Projects Project car "deal breaker"

What is your "deal breaker" when considering your next project car purchase?
What made you walk away?..Rust, paint, interior, parts availability, no title, etc.?
I've found for myself as I've taken on more, there's less that detours me, (not sure that's a good thing) but no title will make me walk every time.

 

no title,title in another name, etc.

 

Asking price is more than the price of the car parted out.

 

Not enough money to buy it!

 

i have at the moment, 4 projects ,couple im working on 2 backups waiting on me. never really shyed away from much anything. but i guess as i get older, im trying to not look for more! but its hard. im thinking about checking myself into the henry ford clinic! soon!

 

these days it seems that I want something that won't take much to get it driving. So there are lots of deal breakers....it has to be mostly complete, good title, as little rust as possible, etc.

 

1-Title
Around here it's huge. unless you're willing to jump through all the hoops, and still possibly come up with a goose egg.
2-Condition
I'm in a rust belt state. Be prepared to get on your back and get dirty, or endure the consequences.
3-Price
Anything old, is worth B-J prices! It's the new norm! I seen it on TV!
4-Personal desirability
Self explanatory. I just won't consider something I don't desire. I'm not a flipper, but I'm not above turning down a crazy sweet deal because it don't float my boat. There are exceptions, (see 1-3).

 

Lies, well taken pictures that don't show what you're looking at. Nothing like driving five hours with a pocket full of cash and a trailer to look at junk after the seller promises it to be good stuff. Even if it is the car I want, I won't buy it.

 

True that. Early 80s, I once drove over 3hrs to see a '63 Belair 2dr post that I was assured was 'really nice'. Took about 30 seconds to see it was a major POS. Owner was on his way home from work, according to wifey. I was so pissed, I waited over an hour, with no intentions to buy, just to have a word with this gentleman. Longer I waited, the more pissed I got. My buddy finally talked me into leaving, It was absolutely for the better, in hind sight...

 

Whats in my wallet

 

Liars / misrepresentation.
'Aint talking about embellishment or accentuating the positives. Or even ''forgetting'' to mention things that might matter.
I mean no goodniks, we've all met 'em.

 

Title and rust hand in hand. I look for the rust while asking about the title. Either fails and I usually walk.

It would have to be an exceptional body/frame (no rust) or an incredible deal for me to consider going with a bonded title or sorting out title issues. Lots of guys jumping titles out there, too. I walk from those immediately.

SPark

 

My wife...

 

#1 Title problems, #2 rust, #3 PO bad workmanship. You can usually get a title straightened out but can be costly, if it was easy they would have a good title. Rust is always a problem, again it can be fixed but takes time and money. See a lot of unfinished projects for sale, PO got to the point they figured out they were in over their head and want to get rid of it, takes a lot of time to fix butchered up projects. Squirrel has the right idea, buy the best, most complete project you can afford and enjoy it.

 

Title issues and rust are the two easy deal killers. But I’ll have to add, Previous Questionable Work. The last few hot rods I’ve bought have looked ok at first glance but as I looked deeper they had issues that surely would have affected the price if not plain killed the deal. I’m not expecting John Buttera or Eric Peratt workmanship at the prices I can afford but there are way too many “squirt gun” (mig) jockeys building stuff these days who should probably just stay at the local bar.


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Really wanted to buy this car at Back To the 50's earlier this year. Vintage drag car that had been tamed down and turned into a street car but still retained its original drag car look. Price was right, it was a nice car, owner was a cool guy and had title in his name but no vin tag anywhere on the car. I live in Nebraska and you have to have an outta state car inspected at the DMV before they will title it. It would have been red flagged for sure and been a huge pain in the ass so I walked away

 

My late father (car guy) only had 2 true rules

1) Never leave a nail poking up out of a board.
2) Never buy a car without a title

 

Originality. I want a complete stocker no matter the condition. My days of resurrecting a rotten body are over. Complete untouched stock. Then I'll cut it up. I don't give a shit about hot rods with history either. Theyre still an old car that another guy cut up that isnt me. I want the first cut.

