# Thinking of buying a 70 GTO but I need schooling



## Machinist (Oct 13, 2018)

Hi all,
Recently I have saved up enough money to afford to buy something. One of the many things that came to mind was to get a new car. So for a couple months I have been browsing the internet at cars from a new Mustangs or a GM muscle car. I don't really like the new Mustangs but their easy to buy and you know exactly what your getting. I really would rather own an old muscle car but their a great distance away from me to go look at and I am not experienced or knowledgeable about what to look for so I know what condition the car is in and what it is worth. I am not looking for a show car but just a Sunday driver that I can take to car shows. So I don't care if the numbers match or the color is original. I just want a solid car that has never had major rust damage and never been wreaked. 
I have found a few 70 GTO's I like but I'm not sure how to proceed. I can't travel 100's of miles just to find out it was not as advertised. 
Is the old muscle cars market something that should only be played by wealthy collectors? I mean are they only for museums or do people drive them like normal fun. Back in the late 70's early 80's I owned a few muscle cars but I was 20 years old and a poor dumb kid that couldn't afford keep them. Now 40 years later I start thinking of buying one only to find out very few were good cars before they were restored. 
Is it possible for me to hire someone to either help me buy one or find one for me without charging me more than I could afford? Or is this something I can do myself because I have wrenched a lot on my previous Chevelle's.


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

I've seen "places" on the net that advertise providing a "car check out service" for folks in your situation. I have no direct experience with one so keep that in mind. Personally, I do not believe that the muscle car hobby is just for old rich guys --- I'm olde, but I'm a darn long ways from "rich". I wouldn't recommend having one as a daily driver that you have to depend on for most people, but other than that there's no reason to hesitate in my opinion. The 'daily driver' thing is an acknowledgment to the fact that most folks including me like to warm these cars up significantly from their factory state, and l have to admit that does have an effect on reliability, plus when they do "go down" for some reason it tends to take longer to get them up again just from simple parts availability if nothing else. 

One thing to consider is insurance. Covering one of these cars is a little different. I recommend getting some sort of classic car coverage that allows you to specify the valuation as opposed to being subject to what some disinterested adjuster "thinks" your car is worth in the event something bad happens. Some of these policies have restrictions on how much and under what conditions you are "allowed" to drive your car so be careful. I personally have my GTO covered through Hagerty. I have no restrictions on where or how much I can drive it, there's a 'rider' on it that will provide long distance towing coverage if I need it, and there's no hassle over value. Several years back I had an engine fire in this car that was emotionally devastating in addition to the damage it did to the car --- and the way they handled the whole incident, with caring and absolutely ZERO friction or conflict, made me their customer for life. There are probably other companies that will take similar care of people.

Bear


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## Machinist (Oct 13, 2018)

No it won't be a daily driver just a pleasure driver. It's more a time capsule for me to go back and have the muscle car I always wanted but was too young dumb & poor to achieve.

glad you mentioned insurance and the different coverage and all. Good information to know for sure thanks. I should find an insurance Co before I go out and buy a car.

I've seen engine fires burn the whole car up. VW beetle engines are made of magnesium and can't be put out with Co2, they just sit and watch the whole beetle bake. Sorry it had to happen to you cause it feels as bad as wreaking your car.


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## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

You might be a candidate for an 05-06 GTO. Have you looked at those at all? I have both a newer 05 and older 68 and each has it's own reasons for enjoyment. Over the years I have owned several different models

I have to admit....the 05 GTO ranks right up there among the most enjoyable cars I have ever owned. There are folks that prefer the classic GTOs and really don't care for the newer versions but I like them both. The 05-06 comes with the LS2 engine and some performance upgrades compared to the 04 model. If you are a car guy, there are a lot of interesting and fun things about these later models.

1970 is cool as well. Just tossing out some alternate ideas for your consideration.

