Mistakes you don't want to make!

In the "Heat of the Moment" people sometimes get excited and make bad decisions when buying a Musclecar. Here's some tips to avoid falling into this trap and buying something that you can't finish, or that you can't sell for anywhere near what you have invested. # 1 A "Deal" isn't always a deal. Especially if the car in question needs work beyond your capabilities-i.e.-a bent frame, major rust repair, or water or fire damage. In cases like this, your most likely better off by just spending more money and getting a better car to start with.  #2 A super-rare car missing major components- A Hemi car missing the Hemi engine, or a fuel-injected Corvette missing the fuel-injection system are good examples-is not a good deal, because unless your an NBA # 1 draft choice or a lottery winner, the cost of procuring an original replacement engine or other rare parts would be so prohibitive, that if you restored the car, you'd never be able to sell it for what you've got in it. Which brings up the next 2 points.  # 3 No matter what it is, there's always one cheaper- At the last "Hot August Nights" auction I attended a guy didn't sell his fully restored 1970 Dodge Challenger T/A for the high bid of $32,000 because he had 40 in it. The same day another Challenger T/A that was also numbers-matching and almost as nice, sold for $24,000! The same weekend a nice 1969 Shelby GT350 Mustang sold for $44,500. Another one didn't sell for $75,000. Gee, I wonder why? # 4 Base models are cheap for a reason. If you want to play with a Tempest or base-model Firebird that's fine, but don't expect GTO or Trans-Am money when you try to sell it.  # 5 Step-down engines aren't valuable, their just weird. A 1967 GTO with a 265hp 2bbl 400 is not collectible. Ditto for 1972-77 Olds 442s with 260 and 350 cube Olds motors instead of 403s or 455s, 1977-79 Firebird Formulas and Trans-Ams with 301s instead of 400s, and 1980-81 Corvettes and Z/28s with 305s instead of 350s, to name a few. They may be rare, but why would you want one?  A musclecar that can't outrun your mom's Honda Accord?  # 6 "Year before" models aren't cool or collectible. Some examples- I'd much rather have a 400 cube 1965 Olds 442 than a 330 cube 1964 model. A 1968 Road Runner is better than a 1967 Belvedere, even if they both have 383 V8s. 1982 Mustang GTs with 2-barrel 302s and four-speeds, are not cool when 1983 models got 4bbls and 5-speeds! Cross-Fire Injected 1984 Corvettes are not cool when 1985-91 models had the much more powerful Tuned Port Injection system. # 7 The same goes for "Year After" models-i.e 1973 SS Chevelles instead of 1964-72s. 1980 Pontiac Trans-Ams with 301 Pontiacs or 305 Chevys instead of the 400 Pontiac or 403 Olds engines. 1978 Cutlass or Monte Carlos as opposed to 1973-77s that were the scourge of NASCAR.  Hope this helps everyone out. Mastermind