If there’s one genre of scripted reality T.V. that networks such as History and Discovery can’t get enough of, it’s shows that focus on the art of buying and selling cars for profit.
Though the formula for each is basically the same – a wealthy garage owner in a southern or western state searches for desirable classic cars and purchases them for an incredibly low price so he or she can double the original investment – viewers can’t seem to get enough of these programs.
If you’ve ever flipped a car, though, then you know that it’s not that easy. Sure, there’s the chance that you could find a diamond in the rough and negotiate with the seller on a price that makes both parties happy.
But the reality is that you’re bound to buy some lemons, or at least a car that proves to be a difficult sell, unless you understand the market trends and find the models that consumers want the most.
Where to Find Cars with Flip Potential
Sometimes scoring that next big flip can be as simple as spotting a classic ride in your neighborhood and asking the owner if it’s for sale. Often, though, it’s a complicated process.
The best starting point is obviously the cars and trucks section of either eBay or your local Craigslist site since each can organize and sort vehicles in your local area by price, year or make and model.
But since those selling their car online have probably researched its value and know exactly what they want out of it, there might not be that much profit to be made on your end.
That’s why it can be beneficial to have a network of car hunters and collectors who can let you know when a potential barn find may arise, thus eliminating the need to snoop around someone else’s property.
Other ways of finding classic vehicles include placing a classified ad in the newspaper or scouring auto salvage yards.
The Best Flips
While it’s possible to make money flipping any type of car – whether a split window Corvette, which is a big investment that can yield a big payday on the auction block, or a 2003 Subaru Forrester that you picked up for $3,000 and plan to sell for $6,000 or– some models, like those on the following list, are just easier to move.
GM A-Body (1964-72)
The General Motors A-body platform may best be known for giving the world the Pontiac GTO and Chevrolet Chevelle.
But let’s not forget the dozen or so other models that all share the same mechanic components.
Whether you’re able to score a Chevelle, or just a Cutlass, Buick GS or El Camino for a reasonable price, you can’t go wrong. These cars have that mean and aggressive classic look that most people want and the performance to back it up, too.
First-Generation Mustang or Camaro
If you’re handy with a wrench and don’t mind getting dirty, there’s no better car to restore from the ground up, and sell, than a 1964 -73 Mustang or a 67-69 Camaro.
This is because any part that you could ever need is available to order brand new from a catalog or website.
And, since both are icons of American muscle, there’ll always be a high demand for these cars. In other words, no matter what price you pay for a rolling chassis, it’ll be an easy sell.
Anything Pre-War
Seeing the beauty in a pre-war car is an acquired taste. You either love that aerodynamic design that dominated the Art-Deco era, or you hate the fact that power and performance once took a backseat to sleekness and style.
There’s enough of a faithful following toward these types of vehicles, though, so selling one won’t be as difficult as finding one in your price range.
But you’ll need to have good barn finding skills since most are owned by collectors and those that aren’t probably need a lot of work done to get back to show condition.
If you have a car that needs body or mechanical work before you flip it, contact Andy’s Auto Service at 412-478-9304 for a FREE estimate.