 

No title or messed up title is a deal breaker for me anymore on a project, Colorado has made it a pain over the last few years. No title not a problem for a parts car i need parts off of.

 

Title issues. Rust.

 

Rust...that's all.

 

• As a rule of thumb my tripping points are title first and foremost,solid frame 2nd,followed 3rd depending upon make and model interior and exterior trim,if I plan on using be present. I've only had two pre 65 projects that were both aborted due to adult type responsibilities.Almost all of my cars have been 66-69 due to availablility and price within a reasonable distance. My skills are less than a lot that post here. I see builds that started as what I would call patch panels that turn out as complete cars. I've enjoyed the thrill of the hunt for odd parts and even met people out of states for cowls to be used as parts to repair cars that 10yrs ago I would have scrapped. I've had rust free frames shipped cross country to do body off repairs. I've not interested in sourcing large parts such as frames or what should be easy to locate trim pieces anymore. I'm not that old but I'm finding myself less patient and with less space to get too involved with things anymore. Beyond that the web's bring parts availability right to your fingertips but I'm still of the hunting the swapmeets,put eyes on the part and talk to the seller type. Factoring in all these things my standards gave gotten higher than they were just a few years ago. As many post allude to,the hobby is changing.

 

Two of the best yet

 

Title and RUST !

Being from AZ we do get clean examples of rust free. Title should be notarized and NOT closed out in someone else name. Notarized open title I am good with.

If it is a OT car like I looked at the other day LOW MILAGE and CLEAN title, Car was super clean hit in the nose but ended up having 230K on it UGH !

 

When the story I am being told by the owner/dealer doesn't match up with what I can see. If they are stupid enough (or think I am stupid enough) to lie about things that even a casual look shows to be a lie, then what else are they lying about? "The motor was just rebuilt" and you can see that it hasn't been apart in years, if ever. "Absolutely rust free" and under the spare tire most of the floor is missing. The other things are important, of course, but they are more "black and white." The seller either has a title or he doesn't. You either like the car or you don't. The car is original or it isn't. You shouldn't have to "talk yourself" into buying a car.

 

^^^Yep.

In addition would be price/condition. The last car I walked away from was a nice looking 39 Ford Tudor, the seller was asking $19k for it, which wasn't a bad price, except it didn't run. I had called before I left to go see it, and drove 60 miles, and when I got there he had the hood up and the distributor cap off and working on it. Couldn't get it started. I looked it over good since I was there, and it was in decent condition, was mostly stock but had some pin striping over original paint; but with a non-running flatty, sorry the price is too high. It might just need a tune up, or it might be worse than that, I couldn't tell. I made an offer about $5k less than he was asking, because if the flatty was toast I figured it may cost me that much for a fresh one. He rejected it, I told him to call me when he got it running, and I never heard back from him.

And then there are the unfinished projects with the MII IFS, or a pre-war Ford with a SBF, those I won't even call on. Good luck, you effed it up, now have fun selling it.

 

I buy a car because I like that type and do not want to sell any of them, but reality strikes, sometimes. I usually get a car using the "just in case" rule. That is, I look at it as a "just in case I have to sell it will I get my money back?". I don't think I have ever lost on a car buy/sell deal. Then again, my life isn't over....

 

Yup,too bad more don't have first hand know of how hard,not having papers makes thing,can even be loss of all.
At the very least,always get a bill of sale signed n dated by who your buying from ! . A title is best if you can.

 

Desire over ridden by age, arthritis, ability to get back up after lying on that hard garage floor. (Just a hint for issues to look for as time goes on. For me it all came on after age 79.

 

In South Carolina, I don't care how nice the car is if it doesn't have a title I pass.

After going through that nightmare once before I'm too old to deal with all the aggravation. HRP