Perusing bring-a-trailer this morning, and after talking to a coworker yesterday who gets old muscle cars from "out west" and restores then, I found myself feeling a little left out. Whenever I try to find vintage race cars for sale, or old fun cars that I'd like it seems craigslist either yields ridiculous asking prices or rusted hulks, with eBay, classified sites and forum having already restored cars or overpriced cars that the poster has jacked up their ask because they know they're advertising where enthusiasts lurk.
Am I the only one that feels this way? You guys seems to find the craziest stuff, but I've never had much luck.
I once found a really neat, needs restoration 78 Celica by cruising the ghetto and knocking on people's doors. Got a pretty good selection that way (also found a Corona, a big Healy in horrible condition and a Datsun Cherry), and there are a lot of meth heads who will sell you their backyard decorations for 200 dollars.
Get out and ride your bike. You'd be surprised how many cool cars you can spot when you're off the beaten path and traveling at a slower speed. If you're not into riding, an open-top British sports car can achieve the same result.
Craigslist has too large a viewing audience. Try to spot a car that hasn't been put up for sale yet, then aggressively pursue it. You may be all the impetus someone needs to get off their butt and sell that heap that's been taking up space for years.
Ask around, a lot of older people remember when interesting cars were around and who put what into a garage 20 years ago
Look in a lot of barns. 
You ever watch the Antique Archeology guys on American Pickers? Figure what makes it to the TV show is less than 10% of the stops they make. It's probably more like 1%.
See a house with a barn behind it, stop and ask if they got any old cars for sale.
That, and spread the word about what you're looking for - cars or otherwise. I now have people looking me up, trying to sell stuff to me(mostly just old stuff, but occasionally cars). Most of the time they just want the stuff gone & prices are reasonable(I usually have enough room to ask 3x what I paid, and can negotiate down to ~2x. The buyer still feels like they got a bargain, and I still make enough $$ to make it worth the effort).
Just like everything else, it takes time & practice, and you'll likely loose a little money on a deal every now & then. But that's part of the learning process.
The last two posts sum it up, I think - you have to get out and look, and you have to spread the word. Eventually people will start calling you when they have something to sell.
Im no expert (sputtering hasbeen) , but I am always looking in the back of car lots as I drive by. My coolest finds were a 69 Dart Sport that wad abandoned at a repair shop, and a 50 F100 (V-8 , needed brake lines. That one got away). My brother trips over stuff all the time.
Talk to people, listen to tales. Years ago I was working for a carpet cleaning company & got to talking to a customer I had about cars. He mentioned that his brother had a 55 Chevy & a split bumper Camaro tucked away since he was in jail for a very long time. Turns out the cars were tucked away in a barn on his property & he brought us out to where the cars were. Underneath the dust there was still some shine to the paint & they had been there for 30 years or so. Sadly I was 18 & broke but I wanted them.
Ask the mailman and the UPS guy.
print shizzle load of " wanted old british cars " fliers and keep handy ..................... hit beer store , laundry mats , food shop stores , post office , also check obituaries you might find car and you get the widow to boot
Boy, the stuff I've found while taking my kids trick or treating for Halloween... most aren't for sale (at least at the kind of money I can afford to offer), but there's some neat stuff in our neighborhood hidden in garages and under tarps in side yards... MGTD, 2 Fiat X1/9s, a nice '69 SS Camaro, a Jag XJ, turbo Caravan, nice '80s Celica, a guy with 3 VW squarebacks, a mint '89 Ford Probe, and a few more I'm sure I'm forgetting... and that's just within the 150 or so homes we walk/drive by everyday.
redrabbit wrote:
My coolest finds were a 69 Dart Sport that wad abandoned at a repair shop,
This is how I found my current daily (1979 Civic). Asked the shop owner (whom I had bought a '77 Civic from 16 years earlier) if he knew of anyone selling one one day. He said he just happened to have an abandoned one behind his shop. Gave him $100 and it was mine. Five years and $5,000 later, I still drive it 4-5 days a week.
I'm also in a good position to find things as I am an 18 wheeler driver. Most of the time when I make a run, I take back roads just for the scenery and to check out people's yards.
be careful though, some folks who squirl away old cars to let sit and rot sometimes can be just plain nuts.
A few years ago I left my business card on the windshield of an early 60's lincoln. luckily, i didnt get shot at. I did just sent him a letter the other day saying i was still interested if he ever wanted to sell.
Corky Coker was recently on Hot Rod TV, all about barn finds. Here's how Corky does it.
Step one: Grow a really cool mustache.
Step two: Drive around the countryside in a really cool old Ford pickup.
Step three: Stop and ask every house with a barn, garage, or outbuilding if they have or know of any cool old stuff.
Step four: Leave a business card.
Repeat.
A Coker mustache is crucial.
BoostedBrandon wrote:
A Coker mustache is crucial.
Do you think Lemmy-style stacheburns would work?
One of the downsides of being in Portland is that people would assume I was being ironic instead of just silly. I think maybe only Lemmy gets to do this anyhow.
Check out the local farm auctions in your area. As old farmers retire or die off a lot of their kids can't or don't want to take over operations. At least around here these guys seem to save everything. Auctions in the middle of BFE are worth the extended drive if there's good stuff, hopefully it'll be just local yokels w/ shallow pockets attending and the big money city folk won't make the drive.
I use this site:
http://www.auctionzip.com/
11110000 wrote:
Get out and ride your bike. You'd be surprised how many cool cars you can spot when you're off the beaten path and traveling at a slower speed. If you're not into riding, an open-top British sports car can achieve the same result.
Slow enough to look around is the key here. Also I seem to drive EVERYWHERE and sometimes when I get to ride for a change, I can look aournd. It's surprising how many new things -and cars- I see.
I just do some rural exploration. Sure, I risk getting shot at, but I know someone that came across an RX4 in very decent condition at an abandoned house.
get a job doing pizza delvery also and you get to find all kinds of stuff stashed every where also and get to lots of places....i have forgotten just was hidden in round lake beach area when i worked there, know i find stuff in my home town and got to see a very cool lincon, many bugs and a lambo in the same garge the other day when the guy ordered. need to get back and make friends with that guy more for the very weird things he is always working on.
As said, bikes help due to the lack of need for control. I drive for work 80-150 miles a day and try to take different routes every so often.
If you are married your wife may not like the results.
I like Rabbits and I found a place in the country with what was a truck tailgate sitting against a barn. I stopped and talked to the guy. He said he would call me if he decided to show them. I got the call and brought seven rabbits home for $700. Great deal but not much space for seven extra cars, lol
