Always listen to your heart!

The classic car world is based entirely on our emotional connection to incredible automobiles. The success of classic car shows, across the globe, is dependent upon attracting visitors who will see these incredible vehicles, understand their significance and really feel something when they see them.

When it comes to buying classic cars, that same passion has to be a part of the decision-making process. There has to be some love there, some significance, some emotion, a connection.

That does not mean, however, that there are not a few more considerations to be aware of….

The Devil Is In The Details

A few years ago, I came across a situation that I have seen arise many times in the classic car industry. Normally, this mistake means that collectors may lose out on a few thousand dollars. This time, though, the owner lost out on far greater sums.

As you would expect, the car in question was worth rather a lot of money: in the region of $1.5 million.

It had been restored meticulously. One of the main elements of this restoration was to return the car to its original bronze colour. This was a smart move because, in this particular model, not only were bronze examples rare but also cars that were originally bronze, even more so.

Alongside the colour conversion, the owner decided that the interior would get the same treatment. However, the owner opted to ignore the factory colour this time and plumped for colour of his own choosing. He decided that he would like a tan-coloured interior.

He went with his heart and what he thought was a good look. When the car was manufactured, however, the original interior was black.

The craftsmanship on the restoration was impeccable. Flawless. And yet, any collector worth their salt would be looking for the original bronze colour and black interior.

While the car looked incredible, its value was significantly affected by lack of original elements. Heart overcame head in this instance. Had I been involved as a consultant on this project, I would have insisted upon a black interior in order to make sure that the collector was able to get a return on the investment of the restoration.

Get A Reality Check

Very often in the heart versus head debate, you need someone to be strong and direct, who simply says, “Do not do it!”

It might be that the automobile you are interested in looks great from five yards away, but when you get up close, there are some faults that would be obvious to an expert. You need someone to tell you that there is something wrong with it and that it is not worth the money.

Unfortunately, as in all walks of life, there are those in the business who would seek to take advantage of those buying cars for emotive reasons. They would spot the adoration and the passion and seek to leverage it against a car that is not quite what it seems.

I know hundreds of people who have bought classic cars on looks alone. They have spent a lot of money, without getting them checked over mechanically first. At some point you have to say, “Hang on a moment, let’s just take our time and check what we are buying.”

A few years ago, I came across a collector who had bought a car that was pretty rare. One of the many rarities and important original elements found in this car was the engine. Unfortunately, it had developed a fault, but he bought it anyway and took it to a garage to be fixed.

The mechanic said that there was nothing to worry about, he would put a new engine in. The same kind of engine. 

The thing is, it was not the exact engine the car came with, and it is significant that a car has the same engine it was manufactured with. The replacement was a slightly more modern version with some small but significant differences.

While performance in the car was improved, the value of the car was not. It had dropped quite considerably. I also have my suspicions that the mechanic knew the engine was significant and repaired it, so he could sell it on.

Under my watchful eye, that may never have happened.