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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

Machinist said:


> No it won't be a daily driver just a pleasure driver. It's more a time capsule for me to go back and have the muscle car I always wanted but was too young dumb & poor to achieve.
> 
> glad you mentioned insurance and the different coverage and all. Good information to know for sure thanks. I should find an insurance Co before I go out and buy a car.


Sounds like a plan! You might just do some general research into companies available to you and compare features, restrictions, coverage, etc. an see if one seems to fit. Most won't cover you until you have a specific car so there won't be a lot you can do in detail. You'll notice I didn't mention price or cost. This kind of insurance is not something you should buy based on price. This is something you buy for when you actually need it and hope to goodness that you never do. Where the rubber meets the road so to speak is how well they treat you if you ever DO need them. That's all that matters, and it's why like I said, I'll be with Hagerty forever.

I've since repaired nearly all the aftermath of that fire. There's still a couple small places in the hood where the paint is slightly bubbled, and you can see some slight warpage if you get it in just the right angle, but it's not horrible. I might go ahead and fix that over this winter - maybe. I'm in Texas near Fort Worth so I can drive it pretty much year 'round though, and I did just finish a fresh engine build so.... who knows?





 

Bear


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## bigD (Jul 21, 2016)

To me, this is a very interesting thread. Makes me think of what I'd do if in the same situation. 

My favorite car is a '69 GTO. The only new car I've ever bought was a '69 RA3 4-speed GTO, and I loved it. 

But, what would I buy now ? For me, or anybody else looking to own a GTO, I suppose the 1st thing to consider is exactly which year body style you like the best. For me, that happens to be a '69 1st, followed by a '65. But, opinions differ. 

Since this car, nor one I'd buy, would have to be numbers matching, or anything even close, that opens up the options quite a bit. For example: I like the torque of a 455 or similar size Pontiac engine. Well, neither a '65 nor a '69 came with a 455 engine. But, in this case, that don't matter. You can buy either one today, with the bigger engine, if you don't require numbers matching or period correct. Or, you can buy one with a smaller engine & swap in a bigger engine, keeping the smaller one for possible future use or sale, with the car. 

For me, price would be a big concern. Many, if not most nice real GTO's are, to me, WAY overpriced. 

Therefore, I'd probably look for a Tempest or Lemans, rather than a real GTO. There are lots of real nice clones out there. Hey, I like many of the non-GTO A-bodies just fine. And, they can run & drive just as good, when properly equipped. I especially like the looks of the '71-'72 Lemans & T-37. 

I also like the looks of the rear deck Judge wings, on the '69-'72 A-bodies. Some don't. Color is a big thing to me. Obviously, any car can be painted some other color. BUT, at today's prices, a good quality paint job can cost many thousands of dollars. So, color & paint quality has to be a consideration, when car shopping. 

With all this in mind, if I had unlimited funds, I'd look for or have built a Black '69 Judge. Wouldn't have to be a real GTO, just a good clone. But I'd want a good 455+ engine, probably with Edelbrock alum D-port heads, an original 455HO alum intake, a correctly built 800 cfm Q-jet, & a 4-speed Muncie, with a Hurst shifter & T-handle. I'd want a good aftermarket 12-bolt rear, with 3.55 gears. 

And, since I'd have unlimited funds, I'd also have a Silver '65 GTO clone, with the same engine, trans, & rear. And, since I love bracket racing, I'd have a Pontiac bracket car set up like I want it, plus a real nice dually truck & alum trailer. But hey, enuff(too much) about me.

Hope some of this will give you some idea to help you decide on what kind of Pontiac YOU want. 

Just for kicks, it might help some of the guys here to know what your max budget is for this car. A $25k car & a $50k car can be worlds apart. And there are lots of GTO's advertised for well over $50k. But, in some cases, you'd be paying mostly for the numbers matching, and originality, which doesn't sound like what you're lookin for. 

Anyhow, good luck. Hope you find a good deal on exactly the car you want ! :smile3:


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## bigD (Jul 21, 2016)

21'st century GTO's were mentioned. 

I'm an old school Pontiac freak. To me, the last Pontiac engine was a 301, & the last decent Pontiac engine was a '79 400. 

