car with as little rust as |
| replacement parts for it. For this reason, it does | | | | possible. This does mean that a $3,000 car is out of |
| make an antique a little harder to restore. | | | | the question, You'll need to plan on spending about |
| There are aftermarket dealers that deal in both | | | | $10,000 to start with. |
| classic and antique cars, but the one thing that you'll | | | | Before you buy the car look on the Internet, and |
| notice is that they don't remake every part. You'll | | | | locate dealers that sell parts for your car. This will |
| just have to search for some things yourself. This | | | | make the entire process go a lot smoother. |
| can make for a hard and frustrating search, but don't | | | | Look for misaligned body panels which indicates that |
| let it kill your project. | | | | the panels have been removed. It usually means that |
| My personal favorites are classic American muscle | | | | the car has been wrecked. This can save you money. |
| cars, but they are not the only cars on the block. We | | | | Make sure that you get the car that the seller is |
| have 55, 56, and 57 Chevrolet Edsel, and many more. | | | | representing. My best advice is: Don't buy a |
| There are way too many to list here but you get | | | | misrepresented car as it can only go downhill from |
| the idea. The main thing here is that you enjoy | | | | there. |
| building the car. | | | | Most of the work falls upon you to make sure that |
| Below I will add a bullet list of things that could slow | | | | your getting what you paid for. Be diligent and learn |
| the process down, and in doing so cause you a | | | | all you can about the car. Don't feel dumb for asking |
| bunch of agony. | | | | questions, feel dumb if you don't. |
| Make sure that you keep the restoration process in | | | | The most important thing here is that you get the |
| your experience level, this is where a lot of projects | | | | car that you want and have fun restoring it. |
| go by the way side. If it gets out of your experience | | | | I could go on forever, but there is no point. The |
| level, be sure that you have a person who you can | | | | biggest reason that cars don't get finished is because |
| get the answers that you need from. | | | | the owner gets sick of the car, or he/she feels like |
| If your restoring the car as an investment, make | | | | they're getting ripped off. Do your homework so this |
| sure that all the numbers on the car are matching, | | | | never happens to you. I love old cars and I spend a |
| and make sure that most of the car is there before | | | | lot of time trying to help people with them, I figure |
| you buy it. | | | | that if I know something and I can help you by |
| You have got to realize this one thing; if you | | | | answering a question, it helps to insure that classic |
| customize the car in any way, it can and probably will | | | | and antique cars will be around for a long time to |
| lose some of its value, but it will still appreciate over | | | | come. |