[nitrous]

Dear Gurus, Historians, collectors,....
Please post up some tips, hints and guidelines in buying a vintage and owning them.
Im keen at being a vintage-er and it would help members like me.

[suren181]

I second this nitrous. It would be of great help so please Gurus do help us with some gyan on this.

[awini]

rule number one!! KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU BEGIN WORK ON A CAR.DONT BUGGER THE CAR FOR THE NEXT OWNER.
rule number two!! IN CASE OF ANY DOUBTS,REFER TO RULE NUMBER ONE!!

now kidding apart. newbies should NOT takle a desirable or high value car. if you get a bargain somewhere buy it and mothball it. learn on something cheap and easy so in care you go wrong, it doesnt hurt much.
keep things original as far as you can, my studebaker is still on 6 volt electricals, if it worked then, it should work now too!! parts are much easier to come by thanks to the internet.
remember, dont get into it to make money,because you wont make any. a few thousand here or there is not making money.
be sure of your budget, its better to buy a better example of a lesser marque that suits your pocket, dont try to run a caddilac on a ford budget bacause your money will be gone and the cadillac still wont run!
more later

[karlosdeville]

Agreed. Dont ever start with a total scrap car...get a decently running Morris or Herald to begin with ideally. Enjoy it for a coupla years, and progress to something bigger and better. ALWAYS keep scouring the market for nice cars, whether you are happy with your current car or not. And most importantly, you better have a capable mechanic you can trust. he calls the shots most of the time.

The internet is another godsend to classic car owners. Practically everything for high volume classics is available online. Order a manual from ebay, join the club for the marque you own, and start posting on their forums. They will giude you every step of the way.

Lastly, you need to network with other collectors. It can be a vast pool of information, handy tips, recommended specialists etc.

[vintagepoint5]

Dear friends,
It is good idea to share information about classic cars on website.
We can pool in our experience and help each other in this regard.

I would like to request you, if u find in your area, any of cars like
Austin, Morris-10, Morris, other cars, whether it needed restoration
or repairs does not matter, please let me know, I am interested to
own like these cars.
Thanks & appreciate your help if anybody provide the information
with pics, contact numbers etc.
Regards,
VP5

[amannarwal]

our college has a morris 8 IC lab without the body shell but i dont think theyll give it away

[V-16]

Hi Nitrous and Suren. First of all let me clarify that im not posting as a "Guru" or something but as a fellow enthusiast and occasional collector (if you may call me one). I can certainly give you tips based on my own experiences and follies. Awini and Karlosdeville have laid down the thumb rules. I will add my two bits:
My Two Bits:

Ill begin with what collecting is.

Collecting cars means the purchase of cars such as Antique/Vintage, Veteran or Classic, for pleasure, hoping that they will increase in value.
The disadvantage of 'collectibles', as they are sometimes called, is that they produce no income unless you're going to rent them out for an ad or the odd wedding (a strict no no in my case). All the return is in the supposed and potential increase in value and that value usually differs from collector to collector. For me, the pleasure that they give, is the return.
Collecting cars is a fascinating hobby but follow these simple tips;

1) Determine what era of cars you want to collect and familiarise yourself to them:
As I pointed out that cars can be classified into roughly; Antique/Vintage, Veteran or Classic. Determine what you want to collect. Antique and Vintage fall more or less in the same category. By now you would start to familiarise yourself with the cars of the era you want to collect. Familiarisation can be done through various books and magazines available and through the vast information available on the net.

2) Chalk out you budget:
The next step would be to chalk out your budget. Certain cars are very rare and would cost a lot of money. Know what you can afford (not only to buy but but to restore and maintain) before jumping in the band wagon.

3) Get to know your car in and out:
Go through all the information you can lay your hands on regarding your car. This will help you in a big way to take decisions
Scout for a good mechanic who knows the car you intend to own. As Karlosdeville pointed out it is him who calls the shots most of the time.

4) I would say settle for a classic, early to mid 60s, parts more easily available. Settle for a not so uncommon car. Get your experience on this car and if you're still hooked on to it by the end, jump to your more desirable next.

5) Keep to the original as far as possible. Dont try to modernise it. Parts would have to be fabricated if cant be found so be prepared to do so. You would have to mingle with a lot of different persons to get your job done so practice your PR skills. If somewhere around the restoration, you loose interest, this is not for you. As awini said, dont bugger the car for the next owner. It may appear glamourous and fun but believe me its a headache. If you enjoy such headaches, go ahead. You have been warned.

[nitrous]

Thanks for the neat guidelines, Karl , Awini and Gogiji.
A couple of queries from my side:
1) What about vehicle papers/documents?
There are some vintages lying unused.Some we find on roadsides,just rusting out.What do we do about cars like them?
2)Vintages won't be daily runners.So, some tips for storing these cars for months together will be nice.

[Stanher]

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Agreed. Dont ever start with a total scrap car...get a decently running Morris or Herald to begin with ideally.

Or even an old fiat, right, bawaji?
Anyways, with all the points that the 'gurus' here have put forth........dont know if I have anything much to add...but I'll also say this if helpful- if you find a REALLY decent/original car, dont hesitate to pick it up even if you're not able to bargain it down much....considering that even the abovementioned cars are becoming rarities so chances are 99% that for a car that's roadworthy enough the owner may(?!) ask for a price that's higher than waht it would it been say, 5-10 years ago.....gone are the days when you could find even complete/original cars at throwaway prices! I'm telling this from personal experience!

[pawan]

also what i the procdedure in importing parts same 42% or reduced also with the rto regarding the new parts etc..

