You may already have restored a classic or vintage automobile and are looking for a new project car or perhaps you might be searching for that just right car for your first attempt at a restoration project. Think first about the type of car that you’d like to rebuild.
Find the Right Car or Truck
Project cars are not necessarily hard to find. Finding a cheap one is also not too difficult.
Finding the right car at the right price might be more difficult.There are many very popular models and the most popular can be hard to find at a reasonable price and price is important. You don’t want to spend a ton of money on the vehicle itself. You need to allow as much money as possible in for the actual restoration. Keep this in mind whenever you consider buying a project car. Restoration jobs that are done professionally can easily get into the tens of thousands of dollars and most of this cost is in labor.
Keep in mind that items such as painting can be costly because of special processes required to do the job right. Rust most likely requires steel replacement. When looking for possible rust you’ll want to look under rugs and on the bottom of doors in addition to the outside body. Outside of engine and transmission, these are the most costly and labor intensive issues. When you look for your project car pay real close attention to the body. Your goal here is to evaluate the work that needs to be done to restore the car to the degree you wish. Seek outside opinions if possible from local car club members.
Titles are Important
Make certain to look over any title carefully. Junked cars are often issued a salvage title. This type of vehicle may not be able to be registered as a normal car, even after restoration. Check VIN numbers to be certain that they match what is on the title.
Finding a Vehicle to Restore and Flip
If you’re restoring a car to sell for a profit then there’s homework to be done. If you’re restoring a vehicle for your own personal collection then showing a profit might not be important. In a perfect world, if your goal is to make a profit, there are cheap project cars that you can pick up and restore. Here we’re talking of paying perhaps just a few thousand dollars. Maybe $1,500. The lower the price you pay will most likely reflect the vehicles condition. Project vehicles are not necessarily all equal in price. If it’s a classic or vintage vehicle, the particular model will influence price to some extent regardless of condition.
Most of your success in turning a profit will have to do with what you pay for the non restored vehicle. The key is to make your project cost effective.
Once you get a reasonably priced project car restored, and without breaking the bank, then you can hopefully find a buyer that is willing to pay your price.
Your Project Car Might Be Sitting in a Barn
Believe it or not, some of the best project cars have been found in old barns. There’s stories all over the internet about these old cars and I’ve found them to be quite true. You may also have seen instances of this on certain reality television programs. If the vehicle isn’t in the barn then it might be behind it. Look carefully.
Some of the barn finds have included cars such as a 1927 Ford Touring Car, a 1965 Shelby, a 1954 Corvette and 1957 Corvette. In each of these cases the vehiclewas in very rough and non running condition. In some cases it’s simply the chassis and what remains of the body. What’s interesting is that often times the owner of the barn and/or property where the vehicle is located appreciates just getting rid of the car. The advantage here is that you’ll likely get a pretty good deal.
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