coupe68

Try to get antique insurance on the car and then the price will go down!

mustangmatt63

WELCOME!!! Take your time,look around,compare cars,get someone knowledgeable about older cars to help you find 1.The 1st thing to be concerned about is rust issues.For $4500 you should be able to find a fairly decent car that does not need a lot of work!![sm=signs003.gif]

90LX2.3

Only problem with that is that there is usually a age requirement, and a certain amout of miles you can put on it a year (a problem if it will be a dd to work/school). Im "pretty" sure that im not alowed to drive my dads 1975 vette (according to our insurance company) untill im 21, its registered as a classic car and has collector plates. "


It costs him >100 a YEAR on insurance tho, and no DEQ (smog... ect) required on it.

fast65

We pay about $35/month for my insurance. I have it insured as a classic, not as a dd because I don't drive it in the winter. I'm 17 and the primary driver of it and we have full coverage including property damage in case somebody decides to key it in the parking lot.I'm insured through ANPAC, and BTW my car has a 302 so hopefully you won't have a problem finding some good priced insurance. Good luck!

Edit: Oh yeah, most if not all insurance companies give a discount if your a good student. So hit the books hard if you want lower rates.

Kramer

welcome.....

good luck on your search. start early and do it often. go to craigslist and just look at what's for sale. it took me 3 months to buy my first driveable car, 95GT sure there were plenty for sale but I took my time and I think I got a good buy. I'm always searching for parts for my 64 I never know what I'm looking for, but when I find it I'm pretty happy getting it.

_FLIP_

I havebeen searching craigslist, and will continue to.

I'm thinking about getting a 200ci v6 to get more mileage. Can anyone approximate the mpg a v6 and a stock 289 can get?

_FLIP_

My parents are worried about the car braking down since its old, and maintenance and stuff. I'm willing to pay for whatever the car needs...I don't really pay for anything, all the money I make goes to whatever I want to spend it on...which mostly goes to savings.

Anybody know what I should tell them?

mustdoc

IMO, your parents and you should have some shared concerns:

1st and foremost Safety - Stock classic cars are not all that safe compared with new cars. You are new to driving so experience is an issue (just ask insurance agents why young drivers cost more to insure - this may lend some perspective.). The safety of old cars can be enhanced but not without additional expense (swapping drum for disc brakes, 3-point seat belts, adding headrests to mitigate whiplash injury, new suspensions certain help with handling, some think you should install a trunk-firewall to mitigate possible drop in fuel tank issues - see Huntsville Alabama Mustang website for more info on this since it is controversial, etc.). Depending upon the car you buy, you should budget for safety upgrades. I lost several friends to auto accidents when I was young, including my best friend - not to scare you but safety should always come first!

2nd, I agree with almost everyone above - a classic car can be reliable but it usually takes a good deal of knowledge and experience to keep it running well unless you have a lot of $. I had neither when I was your age.

3rd, Classic car insurance "usually" does not cover daily driving use so be careful when checking out policies. I have a friend who has over $100k in his immaculate restomod firebird (the most awesome one I have ever seen) which has been featured in magazines... he drives it daily, too... but he laments the fact that he cannot afford to insure it to replacement value. This goes for many classic daily drivers who have dumped a lot of $ into their cars. Keep this in mind when you are looking at insurance and have plans to upgrade your classic car.

4th, ditto on checking out the car (H2O in the cowl, magnet to check for bondo, try to look at the floorpan and toeboard, rust in the trunk, etc.). Unless you have the skills and tools, body work done correctly is expensive.

Hope this gives you some food for thought.

jspagna1

Well your off to a good start. You should be able to find something pretty solid for that price. As mentioned before watch the rust issues. Floors & rear quaters are the biggest problem areas IMO. I don't know if I would make it my daily driver though? You should probably look for an older Fox body to beat around in and take your time with the Classic. Good luck, be cautious, and have fun.

03Maverik

Search...think...search some more...and then think some more. For you, you want: No rust, motor and transmission in working condition, and straight body. You would definitely need to take someone with knowledge with you. This is a big and important process, don't be scared to ask questions. I am sure that there is someone on here who lives close to you that can help. Do you have any type of mechanical skills? If not, take into account that you will have to pay someone to work on the car for you.

Best of luck!!! WELCOME TO THE SITE!!!