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Is This Classic Worth Restoring?

Is This Classic Worth Restoring?

If you are one of those people who enjoys working on small projects in their garage, then you have most probably had the thought of restoring an old classic at some point in your life.

Polishing the upholstery, fixing up the paint, replacing the engine – little steps that will make you a proud owner of your own piece of art. But sometimes art takes ages and costs a fortune. Moreover, we should also take into account how technology will most likely influence the future of classic cars. So does the effort become too much when the results remain insignificant?

The thought of bringing an old classic back to life is always exciting and empowering, but when you factor in the purchase price, parts availability, restored value, and desirability, the fun factor might plummet to zero because of how much your classic car will cost you.

Well, before spending a fortune on something that might not be worth the time and effort, start with this list of questions to make sure you’ll end up with a meaningful project.

How do you know if it’s worth restoring your classic car?

Before you begin your selection process, it is always nice to have a list of four or five makes and models that you would really enjoy working on for you restoration project. Visit classic car shows and auctions, and talk to the owners – this is your best source of knowledge. Even the internet doesn’t know as much.  Always remember that the cars you are looking at may turn into your best trophy or your worst nightmare.

Never underestimate the power of the decades that are hiding in the history of each car. So, conduct a proper research and ask the right questions before deciding:

Has the car been in an accident?

In many cases, the first glance at a car can tell you more than enough. Or at least the most important things you need to know. You can easily see whether the car had been in an accident before. If the body is twisted or the doors are not in alignment with the body, don’t bother looking at this wreck any closer.

Make sure you check underneath the car, to inspect the chassis for bent sections, any holes or accident damage. The chassis can usually be repaired, but it would most likely cost you a fortune. So think ahead of time. Getting the full picture of the car is only the first step toward your goal of restoring a classic, but, trust me, sometimes you won’t need to get beyond this first step.

What’s the condition of the paint?

Not. Important. At all. What you need to look at is the body structure. The paint is your last concern. Looking past the paint defects seems to be hard to grasp for many people because the paint is the first thing you see and once you get a horribly rusty impression, you think it can’t get much better.

Well, wrong. A car with a fresh coat of paint can be deceptive. You can’t see what hides below the shining surface. So, when we talk about a classic from the 60s, there might be tons of damage you can’t detect through the paint. The body panels should be your biggest concern – if they are straight, without any harm, and with minor rust, then you are ready to go. Next, you can start thinking of the new color of the paint.[/caption]

What amount of rust is acceptable?

It is hard to tell. Every car comes with a certain degree of rust. Even fiberglass-bodied cars. Vehicles can also have rust issues on their steel chassis and inner steel structures. You cannot expect to get a zero rust car either, but it’s important to know where to look.

Interior floor pans and trunk floor pans usually rust the worst. Search for signs of previous repairs and how secure they look. You can fix or reproduce floor pans, but that may delay your project much more than necessary, so act smart and do your inspection well.

How to evaluate the condition of the interior of your classic car?

Your best move here will be to check restoration products or detergents ahead of time. You need to know what is available out there that can come in handy. Thus, when you see the interior you will know whether you can fix it up or need to add several more hundreds to a car restoration budget, too. Maintaining leather upholstery can be a tough job. Unless the previous owner was a fan like you, don’t expect too much. Luckily, there are practical manuals on interior restoration, so you can turn the interior into a small project of its own.

How should you check the mechanics of your classic car?

The mechanical and electric parts are usually easy to replace if missing. But again – educate yourself about the rarity of the model you are buying. It might be very time consuming to find the right parts if you don’t know in advance how widely distributed they currently are. You shouldn’t have trouble replacing the engine, or the transmission. It doesn’t matter whether the car comes with its original engine or not as long as the engine is the correct one for the year and model.

Anything else that can cost you a fortune to fix?

is this classic worth restoring

The car trim is what many neglect, which, unfortunately, can add up a great deal to the restoration fund. You need to inspect whether all parts match the vehicle’s year and model. And to know that for sure, you need to do pre-buying research on the particular car. Since you will be spending your savings on this beauty, you better make sure you get an authentic one. Some parts that would be expensive to replace if missing, include the steering wheel, certain instrument panels and gauges, even factory-original radios. The degree of rarity of parts varies with each model. So in order to get as close as possible to the best results, you should do your homework in advance!

What more to know before making the right choice about restoring your classic car?

