Learn me "classic cars" for the beginner

kanaric wrote: Though I would love a original engined Firebird Sprint.

So would I. One of the few American cars on my list.

TeamEvil wrote: I think that Woody has solved the search !

I may actually have to give Frank a call.

I find a model that I like, or lusted after for a while when I was younger, search for the problem areas and go from there.

I can forgive some areas (rust/no engine/drunken wiring), depending on the car...and the price. I bought (3) uncut early Bronco's this way, one ('77) basket case that ended up as parts, an original ('67) one owner rig, and one stripped ('69) half cab. Total price for all three was $1500.

Find what you like, and then buy the absolute best model that you can, or buy a decent one and a parts car.

Thanks for all the good info. There are alot of good suggestions as well. I dont really feel moved by the "usual classics"( ie 65 mustang, 180/280SL mercedes SL, corvettes, etc ) but I like the unusual ( european escorts , volvo 544 and amazons ). I wound up buying an '85 gti a few years ago b/c I couldnt find a 510, or 2002 or volvo 242gt at the time. The vw was in alot worse shape than I realized, I feel into the "while Im in here" trap, and 5yrs later its still sitting on ramps in the backyard.

So it sounds like my first step is to find out what moves me and then find the best example that I can afford( choosing 2 of body, mechanical or interior ). And dont buy a "project".

Thanks for the info......

Last Classic Motorsports had it in there: VW Beetle. Pricing still makes some sense, anvil simple, huge community, huge parts availability.

David

JFX001 wrote: I find a model that I like, or lusted after for a while when I was younger, search for the problem areas and go from there. I can forgive some areas (rust/no engine/drunken wiring), depending on the car...and the price. I bought (3) uncut early Bronco's this way, one ('77) basket case that ended up as parts, an original ('67) one owner rig, and one stripped ('69) half cab. Total price for all three was $1500.

Man I need to have you hook me up with prices like that. I have had 2 early bronco's in last few years and they were both a Mess. Ended up flipping them when I got to the point that it made no sense to drop anymore money into what were basically glorified parts rigs

Where do you find deals like that? I paid $3500 for my 1976 EB like 6 years ago and it, needed fenders floor boards and pretty much a complete restoration.

It took 5 years to finish and I had lost interest by the time I completed it.... Like everyone else said get one that is already mostly done, and be realistic in how much time you have to invest in it.

Here is a pic the day I sold it...

Of course I never take my own advise, I am waiting on garage space to start my next project.... No engine, tranny, interior, fuel tank.....

Billy_Bottle_Caps wrote:

JFX001 wrote: I find a model that I like, or lusted after for a while when I was younger, search for the problem areas and go from there. I can forgive some areas (rust/no engine/drunken wiring), depending on the car...and the price. I bought (3) uncut early Bronco's this way, one ('77) basket case that ended up as parts, an original ('67) one owner rig, and one stripped ('69) half cab. Total price for all three was $1500.

Man I need to have you hook me up with prices like that. I have had 2 early bronco's in last few years and they were both a Mess. Ended up flipping them when I got to the point that it made no sense to drop anymore money into what were basically glorified parts rigs

I have a friend that I went to HS with, who is the local Jeep guy. Great fabricator, builds cool rigs. Fortunately, he's not an EB guy. People always come to him with cars/trucks that they found or know about. He passed the info to me about the '67 and '77 ($300 per). The '69 half cab ($900) was 99% rust free and left in a storage lot about a mile away from the house. That one took a while to get.

Trans_Maro wrote:

Knurled wrote: Basically, a 170 Falcon would be perfect.

Colour me crazy but I like my toys to have resale value. Unfortunately, Falcons, Corvairs, Vegas etc are all cheap for a reason.

any money lost on "resale value" is compensated for the sanity that you gain from tinkering with a car that you love for a few years... if you lose money, oh well... that's the cost of having fun.

And anyone who thinks Falcons don't have good resale value hasn't shopped them recently.

Once you think you have found a marque that you want, your job starts with researching what goes wrong with them and how people bodge the repairs.

The good news is that there is a forum for just about any car ever built.

The Amazon is a great candidate in that it is modern enough to drive every day and tough as nails. Great forum and parts support with good cars under 10k from the rust free states.

By the way, the Bugeye you see in my Avatar was my first restoration project taken on before I knew how to weld. Every panel you see in the picture has been replaced. I paid for that education, but in the end learned a lot of skills and acquired a well equipped shop so as to repeat the crime.

I still say MGBs are the perfect first classic. Not cosmetically perfect but nice enough cars that are relatively rust free are $3-5k around here. If you have the cash $10k will get you something pretty nice. Replacement parts are reasonably priced and plentiful and they're easy to work on.

I would also put the Spridget in this category but their size may make them less practical.

NOHOME wrote: The Amazon is a great candidate in that it is modern enough to drive every day and tough as nails. Great forum and parts support with good cars under 10k from the rust free states.

I'd agree with that. I'd also agree with the suggestion of an MGB - wonderful parts availability, always a willing buying public out there, albeit not at the price that will repay what you put into it, but that is par for the course unless you get into the top 5% of old cars.

Trans_Maro wrote:

Knurled wrote: Basically, a 170 Falcon would be perfect.

Colour me crazy but I like my toys to have resale value. Unfortunately, Falcons, Corvairs, Vegas etc are all cheap for a reason.

What about AMCs? I see Javelin SSTs in good condition for like $10k.

If I wanted a inexpensive classic right now I would go right to AMC or Asian cars. Both are not going to stay cheap for long.

Two things... 1) I def need something w/ A/C or the ability to be retro-fitted later. We had one of those low-90's/ high humidity days yesterday. I remembered how miserable I was for the one summer a few years ago that I had to drive to work w/o a/c. Sitting in rush hour( both ways... ) in 100degree weather isnt fun.

2) Being from the South, I dont have a real working knowledge of rust. Assuming I'm following the above guidelines, should I avoid any of it or only the rust that involves metal repair?( as opposed to sanding and POR15 treatment ).

Would this be considered "too much rust"?

http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4603833047.html

mrwillie wrote: Would this be considered "too much rust"? http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4603833047.html

Oh dear God yes.

Way too much rust. Unless you want to learn to fab patches and weld air.

If you want good easy AC, you'd best stick with American cars.

mrwillie wrote: Would this be considered "too much rust"? http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/4603833047.html

That's a parts car at best.

This might be up your alley: http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/cto/4601033423.html

Falcons are like Mustangs: If the front floors are rusty at the kickup, it's because the cowl is rusted out. And fixing the cowl is an enormous project.

I maintain that the best place to start would be an American pickup truck, from 62-82. Parts and aftermarket are plentiful. Adapters are made to do just about everything you could want, drag, oval, road race, autocross, etc... The interiors are simple; seat, door panels, and dash, maybe carpet. That's it.

You can drive it around with scabby paint or dents and not feel like you're driving a heap. Its a truck. Trucks do work. Fix it as you go, or build a sinister truck underneath the dents.

In reply to Appleseed:

Excellent suggestion, the 73-87 Chevy C/K is also conveniently one of the best trucks ever IMO, and still available cheap.

Ive had a '67 impala and a '73 chevy silverado(?) pickup when I was in my late-teens - early 20's( b/4 I could really appreciate them ). The impala had alot of rust around the rear window and trunk. The truck was sold while I was gone to college. I'm not against having another truck, but not really excited about it either. Same thing w/ the beetles I've seen and alot of the "classic" mustangs.