AUTO'94
INTRODUCING
THE NEW 1994
GALANT
Classic Cars
Are Collectibles
24 Month
1994
3000 GT
These Aston Martin Volantes are among the rarest and most
expensive vintage cars in the world.
NEW '94
*zakliaae:AWiWiatilr—Va ik otWit.
DIAMANTE
*Plus tax, title and destination. Rebates included. '24 Mo. or 42 Mo. closed-end lease to qualified buyers. All rebates included. Lease payments and sec. dep. of $500 Down on
Galant, S1,500 down on Diamante and 3000GT, 45,000 miles limitation on 42 mo. lease. 15¢ per mile for excess mileage. Lessee has no obligation to purchase vehicle at lease
end. Buyer has option to purchase at lease end for amount determined at lease inception. To get total payments, multiply by 24 or 42.
353.0910 #1 Dealer
TH • F
&rib 1 TS APHIS
f,
THILD
solu E
JUST NORTH OF 12 MILE SOUTHFIELD
GRB ROAD, IS°UM
2931011 ELEU
A
1-800-60 MITSU
0\c'f . ' "\
" ULTRA SAVING S"
ON THE NEW '94
BUICK PARK AVENUE SEDAN
Fully LOADED!! ALL OPTIONS!!
NOW
With This Ad
$25495*
I
*Plus tax, title & dest.
Offer ends 1/31/94.
Al2
TROY
MOTOR MALL
643-7660
I
f you've ever pictured your-
. self idling away the hours
at the wheel of a vintage
auto, never have there
been more resources for help-
ing classic connoisseurs find,
restore, or build from scratch a
collectible dream machine.
For now, simply don your
cloth cap, scarf and driving
gloves and settle in for some ad-
vice on making the collectible
circuit — whether you want to
purchase a vintage cream puff,
restore an old family auto or
build a kit car from scratch.
Experts suggest beginning
your search for a vintage dream
by determining just how far you
want to travel in your quest to
locate the perfect car, ranging
from several hundred miles to
a nationwide search.
Then, regularly peruse clas-
sified ads in local newspapers,
weekly "trader" tabloids and
"swap 'n' sell" publications that
serve that area—and follow up
on every lead.
Subscribe to magazines such
as Hemmings Motor News, Car
Collector, Robb Report and
Cars and Prices.
Check out vintage and col-
lectible car auctions and deal-
ers with showrooms, but be
aware that such avenues gen-
erally expect to get top dollar
for their cars.
Perhaps the best sources are
car clubs and independent re-
pair shops. Car club members
often have—or at least know
of—cars for sale. And propri-
etors of repair shops often know
of customers with cars for sale.
While some people seek the
perfect machine ready-made,
others find joy in taking an old
car—perhaps rusted and worn,
perhaps mechanically defective
or in need of body work—and
rebuilding it.
When looking for an old car
to become a collectible, keep in
mind that, according to experts,
engine repair generally costs
less than body work.
In repairing older cars, me-
chanics with basic tools and
knowledge can fix and tune
most machines made before the
days of computerized compo-
nents. New-car parts can be
used for some restoration work,
but generally aficionados pre-
fer to rely on the burgeoning
restoration industry for parts
whenever possible.
The more popular the car,
the better your choice of find-
ing authentic parts through
firms, auto junk yards or col-
lectible magazine advertise-
ments.
There is also an entire in-
dustry that provides specialty
reproduction parts that adhere
to the codes of original auto
work—such as fenders, chrome,
exterior paint finishes, interi-
ors and suspensions.
If a high-scale restoration is
beyond the capabilities of your-
self or a local mechanic, seek
out one of a growing number of
restoration firms or car-club en-
trepreneurs who will spill up to
your specs an auto inside and
out.
There are also scores of com-
panies dedicated to using fiber-
glass-body kits to build
neo-classics from scratch—in-
cluding the likes of Mercedes-
Benz replicas, MG two-seaters
and Cobra roadsters.
With kit cars, fiberglass
shapes are filled with a mo-
torist's parts of choice, from sus-
pension and base to brakes and
engine. Some collectors at-
tempt by-the-book replicas, oth-
ers seek customized changes,
like more comfort or power
than the original auto.
Most kit-car assembly pro-
jects require significant me-