My advice to a first time classic car buyer is to have deep pockets. The old car hobby is quickly becoming a rich man's hobby. Cost for the car itself, parts and restoration services are through the roof. Out of reach for the average Joe. Next is research, research, research. Know fully what you're looking for, it's rarity, history, current market prices and scarcity of parts. Finally, love what you do. Good luck.
More advice is to buy a car that has already been restored. This is from prior experience. I did not research the cost of parts, including shipping costs. For what I paid in parts, my labor, I could have bought a car already restored and had much more time to enjoy driving it.
Naw, You just have to start looking outside the box, much like our Fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers did when the Hot Rodding and custom car building first started. They took what they had/what they could afford and started wrenching on it. Sure everyone wants a 72 Chevelle SS but almost noone has the 10k to throw down on 72 Chevelle roller, when you can buy a 74 or 75 Chevelle for 2-3k that's not only running and driving but is more often than not still registered and being driven. I also sorta disagree with the "Love what you do" part, yes you have love it but you don't have to INSTANTLY love it, even if you don't instantly like it the more you do on it the more you will grow on you and you start to love it.
Those Smog/Maliase Era Cars are the HOT new build out here in the West/Southwest U.S. because they are cheap, more often than not they are still running and driving, The Parts stores still carry ALOT of parts and the aftermarket is catching up to them. 10 years ago you couldn't find much if anything at all for a 73-85 car unless it was a Corvette, Camaro/Firebird or Mustang but now you can find most parts for just about everything. Every car in my car club that has been getting wrenched on since the Dempanic and the CONvid outbreak in 2020 has been a 73-79 simply because they wanted something cheap of tinker around with and the more they tinkered around with it the more they started to love it and that turned into a full build.
Black '73 Montego MX is local to me, pictures do not do this car justice! Nice hotrod build can not be duplicated for the asking price. Advice for classic buyers is to RESEARCH,RESEARCH,RESEARCH! Look at similar priced rides and evaluate what work you can do yourself and what the project will need. Excellent selection of vehicles in this video!
If you are not knowledgeable about cars and not able to work on it yourself be very careful. Decide what car you want and learn all about it. When you go to buy you can ask questions you already know the answer to so you will know if the seller is lying. Even then you might get lied to about the amount of rust or crash repairs that are hidden. There is a lot to know to be able to thoroughly check a car out. If you aren’t confident enough take someone with you that is. As stated above, if you have to pay someone to work on the car it can get quite expensive very fast. Don’t let me discourage you, owning an older car can be a lot of fun to own, drive and work on. Good luck.
Might get Lied to ? I have had over 50 cars in my life , Never have been told the truth once ! But , I'm a Mechanic and have fixed them all . I have Chevelle Nova Camaro 67 and 68 Chevy Truck It's easy to fix them when you know what you are doing !
Solon: My words of wisdom come from 20+ years of classic and muscle car restoration. #1: I always buy someone's UNfinished project. One must do a boatload of cost estimates to figure costs for what You can do, then know with certainty what the costs will be of work you can't or won't do. Then make an extremely "lowball" offer to buy the project. In my years of restoration work I have NEVER wanted to make money, just break even. With some 20 project cars later, I have never lost a dime. DON'T OVERPAY for the project purchase!!! It is better to "walk away" then to get stuck with a white elephant and end up in the same boat as the original seller. There is ALWAYS another project out there with your name on it...........
My dad ran a speed shop for over 30 years and I've flipped several cars and the 1st thing he told me is "Never buy someone else's project unless you know them well" because you don't know what they did to "Fix" the car and more often than not you going to pay twice as much to properly fix what they "already fixed" because they hacked the shit out of it to "Fix" it and tore up the thing that it's bolts on to and the the thing that that bolts on in order to "fix" it so now instead of buying 1 thing to fix it properly your buying 3 things......
