VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 1954 210 - Buying first vintage car!

Hello all, I'm new here and this is my forst post on the VCCA forums. (I hope this is the correct section of forums)
I'm completely uneducated in the world of vintage cars, however have been absolutely gaga over a 1954 Chevy 210 I saw a few months back.

I'm going to look at the car for the second time in person, and was hoping some of you seasoned vintage car vets could give me some pointers on what to look for. I know nothing about cars in general, let alone this particular one. All I'm looking for is a driver. Something to have fun in during the summertime. If I can purchase something with potential resale value, even better, but I don't believe "matching parts" is what I'm after.

All I know about this car: It has some cosmetic problems (needs new door panels inside, new ceiling liner, new white walls, etc). It has roughly 38k miles. I'm told it drives fine, although the last time I went to look at it there was 4ft of snow on the ground, so I didn't test drive it. The seller is asking $4500 for it. In my short search, this price seems to be a few $1000 less than most other competitive cars, could this be due to the cosmetic problems and possibly unmatching parts?

I'm going on Saturday AM to look at it, and again, any suggestions for questions I should ask, or specific things I should be looking at/for would be GREATLY appreciated.

Welcome to VCCA.

Being that your level of expertise is in its early stages, you may want to consider taking a seasoned car guy with you to inspect the car, or hiring an appraiser type individual to point out the good and the bad.

To have a car for a driver is good, but it will take ongoing maintenance and upkeep to maintain that driver status. Be certain you are prepared for that ongoing commitment. Much more involved with an antique car, than a modern day car.

Do you have an individual in mind, who will be your "antique car" technician, as the needs arise ?

There are very good "old car" techs out there, and then there are the others.

Keep in mind, not all technicians choose to work on antique cars.

"Unmatching parts' is not a phrase that is used, for all cars now have parts on them that were not factory equipment, just due to the ages of the vehicle.

You may be referring to a "matching numbers" car, where the vehicle serial number, or part of it, is stamped on other major components, of the vehicle. "Matching numbers" is a term overly used, especially when watching auto auctions on the TV.

This process of "matching numbers" did not begin with Chevrolet, until the 1960's.

In your case, with the 1954, it would be good to know the engine, transmission and rear end assembly are either original to the vehicle or are from the era of the 1954.

One word of caution ...... be CERTAIN the title reflects the numbers that are on the car. The serial number is located on a rectangular tag, which is mounted onto the left door pillar post, near windshield area .... OR the title may show the engine number on the title.

If the vehicle is the correct 6 cylinder for the vehicle, the STAMPING of the engine number is located on a flat surfaced area, near the base of the distributor.

If you purchase this vehicle, be certain to purchase a GM 1949 to 1953 service manual, with the 1954 supplement. These manuals, in reprint form, are available from several "old car parts suppliers", which are online. We can supply those names to you. This manual will be your bible, your source of information and reference, as you and your 1954 become lifelong friends.

One final word, do NOT buy, based on emotion. That mindset will come back to haunt you ..... and your wallet.

Questions ? Ask as they come into your mind.

Good luck.

DW,

First thing I would advise is to look around some more. This one sounds like a rough one for the money. I think you can do better. Besides it's a lowly 210. Go for a Belair, at least.

If you insist on ignoring my sound advice these are some things to look for:

Check that the speedometer hasn't rolled over a few times.

Check the engine's oil, water, brake fluid level, etc.

Look at the radiator and determine its condition. Does it appear to be leaking or is it clean.

Check tire wear. Especially the front ones.

Check the gas tank for rust.

By all means drive it. Check acceleration, stopping, and noise.

Check spare.

Check that all gages work. Radio working.

Check glass, all around.

Check brake and, if equipped, the clutch pedal for action and wear.

Some other will likely join and offer other tips for your consideration.

Remember that you are probably excited to get an old car to drive around. Don't be too hasty. There are many of them out there and some are really good bargains. To restore the 210 will cost as much to do as a Belair. The Belair will be much more valuable and desirable.

I recommend you sell the house and buy a 41 Special Deluxe Coupe. You can live in it and people will think you have upgraded your abode.

Good luck. Low ball (1.5K max) the owner of the 210 and then walk away if he doesn't want to take your offer. He will call you before you get home.

Charlie

Welcome to the VCCA Chat. As you are new you may not know about Charlie. He is a big kidder, so take alot of what he says with a grain of salt. I do like reading his posts tho.

First tip… only listen to 3/4ths of what Charlie says. The quarter you shouldn't listen to is any thing about '41's!


First and foremost, there are two areas that I would look at for a newbie like yourself.

1). Does it run, drive, and will it pass a safety. If it's your first leap into old cars and you want to enjoy one this summer, make sure it is drivable so that you don't have it up on blocks waiting for parts and cash to throw at it.

2). How much rust does it have in it. Check the floor pans, rockers, lower doors and frame for signs of rust or previous repairs. $4500 is a great price if it is a solid rust free car, but horrible if it needs new floors or panel repairs. Resale value depends on it as well. Check to make sure the paint isn't hiding serious Bondo bodywork.

Here's an example of what you don't want to find…

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/336243/Re:_1950_Rocker_Panel_Installa#Post336243

All of the other stuff, like incorrect parts, chrome trim, and interior can be fixed as you're driving and having fun with it. If you buy a solid car to start with you can always make the decision to body-off restore it later, or sell it and get good value for it. To see the process of restoring it, check out a couple of threads in the 1949-1954 section of cars currently being body-off restored. Realize that they have been off the road for several years now, and a boat load of cash has been sunk into them…

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/290948/My_1951_Deluxe_Sedan_Restorati#Post290948

https://vccachat.org/ubbthreads.php/topics/308551/Starting_a_Restoration#Post308551

Bruce,

The term "boat load of cash" was only a meaningless phrase, until the commitment to restore a car became a reality.

NOW that term is very meaningful.

....and it my case it was one of those big ones which carry hundreds of containers. One factor a lot of people don't take into consideration is shipping. I have receipts for over $3000. Go figure..

The dollars add up quickly. I spent 6 weeks or so, looking for the "right shipper", with the "right price".

All part of this great hobby, but one needs to be mindful of money being spent.

Quality is important, as is the price.

The happy combo of the two makes for less headaches.

Interior and tires are relative fix. Money can fix almost anything. If you have a good car mechanic available take him or her with you to look at the car.

DWinters;

Saturday A.M. has passed us by, it's now Thursday, 4/23/15.

We would like to know what happened when you inspected this 1954 car last Saturday.