Author Topic: Anyone have an antique car hobby?  (Read 7840 times)

Oldsmobile

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Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« on: December 01, 2013, 07:20:24 PM »
I just found this site and have been devouring the content over the past couple of days.  I am mostly Mustachian, I believe; I just never knew the word for it.

Frugality is something I've been practicing for years.  I don't believe in having any debt other than the mortgage, and I pay extra principal every month.  I have been doing all my own auto maintenance and repair (and being chief mechanic for my parental units) for many years, and I've also been learning a bit of carpentry and plumbing and such.

Everyone has a hobby of some sort, right?  It may be anti-mustachian, but if it's pleasurable and not having a huge impact on the goal of FI, it's not all bad.

Mine is automotive.  I'm a single guy and I own three antique cars.  I paid cash for all of them, and none of them is worth more than two or three grand (and only to the right buyer--niche market).  Insurance on them runs only about three hundred a year for all of them.  Registration costs are nonexistent; I paid for one-time antique registrations which will last forever.  I don't drive them much; I take them for occasional car shows and limited pleasure driving.  I enjoy wrenching on them more than driving them, honestly.  They only get four to five hundred miles on the entire fleet in a typical year. 

So they don't cost me much, and I do enjoy them.  One was  an absolute dream car that I'd wanted since I was a kid, and I still want to own it.  Is there anyone else here with an antique car collection? 

Trirod

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #1 on: December 01, 2013, 07:26:57 PM »
I do.  Currently working on restoring a 1969 Volvo 1800S.  I would say it is a mustachianist hobby since the skills you learn doing this kind of thing can save you a ton of money on your regular car maintenance, or even evolve into a side hustle.

As you say it's not expensive, assuming you don't get into the whole Pebble Beach concours scene!

basd

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2013, 11:25:34 PM »
So they don't cost me much, and I do enjoy them.  One was  an absolute dream car that I'd wanted since I was a kid, and I still want to own it.  Is there anyone else here with an antique car collection?
It is a hobby I would like to pursue in the future, but our current house does not have room for it. I'd go for the affordable yet cool cars too.

Out of interest, what cars do you own?

exranger06

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2013, 06:34:05 AM »
I have 2 daily driver cars. I only really need one, but I enjoy them both, and I enjoy doing repairs and maintenance myself. I also just recently bought a project car, and I've been sinking a lot of money into it buying parts.

BlueMR2

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2013, 06:44:42 AM »
I think I'm slowly developing an antique car hobby.  Both of my cars are now getting old enough that spare parts are hard to come by.  Yet, I find myself not wanting to part with them as they're both special.  I may have to buy some cheap beater to get back and forth to work in, so I have the time to work on the two cars that I *want* to be driving, but can't always...

Boz86

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #5 on: December 02, 2013, 07:02:47 AM »
I have a 92 F-150 that I plan on keeping until it's an antique. So I have a very long term antique car hobby.

An electrician/handy man in my hometown did that with a 56 Chevrolet pickup. I saw it last in the mid-90s, nearly repainted with that 50s green, looked great. He still used it was his work truck but I'm sure he was careful loading tools and supplies.

The only heavy duty maintenance I'll need to do (soon) is replace gaskets and seals in the engine and repaint the body. The automatic transmission (I know, but I got a great deal on it in a pre-mustachian sense as it was a dealer demo) seems good. I'll tackle most anything but rebuilding an automatic transmission might be just opening a can of worms.

Greg

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2013, 09:55:11 AM »
I'm a car hobby guy also, a '77 Lancia Scorpion is my current hobby car, although my '88 Vanagon daily driver for work would be considered an antique by some. 

Having more than one car is anti-mustachian, but being able to work on them is definitely mustachian.  I do the side-hustle car work on occasion as well, for fellow Fiat enthusiasts and others.  Tool acquisition is fairly mustachian, especially when they translate to future savings and side-hustle income.

I got into Italian cars before the internet took off, and it's gotten much easier since the pre-internet days.  Finding parts, and tech help via forums and the like, has made a world of difference to the car hobbyist.

Spork

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2013, 10:28:20 AM »
I'm guilty.

I bought my 1975 TR6 back in 1983.  I've still got it.  I've rebuilt or replaced almost every single mechanical part on that car in the past 30 years.

