When buying an old car in California.........

When buying an old car in California and not really knowing anybody in CA what is the best way to shop?

I want to look at cars for sale in California when I am attending the GNRS. I will be hanging around for a couple of weeks afterward.

What are the options? I have been following Craigslist and 99% seems like they have been on there for months.

I know when I was out there 20 years ago the local auto sellers where great. Do they still have the small local ones and are any on-line?
Back then I saw lots of cars for sale on side streets with a 4-sale signs in the windows.

I am not looking for a high dollar rod just something that could be a daily driver with out too much work.

 

You might want to pick up a copy of Auto Trader at a 7/11 or similar stop-and-shop store next to a gas station. They are all local cars, in every price range.

 

Craigslist is O.K. but you can waste a lot of time with it. Try calling some of the local shops, lots of them have a For Sale board, try to make a connection before you get here so you will give yourself enough time to look. Also check out Ford barn

 

Thanks
That's what I thought. I was thinking some of the smaller ones might be online.

 

There are cars on C/L now that were there 2 1/2 years ago when I was looking for my coupe. Which tells me they are probably over priced. It's a buyers' market right now. Bring cash and drive one home!

 

The Pomona swap meet is a great place to look for Classics, Hot Rods & Kustoms. We just had one last Sunday but the next one isnt until April. You may want to check when the Long Beach Hi-performance swap meet is next also. Classic AutoTrader online & Old Car Online are decent, you can do a search by location. HAMB classifieds & Ebay are also good. California is probably the last state you'll find the best deal though and the prices at shows, big or small, are usually "embelished" quite a bit.

 

I discovered a couple of months ago that Auto Trader no longer prints their publication. I guess it's all online now, at least in my area.

 

What kind and year are you looking for? a lot of the guys on here might have what you are looking for, give some ideas.

 

jaxed.com. go to "the mash"

your one stop shop!!

 

agreed...I just went to the pomona swap meet and man o man, was there tons of smokin hot deals they had everything from classic cars, muscle cars, hot rods, and tons of corvettes VW's and Porsches to choose from....ive also been looking around for a future buy and I wish I had the money that day. I dont think you can beat a local swap meet...you get to see the cars right there and then and even compare with others in the same lot...many in the same price range with differnt options, automatics, manuals, just so much to take in. I would consider a swap meet to a magazine or website anyday.

long beach is having a swap meet on the 31st. of this month. they always have a nice selection as well.

 

The Long Beach Swap is again Feb 13, (two weeks later for some reason). If you're still in town.
Not as many classics for sale on the streets of LA like there were 20 years ago. So give us some idea of the type of car you want. I doubt it's a convertible.

 

http://www.autotraderclassics.com/find/index.xhtml
http://www.cars-on-line.com/
http://www.dealsonwheels.com/

 

I see the swap is happening on the 30th at Long Beach, I will probably head down early in the morning and back for the last day of the GNRS. LOL I bought a OT convertible 20 years ago and drove to Nova Scotia in Dec. I found out the heater leaked if you tried to turn it on the first night. No heat and snow from Flagstff to Canada. 3600 miles in 72 hours taking turns driving, fueled on chips and beer.

Some of the non running prices are kind of high never drop in price and are renewed every couple of days.

 

What are you looking for...your best bet is to look on the hamb classifieds or put the word out and use US as your "ear to the ground" i'd be happy to help.

 

Turlock EOM - I'll be there! Buy my stuff!!

 

I am finishing a 52 Pontiac custom and plan to start my 39 Ford next.
I am looking for a early 60s small to mid size car that wife might drive and my daughter would love to have. Something a little different like a 1960 comet.
2 door or a wagon would be the first choice. Don't want a convertible. It would have to be a real nice 4 door to consider. A dart or Valiant or early Barracuda. No looking for high performance number matching but a clean fairly original car that hasn't been too butchered. No looking for a mustang too common, Falcons cool. GM products are high on the list but they seem to have gone way up in price.
I have seen a few nice comets and barracudas on C/L but the nice ones seem to go fast.
THANKS

 

Where or what is Turlock EOM ?

 

I know of a few cars for sale here in valley i'll get you some pics and pm you.

 

Rent a car and cruise some of the country towns...its a 50/50 chance they might not know what they have.or not want a lot for them.I have had some friends buy some good stuff in california

 

I have a car rented.
I plan to do do lots of touring.
Last time out there I spend 6 weeks in Ventura

 

Here's the Bakersfield local www.cameraads.com

 

Thanks
That the local type of auto trader I remember.

 

Its 5 hours away but the Phoenix Valley has alot of deals out that way, Ill buy my next project out there for sure...So if you cant find anything local here in Socal take a drive east, plus its kind of a cool drive being from the Northeast.

 

Great, torture us all with all those rust free pickup trucks.

 

Call me when you get down here. Maybe I can help or at least give you routes and directions - or go with you to see a car. Roger (626) 447-7130 (home) or (310) 345-1409 (cell.)

 

Yeah I was thinking that. I bought my daily driver in Phoenix (OT 22re Toyota 4x4) and drove east heading home. What a great drive. I dropped into Denver and visited with Eric at Riley automotive.
Sounds like a good road trip.
I also plan to head up the coast as far as San Francisco.

 

thanks Roger
I plan to check of some blues as well. I've been told that there are more blues artists in SoCal than anywhere else.

 

Go On Line.... search Turlock Swap Meet....One of the best & largest selections of Anything located in No. Calif. have fun.... hot rod rod.....

 

While your looking these guys in Central Cal http://www.centralvalleyclassics.com/

 

classic auto trader, hamb classifieds, ebay

I'm too chicken to go up to somebody's house that has a car in the backyard or something, for the most part. Ain't safe.