Deciding what to do with a basketcase car is one of the toughest decisions for people who’ve already invested time, money, and love into their classic car restorations. At the same time, there are plenty of vintage car veterans who are always ready to finish a difficult project. Whether you want to put the final touches on a half-finished car or you just can’t find the time to complete your own, you need to know how to save yourself time, frustration, and money. Here are a few things to consider before you buy, finish, or sell a basketcase car.

When You Want to Buy a Basketcase

Restoring a basketcase can be a challenging but rewarding experience. However, there are often good reasons why other enthusiasts are eager to get their incomplete hotrods and muscle cars off their hands. Before you invest in an old project, you’ll need to make these important considerations:

*Safety comes first. If the car you’re considering doesn’t even have breaks, an engine, or a steering wheel yet, then you may not have much to worry about. Otherwise, you should test the car in a safe, empty area. You need to make sure the owner is being honest about the car’s reliability and safety – or lack thereof.

*Check the frame and body. Cars that look like they’re on their last legs can sometimes be restored to their previous luster – but only if they still have solid foundations. If a classic car’s frame and body are in decent shape, then there’s good chance you’ll be able to make some headway on its restoration. If not, you’re looking at a bottomless money pit.

*Look for cover-ups. Some restorers and shops will cover large patches of rust and even holes with sheet metal. They don’t always do so maliciously, but unnoticed rust is extremely dangerous. It’s especially important to check for defects in places where larger parts have been replaced.

Sourcing Your Parts

When you’re restoring a barely-finished basketcase, you’ll need to find the best places to get your parts. If a previous owner didn’t get the project finished, it may have been because the necessary components were hard to find, too expensive, or both. Before you even make the purchase, it’s important that you find out how you’re going to get what you need – and what it’s all going to cost.

Once you’ve figured out what parts are necessary, you can check the online inventories of specialty shops across the country. There are also junkyards full of classic cars with parts for the taking, though you’ll need to go in person to see what’s available. Ultimately, you’re going to incur the greatest costs if you need foreign parts or shipping for large items.

When to Call it Quits

Even if you’ve lovingly labored over a classic car for years, there may come a time when you have to move on. A project will sometimes seem too good to be true when you first start – yet it becomes nothing but a financial drain further down the road. Your priorities and interests might also change, leaving you with an immobile heap in your garage or driveway.

Whatever the case may be, you can still get back some of your hard-earned money. Contact a professional classic car restorer now and inquire if they purchase or are interested in purchasing a basketcase project from you.

Wintertime is beautiful scenery for the eyes. It can be devastating to a car though, especially if the car is not inspected and prepared for the winter driving season. Have the car tuned up with a checklist before the snow hits and the car will drive with a peace of mind.

Brakes are essential for stopping on the icy roads to avoid pedestrians and even accidents with other cars. If the brakes are not equal, they could cause the car to lean to one side and skid on the roads.

The cooling system in the car also must be checked. This includes belts, containers, pressure caps, hoses and the thermostats so that everything is in working order. Flush the system with a chemical cleaner and add in anti freeze before the snow hits the ground.

The engine is the heart of any car and must run well in all weather conditions. A diagnostic test can ensure the drive of any abnormalities before hitting the road. Starting the car becomes essential when the cold weather is coming down so have the spark plugs replaced if needed and check the emission control devices to make sure that the car will get up and go when it needs to.

Another important part for inspection is the exhaust system. The windows are closed during the snowy winter months so have the muffler and tailpipe checked. Carbon monoxide leaks can be fatal.

When driving, it is important to have the defrosters, heaters, and windshield wipers working. Being able to see and keep warm are very important during the winter months. Winter wiper blades can be added to the car as well as washer fluid that was made for use in the cold weather.

Fuel, air, and transmission filters must be changed to ensure that the car runs properly. In addition, oil can become quite troubling during the winter months. Dirty oil can be a big problem so change it and the filter before the temperature drops and the snowflakes start to fall.

Last, but not least are the cars tires. If the engine is the heart of the car, then the tires are the bloodline. A car can run on faulty tires, but they may not take you far. Snow tires are essential during the wintertime and all four wheels need to be fully equipped as well as a regular check of the tire pressure. Snow tires provide the ultimate control when traveling down a winter wonderland type of snow setting. Residents in Quebec must have all four snow tires, as it is required there.

You know you love your car. You love driving around, and going to different places throughout the day. You stop to fill up on a little gas and decide to get a cherry soda. Why not, it is hot out right? You just got your car detailed, so you tell yourself you are going to be very careful drinking this tasty beverage. You are driving down the road and go to take a sip, and all of a sudden the car in front you slams on their brakes and that soda is all over you and the seat. How are you going to get the soda stain out? This article will explain exactly how to do that and possibly prevent them for happening in the first place.

Soda stains are pretty hard to prevent in a car. It just seems like they are a natural occurrence, especially if you have kids. The only true way to stop soda stains from happening is keeping you car soda free. Why not, it is your car after all. If your family loudly opposes this idea you can let them only bring bottled soda in the car, because that at least has a cap on it whereas soda cans do not. Another thing you could do is to spray a fabric protector on all of your car seats according to the manufacturer’s directions. While this won’t stop your kids from simultaneously pouring grape soda on your nice white car seats, this will make clean up a little easier on you. Of course you can put car seat covers on all of the seats. Then all you would need to do is throw the covers in the washer machine the next time a soda spills.

How to get the soda stains out may be a little trickier but it is possible. Let’s first discuss how to clean up a fresh soda stain, which may be easier to deal with than a set in stain. So, you just spilled some soda on your car seat. The first thing you should when it is safe to do so, such as after you pull over, is to blot the soda with a paper towel. Keep on blotting until you get all the liquid up. Make sure you do not use a scrubbing motion because you will only rub the stain into the seat. Once you do that take a spray bottle filled with 4 cups of warm water and a tablespoon of detergent and spray the stain. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then proceed to blot this up with paper towels. Repeat until the stain is gone. If you have leather car seats dampen a paper towel with warm water and blot the soda up. Make sure to dry the spot with more paper towels until dry.

If you have stains that are set into the seat of you car you may want to use a foaming upholstery cleaner according to the manufacturer’s directions. You could alternatively use a steam vacuum with a hose attachment on the stain, and follow the directions. As always when cleaning any fabric make sure you test the method on a small spot of the upholstery that isn’t as noticeable to make sure it doesn’t do any damage.