It doesn't get much use and E10 gasoline is really making it more and more difficult to drive.  I seriously keep thinking I need to sell it.  I could use the workshop space... I don't use it much...   ...but darnit, I have some irrational emotional ties to it that are really hard to sever.

Greg

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2013, 02:52:10 PM »
A couple of mustachian things to do if you do have a hobby car. 

One is get collector car plates or their equivalent.  I did this here in WA and I paid $47, and never have to pay for registration again.  There are some limitations, but they're pretty basic.  Plus no front plate which is nice for older cars not designed for them (and less target area for speed measuring devices like LIDAR).

The other is collector car insurance, which I just did.  I paid for the year, and it's less per month than I was paying and 10x better coverage.  Lowered my other insurance bill as well.

Spork

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #9 on: December 02, 2013, 02:57:30 PM »
A couple of mustachian things to do if you do have a hobby car. 

One is get collector car plates or their equivalent.  I did this here in WA and I paid $47, and never have to pay for registration again.  There are some limitations, but they're pretty basic.  Plus no front plate which is nice for older cars not designed for them (and less target area for speed measuring devices like LIDAR).

In Texas the limitations are something like: (I'm paraphrasing from memory, so don't hold me to this)
* can only drive it to/from mechanic, car club or car show

I have never really been comfortable with that.  I don't drive it much... but... I don't want strings on driving it either.


The other is collector car insurance, which I just did.  I paid for the year, and it's less per month than I was paying and 10x better coverage.  Lowered my other insurance bill as well.

This interests me.  Do you have a particular company you'd recommend?  Is this for liability only or are we talking comprehensive?  I don't carry comprehensive.  I used to, until I wrecked it and got waaaaaay under paid for the damage and basically had to foot the repair myself.

Oldsmobile

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #10 on: December 02, 2013, 03:27:39 PM »
So they don't cost me much, and I do enjoy them.  One was  an absolute dream car that I'd wanted since I was a kid, and I still want to own it.  Is there anyone else here with an antique car collection?
It is a hobby I would like to pursue in the future, but our current house does not have room for it. I'd go for the affordable yet cool cars too.

Out of interest, what cars do you own?

I have a 1978 Cadillac hearse...black on black.  Always thought they were the coolest things in the world (no, I'm not a goth kid) and wanted one for as long as I can remember.  One came to me in 2007 and because of my mustachian ways, I had the cash to buy it.    Also have a 1978 Olds Delta 88 sedan, purchased from the original owner for super cheap in 2005 after waiting ten years for him to decide to sell it.  I like that one because of the back story and because it's one of the last full-size, body-on-frame cars built without a computer.  And there's a 1979 Olds Custom Cruiser wagon bought cheap because it needed work...but nothing I couldn't do myself. 

Glad to hear that there's a place for frugal car enthusiasts here too!

Oldsmobile

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #11 on: December 02, 2013, 03:32:31 PM »
Having more than one car is anti-mustachian, but being able to work on them is definitely mustachian.  I do the side-hustle car work on occasion as well, for fellow Fiat enthusiasts and others.  Tool acquisition is fairly mustachian, especially when they translate to future savings and side-hustle income.

And quality tools will last pretty much forever, too.  We don't have pawn shops here for some unknown reason, but flea markets are a great place to pick up good hand tools on the cheap.

I haven't paid for anything other than state inspection on my non-antiques for years.  I do it myself and I shudder when people tell me how much they end up paying for repairs and maintenance on their financed vehicles.

Oldsmobile

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #12 on: December 02, 2013, 03:42:13 PM »

The other is collector car insurance, which I just did.  I paid for the year, and it's less per month than I was paying and 10x better coverage.  Lowered my other insurance bill as well.

This interests me.  Do you have a particular company you'd recommend?  Is this for liability only or are we talking comprehensive?  I don't carry comprehensive.  I used to, until I wrecked it and got waaaaaay under paid for the damage and basically had to foot the repair myself.
[/quote]

There are specialty companies like Grundy and Heacock and J.C. Taylor.  My impression of them was that they were easy to contact for the policy beforehand, but when I was with Grundy and they changed some stuff on the policy (it's been so long, don't ask me for details) I had some difficulty getting in touch with them for an explanation.  But my regular auto insurance agent at State Farm was actually able to beat the Grundy price AND increase coverage at the same time.  So--if you have State Farm, check with them.

