Finding Classic Cars--Places to Look

Finding Classic Cars--Places to Look

from Hemmings Classic Car

February, 2009 - David Schultz

In an earlier column I wrote about affordable Classics--cars that can be purchased without taking a home equity loan or some other type of financing--I listed specific makes and models of cars that are available in what I'd call modest price ranges. Some collectors might refer to these as "entry level" Classics.

So, where does one find an entry-level Classic--or a specific Classic, i.e. a Marmon or Franklin? The answer is not as elementary as one would think. Of course, there are the classified ads, starting with the granddaddy of them all, Hemmings Motor News. If there were one publication I'd recommend to a beginning collector, it would be Hemmings. There are other publications that carry for-sale ads, too; I don't have to list all of them here. If you're reading this column, you're likely a subscriber to other collector car magazines and newspapers as well.

The auctions have been with us for years and will probably be around for many more years. Are they the place to buy a Classic? It depends on whom you ask. Most of us have heard some auction horror stories, but I've also heard stories attesting to the honesty and integrity of auction operations. As the best auction company owners will tell you themselves, one must do his or her due diligence prior to the sale. I'm not likely to bid on a car at auction unless I know the provenance of the car or have been able to thoroughly inspect the vehicle.

The Internet has become a new source for collector cars and parts. Online, one can find everyone from longtime collectors and dealers to novices who have absolutely no idea what they're selling--and who are often pleasantly surprised to discover that an item about which they knew almost nothing was sold for several hundred dollars. Unfortunately--but not totally unpredictably--the Internet has also attracted its share of unethical sellers.

There are also many local classified advertising publications, but it's rare for someone to list a Packard Twelve or Marmon speedster in one of these. Having said that, I know it's possible, and someone will probably write to tell me that he or she found a low-mileage Classic Cadillac in a local shopper.

I've always believed that many great auto-mobiles are never advertised for sale. They are quietly transferred between collectors who know one another, usually through local car clubs or marque-specific clubs. I know this to be true firsthand; that's how I bought two Classic Lincolns now in my garage. I knew the cars--and their owners--through my membership in the Classic Car Club of America, as well as through the Lincoln Owners Club (the Lincoln club devoted solely to 1921-'39 "big" Lincolns).

After first seeing my 1931 Lincoln Town Sedan on display at a CCCA Grand Classic in Dearborn, Michigan, in 1964, it took me more than 25 years to acquire the car. The owner was justifiably satisfied with the Lincoln and used it for years as his tour car. As he grew older, it became his only Classic; he sold his other cars. Finally, it was time to sell this one, too, and I was ready to buy.

Over the years, the Lincoln's former owner and I developed a friendship, largely through our correspondence. One Christmas, I received a card that included a photo of the Lincoln with him and his wife standing next to it. On the back of the photo, he wrote, "Throughout history many a beauty has had two lovers." How right he was.

During those years of correspondence and phone calls, the former owner had also been evaluating me, to make certain that I was worthy of becoming the next owner of his Lincoln. That's not an uncommon occurrence in our hobby; many longtime owners of a collector car want to make certain their automobile is going to someone who will appreciate it and properly care for it.

The former owner and I stayed in touch with each other until he died. I received many notes and an occasional phone call from him, checking up on "Linc," as he'd named the car. He was genuinely surprised to learn that I replaced the handsome Dunlop tires on the car with new (and equally handsome) Michelins. He candidly told me I was foolish to do so, adding "There's plenty of tread left on those tires!"

He was right--there was plenty of tread on the tires, but also, as I learned, plenty of years. After noticing serious signs of deterioration during a long-distance tour, I checked the tire code and learned the tires were nearly 25 years old. Time for new tires, flaps and tubes.

So, is there a best way to buy a car, Classic or otherwise? No. I suppose it comes down to one's perspective and preferences. I consider myself an automotive historian first, then a car collector. I really enjoy knowing as much about a car as possible. That's what often leads me to pursue a particular car (one of my grandfathers worked for Hudson Motor Car Company in 1919-'20 and I'd love to find an open Hudson of that era).

In my opinion, there's no substitute for getting to know the car and the owner prior to purchase. I was able to not only drive my 1931 Lincoln before purchasing it, but heard many stories about the car's history. Those stories, plus a gas ration card I found in the glovebox, led me to the son of the car's original owner. Thanks to him, I was able to fill in the missing parts of the car's story. As a historian, that was something I greatly appreciated and still enjoy to this day.

I maintain a notebook on all my cars. That book contains not only the car's mechanical information, which is necessary for maintenance and repair, but also the car's history. That history may include articles from magazines such as MoToR or Automotive Industries, along with information released by the automobile manufacturer. That book will accompany the car when it is sold--which, in the case of the 1931 Lincoln Town Sedan, won't be for a long time.

This article originally appeared in the February, 2009 issue of Hemmings Classic Car.

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