A few years ago, a buddy of mine asked me to come over and help him restore a 1967 Mustang Fastback that his father willed to him. I'd never really worked on cars before, but after spending months on that Mustang, I was hooked. My friend taught me a lot about the process of restoring vintage automobiles, and now this is what I spend most of my free time doing. In fact, I've already sold two of my completed projects for a nice profit, which has got me thinking that perhaps I can turn this hobby into a full-blown business.
In order to make a business like this work, however, I'd have to find some good sources of classic car parts. Specifically, I'm looking for shops or dealerships that stock a large enough inventory of products that I can be relatively certain that I'll be able to find what I need no matter what kind of vehicle I'm working on.
In addition to carrying a wide selection of classic car parts for all makes and models, I'd want these retailers to be able to offer competitive pricing. Having to buy things like brake discs, clutch kits, water pumps, oil filters, headers, and quarter panels is by far the greatest expense involved in automobile restoration. Since I'd be buying these things on a pretty regular basis and would be a loyal customer, I'd need my classic car parts dealer to have the lowest prices around.
For my previous projects, I had to drive more than 75 miles to find the classic car parts I needed to get the jobs done. That's not exactly a convenient distance, and it wouldn't be reasonable to make those trips over and over again. That's why I'm now leaning towards purchasing all of my classic car parts online instead. By doing this, I could have everything delivered right to my door within a week, or I could even have pay for overnight shipping in the event of emergencies. I'd then be able to spend my time actually working on the vehicles instead of driving back and forth between stores.
It would also be easier to find classic car parts online because location wouldn't be a factor at all. I could order from shops as far away as southern California or northern Maine, and I'd have access to a lot more inventory as well. Plus, I know that online retailers always offer the lowest possible prices, which would of course be great from a business standpoint.
Once I become reasonably familiar with some of these online classic car parts stores, I'll be able to make a better decision one way or the other, but for now I think I've talked myself into taking the plunge and opening up my own restoration shop!
I have always been a big history buff, and World War II has always been one of my biggest interests. I remember watching videos on the history Channel of amphibious landing vehicles coming ashore at Normandy, and being quite impressed with the display. As a kid, I used to daydream about being part of the invasion. It seemed like such a cavalier, adventurous sort of thing to do. Nowadays, of course, I know that war is not all glory. The people getting out of those amphibious vehicles were risking their lives, and many of them lost them in very painful ways. Nonetheless, my fascination with war and war machinery has remained.
I think this interest is actually the origin of my amphibious vehicle obsession. Ever since I first rode an all terrain vehicle, I have wanted to have something I can take on land, in water, and over the toughest of obstacles. When I was a kid, amphibious vehicles seemed like the stuff of fantasy. I never really dreamed that they were something that I could own myself until one of my friends took me for a ride. His dad owned an amphibious all terrain vehicle, a rather battered old thing that they used to transport them on fishing, camping, and hunting trips. Hunting requires a lot of gear, so an off-road vehicle is a great asset – particularly one small enough to get in on some of the backwoods trails.
It was a kids dream come true. We bumped along to the noise of the engine rumbling over those hills. It stalled a couple times – it was a pretty old model – but we didn't mind. When we stopped and his dad had to tinker with the amphibious vehicle, it was a good time for my friend and I to enjoy the scenery around us.
I've only just started shopping for amphibious vehicles myself, but I am already pretty excited. I haven't rode one since that trip with my friends, and I'm amazed to see how much they've changed. Nowadays, amphibious vehicles are slick, modern, and extremely rugged. They can cost quite a bit, but I think they are worth it. After all, an amphibious vehicle can serve as your boat, your car, your backpack, and your power supply. It can really help you to bring a high level of convenience into some of the most backwoods destinations on earth. It looks like it is going to be a good investment for a serious woodsman like myself.
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