@@TheREALOC1972 I can't agree with you more with the exception of knowledge of the seller. One MUST know cars and what to look for upon purchase of same. I have done this as a hobby due to spending my time with something productive during 6 month or longer winters in the state of tax hell here in Wisconsin. I buy a project in the fall, finish it during winter, drive it all summer, sell it in the fall and rinse and repeat. Works for me. My experience of under the hood of a car is 60+ years! My unbiased advise for anyone else is to have boatloads of knowledge in whatever your passion my be.........
@@erescue1 Sure YOU have experience, but were talking Noobs here with their first project, They aren't going to have any experience, that's why I say "don't buy someone else's project" the magic words to me was "I planned on/ was going to do this and just don't have the money/time". because that tells me that it's probally untouched and it's hasn't been to HACKensak New Jersey and hasn't been worked on by the guy who'll do it cheaper.
Be realistic about ownership costs after purchase. I budget at least 15% of the purchase price for first year expenses,not upgrades, on deferred maintenance and safety items.
that's actually a good rule, I tell the kids, 20 tear old somethings, that it's going to cost you $150-$200 off the flip to replace all your fluids plus whatever gaskets you need to replace, also stick to as close to your overall budget and don't buy stupid/expensive accesories, atleast in the beginning, get it up and running and driving, inspected and registered so you can atleast drive it while you work on it if you have to. Also be realistic about the project, throwing a 440 in a 68 Dart is a fine and dandy dream but how much is that going to cost? go ahead put a little money in that 318 and get the car on the road first and then save up for that 440.....
Do your research online, in magazines, manuals and attend car shows, swap meets. Talk with people to find people knowledgeable about the vehicle(s) you are or may be interested in. Don't rush your purchase. Take a knowledgeable mechanic along to check it out pre-purchase and give you pointers, estimates on needed repairs or restoration work. Count the costs in dollars and your time. Enjoy the entire journey.
Advice: learn everything possible about the car you are considering. Numbers matching? CARFAX? Price reasonable? Have looked at by a certified mechanic for work needed. Don’t let emotion cloud your judgement, there is often another one down the road!
Car Fax only goes back to 1981 cars, anything older than that there isn't going to be a Car Fax available, even if it's still registered and is currently being driven. But everything your spot on with, I go with the "Kids", 20 somethings, at work a few times a year to look at a car with/for them. I'm pretty active in the car community and the community at large here so people know me, plus I live in Northwest Arizona and other than surface rust there's not much that will be wrong with a car structurely that isn't caused by a hack-a shack or an "Uncle Leroy" who "the guy who can do it cheaper", I get mixed reactions when I get out my car because once they see me they know they are going to screw the kid over but they also know that I won't let the screw them over, they will agree to a fair price for both or were walking away. I actually got one of the guys that used to be in the car club because he was trying to screw over one of the kids I work with and was trying to sell him a truck for more than twice what it was worth and he wouldn't even talk about it and then blamed me for "trying to rip him off and taking money from his family", yes I'm THAT dude, shit like that is what gives the hot rod community a bad name, I'm not letting a 20 something KID play $4500 for a 68 Ford Truck with no Engine, Trans or Wheels....... that truck was worth 2k MAYBE.
Nice cars my favorite is the '56 Buick Roadmaster convertible. I had one in 1979 to 1982. Wished I kept it. But prices are still too high. The owner is taking offers on the '56 Buick I'll bet you it's in the 6 figures or close to it. The Roadmaster convertible are very rare. What's happening to the '50's & 60's collector car market is what happened to the '20's, 30's & 40's collector cars. The market went south when that generation bit the dust. That's whats happening to the boomer generation collecting the '50's & 60's cars.. There's not enough young people interested in wanting these cars & many can't afford them. These cars were once affordable but now it's turned into big business & for the rich. My advice for a first time collector car buyer is have lots of money just keep saving & saving the more you have the better your chances are of finding the car you want. You get what you pay for. Research the market & look up prices in Hagarty & Nada & auctions. Just because a certain car sells for a high price doesn't mean all of the same cars will bring the same money. It's just a guide & a ballpark as each car is different. Also buy it for the right reasons because you love the style of that car & don't look at it as a cash cow. A collector car dealer told me once "Don't buy these cars thinking you can make lots of money because you're not" Those days are coming to an end. What's happening now is collectors are divesting & liquidating their collection before values tank & hit rock bottom. The market is getting flooded with lots of collector cars & we know what happens when supply exceeds demand. So that's why I'm waiting & biding my time & saving my money. The 50's & 60's car market is slowly on a downward spiral & becoming a buyers market. It's already happening as we speak.