I'd much prefer a 455 powered X-body '74 GTO, to a late model.

But, if you wanna save lots of money, you can go with '82-up Chevy powered stuff. There were some nice lookin 3rd gen Birds. And some of the 4th gens look real good. You can have a real nice late model Pontiac for 1/2 the price of a real nice REAL '64-'72 GTO, and in many cases you can save a lot more than 1/2. 

But, then you won't have a '60's -'70's era Pontiac powered Musclecar. :frown3:


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

A 1970 GTO is a classic year, desired by many. Do your homework and buy the best car you can. You are better off with a western car or southern car that has never been restored, and has always been a 'driver',IMO. It will be a more 'honest' car, without covered up rust or flaws, or shortcut restoration hacks. It is very expensive to restore one of these cars properly, upwards of 60 grand, so you are better off buying a 'survivor' type car for less than half that, or a PROPERLY restored car with DOCUMENTATION. There is an original paint '70 here in town, original owner, with a 4 speed. Car is in solid #3 shape, and is daily driven. Not for sale, but they are out there. I recently (well, 2 years ago) missed the boat on a very clean original loaded '68 GTO that was a one owner car that sold for 12k. You never know. Again, buy the best car you can, and if in doubt, get it inspected by a pro. Money well spent. I have two GTO's, a '65 and a '67, and have driven them for the past 35+ years. They've never been restored. I just got back from a 700 mile weekend trip in the '67. Living the dream!


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## Machinist (Oct 13, 2018)

thanks for the reply post guys, I've just started my research into buying a 1970 GTO and this being the 1st & only forum I feel like I'm making good progress. Which gives me hope that I can make it happen.

To be more specific I have a cash in hand budget of $50K. But I would be willing to do 60K if the car is really great or a solid frame & body that needs restoring. And I am looking for a 70 GTO with Muncie in white, red, silver/gray or blue. I like the 69 GTO's and Chevelle's too. But to be honest with you guys there's a hole in my heart where a 70 GTO once was but I'm sure a 69 would close it up. It don't need to be numbers matching or a winning show car, just needs to be rust & crash free, and a real GTO. The one I use to own was a white Judge.

BTW that video BearGFR really gave me a kick, felt 10 years younger. Awesome that it's recent, meaning it's live now not a long time ago.

I think it's truly amazing when like somebody has owned a car for 30+ years and has kept real good care of it, kudos for being able to not sell it for profit. true dedication and love there gotta respect that.

It'd be real easy for me to go to the dealer and buy a new Mustang GT 350. It so simple compared to finding a good 50 year old muscle car. But its not what I really long for. It doesn't fit my personality , I just never evolved past year 2000. Instead I got stuck. And I'm not alone I have meet other people. For some reason I felt the need to share that. (its been on my mind).


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## BearGFR (Aug 25, 2008)

For that much money you should be able to get a really nice car. You might consider joining up with the GTOAA (GTO Association of America) - just to start getting the monthly newsletter, The Legend. In the back there's a classified section and there are always cars for sale. - Nice ones too.

https://www.gtoaa.org/

Bear


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## tflemin (Sep 5, 2017)

*Iso gto*

I may have a car that would interest you. would you consider a 1972 WW5 4 speed?


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## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

This looks like it could be a fun car. A fresh interior could help but it appears solid otherwise...

This is in the Tucson area.

