Restoring Classics
It's funny, I was never into cars growing up, never learned how to work on them, and didn't even own a car until my early twenties. Then in midlife, I became fascinated with classic cars, appreciating their beautiful design and sturdy construction. I finally pulled the trigger and bought a couple of classics, a '63 Buick Riviera and a '70 Lincoln Continental Mark III. I had them restored by a pro shop and enjoyed driving them immensely.
Then the big mortgage/real estate crash of 2008 came along and, being heavily vested in real estate, I needed cash and was forced to sell both cars at a loss. The financial hit I took was partly because of the recession, but mainly because I was inexperienced and overpaid for the cars. I was also not very knowledgeable about the cost to restore classics, which can get very expensive.
My financial loss inspired me to really dig in and learn the trade. I begin studying classic car auctions and car-building shows on TV, and there are tons of them. As the economy and my knowledge improved, I begin buying affordable classics that I thought were sleepers (undervalued), betting they would rise in value when the larger market eventually discovered them. There's a whole art/science to correctly picking sleepers, one of the fun challenges I love about creative car investing.
I focused on acquiring luxury classics like Cadillacs and Lincolns and Buick Rivieras, instead of hotrods and muscle cars, because the big cruisers were usually less expensive to acquire. They were usually owned by older folks who put on fewer miles and kept them in excellent shape. That made my resto-refresh process much easier, and over time I put together an excellent team, all independents with their own shops to complete all the work. I focused on American cars that had lived mainly the southwest, after seeing what rust does to cars in other parts of the country.
Well, I started this retirement hustle on a whim twelve years ago and at the time of this writing, I just started my 99th car restoration. I can't believe how busy and fun it's been, and I've met interesting folks from all over along the way. And let me say, despite all the negative stories you hear about the car world, 95% of everyone I've interacted with has been absolutely honest and friendly. Market gossip and inaccurate social media stories blow everything out of proportion. It seems some folks just get a rush talking negative about others. But not my community!
Visit my site: Crawdaddy Classic Cars
Meanwhile, here are a few examples . . .
1968 Buick Riviera
A one-owner, 1968 Buick Riviera with only 44k miles I found in Oregon on the dry side of Cascade mountains. The original owner maintained the car meticulously and saved all the car's documentation, such as original dealer paperwork, manuals, glossy Riviera brochures, and all forty annual registration slips since 1968. He also kept a little hand-written notebook with every service/repair visit documented in great detail. Provenance greatly increases a car's value and collectors will pay extra.
That is the original factory Scarlet Red paint you see in the photos, and interior the was also like new. I took the car through a refresh process, and later sold it to an investor in Belgium. Luckily, I found an experienced overseas car shipper right here in Phoenix who ships classics all over the world, who became part of my team. Like any field of work you go into, the classic car business is a continual learning process.
* * *
1974 Lincoln Continental Mark IV
This beauty began life in south Florida, and I purchased it from the elderly second owner in Scottsdale. 27k original miles. It looked pretty good when I got it, and here's how she looked after my resto-refresh, including new correct wire wheel covers, white sidewall tires, and white vinyl top to match. The car was definitely reflective of the 70s disco era with its mustard paint, leather, and plush carpet.
The 1974 Lincoln Continental Mark IV was a heavy luxury coupe powered by a 7.5-liter (460 cu in) V8 engine producing 220 horsepower and 355 ft. lbs. of torque. It featured a 3-speed automatic transmission and could do 0-60 in 10.8 seconds. The car was exactly 19 feet long and tipped the scales a 5362 lbs.
* * *
1999 GMC Yukon SLT
1990's full size trucks and SUV's are now rising in value. I found this example with only 83k miles near Palm Springs in the California desert. It was mechanically strong but cosmetically lacking, so I did a pretty thorough resto including new leather front seats, fresh paint (body was straight), new custom wheel tire package, lowered suspension, full undercarriage detail. At the time of this writing I still own it and drive it regularly.
The 5.7L Vortec V8 engine produces 255 horsepower and 330 ft. lbs. of torque. Paired with a 4-speed automatic transmission, it has a towing capacity of up to 7,000 lbs. These are very reliable drivetrains and can easily run 300k miles if you don't do too much heavy towing.
I have restored eight Yukons and Tahoes from this era. They are just now becoming collectable and investors are moving in.
* * *
1968 Chevrolet Impala SS 427
This full size muscle legend was purchased new by the original owner from Brown & Hoye Chevrolet in Mesa, AZ. The second owner, also in Mesa, did a lot of mechanical work including an engine and transmission rebuild, mild cam, headers, racing suspension, and some other goodies, bringing its stock 385 hp to 425hp. I bought the car from him and took it next level with new body/paint, super polished chrome trim, American Racing wheel & tire package, re-uphlostered seats, and a complete undercarriage restoration. I enjoyed this fierce beast for a few months and then sold to an investor in Michigan.
Because it was a heavy car, the '68 Impala was known as a bruiser/cruiser wrapped into one. Only 1,778 of these special vehicles were built in 1968, making them highly collectible today.
* * *
Here are a couple of videos I made for some SUV's I restored. I had fun creating all the music as well, in my other job composing for film/TV . . .