Weekend Wrench: Making Dreams Come True

By Jim Richardson

—
April 3, 2026If you are thinking about buying or restoring that classic you’ve dreamed of since you were a kid, maybe I can help. Thanks to my upbringing, I have had the advantage of an expensive education. It was costly because I made mistakes along the way, and I have the scars to prove it.

I grew up around people who would have considered you a bit delicate if you couldn’t fix your own car. They were the offspring of farmers from places like Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas who were forced to be independent and self-reliant, and who came to California to work in the aircraft plants during World War II. As a result, I learned how to do tune-ups, grind valves, and even replace transmissions growing up. And in the process, I developed a passion for it. This ultimately culminated in a love of auto restoration.

So, if you are buying your first classic and don’t have much knowledge and experience, here are a few tips. To begin with, decide whether you want to bite the bullet and purchase a properly restored or well-preserved original, rather than a project car. That rough restoration project may seem like a bargain, but unless you enjoy the challenge, and the many hours to put it right, buying a properly restored car is often cheaper in the end.

If you choose restoration, a well-ventilated double garage in which to work is a virtual necessity, although I did my first restoration in a single garage, making copious use of the driveway in front of it for a workspace. But I also had a shed for my welding gear and hand tools, plus a sturdy workbench and an air compressor.

If this your first time, don’t buy a disassembled basket case, or a poor amateur restoration. It is sadly all too common for beginners to take cars all apart all at once, lose parts, and then become overwhelmed and lose interest. Such cars are cheap to buy, but unless you have worked on a lot of cars, and know that year and model very well, they can be extremely time-consuming and expensive to put right.

Cars that have undergone poorly done amateur restorations are even more of a challenge. They mean having to undo someone else’s naïve efforts. I would say that if you can see obvious botches or mistakes, you can be reasonably certain that there are more problems that you can’t see, that may be very difficult and expensive to correct.

I also recommend you join the club for your marque, and get to know an expert on your car. Seek an older member—ideally one who has been a judge in their car shows. They will know, for example, which is the correct radio or air cleaner for your make and model, and whether that rear fender trim is right for that year and model.

As for negotiating a price, study the market before you act. Browse Hemmings Motor News and Hemmings.com to determine what your dream car is going for. Always remember, you are in business for yourself, and so is the seller. Go in with your eyes open.

Start at the front bumper and work your way back. Check the coolant in the radiator. Is it rusty? Is the cap holding pressure? Look over the engine for a cracked block, and oil or water leaks. Check the oil. Thick black oil is a sign of neglect, and oil that looks like chocolate pudding indicates a blown head gasket. Have a peek at the automatic transmission fluid. It should be a transparent red, or perhaps terracotta, but not black and burned.

If the owner will allow it, do a compression test on the engine. If it is off by a range of 8-10 pounds, you will have work to do. Maybe a lot. If compression is down in two adjacent cylinders, it may be a bad head gasket. But if it is down two or three pounds evenly, it is most likely just a bit worn from daily use.

Another huge factor when buying a classic is rust. It can be the most expensive problem of all. Put the car on a lift and check behind kick panels, around fender wells, and under the trunk at the back for corrosion. Check the undersides of doors, and floor panels too. Get down and sight closely along the body. Is it even, or lumpy? Are the door gaps and hood and trunk openings consistent? They should be.

Finally, take a small magnet and run it over vulnerable areas where accidents may have done damage, to check for excess plastic filler. A refrigerator magnet won’t stick if the Bondo is too thick. And my final piece of advice is, have a first aid kit in your workshop. Trust me, you will gain a few glory wounds in your journey to automotive perfection. Just ask What's his name.....