Category: Car

Deciding what to do with a basketcase car is one of the toughest decisions for people who’ve already invested time, money, and love into their classic car restorations. At the same time, there are plenty of vintage car veterans who are always ready to finish a difficult project. Whether you want to put the final touches on a half-finished car or you just can’t find the time to complete your own, you need to know how to save yourself time, frustration, and money. Here are a few things to consider before you buy, finish, or sell a basketcase car.

When You Want to Buy a Basketcase

Restoring a basketcase can be a challenging but rewarding experience. However, there are often good reasons why other enthusiasts are eager to get their incomplete hotrods and muscle cars off their hands. Before you invest in an old project, you’ll need to make these important considerations:

*Safety comes first. If the car you’re considering doesn’t even have breaks, an engine, or a steering wheel yet, then you may not have much to worry about. Otherwise, you should test the car in a safe, empty area. You need to make sure the owner is being honest about the car’s reliability and safety – or lack thereof.

*Check the frame and body. Cars that look like they’re on their last legs can sometimes be restored to their previous luster – but only if they still have solid foundations. If a classic car’s frame and body are in decent shape, then there’s good chance you’ll be able to make some headway on its restoration. If not, you’re looking at a bottomless money pit.

*Look for cover-ups. Some restorers and shops will cover large patches of rust and even holes with sheet metal. They don’t always do so maliciously, but unnoticed rust is extremely dangerous. It’s especially important to check for defects in places where larger parts have been replaced.

Sourcing Your Parts

When you’re restoring a barely-finished basketcase, you’ll need to find the best places to get your parts. If a previous owner didn’t get the project finished, it may have been because the necessary components were hard to find, too expensive, or both. Before you even make the purchase, it’s important that you find out how you’re going to get what you need – and what it’s all going to cost.

Once you’ve figured out what parts are necessary, you can check the online inventories of specialty shops across the country. There are also junkyards full of classic cars with parts for the taking, though you’ll need to go in person to see what’s available. Ultimately, you’re going to incur the greatest costs if you need foreign parts or shipping for large items.

When to Call it Quits

Even if you’ve lovingly labored over a classic car for years, there may come a time when you have to move on. A project will sometimes seem too good to be true when you first start – yet it becomes nothing but a financial drain further down the road. Your priorities and interests might also change, leaving you with an immobile heap in your garage or driveway.

Whatever the case may be, you can still get back some of your hard-earned money. Contact a professional classic car restorer now and inquire if they purchase or are interested in purchasing a basketcase project from you.

Car valeting means, mainly, the job of cleaning and polishing both the inside and the outside of cars. Private car owners as well as garages and car rental companies are the most common clients of car valets.

While the chief business is cleaning, a car valet is required to have great marketing skills too. A car valet should talk about the details with a customer, and offer his recommendations, before he begins work. He should examine the car thoroughly after finishing.

A car valet needs to look at the windscreen, the bodywork and the paintwork, and the wheels and tyres. Small parts such as mud flaps might need to be changed. Inside, the engine as well as the windows and the upholstery require cleaning.

If you want to join car valeting, you can be self-employed or work with a company. It’s possible to work part-time as well as full-time. To be a mobile car valet you will need to possess your own car and driving license along with the required equipment to carry.

You need to learn how to use your tools well. You need to know something about the different kinds of paint used on cars. How to cleanse a car and with which cleaning product depends on this. Several chemicals used in the cleaning compounds are poisonous. So be attentive of safety issues and use protective gear when necessary.

It takes around three hours to spruce up a car. The work is fatiguing. Your strength level should be high and you should be available to work outdoors in the heat or rain. Good focus and attention to detail are important. You shouldn’t miss the smallest speck of mud or the littlest scratch. So is communication skill. You need to work out what your client’s requirements are and provide him all the advice you can.

It is not essential for you to have a formal certificate in order to get a job as a car valet. However, if you think you could do with some training, then you could sign up for an apprentice course. Such courses are available at different levels. Much the best training, though, can be got from watching and learning from proficient car valets at work.

How much money you earn will depend on many factors. Salaries fluctuate country-wise. The demand for car valeting in your business area, how many hours you put in, whether you are self-employed or work for a company, and last but not least your experience- all these are key factors. But wherever and however you are positioned, don’t join the profession if cars do not charm you.