John,
If the stress cracks and chips bother you a lot, and you have the cash, it
would be better to buy a Bricklin which has been totally restored. They seem
to be typically for sale for a lot less than what has been spent on them.
There are always Bricklins for sale in the Club's classified, and I believe
John Martin in So Cal (past club president) has one or two good cars for
sale. I see John T. sent you a "buyer's guide". Trust him, he knows his
stuff.
Now for my ramblings, in case you are a neophyte in the field of collector
cars:
I have been buying collector cars since 1974 - first by financial necessity
(they were cheap cars at the time), then by interest. I was a committee
member for a large car club in England for 10 years.
What exposure to the collector car market taught me:
1. If you can afford to buy a collector car which has been restored
properly
(emphasis on properly), do it. It will cost you less in the long term than
buying one which needs repairs.
2. Do not acquire a "fixer upper" unless you have the time, the tools, and
the skills to do the work, or unless you are ready to spend more than the
value of the car to have it done. That does not mean you are financially
stupid, as there may be personal reasons why that particular car is worth it
to you.
3. Finding a good shop for restoration is very difficult, and good shops
are
always expensive.
4. Restoration will always take longer than you think (I forgot that one
when my Bricklin was in the shop).
5. Never buy a collector car for investment, but because you want to
own/drive it.
6. It is worth traveling a long way to acquire the right car. The problem
is
there might be a huge difference between what the buyer and seller call
"very good condition", so a long trip might end up in wasted traveling
money.
JLC
1975 Bricklin SV1 (still overheating!)
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