Hello From Georgia and Some Questions

Hello, a while ago I stumbled upon Phil Andrews' restoration on a Pontiac with a big ol Straight Eight in it and absolutely fell in love with those engines and the cars that housed them. Some cars (mostly Pontiacs) have popped up around me as of recent(ish) on the great FB Marketplace and I've been wanting a piece of history in my driveway for a while now and thought it'd be great to have something with a Straight Eight in it since it's just so neat and unique. I have set my sights upon a 1954 Pontiac Star Chief that has the outside (paint wise) looking like 50 shades of grey and white, but the interior is amazing and I think mechanically it's all there (need to talk to the owner still).

Now for some questions I have:

-What are some things to look out for when buying a classic besides the usual places of rust?

-How does one go about negotiating prices and the like?

-What are some things to keep in mind when owning a classic (should I use lead additives, what octane gas is ok for the old gals, etc.)?

-Should I let the engine warm up before going somewhere? Does it truly matter as long as I'm not pedal to the metal until it's warmed up?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read or respond to this.
Also I should add I am not afraid to get my hands dirty and love wrenching on stuff.

 

Welcome, young man. You may find more responses to your questions if you ask them on the main discussion forum as opposed to this intro section. Not everyone reads these here. Good luck....Don.

 

Welcome to the HAMB from Illinois.
Here is the link to the "main forum".
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/forums/the-hokey-ass-message-board.5/

 

What part of Georgia do you live in? Many of your questions really depend on the vehicle. Aside from visible rust there is also poorly repaired rust to look out for. If you have a friend or relative that has experience buying vintage vehicles to take with you when you look at it that would be best.

Luckily being Georgia makes it much easier than many other states to buy and own a vintage vehicle.