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/wvl/cto/d/1969-pontiac-gto/6722587919.htm


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## 1968gto421 (Mar 28, 2014)

BearGFR said:


> For that much money you should be able to get a really nice car. You might consider joining up with the GTOAA (GTO Association of America) - just to start getting the monthly newsletter, The Legend. In the back there's a classified section and there are always cars for sale. - Nice ones too.
> 
> https://www.gtoaa.org/
> 
> Bear


I agree with Bear. As a member of the GTOAA their Legend magazine is great with a good ad section. Also there are guys who advertise in this forum: 

https://www.gtoforum.com/f13/

And on the PY forum:

61-77 GTO LeMans & Tempests FOR SALE - PY Online Forums

I belong to both this forum (my fav) and to the PY forum: 

Pontiac - Street - PY Online Forums (This is the street tech modify/repair forum)

And this is the model specific forum (for your "70):

70-72 GTO Tempest & LeMans TECH - PY Online Forums

Hope we're not overwhelming you with all this but being well informed is always helpful and the folks here are great at being helpful---don't hesitate to ask.:thumbsup:


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## Machinist (Oct 13, 2018)

1968gto421 said:


> Hope we're not overwhelming you with all this but being well informed is always helpful and the folks here are great at being helpful---don't hesitate to ask.:thumbsup:



No your not overwhelming me, in fact i'm interested. Eventually I will understand how to know what to look for in a good car. So then I can make a smart purchase. I didn't consider getting an old muscle car until just recently, I always thought they were way out of my budget. So now I'm starting off knowing nothing about matching # and restoration. It's gonna be a lot of work I know that much. But I only got 2 cars on my shopping list, a 69 or 70 GTO manual.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Machinist, you appear to be a real car guy, which is a good thing. All of us here are that way...we feel about old musclecars the way we feel about WWII fighter planes....and love the raw, visceral, rough-around-the-edges experience of driving one (or more!) I fell in love with GTO's decades ago, and have owned a bunch. I bought them because I liked them, and at the time, cheap, used, gas-guzzlers. 40 years on, I am enjoying them more than ever. For many, many years, all I HAD were GTO's. To this day, the newest CAR I've ever owned is my '67 GTO. I do have an '05 pickup, though. All of the guys have given you excellent advice. Pontiac people are a much closer, genuine group of people than a lot of 'other' fans, although most of us love ALL high performance and special cars. For your price area, you should be able to buy the very best '70 GTO out there. For half of your price range, you should be able to get a very, very nice car that you can drive for years. The best thing? A 1970 model won't depreciate like a 2018 model. You can drive it and sell it and break even or make a profit, depending on the market. But the REAL reason for owning these cars isn't profit....it's all about driving them. You are on the right track. Don't be in a hurry, ask questions, read all you can, and look around. I'm an early GTO guy, but have to admit, the '68--'72 cars, in stock form, are more modern and are better road cars. 1970 was, in my opinion, the pinnacle year for GM....everything they did was right on the money. Have fun!


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## Arnie (Jul 3, 2010)

I agree with Shake and Bake. My first car was a 65 GTO and I loved the car but wore it out. I longed for another GTO for decades and recently drove several 70's to buy one. However the cars were not very drivable. After much soul searching I bought a 2006 GTO with low mileage. It has leather seats, power everything, disc brakes, 400 hp and a 6 speed. I love this car and get an unbelievable amount of positive comments on it. I am really glad I bought it and use it as my everyday car. Can't recommend it enough.


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## Machinist (Oct 13, 2018)

Arnie said:


> I agree with Shake and Bake. My first car was a 65 GTO and I loved the car but wore it out. I longed for another GTO for decades and recently drove several 70's to buy one. However the cars were not very drivable. After much soul searching I bought a 2006 GTO with low mileage. It has leather seats, power everything, disc brakes, 400 hp and a 6 speed. I love this car and get an unbelievable amount of positive comments on it. I am really glad I bought it and use it as my everyday car. Can't recommend it enough.


What do you mean they were not very drivable?

Yeah I know the newer GTO's are really nice and there's a lot of them for sale and less money that an old GTO. But the idea I had that got me started pursuing, was to own a muscle car to makeup for the 69 SS Chevelle I had that got taken from me in 1977 and the 70 Judge I had that I could not afford to take care of it so I sold it in 1982. Both cars I barely got to drive and I don't even remember what they drove like. I mean there's a night & day difference between the old & new. I want the old raw loud & proud carbureted polluting rude & wild deathtrap on 4 wheels. I owned a 2008 Mustang GT for 9 years, I would have just kept that car instead of buying a 2006 GTO. You can call me names, but the look of the 2004 -2006 GTO's bores me to death. If I do end up buying a post 2000 car it would be the 2019 Bullitt Mustang.