Honor your gut feeling as the car of your dreams will be emotional so prepare yourself to walk away if needed, as Dennis said below classics are not cheap. I always remind myself a man is no better than his word...why are you selling this wonderful ride???
My advice to a first-time buyer is, get what you want. If it needs work, (which is very possible) then you can do it or have it done. At the very least, you will have the vehicle you really wanted. Next, walk away from any vehicle that someone tells you to make an offer. They are hoping you will offer way more than it's worth.
I completely disagree with "Get what you want" because in today's economy what people want is out of their reach financially, Most people WANT a 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger, but almost noone has 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger money, so go get you a 74 Chevelle/81 Mustang/76 Volare and build it like you would that 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger. You can't even look at a 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger ROLLER for 10-15k maenwhile there's a 74 Chevelle/81 Mustang/76 Volare sitting there that runs and drives and most of the time is still registered and on the road being driven for 3-5k. There's also 2 sides to that "Make Offer" 1. Like you said they are hoping you offer more than it's worth. and 2. they know very little about cars and have no idea what it's worth and there asking price is what KBB or the oil change dude at their local dealership looking to under buy the car told them it's worth.
I get asked frequently by the 'Kids" at work about my classic cars and I always tell them "Don't be afraid to buy a "lesser' car than what you want. Everyone wants a 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/57 Belaire/71 Challenger, but do you have 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/57 Belaire/71 Challenger money? No? then go find you a 74 Chevelle/81 Mustang/76 Volaire, It may not be the car want but it will grow on you and you will love it just as much by the time your done with it."
Keep perspective on market demographics. Who is going to want your car in 10 years? The mechanics working today probably don't mess with carburators. Can you find 13 - 14 inch tires? Understand that it's a Labor of Love. And Loss $$
Buy a new car now, don't drive it for 50/60 years and there's your classic car. Otherwise for every dollar spent on a old one maybe get a dime back maybe.
BEFORE you even think of making an offer on a classic vehicle of any kind, have the vehicle taken to a reputable shop for a thorough inspection at your expense. If the owner refuses then you can bet you are getting a Bondo Betty vehicle where somebody has applied a liberal amount of lipstick to a pig!
Not surprised that Zimmer went ZIP into the history of the most nauseating automotive blunders file. God ,what an automotive abortion on four tires. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
I like Facebook Marketplace but you gotta be careful because most of them don't know what they have and figure a "well a 72 Chevelle is worth 20k, my 74 has to be worth 18k..." no son, it's not, it's worth 5k, MAYBE or they are a Bondo Warrior and spent 2k on new paint job to try to get 10k.
My advice to a first time classic car buyer is to have deep pockets. The old car hobby is quickly becoming a rich man's hobby. Cost for the car itself, parts and restoration services are through the roof. Out of reach for the average Joe. Next is research, research, research. Know fully what you're looking for, it's rarity, history, current market prices and scarcity of parts. Finally, love what you do. Good luck.
More advice is to buy a car that has already been restored. This is from prior experience. I did not research the cost of parts, including shipping costs. For what I paid in parts, my labor, I could have bought a car already restored and had much more time to enjoy driving it.
Naw, You just have to start looking outside the box, much like our Fathers, grandfathers, and great grandfathers did when the Hot Rodding and custom car building first started. They took what they had/what they could afford and started wrenching on it. Sure everyone wants a 72 Chevelle SS but almost noone has the 10k to throw down on 72 Chevelle roller, when you can buy a 74 or 75 Chevelle for 2-3k that's not only running and driving but is more often than not still registered and being driven. I also sorta disagree with the "Love what you do" part, yes you have love it but you don't have to INSTANTLY love it, even if you don't instantly like it the more you do on it the more you will grow on you and you start to love it.
