Buying Your Dream Muscle Car
by Malcolm Zack
If you are satisfied with the seller’s answers to your questions then set up a time to see the vehicle. Make sure that you view the vehicle in the daytime, preferably a sunny day. Proper daylight is a must in order to accurately inspect the car. It is a good idea to bring a friend, preferably one that knows something about muscle cars in order to get a second opinion on the vehicle. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying your first muscle car and forget to completely inspect the car. Most importantly, make sure to write down the VIN number and run it through a VIN decoder.
The following web link is an excellent resource when trying to decode a VIN, this website lists most vehicles in alphabetical order.
Web based VIN decoders
http://www.vehicleidentificationnumber.com
Start by checking over the exterior, make sure that all the panels are straight. Inspect the quality of the paint job. Look for obvious flaws such as scratches or scuffs. An expert painter will look for the level of orange peel in the paint. Orange peel is micro waviness in the paint that causes the reflection to shimmer. This paint flaw resides in the clear coat and can be corrected (normally) through water sanding. Orange peel is common to vehicles painted in the 60’s when the OEM’s were using lacquer rather than the current base coat clear coat paint technology. Take note of the areas where the individual body panels intersect. Look for poor flushness or excessive gaping between the body panels. It is a well-known fact that cars built in Detroit in the 60’s and 70s were not always assembled perfectly, however excessive body panel misalignment is a sign of a poor restoration. Walk around the car using a small magnet to look for any body filler repairs. Using a magnet allows you to determine if material behind the paint is in fact metallic and not body filler. Often the seller will say that the car is body filler free, what he means is, that’s what the previous owner told him. However, you might surprise him with your magnet checks, pointing out areas of body filler repair to him. Next, check under the vehicle. Since a vehicle hoist is not always available, have the seller raise the vehicle safely on 4 stable axle stands. Once the car is on the stands, review the under carriage of the vehicle for rust holes in the floor pans and the trunk. Look over the frame for any signs of holes or welded patches, look at the frame soft bushings. These bushings will give you a good indication if the car has been restored or if the vehicle still retains the factory bushings that by now are most likely hard and brittle. While, you are under the car look under the engine compartment and look for leaks on the engine or transmission. Next, check under the hood, I look for engine enamel over spray. This is a sign that the car may have had a quick touch up job done minutes before you arrive, the smell of fresh engine enamel is always a dead give away! Look for originality, rust is not always a bad thing, holes due to excessive rust is a problem. Look the engine over for any sign of gasket (or other) leaks. Leaks are recognized by moisture under the area of the leak. If leaks are present ask the seller if he was aware of the leak and ask him how long he has known about it. If he says he’s known about for a while, ask why he hasn’t fixed it! If the motor was rebuilt ask for documentation regarding the rebuild. Any reputable engine builder will provide his customer(s) with detailed documentation outlining what was exactly done to the engine, including part numbers of the components used in the rebuild. It is also a good idea to get a closer look at the various casting numbers in order to positively identify the drivetrain. Let’s take a Pontiac 455 (Fig #2) for example, first look for the cylinder head casting numbers (Ref. -A-) located on the center exhaust manifold. Next the engine block casting numbers (Ref. –B-) located on the front of the block beside the water pump. Finally, the date stamp located beside the ignition hole on the back of the engine. Casting numbers locations vary from OEM to OEM, obtain a reliable source that indicates where the casting numbers are located for the engine you will be looking at. Make sure that the engine block and cylinder heads are correct for the year and make of the car, or at least brand correct.
Pontiac 455 Casting Numbers Locations
Fig #2
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