Restore Your Own Classic Car - Finding Your Future Hot Rod
If you don't already have your project car this article will help you decide on a good car to start with. I love restoring and modifying cars because to me it is an art, it is an extension of yourself. You can do whatever you want to do with the car because you are the only one who has to like it. That being said, I will provide you with incite on the restoration process from the beginning to the end from my years of experience.
My first piece of advice is to pick a brand or make of car such as Ford,Chevy,Dodge etc. There is allot of brand loyalty out there so I am sure you already have something in mind. For your first project you should stick to the major brands because parts will be much easier to come by. Don't set your sites too high, lets face it, we all want a Hemicuda or a Shelby but you just aren't going to find those "hot ticket" cars on the side of the road for a cheap price. You should also have an idea of the type of build you want to do, such as a muscle car, hot rod, or a 50's cruiser because this will narrow the year and type of car you will be looking for. You don't have to have a definite plan yet but have an idea.
Once you have an idea of what you are looking for the next step is......to start looking! It sounds easy enough, but, where should you look? A good place to start are your local car clubs, someone is always looking to get rid of something. Also try your local restoration shops their technicians always have a line on some of the best restorable cars, especially if you offer a finders fee.
Don't forget to check your local paper classified adds, auto trader, Ebay, and one of the most successful things I have found, take a ride in the country! you would be surprised how many people have old cars sitting in their fields, especially old farmers. I went horseback riding with my wife a few years ago at a farm in New Jersey and the farmer had five or six late 60's broncos in one of his fields.
Once you find something you are interested in here is what you should do,
Get the VIN (vehicle identification number) and make sure the owner has the title because if it can't be titled again there is no sense wasting your time. If there is no VIN for the car just walk away. You can find many different sites on the Internet that will help you de-code the VIN number and that will tell you allot of good information such as the original color and motor size, body type, where it was made and what it is. I suggest you decode this information before you buy the car because many people have been scammed this way. It is just a good way to make sure everything is legit.
As you look the car over it is a good idea to take pictures and make a list of what you see. Write down the options the car has (power windows,seats,air conditioning), What size motor is in the car? Look at the rust on the body, how bad is it? fenders,quarter panels, deck lids can be replaced so what you are most interested in is the rocker panels (The small section of body under the doors) if the car does not have a full frame under it the rockers are a structural support. also bring an ordinary refrigerator magnet and go around the car to see where there is allot of filler.
Take in the overall condition of the car, is it sunk up to the door in the ground or is it sitting on inflated tires. Ask the owner as many questions as you can think of, remember the only stupid question is the one that is not asked. Ask is the motor runs, is it seized up? When was it last driven? Why was it parked? Was it stored outside or in a barn or garage? you will find a better car if it was parked on a hard surface like concrete rather than a dirt floor. Does the owner know any history about the car like where it was originally purchased or who the original owners were, every car has a history and the more you know about it the more you will enjoy the car.
Always get under the car and check out the under carriage, make sure the frame is not rotted away, there will be surface rust but you do not want to see large holes in the frame. Look at the suspension and where it mounts to the car, make sure the mounts are still good and that the suspension isn't going to rip through the floor when you tow it home. Look at the floor pans from under the car and from inside the car, you are going to find holes but just make sure that the structural parts of the floor are solid, like the transmission tunnel and the inner rocker panels.
I don't stress motors too much just because there are so many after market parts and ready to run "crate" engines available. So if you aren't looking to keep it 100% original there are a lot of options. The only thing left to do is buy it! If you are not sure if you are getting a good price you can check the blue book value on the car or call up the local car club for that make of car and they should be able to help you decide if you are getting a good deal.
If you follow this advice you should be able to find a good, restorable car to work with.
Ready .....Set......Go hunt for your future hot rod, have fun and good luck. next time I will cover how to plan your project.
20 plus years in automobile repair and restoration, expert in metal shaping and fabrication. I started loving cars when I was 14 or so, my first car was a 1968 Barracuda that I still have today. I am a certified inspection and emissions mechanicand I worked for one of the top restoration shops on the east coast until we had differences that made me decide to go out on my own. I am in the beginning stages of starting my own restoration business. I also do Photography and marketing for classic cars to get them into some of the top magazines. my work has been in Hot Rod,legendary Ford and many other publications. I have been a part of some one of a kind restorations as well as mesuem restorations. I stand behind my work 100% and try to offer a top quality restoration with out the top end price. Feel free to contact me with any questions. My web sites are not up yet but they are almost complete so look for them in the near future
don't crush....Restore
Dave Kite - Restoration Specialist
This article has been accessed 34 times since 2008-10-06.