[V-16]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Thanks for the neat guidelines, Karl , Awini and Gogiji.
A couple of queries from my side:
1) What about vehicle papers/documents?
There are some vintages lying unused.Some we find on roadsides,just rusting out.What do we do about cars like them?
2)Vintages won't be daily runners.So, some tips for storing these cars for months together will be nice.

One more GogiJI'er
Anyway Maheshji, please make sure all the papers are in order. If the car is a certified classic or from an era before that, the taxes can be waived off to a large extent if one gets the help of the local Vintage Club.

Yes these cars are not daily runners but if one could run them even once a week or once in 15 days that would take care of all the gremlins. Not using these cars for a long time is actually what causes the problems in them. These are old cars with old parts and need timely use to keep some parts lubricated and some in use. Please try to use these cars once in a while say once in fifteen days use the car for a run for about half an hour to one hour.

If one does have to store the cars for a few months say during the rains, then its best to invest in two pairs of jack stands with which one can hoist these cars a few inches above the ground level.
Place the vehicle on four heavy duty jack stands. This will relieve spring tension, and help your tyres from flat spotting fro standing in one place with a flat for a long time. Place the jack stands on a secure lifting point, especially for heavy classics. Otherwise, you'll bend or possibly break or damage parts.

Invest in a good quality breathable car cover not plastic, as they do not allow air to pass through. In fact, platic will promote corrosion! A breathable cover allows the air to pass through, but keep dust and moisture off your classic's finish and prevent musty smell.

Don't allow any pests into your storage area to make your car its abode. Seal up any doors or windows, and place some rodent control devices throughout the area. Remember, mice run straight lines along wall edges, so a few well placed traps around the perimeter of your classic will help deter these. You dont want chewed wiring and a dead mouse in the car! I'd cover the exhaust tips with a thick gunny bag to help protect the chrome finish and block any openings for critters to gain access. For the interiors, one can keep moth ***** on a piece of paper or a small open box on the carpets and in the glove box and the engine bay and boot.

Over time, petrol will break down and create a varnish type of gummy residue within your car's fuel system. Add a fuel additive or stabilizer to your petrol tank and run the engine for a few minutes to allow the agent to mix in with your fuel system lines. Also, make sure that your tank is full of fuel (contrary to popular belief) before any storage. Air space within a gas tank allows for air to collect and condensate within the tank, causing rust.

Since your car would be sitting idle, disconnect or remove the battery and place it on a trickle charger. Also, if you are thinking of storing the battery on the garage floor; don't! Place a wood board between the battery and the concrete. Temperature fluctuations in the concrete will cause premature wear. The board acts as an "insulator" between the concrete and the battery. While you are at it, clean off any corrosion from the battery terminals on both the battery and in your car and best add terminal jelly to the poles.

Keep the coolant level in the radiator full and the oil level in the engine full too. The coolant will cause the radiator not to rust.

Best of all Keep your car waxed and cleansed regularly. If the chrome parts are prone to rust coat them with a film of antirust and grease all the lubricated parts so that they do not dry out in a few months.

More points later as i can think about them

[awini]

Originally Posted by nitrous

1) What about vehicle papers/documents?
There are some vintages lying unused.Some we find on roadsides,just rusting out.What do we do about cars like them?

i have missed out on some really nice cars at throwaway prices because documents were suspect.like a buick riviera and a 1936 rover sportsman saloon, 1932 ford V8 roadster, 1946 Lincoln V12 convertible...etc
clean documents are a must. remember these cars were registered once.. so something with someone is bound to exist,either with RTO or perhaps even customs, as all these cars were imported and in nearly all cases duty was paid.
you really dont want someone turning up some day claiming ownership of the car you just spent a fortune on restoring.... more than the money, you are possibly in possesion of "stolen property" and can took towards a jail term, and the next 20 years of your life in and out of courts.

at most if you do buy a car without documents, dismantle it and use the parts to restore a documented car.

[V-16]

Originally Posted by nitrous

Thanks for the neat guidelines, Karl , Awini and Gogiji.
A couple of queries from my side:
1) What about vehicle papers/documents?
There are some vintages lying unused.Some we find on roadsides,just rusting out.What do we do about cars like them?

Awini has laid down the Golden Rules in his last post. In short, however tempting the offer dont even think of ever buying a car without papers of a car whose papers are a suspect.
As regards the cars lying unused on roadsides, painful as it might be to all of us, if you must use them, do so as a parts source strictly.
I did'nt touch a 39 Rolls Royce Landaulette available for a song a few years ago due to non availability of papers. The car was later exported to a collecter abroad. Cant get more tempting than that, can it?

[awini]

Originally Posted by V-16

I did'nt touch a 39 Rolls Royce Landaulette available for a song a few years ago due to non availability of papers. The car was later exported to a collecter abroad. Cant get more tempting than that, can it?

well i know for a fact,that many years ago someone in delhi bought a wreck of a P III.
after restoration, when the car came out, the rightful owner turned up, the car had been stolen from a garage locked up for many years on an estate, so the owner didnt even know it had been stolen till he saw photos of it entered in a vintage rally!!
the late restorer, a gentleman from a very repected old delhi family, immidiately returned the restored rolls to the owner, and was in fact glad to see it go, before the scandal broke out.
lost a lot of money there i guess...
the late owner was an old time bollywood actor and had bought the rolls when his career was at its peak in the forties,

[hiStory]

thoughtful thread..

what happens to the registration number when you buy from a different state?

also what is the easy mode of transportation? i mean inter-state?