Remember that every classic has potential, but the extent of it is defined only by you. The amount you are willing to dedicate to this project is a factor, yes, but all good things come with a price. Make sure you know where you stand and how much the particular year and model means to you.

It is the mindset that drives projects like these. If you had been piling up on a stack of dollar bills patiently so far,  then now is your time to shine. On the other hand, if you are not so financially prepared. Yet, but still want to invest in this hobby, then maybe you should look at models that are easier and cheaper to fix up.

You may not be the shining star at the party, but you will know that you are shining with all that you’ve got. And that is not bad at all. Now get ready for shipping your classic car from wherever you need to buy it. You can contact our Corsia Logistics experts and ask for a free quote now. Good luck and have fun restoring it!

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Looking for a logistics company, to ship my car, from California to Illinois,my first search, then Corsia showed up, skeptical. Call and a very friendly secretary: Elena. She guided me through, I scheduled and as she explained, all when smooth as scheduled Very happy I did the right choice. I'll recommend this great Company to anyone that is thinking to relocate a vehicle. Thanks Corsia logistics for your honesty and professionalism!
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Corsia was highly recommended by a friend in the automobile industry. We needed to transport a cargo van from Seattle to Florida. We contacted Corsia who quickly arranged transport within just a few days. Communication was outstanding! Just a few email confirmations and we were all set. Mike was great and arrived right on time and delivered to Florida on schedule. Tip-avoid the hornets nest of auto brokers on line and just contact Corsia for a truly great experience!
Carrol Tiffany
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Corsia has been amazing. Their prices are really competitive but more importantly their customer service has been 5-Star. Elena followed up with me every step of the way, making sure there was no miscommunication between me & the driver. We are using them to ship a 2nd vehicle & would not hesitate to use them again!
Tony Boyd
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I have recently used Corsia for long time family car with sentimental value that was moved I have recently used Corsia for shipment of my vehicle from Oregon to Arizona by recommendation from other family member who also used Corsia in the past. I am very pleased on the service and the communication throughout shipment. Ken was my direct contact and kept me informed along the move The car was picked up and delivered as communicated. I did use a enclosed mover and the driver was also clean cut professional and treated car as his own. I would definitely recommend Corsia again with the experience I have had. Thank you. T
JW
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Top notch Transport - Porsche 997 Top notch! As easy and efficient as one could possibly imagine. Great customer service.. thank you Luke. Great prices. Check. Timely communications. Check. Clean transport trailer. Check. Supremely careful driver. Check. Timely arrival. Check. Don't mess around elsewhere, just call Corsica and feel confident your transports needs are going to be exceeded. My Porsche 911 rode like a Queen in her enclosed chariot. I've never needed a transport company before, and I surely will use them every time. Do yourself a favor, seriously. Call now.
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Corsia rep (Elena) was very proactive. Helped ship a car from CA to GA. She checked in with me via email quote and several phone calls to find me the best possible quote for the fastest available service. After several communications, Corsia was able to schedule a vehicle pickup the next day. The driver communicated well, and the vehicle arrived in final destination faster than we expected in perfect condition. I highly recommend using Corsia's reliable, efficient service.
Cay Liptak
Clean, efficient, wonderful
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Thanks, Corsia! Pickup was so clean, efficient, and wonderful -- my only recommendation is to make sure you schedule it during the day so you can fully review the car in the daylight. Drop off was equally wonderful, and the whole trip went down without a hitch (pun intended!). Seriously, Corsia delivered my Jeep from CT to California with no issues or bumps in the road!
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Corsia Memphis to LA, mid-size SUV. I looked at 4 different companies amd Corsia was the most responsive of them. While being responsive, they were not unduly aggressive: when I indicated that I need to wait a month before making a decision they stopped contacting me and only came back with a reminder when I really needed it. Once I decided to engage Corsia they found me a transport within two days and the car was delivered (from Memphis to LA) in another two days. I had a truly positive experience.
Kelly Torres
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Working with Corsia Logistics was a great experience. Working with Corsia Logistics was wonderful. They were able to find a driver right away to transport our car. They were in constant communication as to when the car was getting picked up and dropped off. The driver also communicated with me as to when he would arrive. I would highly recommend Corsia Logistics.
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Excellent Organization
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Corsia was an excellent company to work with while I transferred my car across the US. A friend of mine suggested I use them as they had been very organized and trustworthy with her own car. I researched a few different place but decided to go with Corsia and I'm so glad I did! Any questions I had throughout the process they answered quickly and clearly. I would definitely use them again in the future and recommend them for others to use.
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