Pheeeewww That 73 Mercury though! I had just finished dodging grandma's coat hangar. 😂
Those Smog/Maliase Era Cars are the HOT new build out here in the West/Southwest U.S. because they are cheap, more often than not they are still running and driving, The Parts stores still carry ALOT of parts and the aftermarket is catching up to them. 10 years ago you couldn't find much if anything at all for a 73-85 car unless it was a Corvette, Camaro/Firebird or Mustang but now you can find most parts for just about everything. Every car in my car club that has been getting wrenched on since the Dempanic and the CONvid outbreak in 2020 has been a 73-79 simply because they wanted something cheap of tinker around with and the more they tinkered around with it the more they started to love it and that turned into a full build.
Even though I don't like some of the cars ,I still love your videos ! 👍👍😊
Black '73 Montego MX is local to me, pictures do not do this car justice! Nice hotrod build can not be duplicated for the asking price. Advice for classic buyers is to RESEARCH,RESEARCH,RESEARCH! Look at similar priced rides and evaluate what work you can do yourself and what the project will need. Excellent selection of vehicles in this video!
If you are not knowledgeable about cars and not able to work on it yourself be very careful. Decide what car you want and learn all about it. When you go to buy you can ask questions you already know the answer to so you will know if the seller is lying. Even then you might get lied to about the amount of rust or crash repairs that are hidden. There is a lot to know to be able to thoroughly check a car out. If you aren’t confident enough take someone with you that is. As stated above, if you have to pay someone to work on the car it can get quite expensive very fast. Don’t let me discourage you, owning an older car can be a lot of fun to own, drive and work on. Good luck.
Might get Lied to ?
I have had over 50 cars in my life ,
Never have been told the truth once !
But , I'm a Mechanic and have fixed them all .
I have
Chevelle
Nova
Camaro
67 and 68 Chevy Truck
It's easy to fix them when you know what you are doing !
Loved them all never seen or heard of the zimmer pretty cool thanks for another great video ✌
I’m enjoying your channel. Thank you for your efforts.
THANKS!
Solon: My words of wisdom come from 20+ years of classic and muscle car restoration. #1: I always buy someone's UNfinished project. One must do a boatload of cost estimates to figure costs for what You can do, then know with certainty
what the costs will be of work you can't or won't do. Then make an extremely "lowball" offer to buy the project. In my years of restoration work I have NEVER wanted to make money, just break even. With some 20 project cars later, I have never lost a dime. DON'T OVERPAY for the project purchase!!! It is better to "walk away" then to get stuck with a white elephant and end up in the same boat as the original seller. There is ALWAYS another project out there with your name on it...........
My dad ran a speed shop for over 30 years and I've flipped several cars and the 1st thing he told me is "Never buy someone else's project unless you know them well" because you don't know what they did to "Fix" the car and more often than not you going to pay twice as much to properly fix what they "already fixed" because they hacked the shit out of it to "Fix" it and tore up the thing that it's bolts on to and the the thing that that bolts on in order to "fix" it so now instead of buying 1 thing to fix it properly your buying 3 things......
@@TheREALOC1972 I can't agree with you more with the exception of knowledge of the seller. One MUST know cars and what to look for upon purchase of same. I have done this as a hobby due to spending my time with something productive during 6 month or longer winters in the state of tax hell here in Wisconsin. I buy a project in the fall, finish it during winter, drive it all summer, sell it in the fall and rinse and repeat. Works for me. My experience of under the hood of a car is 60+ years! My unbiased advise for anyone else is to have boatloads of knowledge in whatever your passion my be.........
@@erescue1 Sure YOU have experience, but were talking Noobs here with their first project, They aren't going to have any experience, that's why I say "don't buy someone else's project" the magic words to me was "I planned on/ was going to do this and just don't have the money/time". because that tells me that it's probally untouched and it's hasn't been to HACKensak New Jersey and hasn't been worked on by the guy who'll do it cheaper.
