I just bought an early Shadow -- well, really a T-Series Bentley -- a few months
ago so my search is still fresh in my mind.
It was the case for me that it is in fact NOT "normal practice" for owners
to keep meticulous records. Only people who are comitted collectors or
"old car nuts" do this; the majority of car owners, Rolls and Chevy,
Ferrari and Hyundai, don't bother. If it starts when they turn the key,
that's enough.
I searched for six months before I found the car I wanted.Some "pretty" cars
were mechanical nightmares. SOme acceptabe cars were proced out of my
budget. Some were sold before I got there.
Here's what I recommend.
* Join the club. Join the RROC and your local region. Don't wait until
you have a car, do it now. GO to events. Meet people. Talk to them about
what kind of car you want. Let them help you and they will.
* Tell everyone you can think of about your search. You never know
who might come up with the lead for the car of your dreams.
* Learn the names of the mechanics in your area who are experienced in
these cars. Visit their shops and make friends with them. This will no
be hard; usually they are club members too.
* Ask for a quick lesson in what to look for on the model of car you care
buying.
Learn how to tell if the height control is working. Learn what tools were
delivered with the car; the jack is terribly expensive to replace, for isntance.
Brake pumps make a different noise than sticky lifters, learn to tell the
difference.
* Familiarize yourself with the market. Read the Flying Lady ads, Hemmings
motor news, the Robb Report, and local want ads -- yes. RRs do show up in the
want ads. Know what a reasonable price is and decide on a budget.
* look at cars. Be ruthless in rejecting cars that don't match what you want.
If you find one that looks OK, or is even close, have one of your mechanic
friends check it out. Be prepared to pay one or two hundred dollars
for this service. A competant inspection should take one to two hours. Be
present for this; it's a great way to learn. Take the moechanics advice.
I looked at a car that was pretty and ran well; but had a deep knock from a
colappsed
piston. I passed on it and am glad.
When you find a car, that matches your needs and is in your price range and
passes muster with your mechanic, buy it. You win.
In your speciic case, be aware that these cars LIKE to be driven. The worst
thing you can do for a Shadow is park it. A car that is only dirven to church
on alternate Sundays will deteriorate, especially in the hydraulics. This
car you're looking hat has 60K miles in 20 years; that's 3000 per year. Not
much, but if it was regular it could be enough. Ask the guy how much it gets
driven.
At about 50,000 miles you should change the brake hoses; this is actually quite
important. Find out if it's been done. Ask what kind of brake fluid
he uses. If it is ANYTHING but Castrol RR363, *RUN AWAY*. Castrol LMA
is not acceptble. ANything other than RR363 ever put into the brake
system means you must immediately drain the brake system, replace all hoses and
rebuild all the calipers, and flush everything else. Otherwise your brakes
iwll fail.
Maybe nottoday, maybe not tomorrow but soon. And you won't always have Paris.
Good luck, and be sure to use YOUR mecahnic for the inspection.
--berry
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