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## Hjudge49 (Feb 25, 2015)

To give you an idea of what some options are, I bought a '71 GTO almost three years ago. It was in Tennessee, fair condition, but engine and tranny both out of the car and neeeding rebuilds. I had the engine and tranny (400, auto) rebuilt in Tennessee, before I ever picked up the car. I paid $12,000 for the car, had the engine totally redone, Edelbrock D port heads, aluminum intake, new Holly carb, custom ground cam. On the dyno it puts out 445 hp. By the time I picked it up, it had a new exhaust, radiator, etc. I replaced the gas tank, total a/c system, all body and suspension bushings, 4 wheel disc brakes and posi. Had it stripped to bare metal, any rust replaced (very little) and repainted. Replaced the interior (changed colors). It's being reassembled now,and I hope to be driving it soon. This was not to restore as a show car, but a dependable fun driver that will scoot and stop. Because of some hiccups (like a shattered harmonic balancer shaft, that required a total tear down) the project is over budget. I have about $35,000 in the car to date. If I had just wanted it to run and drive, I probably could have gotten there for about $18k.


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## Shake-N-Bake (Jun 16, 2015)

Machinist said:


> What do you mean they were not very drivable?
> 
> Yeah I know the newer GTO's are really nice and there's a lot of them for sale and less money that an old GTO. But the idea I had that got me started pursuing, was to own a muscle car to makeup for the 69 SS Chevelle I had that got taken from me in 1977 and the 70 Judge I had that I could not afford to take care of it so I sold it in 1982. Both cars I barely got to drive and I don't even remember what they drove like. I mean there's a night & day difference between the old & new. I want the old raw loud & proud carbureted polluting rude & wild deathtrap on 4 wheels. I owned a 2008 Mustang GT for 9 years, I would have just kept that car instead of buying a 2006 GTO. You can call me names, but the look of the 2004 -2006 GTO's bores me to death. If I do end up buying a post 2000 car it would be the 2019 Bullitt Mustang.


Fair enough...no name calling here. I suggested the 05-06 GTO for the driving experience. A day behind the wheel is the only way to fully understand what they are about. I get that some cars aren't for everyone so that is totally cool. 

I find the styling appealing because it is understated. Then again, I was that guy who wouldn't be caught dead driving a Judge or anything else with graphics or stripes. To this day, I prefer the 'sleeper' look.

Your budget is plenty for what you are hunting for. I would recommend you buy the best example you can afford. Don't get a project or anything that requires assembly. Those cars will almost always cost you more in money and time.

It is a buyers market right now. Be picky.

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## Jared (Apr 19, 2013)

I realize I'm late to the party here, but hope you are still checking this thread and this helps.

I had to have an appraisal on mine a few years back for insurance purposes. I used AAG. They also do pre-purchase inspections. This was a few years back but I seem to remember the service for a car you own was a few hundred dollars with a pre-purchace being around $500. With how high your budget is, $500 is a small price to pay, is cheaper than a plane ticket depending on how far out the car is, and way cheaper than buying a car that is not what you expected it to be. The guy who did my car was very thorough and I received a very realistic evaluation of what I have. I did not have the pre-purchase done and got lucky that the appraised value was really close to what I paid for the car.

As some free advice; if you have $50K to spend, don't settle for a non-matching car. If originality is not important to you, cut the budget in half. There are plenty of really nice cars out there priced under $30K.