These videos are so great I can't believe all these cars
Thanks Charles!
Be realistic about ownership costs after purchase. I budget at least 15% of the purchase price for first year expenses,not upgrades, on deferred maintenance and safety items.
that's actually a good rule, I tell the kids, 20 tear old somethings, that it's going to cost you $150-$200 off the flip to replace all your fluids plus whatever gaskets you need to replace, also stick to as close to your overall budget and don't buy stupid/expensive accesories, atleast in the beginning, get it up and running and driving, inspected and registered so you can atleast drive it while you work on it if you have to. Also be realistic about the project, throwing a 440 in a 68 Dart is a fine and dandy dream but how much is that going to cost? go ahead put a little money in that 318 and get the car on the road first and then save up for that 440.....
Do your research online, in magazines, manuals and attend car shows, swap meets. Talk with people to find people knowledgeable about the vehicle(s) you are or may be interested in. Don't rush your purchase. Take a knowledgeable mechanic along to check it out pre-purchase and give you pointers, estimates on needed repairs or restoration work. Count the costs in dollars and your time. Enjoy the entire journey.
Nice Buick wagon
Best advice, have lots of spare parts.
Many of these, "old" cars are the ones we drove, looking for old cars. I'm old, huh?
😀 Yep
Advice: learn everything possible about the car you are considering. Numbers matching? CARFAX? Price reasonable? Have looked at by a certified mechanic for work needed. Don’t let emotion cloud your judgement, there is often another one down the road!
Car Fax only goes back to 1981 cars, anything older than that there isn't going to be a Car Fax available, even if it's still registered and is currently being driven. But everything your spot on with, I go with the "Kids", 20 somethings, at work a few times a year to look at a car with/for them. I'm pretty active in the car community and the community at large here so people know me, plus I live in Northwest Arizona and other than surface rust there's not much that will be wrong with a car structurely that isn't caused by a hack-a shack or an "Uncle Leroy" who "the guy who can do it cheaper", I get mixed reactions when I get out my car because once they see me they know they are going to screw the kid over but they also know that I won't let the screw them over, they will agree to a fair price for both or were walking away. I actually got one of the guys that used to be in the car club because he was trying to screw over one of the kids I work with and was trying to sell him a truck for more than twice what it was worth and he wouldn't even talk about it and then blamed me for "trying to rip him off and taking money from his family", yes I'm THAT dude, shit like that is what gives the hot rod community a bad name, I'm not letting a 20 something KID play $4500 for a 68 Ford Truck with no Engine, Trans or Wheels....... that truck was worth 2k MAYBE.
Nice cars my favorite is the '56 Buick Roadmaster convertible. I had one in 1979 to 1982.
Wished I kept it. But prices are still too high. The owner is taking offers on the '56 Buick I'll bet you it's in the 6 figures or close to it. The Roadmaster convertible are very rare.
What's happening to the '50's & 60's collector car market is what happened to the '20's, 30's & 40's collector cars. The market went south when that generation bit the dust. That's whats happening to the boomer generation collecting the '50's & 60's cars.. There's not enough young people interested in wanting these cars & many can't afford them. These cars were once affordable but now it's turned into big business & for the rich.
My advice for a first time collector car buyer is have lots of money just keep saving & saving the more you have the better your chances are of finding the car you want.
You get what you pay for. Research the market & look up prices in Hagarty & Nada & auctions. Just because a certain car sells for a high price doesn't mean all of the same cars will bring the same money. It's just a guide & a ballpark as each car is different.
Also buy it for the right reasons because you love the style of that car & don't
look at it as a cash cow. A collector car dealer told me once "Don't buy these cars thinking
you can make lots of money because you're not" Those days are coming to an end.
What's happening now is collectors are divesting & liquidating their collection before values tank & hit rock bottom. The market is getting flooded with lots of collector cars & we know what happens when supply exceeds demand. So that's why I'm waiting & biding my time & saving my money. The 50's & 60's car market is slowly on a downward spiral & becoming a buyers market. It's already happening as we speak.
