Your first antique/classic car purchase

[JRA]

1928 Chevrolet Touring, with no carburetor! The owner only agreed to sell me the Chevy, if I took a 1951 Plymouth Cranbrook sedan, with locked engine and no brakes (master cylinder was in the backseat). I was young and fool, planning to buy one running antique car, ended up buying two projects! They became my school in the hobby, lots of learning with the Plymouth, my first restoration work and the reason I discovered this forum!

Both are still with me, running and completely restored.

[Jerriffic]

My first antique:  My father gave me this 1948 Crosley sedan in 1978 when my parents moved. I restored it when I retired in 2011, I still own it. 

 He bought it around 1954 then stored it in his sister's garage.  I was in high school at the time when he brought it home after she passed away in 1969.

 

[kidd65]

Definition of cute! The story makes it even better.

[TAKerry]

I was around antique car culture from a young age. Fell in love with the old stuff back as far as I can remember, maybe 6 or so. My older brother drove a 53 chevy through hs and into college. Dad had a love for old cars, but with raising 5 kids and working all of the time he never had time or spare money for one. He did subscribe to the studebaker club magazine (turning wheels?) so that was always around and I think it was his wish book. When I was about 14 or 15 he had a friend with a large collection of old cars, mostly early ford stuff. The plan was to pick one out, and it would be my first vehicle. I had long dreamed of a 'vicky' or a 3 window coupe. This fellow had both! He was one of those that never traded a car and would just park them in the back yard when another came along. We made the arrangements to look (and get my new car hopefully). He had maybe a dozen in his yard, all looking like they could start up with a little gas and drive home. After a few minutes he told Pop that he decided not sell anything. Big disappointment. He was a sub contractor that worked with my dads business so he was after him for the next few years to sell something. It never happened and after the fellow died they had an auction with what was left of the rotted shells that had slowly decended into the dirt.

 

Fast forward a few years, taking my other brother to college, the spotted a beautiful 35 chevy pickup for sale in VA. They brought that home with intentions of making a street rod (it was the 80's). Put a sb chevy in it, new front end and rear, then when it came to work on the wood all work stopped. Kinda ironic being we are a family of carpenters!! Eventually the pickup and my brothers 53 chevy were both given away to someone that was going to fix them up. Dont think it ever happened.

 

Being young and raising my own family I still had the old car bug. I traded my 82 firebird that I bought brand new for a 57 MB 190SL. I knew what the price of 300 sl's were and said it would only be a matter of time before the 190's would be valuable. EVERYONE laughed at me. I did a little work, held onto it for a couple of years, decided it was more than I could do with a young family so I sold it. It was a very respectable car, I put a new top on it. Body was in great condition, had its original hard top as well. Motor ran well, it needed brake work. I sold it for $10,500. Perfect examples were selling for 20k-30k. Most def. one of those that I regret selling!!! LOL2021-09-17_05-20-58 by Kerry Grubb, on Flickr

Edited January 18 by TAKerry (see edit history)

[ia-k]

My ‘51 Plymouth that I bought when I was 9 with money I earned from raising chickens. $75.00 in 1975.

 

Edited January 18 by ia-k (see edit history)

[Jack Bennett]

On 12/11/2023 at 5:43 AM, Akstraw said:

     I bought a Model A farm truck at the age of 13 in 1971.  It had been sitting in a field since 1949.  Trucks weren't that popular back then, and this one was in 'parts car' condition at best, so it had been passed over by any who knew what they were doing.  It cost me $25, and another $5 to have it towed home.  I joined the AACA that winter and went to my first Hershey the next fall.  Finally got the thing running about three years later.  In 1995, I began a frame-up restoration, and took it to its first show in 2009, where it won a first junior.  It won the Senior in 2011, and I look forward to entering it in the Grand National in Charlotte in 2024.

     My Dad's sound advice (which I continue to fail to follow to this day) was to look for cars with solid bodies, as body and paint work is always more costly than mechanical repairs.

     Here is a photo on the show field in Charlotte in 2011.

 

That looks to be a 1928 or 1929 Dodge Bros, Graham Paige, or some other truck made during that period. One of my ongoing projects is a 1929 Fargo Express (packet) panel, which is nearly identical, in every aspect, to your truck…….what a beautiful job of restoration, by the way. The difference is, what little paint left on the truck is black. But, as I progress with the body work I am sanding and grinding the old metal surfaces, and it appears the truck was about the same color green as yours. Is that the original color, or is it one you chose to use during restoration?

Edited January 18 by Jack Bennett (see edit history)

[Jack Bennett]

1 hour ago, ia-k said:

My ‘51 Plymouth that I bought when I was 9 will money I earned from raising chickens. $75.00 in 1975.

 

My 1951 Plymouth I bought using Social Security when I was 78 years old.

[KVP]

After selling my motorcycle, I bought a low mileage 1942 Studebaker Commander 4 door sedan that was was not currently running and needed a complete new interior.  It was parked it in a friend's barn. I soon discovered that the cost of the interior alone would exceed the hobby budget.  Raising our children was the priority and spare time was not readily available. After a handful of years, I sold the car to a Studebaker collector.  I made my next purchase when my children gained a measure of independence.  The learning experience of this initial old car purchase gave me a much more realistic perspective on the my abilities and the necessary equipment, workspace and dollars needed to enjoy the old car hobby.

[peezduk]

1981, First car. 55 Ford F100

[M1842]

My first antique car purchase was in 1990, a 51 Chevy Fleetline Special. I always liked the GM postwar fastback.

 

 

 

[MercMontMars]

My 1968 Mercury Montego MX Convertible. I bought it and drove it home all the way from Miami FL to Sarasota FL. Didn’t know anything about cars at the time.. when I got home the alternator had worked itself almost completely loose and the carburetor was all out of wack. Had to find that perfect “spot” in the pedal to maintain 60-65~ mph and if I tried to go any faster she’d backfire like an antique musket and threaten to stall out. Got her home and learned a thing or two, put probably 5,000 miles on her before pulling the engine to do some major improvements. Gonna be getting her motor back from the machine shop by the end of this month. The neighborhood is going to cry seeing that big red monster in my driveway again.. but I don't mind. Never getting rid of this one. This is a car that I love and she has loved me back.

 

Decided her name should be Sherry after hearing the 4 Seasons “Sherry” on the radio.

 

Edited January 23 by MercMontMars (see edit history)