Finding Your First Perfect Classic Car
| Selecting and locating your very first classic car, that is just right for you, is a journey that brings together all of the human emotions possible. It's exhilarating in one moment and equally devastating in another. It's a seemingly never ending cat and mouse chase that can last for decades.
Most of us will fall in love with a very specific brand, year and model and then spend years tracking down one that is perfect just for us. When we finally find it, budget, condition, location, drivability and value can all go out of the window and emotions take over.
The best defence against a poor emotional decision, is research, research and more research. You need to know more about your potential vehicle than the person selling it. You need to know the real market value, how to identify any special variants such as GT, SS, RS, GTO, etc., whether "numbers matching" actually means anything to your vehicle and what is original, aftermarket and just plain poor choice. You need to become the expert in the room.
How? Speak to the widest range of people that you can who have the most experience and listen to what they say. Try and collect a range of opinions that you may and may not agree with. It is all good back ground information that you can arm yourself with before you hand out your hard earned cash.
One last thing that is probably the biggest trap for all of us: If the market value for a '66 Mustang convertible in Australia is say, $58,000 AUD then the one that you find for $28,000 will most likely be in a condition that is less than half as a good as a good one. If it sounds too good to be true, then..... |
Restoration: Frame Off v Frame On
Lets's get the definition correct first. When a frame off restoration is carried out, it means what it says. The body and frame are split. When a frame on restoration is done, the vehicle is much less disturbed and the body stays where the factory put it.
For most of the muscle car era vehicles, the body and frame are two distinct items and can be unbolted from each other. So, when we say "frame off", it means that the body and frame are separated from each other. By definition, it means that every nut, bolt, rubber, wire and everything else is removed from the vehicle and either restored or replaced.
This includes glass, weather stripping rubbers, all mechanicals, brackets, latches, lights, lines, fuel system, everything stripped out until only a bare body remains. Then the restoration begins and there is no going back.
The difference between the two types of restoration? There are a couple of things to keep in mind.
Making a choice between the two really comes down to personal preference and budget. There is no right or wrong. Just be certain of what you want and how you want your vehicle to be once restored. Decide on the level, quality and investment of restoration you want before you start and you will end up with the vehicle you've always wanted.