Honor your gut feeling as the car of your dreams will be emotional so prepare yourself to walk away if needed, as Dennis said below classics are not cheap. I always remind myself a man is no better than his word...why are you selling this wonderful ride???
My advice to a first-time buyer is, get what you want. If it needs work, (which is very possible) then you can do it or have it done. At the very least, you will have the vehicle you really wanted. Next, walk away from any vehicle that someone tells you to make an offer. They are hoping you will offer way more than it's worth.
I completely disagree with "Get what you want" because in today's economy what people want is out of their reach financially, Most people WANT a 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger, but almost noone has 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger money, so go get you a 74 Chevelle/81 Mustang/76 Volare and build it like you would that 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger. You can't even look at a 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/71 Challenger ROLLER for 10-15k maenwhile there's a 74 Chevelle/81 Mustang/76 Volare sitting there that runs and drives and most of the time is still registered and on the road being driven for 3-5k. There's also 2 sides to that "Make Offer" 1. Like you said they are hoping you offer more than it's worth. and 2. they know very little about cars and have no idea what it's worth and there asking price is what KBB or the oil change dude at their local dealership looking to under buy the car told them it's worth.
Thanks!
I really appreciate the Super Thanks! That money will go toward making the channel better! Thank you for being an awesome viewer!
Always, always check the fluids. If they are clean and at the proper levels, you are probably dealing wth a gear head that is proud of his ride.
I get asked frequently by the 'Kids" at work about my classic cars and I always tell them "Don't be afraid to buy a "lesser' car than what you want. Everyone wants a 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/57 Belaire/71 Challenger, but do you have 72 Chevelle/69 Mustang/57 Belaire/71 Challenger money? No? then go find you a 74 Chevelle/81 Mustang/76 Volaire, It may not be the car want but it will grow on you and you will love it just as much by the time your done with it."
Look but don't Touch 😮.
Take a sensible person with you !!
Advice: Don't overspend the wallet. And that '57 Plymouth Fury isn't worth $65 grand.
Yes, but to the right person, it is....
Agree it's nice but overpriced. There's always another one just like it as good & for less money.
Buy whatever you can afford! In the long run if you’re not a builder you will spend more money paying someone and buying parts!
Go over the car very closely. Know the car you are going to buy. People will look you in the eye and lie to you.
Keep perspective on market demographics. Who is going to want your car in 10 years? The mechanics working today probably don't mess with carburators. Can you find 13 - 14 inch tires?
Understand that it's a Labor of Love. And Loss $$
Make sure someone in your Town can fix the vintage automobiles?
Like yourself
or learn yourself... in this day and age there's an Vintage/Classic car expert at your fingertips because of Google and UA-cam.
Buy a new car now, don't drive it for 50/60 years and there's your classic car. Otherwise for every dollar spent on a old one maybe get a dime back maybe.
That's not true at all.
Very Good!... #1 ✝ {6-20-2023}
My advice get someone who knows what they are looking at and know what to look for.
can't find oem parts for my zimmer!
Am looking for a rat rod 10.000 or under get back with me am in midwest
BEFORE you even think of making an offer on a classic vehicle of any kind, have the vehicle taken to a reputable shop for a thorough inspection at your expense. If the owner refuses then you can bet you are getting a Bondo Betty vehicle where somebody has applied a liberal amount of lipstick to a pig!
Not surprised that Zimmer went ZIP into the history of the most nauseating automotive blunders file. God ,what an automotive abortion on four tires. 😂😂😂😂😂😂
🟥 My advice....Have someone knowledgeable with you that knows the model and market value. BTW... I dont do Fakebook. How about other venues?
I like Facebook Marketplace but you gotta be careful because most of them don't know what they have and figure a "well a 72 Chevelle is worth 20k, my 74 has to be worth 18k..." no son, it's not, it's worth 5k, MAYBE or they are a Bondo Warrior and spent 2k on new paint job to try to get 10k.