help....

[IRONMONKEY]

looking at getting a 73 charger what are some things i can check or have them take pictures of to keep me from paying too much for junk... i got burned when i bought my 73 duster said it was a daily drive and it died when i got it home, just dont want to have a repeat.


Thank you for your time

[jpsycoboy5]

i'd get a pic of the frame rails

[IRONMONKEY]

ok thanks anything else?

[jpsycoboy5]

Well when I buy any new toy I always check and smell the oil if its dark or milky those are signs of neglect to the engine. If you can smell gas in the oil that also is a sign of a worn engine. Next transmission fluid it should be cherry red and shouldn't smell burnt at all if it smells Burnt or is a very dark color that is a sign of abuse and maybe damage. I would also remove the radiator cap and see what the coolant level is if you can't see coolant when you remove the cap there's good chance it was over heated. The coolant should be green not dark brown and have stuff floating in it. Brake fluid should be a light brown color if brake fluid is neglected and not changed for a long time sediment and water will get in it and rust the brake system from the inside out. If the car your looking at is running and driving tell the owner you want to take it for a test drive take it til Atleast it's up to operating temperature and see how it goes what temp it runs at how it runs how it acclerates any weird noises etc. Hope that helps you out

[IRONMONKEY]

that helps a lot. i didnt know you could find out all that from checking the fluids. thank you

is there any thing else that i might want to check out or look at?

thanks for all the help

[jpsycoboy5]

i should have probably mentioned in my previous post if you plan on driving it home look at the tires look for dry rot cracking uneven wear etc

[greenpigs]

Try all the lights, wipers,heater plus turn signals Etc, small stuff but could be a pain to fix. I also would check the bottom edge of all the body panels, many times people will not sand that far down & you may see signs of bodywork(bondo).

[NHCharger]

Ask for any history on the car. Hidden or poorly repaired rust is your biggest concern. Check the firewall for rot/rust. The cowl vent drain can easily get plugged up and cause rust issues. Lumps under a vinyl top are usually not good. If there is a really thick undercoating on the car it could be a sign of trying to hide some poor repair work. Don't be afraid to pop the back seat out and pull back the rugs to check the floors. Take a good look at the wiring under the hood and under the dash, lots of butt connectors means someone has hacked the wiring. Write down any question you can think of before hand.
Get some pics and post them here. We love to pick apart cars

[IRONMONKEY]

thank ill do that i go sat to look at the car i will post pics when i get back thanks guys if you think of anything else that would help me out let me know

thanks for your time

[NHCharger]

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