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Owning an antique car and lovingly restoring it to its former glory is a dream of many. Keeping that car clean on the inside, however, is task that takes a very gentle touch. The materials used to construct the interior of an older car and the very passing of time combine to make for rather delicate surfaces.

If you want to keep your antique vehicle looking and smelling great, there are a number of tricks of the trade. The first rule is to always use the gentlest approach first. Gentle cleansers without abrasives, for example, are best to start with.

So, what do you need to keep a classic in tiptop condition? Here are the basic supplies that can help you get the job done right:

Vacuum – An automotive vacuum is your best friend when working on cleaning the interior of an antique car. Use it to clean mats, carpeting and dirt and crumbs stuck in the seats. Do this before proceeding to clean the vehicle.

Soft clothes and nonabrasive sponges – Use these to rub the dash, assist with cleaning the seats and removing built up gunk from the steering column and instrument panel. Continue reading ‘Tips For Cleaning Antique Car Interiors’ »

Owning an antique car and lovingly restoring it to its former glory is a dream of many. Keeping that car clean on the inside, however, is task that takes a very gentle touch. The materials used to construct the interior of an older car and the very passing of time combine to make for rather delicate surfaces.

If you want to keep your antique vehicle looking and smelling great, there are a number of tricks of the trade. The first rule is to always use the gentlest approach first. Gentle cleansers without abrasives, for example, are best to start with. Continue reading ‘Tips For Cleaning Antique Car Interiors’ »

Ask a serious car buff what make of vehicle epitomizes the perfect marriage of engineering and artistry and the Bugatti name will no doubt rise to the top. The sleek models created in the early 1900s, in fact, took automotive design to a whole new level, blending beauty and extreme speed in a highly successful and exclusive racing line.

The story of the original Bugatti line is one deeply entwined with world events. The company itself was founded by Ettore Bugatti in 1909. Ettore, the son of renowned artist Carlo Bugatti, was born in Milan in 1881. He began what would become a journey to create one of the most successful race car lines ever by first studying at the Brera Art Academy. By the age of 17, however, the young Bugatti decided that engineering was more to his liking and he joined a firm as an apprentice. Though he broke with family tradition, Ettore did not leave his love of fine designs behind. Continue reading ‘Classic Profile: The Bugatti’ »

Selling an antique or vintage car is different than selling a car that was manufactured in the last 10-20 years. The market of antique cars is a small market, and it is a highly lucrative market to sell into. You need to know who the customer is and how they differ from your average car buyer. If you want top dollar for your antique car, make sure you know everything there is to know about the average collector/buyer, the car, and the manufacturer.

Before selling an antique car, if you have not had your vehicle recently appraised, you’ll need to find the going price. One of the best ways to do that is to search some of the online antique car listings to see what similar cars have sold for. Places to start include oldcaronline.com, eBay.com, and antiquecar.com. Once you’ve gotten a good knowledge on the market, you are ready to place an ad.

Continue reading ‘How To Sell An Antique Car’ »

There is a lot of debate over what makes a car an antique and what just happens to be an old car. There are few hard and fast rules as to what makes the difference, but there are certainly various groupings who will swear blind that a car cannot qualify as an antique unless it meets certain requirements. This leads to accusations of elitism – some of which are perfectly justified to be entirely honest – and also of specious reasoning, with some people feeling that there are many people to whom an antique car’s definition is any definition that describes their own car. Being able to define your car as an antique is seen as something of a claim to fame, and therefore there are many people who may seek to describe their car in such terms with little justification.

However, the main body for recognition and appreciation of antique cars, the Antique Automobile Club of America define an antique car as any car over 25 years of age. Continue reading ‘What Makes A Car An Antique?’ »