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Collectible Sports Cars: Up Close

Inspect before you buy

In the first installment of this series we went over some of the more popular used sports cars on the market, and some "rolling refuse" to avoid. Once you have chosen your dream make and model, it's time to pick out a good one that will live in your garage, not the repair shop.

First-Person

Find some examples to look at in person. Although online auctions and dealers are popular, you'd be buying the car blind, which is seldom a good idea with older cars. A small low-res pic of a bright red roadster can hide a multitude of sins (and a fair amount of rust besides). If you can find a car locally, so much the better, but at least make sure you or your mechanic can inspect the car in person before money changes hands.

Attraction

Cars from the 1970s and earlier have potential problem areas that have been largely eliminated on modern cars. Rust was a common problem that affected domestic and imported cars alike. It is unusual to find a sports car from the 1950s or 1960s that has not rusted in several common locations, so take a magnet along when you inspect steel-bodied cars. If the magnet won't stick to the body, there is body filler under the paint hiding rust or accident damage.

Moisture

Check the sill area underneath the doors, then pull up the carpets and check the floor area, since leaky rag tops often let rain into the interior. Next check the footwells, particularly on unibody cars like Porsches, MGs and Jaguars. Then look for tiny bubbles in the paint, particularly in areas where body panels connect underneath the skin. For instance, examine just in front of the doors on Porsches or at the fender join lines on MGs. Finally inspect the trunk floor (also a water collection point) and in the bottom of the battery box, which is usually attacked by acid corrosion at some point.

Rust

A warning sign of serious rust problems may be a fresh coat of undercoating on the bottom of the car. Undercoating does a very poor job of protecting a car from rust anyway (experts say it actually hurts by trapping moisture underneath), but it is sometimes applied to cover up serious rust damage. Although cars from dry states like Texas and Arizona are less likely to be affected, rust can strike anywhere, so you must inspect any car carefully.

Mechanicals

Contrary to the old saw that, "They don't build 'em like they used to", automobiles from the 1970s and earlier require more mechanical service than modern cars. It was not unusual to perform valve jobs every 30,000 miles, and tune-ups were required at least once a year. This usually consisted of new plugs and wires, points (remember ignition points?), setting the valves and a carburetor adjustment.

You will want to have a competent mechanic (preferably one familiar with the model you are looking at) check the compression in each cylinder (a simple, non-invasive test) and listen to the engine for noises that might indicate bearing problems. Also make sure the car has all the emission control equipment required in your area, as previous owners may have removed it to improve performance.

While you are under the hood, check to see if the car has its original engine (there is usually a serial number stamped on the engine and on the chassis plate as well, so see if they match). While this doesn't make any difference on a daily driver, collectors pay more for "match number" cars. And although there are examples to the contrary, in general avoid cars with engine swaps from other makes. Unless professionally done, they usually result in annoying compatibility problems and a lower resale value.

Non-Smoker

When you first start the car see if it smokes. It is not unusual for an older car to smoke for a short time after it has been sitting, but this should stop after the car has warmed up. If smoking continues, then you probably have worn piston rings or valve guides that will need to be replaced.

Transmission

Try the clutch pedal to see where it engages. If it is close to the floor, you may be due for a new clutch soon. The transmissions in older cars may be noisy or slow shifting when cold, but they should quiet down once warmed up. If not, transmission work can be expensive in terms of parts and labor.

Bushings

Also jack up the car and shake the wheels to feel for bearing or bushing play. If the wheel bearings are bad the car will be dangerous to drive, but they are seldom expensive to replace. If the suspension bushings are worn they will require more labor, and loose bushings can lead to suspension arm failure so look for cracking around the bushing area. Finally, inspect the brakes to make sure they are functioning properly. If a car sits too long, components such as the wheel cylinders in drum brakes, and the caliper pistons in discs, can corrode and stick solid, preventing the brake from working at all. This is not unusual and can usually be repaired by a competent mechanic.

Emblems

Trim parts like emblems, bumpers and interior parts are some of the most expensive items to replace, so make sure you aren't missing any. It is not unusual for older sports cars (particularly less expensive ones) to have an assortment of trim parts that have been replaced with non-original items. Unless you intend to participate in car shows, this is no big deal, but be aware that original cars always sell for more than ones that have been cobbled up or customized. If you are just looking for a fun driver, though, these sorts of alterations can work to your advantage.

So check carefully before you hand over cash. A well-maintained sports car is a joy to drive and ideally should be an appreciating asset down the road.