Jason,
Ignore the price, it usually has nothing to do with the condition of the
car.
Assume you are paying big bucks and go over it with a fine tooth comb. A
small magnet should tell you about where the bondo is although there are
ways to get around even that. Start it and see if there is a puff of smoke
from the tailpipe. Check the oil pressure. Look under the wheel wells for
rust. Lift the mats to see the condition of the floorboards, and check under
the spare to see about rust.
A good book will tell you more than I can, but my $2000 bargain has cost a
bit to make sure it is safe. A rebuilt front end is expensive, the heater
box needed replacing, the rocker panels are rusted through, and the engine
needs to be rebuilt (80,000+ miles on it). I suspect that if it wasn't a GT
with the roof holding it together it might break in two. One the other hand
it is a blast to drive, always starts, even after storage (petronix
(sp?)helps), and was repainted by the PO who didn't prepare the car so that
all the places where the paint was chipped are clearly visible. He also
painted over the rusted out places.
I would have sold it when I got my Healey (in addition to the C), but when I
figured what I cost me and what I could get for it, I decided that insurance
and taxes were low enough to keep the darn thing, something I don't at all
regret. Be wary, you might be in for more than you think.
However, the bottom line is GTs are fun! I really enjoy its looks.
ENJOY!
Jack
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