I have attached a link for AAG. I hope this helps.

https://www.autoappraisal.com/contact-us.htm


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## Machinist (Oct 13, 2018)

Jared said:


> I realize I'm late to the party here, but hope you are still checking this thread and this helps.
> 
> I had to have an appraisal on mine a few years back for insurance purposes. I used AAG. They also do pre-purchase inspections. This was a few years back but I seem to remember the service for a car you own was a few hundred dollars with a pre-purchace being around $500. With how high your budget is, $500 is a small price to pay, is cheaper than a plane ticket depending on how far out the car is, and way cheaper than buying a car that is not what you expected it to be. The guy who did my car was very thorough and I received a very realistic evaluation of what I have. I did not have the pre-purchase done and got lucky that the appraised value was really close to what I paid for the car.
> 
> ...


Nah your not late, I still haven't pulled out my checkbook. I've been researching info and looking at a lot of cars on the internet and all the time I'm getting smarter. I'm glad I haven't bought a car yet because I'm noticing important things that I never knew before. Got to pay attention to the details, they will uncover flaws. 

I can't physically inspect these cars as their located too far away, which makes buying very difficult. When I call the seller their not much help and they tend to get upset at my questions. If I'm not buying the car I'm wasting their time. 

Your info about having a pre-purchase appraisal done is very useful. I haven't got around to looking into that yet. 
But in using the AAG service, I need to first find a car that I'm certain I want to buy. I've found a dozen I wish I could have. I also think I'm leaning more toward buying a non number matching car. Because I want to be able to drive it without worrying about the wear & tear or worse. And for some reason the people with non matching cars think their worth 40-50K too. I guess eventually someone will pay them what their asking. So I also need to find a down to earth motivated seller. 

Have you seen any really nice 69 or 70 GTO's out there priced under $30K ? that aren't green w/ autos? 
I prefer a 69 or 70 GTO hardtop manual with no major rust repairs. I think the value of them cars is above average. But as long as I can later on sell it for at least what I paid then price doesn't matter.

PS; welcome to the party


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## Jared (Apr 19, 2013)

I see super high prices at car shows all the time. I always figure the owner really doesn't want to sell but would do it for a huge payout. Or they are trying to recoup the amount they spent on it. I bet most on here are into their cars for more than they are worth. I know that I am. 

I hear you on wanting something to drive. I use mine all the time to run errands. I get some strange looks when loading 40 pounds of charcoal brickets into the trunk at Home Depot or bags of groceries at the market. That was the reason went with the LeMans instead of the GTO. I didn't want to worry about leaving it somewhere. I didn't actually have an exact car in mind when I bought but I wanted a lower tier model with a 4 speed. Before I bought the LeMans I was in negotiation on a Buick Special that fit the bill. Problem was the car was way over priced and the owner wouldn't budge enough to make it even close to a fair deal. Glad I ended up with the Pontiac.

It looks like you're going about this the right way. You know what car you want, now you just have to find the right one. Don't rush. It took me a year to find the right car for me. There's one out there with your name on it. You just haven't found it yet. Coming here and asking questions is a great first step. There are a lot of helpful people on here.

Good luck!


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## Bredfan (Feb 20, 2017)

It's fun isn't it? Let the shopping and learning take as much time as it needs - it'll be worth it. Take your time!

I think Jared is spot on. If you don't care about #'s, you really don't need to spend that much. 

Here are a couple other things you can consider...

- If you find a car you're really interested in, call/text/email the guy selling it and have a conversation with him. Make a list of questions and be ready to take notes when he responds - or doesn't. 

- Use this forum and look at stickies for common problems and be sure to ask about them.

- If after your call you're still interested, arrange for a FaceTime call. Get on FaceTime or some other video chat and have him show you the car. Have him turn it over from cold and show you the temp and oil pressure. Listen to the idle at a cold start and have him kick it down. 

- Get lots of new pictures. Have the seller send close ups of the engine from different angles. Look for staining on the intake, oil on around or dripping from front under balancer, and obvious gaps or holes in the exhaust manifold. That is, look for big obvious things - a 50k car (or a 30k car) should be pretty dang clean, so any big issues will likely stand out.

- If the seller can get it up in the air for new pics or FaceTime, that would be GREAT, but I wouldn't count on that. 