(Oh, and I think Heacock was the company that required a daily driver car to be less than ten years old or something like that.  Which was a deal-killer for me; the car I drive when I'm not biking is a 1984 Oldsmobile. )

Greg

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #13 on: December 02, 2013, 03:53:49 PM »
I went with Hagerty; they wanted some pics of the car and my existing policy's declarations, so they can match limits.  I got full coverage and then turned around and raised my coverage on my existing policy for my other rig.  Still came out way ahead.  They were a little skeptical about my '88 daily driver but a brief chat calmed them.

The rates are super low based on special use, they know and expect it's not your daily driver.  Normal insurance assumes you're driving all the cars all the time somehow.

In WA, the use limitations on collector plates are similar to Texas, but include "for the pleasure of others without compensation" and "test driving" which covers the other 50% of my driving.  Car club events are the first 50%.

fodder69

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #14 on: December 05, 2013, 09:15:46 AM »
Hagerty was good for me when I had a classic car. It sounds like you're fine since they arn't costing a lot as long as you realize they are a luxury.

BlueMR2

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #15 on: December 05, 2013, 10:07:43 AM »
A couple of mustachian things to do if you do have a hobby car. 

One is get collector car plates or their equivalent.  I did this here in WA and I paid $47, and never have to pay for registration again.  There are some limitations, but they're pretty basic.  Plus no front plate which is nice for older cars not designed for them (and less target area for speed measuring devices like LIDAR).

In Texas the limitations are something like: (I'm paraphrasing from memory, so don't hold me to this)
* can only drive it to/from mechanic, car club or car show

Same type of limitations in Ohio.  Makes it worthless.  Can't even take the car to a friend's house to show it off.  Violation if you stop by the grocery store on your way back from a car show, etc.

thurston howell iv

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #16 on: December 05, 2013, 11:16:21 AM »
I'm a gear head too. I have way too many cars and tools. If you're just starting, you might want to get out while you still can! :D

If you're a car nut read this:  (someone posted a link on one of the web boards I frequent)

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/this-is-fucking-brilliant-and-scary-is-this-what-we-1464727669


Spork

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #17 on: December 05, 2013, 12:02:20 PM »
I'm a gear head too. I have way too many cars and tools. If you're just starting, you might want to get out while you still can! :D

If you're a car nut read this:  (someone posted a link on one of the web boards I frequent)

http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/this-is-fucking-brilliant-and-scary-is-this-what-we-1464727669

The funny thing here is:  the fictional character in your story actually exists.  There are several forums where all the people have massive laundry rooms full of ancient washing machines.  (And I spend a lot of time in a few forums where folks have multiple old stoves.)

Greg

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #18 on: December 05, 2013, 12:08:16 PM »
I guess in WA we have it pretty good re: collector plate restrictions.  When are you not "test driving" a 35 y.o. car?
http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/spcollector.html
Quote
Vehicles with Collector Vehicle plates:
    May be driven:
        To and from auto shows, circuses, parades, displays, special excursions, and antique car club meetings.
        For testing purposes.
        For the pleasure of others without compensation.
    May not be used for regular transportation in the manner of a fully licensed vehicle.

Spork

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #19 on: December 05, 2013, 12:31:41 PM »
I guess in WA we have it pretty good re: collector plate restrictions.  When are you not "test driving" a 35 y.o. car?
http://www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/spcollector.html
Quote
Vehicles with Collector Vehicle plates:
    May be driven:
        To and from auto shows, circuses, parades, displays, special excursions, and antique car club meetings.
        For testing purposes.
        For the pleasure of others without compensation.
    May not be used for regular transportation in the manner of a fully licensed vehicle.

I just double checked Texas.  We seem to have 2 options:

* Antique:
Antique plates are for vehicles at least 25 years old that are used strictly for antique exhibitions, parades, and related activities. (Occasional trips to the repair shop are permitted.) [ Occasional?  Who are they kidding! ]

* Classic
Very vague description but if I read it right I believe it says (paraphrasing) "Just like a regular license plate except it costs more."

Mr.Macinstache

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Re: Anyone have an antique car hobby?
« Reply #20 on: December 05, 2013, 01:02:54 PM »
Classic plates in MO are a killer deal. $25 bucks, no inspections, fee's or anything for life. So if you drive less than 2500 miles a year you can get these plates for a 1989 car or older. That is saving some coin right there.

I used Hagerty as well as they've always had great service and good rates. I had $15,000 of total coverage for $350 a year.