Tips on Choosing a Project Car
If you’re planning restoration, finding a suitable project car is perhaps the most fun you will have until your crazy build is completed. To help you with this entertaining, yet important task, we’ll give you several tips on buying a project car.
Are you in love with a particular model car or year? It’s good to know what you like, but it’s better to choose from several types of old cars because it can give you the advantage of picking the best bargain. Although it can be confusing and time consuming, you should do some homework online to get the important info about the particular model car and year that you are interested in. Make sure the aftermarket parts are readily available, but be cautious here; some companies advertise replacement parts but they actually wait for a big enough demand to make them. So, call them and ask when you could get your parts to avoid being help up for months because you can’t get the part necessary to continue with the restoration process. After you do some research, you might decide not to purchase certain project car for this reason.
It doesn’t really matter how old cars look externally. However, the frame should be neither rotted nor rusted, it should be solid. To be on the safe side, make sure you know the most common places where that particular model/year rusts out. You should check the trunk floor, too; although replacement panels are available for classic cars, this consumes more of your money and time. When it comes to the interior, seats and carpet are rather easy to replace. Keep in mind that it’s more difficult to do automotive bodywork than to rebuild an engine. If the price of the car includes spare parts, it’s always a plus (even if you decide to sell them because you don’t need them).
Cars without engine and transmission, missing too many original parts and with a stripped interior should be bought only if you’re really experienced restorer or if you’re blessed with endless resources and patience and you’ve fallen in love with a hard-to-find model/year. Otherwise, know when to walk away and look for something more convenient and suitable for you.
Don’t know where to start your search for the perfect project car? Check out this curated selection of classic, unusual and project cars for sale in the UK and Europe – from barn finds to concours!