- Rust is a big deal and there's not a good way to check for it long distance. Heck, there's not a good way to check for it in person. But do look closely at all the obvious places for signs of rust. Trunk pan, lower quarters, rockers, etc.

All of these things may sound like a big ask of the seller - for fifty grand, if they're not willing to help out, walk away.

I picked up a 68 GTO with a 400 and Hurst His/Her. I paid 22k. The engine is NOT numbers matching - it is from a 68 Full Size, probably a Catalina. The guy I bought it from was about 500 miles away, I did not see the car before I bought it. I actually spent some time on Google digging into the seller. I found out he was a retired cop, and I came to have a pretty good feeling about the purchase. 

When my car was delivered, I found out a bunch of stuff I didn't know before: Rear Main is leaky, Pinion seal has a tiny drip, the Holley carb was s*&t, the headers had a couple leaks. The first 6 months, I replaced the carb, got new HO Manifolds and redid the entire exhaust, replaced the wiper motor, replaced the fuel lines, replaced the starter, replaced the battery. I still have the rear main and pinion seals to deal with....until I do I just keep an old piece of cardboard on the garage floor, and check the oil. 

Even after all that - the floors look pretty clean, trunk pan is in damn good shape and the engine compartment is fairly clean. Paint looks pretty good, and with the timing adjustments and new carb, I can lay a mean patch.  

My same car as numbers matching would've been a lot more expensive and totally not worth it to me. Like you, I just want to have fun and enjoy the car.

Take your time, use common sense, and ask lots of questions - you'll be good.


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## Stereolab42 (Apr 6, 2018)

Machinist said:


> Your info about having a pre-purchase appraisal done is very useful. I haven't got around to looking into that yet.
> But in using the AAG service, I need to first find a car that I'm certain I want to buy. I've found a dozen I wish I could have. I also think I'm leaning more toward buying a non number matching car. Because I want to be able to drive it without worrying about the wear & tear or worse. And for some reason the people with non matching cars think their worth 40-50K too. I guess eventually someone will pay them what their asking. So I also need to find a down to earth motivated seller.


Do not buy a car without physically seeing it in person. A PPI is not enough. I hired a respected appraiser to check out my 68 GTO in NY before purchase, and he was a complete fraud. Missed major paint flaws, even parroted the dealer's line that the car had front disc brakes when in fact it had drums all around. Did not notice that a bunch of dash components were simply not working. The only excuse was criminal incompetence. Luckily the important components of the value of the car were as advertised -- completely numbers matching. But if that wasn't the case, I'd be out tens of thousands. If you can't afford $1k and a weekend for a plane flight, you are rolling the dice with $50k. Better odds at Vegas.


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

Stereolab42 said:


> Do not buy a car without physically seeing it in person. A PPI is not enough. I hired a respected appraiser to check out my 68 GTO in NY before purchase, and he was a complete fraud. Missed major paint flaws, even parroted the dealer's line that the car had front disc brakes when in fact it had drums all around. Did not notice that a bunch of dash components were simply not working. The only excuse was criminal incompetence. Luckily the important components of the value of the car were as advertised -- completely numbers matching. But if that wasn't the case, I'd be out tens of thousands. If you can't afford $1k and a weekend for a plane flight, you are rolling the dice with $50k. Better odds at Vegas.


Very, very, very good advise.


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## 1968gto421 (Mar 28, 2014)

When I first saw my GTO on Classic Auto Trader, it was out in Idaho. I could have flown out there to see it but the costs of shipping it east would be over my budget. I was also too old for an adventure driving it back from Idaho. However, the owners' employer later transferred the couple to SC and I was surprised to find the car again on Auto Trader but now within 40 miles of me. Called the owners, arranged to see the car, then took some knowledgeable friends to look it over too, and ended up buying it. No surprises so far, just work I discovered while test driving it. The owners had pictures of the exterior and interior restoration to document it, leaving me with mechanicals to deal with (which is fine, been wrenching on cars since age 13). Keep looking and learning and checking them out. Your baby, too, is out there.


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