RW> Andrew and I went into San Antonio this morning to visit Harbor Freight,
RW> an import tool store. On the way back, we stopped at a place that takes
RW> old cars and rebuilds them, then asks thousands more for them than
RW> they're
RW> worth. The new-looking 1968 Camaro RS/SS-396, 4spd coupe identical to
RW> mine
RW> back in 1968 was priced at 10 times what I paid for mine. All I had to do
RW> was cover one zero with my hand and the price was magically tranformed
RW> to 'like new' in 1968 at $4350 ($43500)...

We have a Harbor Freight here, too.  I typically buy all my tools at Sears.
 I would love to have all the stuff in the tools/hardware section in Sears.
 

Makes you wish you still had your 68 Camaro, I'm sure.  There is a big
collector market for certain cars and they do pull in some big money.  I
watch Mecum Auctions all the time on TV and dream.  

There area some vehicles that you don't need Jay Leno money to buy on that
show.  Mainly the late 70s and 80s vehicles that don't have the big
collectors on the market, yet.  I would have loved to bid on a few of them.

RW> Make sure that you buy a southerun car, one that isn't from Florida and
RW> no where near the Gulf coast. Texas cars, if they're found before the sun
RW> bakes the paint off of them are OK, but you'll find a lot of surface rust
RW> that has to be removed before you can paint it. Lots of dead roadhogs and
RW> former muscle cars sitting along side of barns, garages and in fields
RW> here.

What I have noticed is the cars that look good and run good - even with
really high miles, they are high priced.  I saw a 2004 Monte Carlo SS with
189k on it for $4000-$5000.  I then saw one that the body was fine, but the
motor was blown that was listed for $1500.  

I would rather get the $1500 one - and have a new motor for around the same
price when it was complete.

RW> 8^) They come in handy for hauling stuff, towing stuff and seeing over
RW> ordinary automobiles in heavy traffic...

That is exactly why we are planning on keeping the Durango even after my
wife gets another vehicle at some point.

RW> Nope. Texas requires a 'safety inspection' every year. The GMC was
RW> recently registered and inspected and is good until March of 2013, so
RW> won't need an inspection until then. A successfully passed inspection
RW> only
RW> costs $14, and you're allowed to take it home and do any needed repairs
RW> yourself if you want to and there is no charge for a re-inspection.
RW> 
RW> When I did my own pre-inspection of the Z28 in April, I found that it
RW> needed a new windshield wiper to pass, so I bought one and put it on
RW> myself. Tires (plenty of tread from low mileage) were good from being
RW> stored in the garage, all lights and horn worked fine, so it was good to
RW> go.

It has been awhile since I bought anything used that needed to be
inspected, but I do believe you can do the repairs yourself.  Most people
don't. Typically they hit you for headlight allignments, windshield dings,
and things like that. 

I would imagine that if I took my car tommorrow to a place that was very
anal, they would fail it - since it has a very small window ding in the
corner.

We only have to get a car inspected when it changes hands to someone not in
the family.  After that, you can drive it forever with no inspection -
other than our every other year emissions test.  Basically, that is a
"check engine light" test.  Provided you don't have that light on
and you have an exhaust system, you will pass.

Years ago, my brother bought a 69 Chevelle that he was going to restore. 
He took it to a friend that did the inspection, since it would have never
passed since it had a hole in the floor from where he was going to move the
shifter. He got it passed..  Only problem was, when you smoked the tires -
all the rubber fumes came back into the car.  Couldn't have the windows
rolled up when you did that.  :)

- Mark

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