The Maserati Ghibli 4.7, the Ferrari Dino 246 GT, and the Shelby 427 Cobra are all beautiful machines from the sixties. Those of us who remember those days, or perhaps remember film stars driving these beauties back in the day, likely miss the classics. There’s a charm about them which is missing in the modern world of motor vehicles.
Now, whilst you probably can’t afford to buy every car on that list above, and that definitely would be the ideal option, you’ve probably always wanted to own at least one vintage vehicle in your life. Perhaps you’re driven by a sense of nostalgia, or perhaps you just appreciate the beauty of old cars with which newer models from newer manufacturers just can’t compete. Whatever the case, here are some tips to help you on your way to becoming a classic car owner.
Take the plunge
The first step is to buy the car. I’m sure you don’t need that to be explained to you, but you might need a motivational push to just take a deep breath and plunge into the purchase you’ve been putting off for all these years. Classic cars are disappearing off the roads, so it’s your duty to stop that from happening if anything. The fact that there are so few of these old classics out there means that you’ll make even more of an impact in the modern age on the road in a vintage vehicle.
Correct storage
All cars rust and decay over time, so it’s sensible to store even a modern vehicle in sensible conditions. However, this becomes even more crucial when talking about the classics. You need a storage facility which is free from damp, so you’ll have to ensure that your garage passes the test if that’s where you plan on keeping your vehicle. The metal coating of your car can be tarnished or even corroded by poor conditions, so you should protect it with your life. You likely don’t need to be told to do that if you’re a lover of all things vintage.
Safety
We’ve talked about how to keep your car safe when it comes to correct storage, but something that’s certainly far more important is the need to keep you and any passengers safe in your classic vehicle. With old-timers such as the Aston Martin DB5 or the Jaguar E-Type, you might feel like an international spy behind the wheel of these ancient beasts, but the key thing to remember here is that these cars are ancient. You’ll need to check into an MOT garage regularly to ensure that your machine is road-worthy. The classics may be fun to drive, but you also need to check that they’re safe to drive at such an old age.
Use it regularly
Above all else, the best way to keep your classic car in good shape is to drive it regularly. The perfect excuse to take it out for a spin every weekend or every evening is to remind yourself that you’re doing the car a service by keeping the machinery in top functioning condition. You didn’t really need to be told to do this, but now you have an excuse when your family and friends are sick of you always driving around in your classic.