General Information on Car Collection

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Car Collecting

Car collectors are passionate about their automobiles, and the Internet is an ideal place to bring them together. Use the Web to make the most of your hobby by learning about online and offline auctions, locating hard-to-find parts, conversing with other enthusiasts, and more.

General Information on Car Collection

Car collectors are as diverse as the cars they collect. Some have an affinity for the antique, others for the modern. A collector may focus his efforts on a specific era or model, or follow his eclectic leanings and amass a garage that resembles a museum exhibit on the history of the automobile. Whatever your interest or level of experience, there are online resources to aid your hobby. In this section you’ll find resources with general advice and insight on car collecting.

Dulcinea's Insight

  • If you’re a novice collector, start by familiarizing yourself with the different “eras” in automobile history. Doing so will allow you to develop your tastes and get a sense for where you’d like to begin. A look at AntiqueCar.com’s “Classic Car History” section (scroll down to find it on the left) can get you started.
  • There is a recurring theme in the following links: If you expect to treat car collecting as an investment and hope to make a profit, it may be harder than you think. If you want to go into car collecting, do it because you love collecting cars.

Dulcinea's Picks

For overviews on car collecting …
DMV.org offers this helpful Web site for those who are unsure of exactly what antique car collecting entails. Find a description of the difference between antique cars and classic cars, and get an overview of how to buy a car, what the prices will generally be, and whether you should consider the hobby an investment.
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AOL Autos offers this article on classic car collecting. Written by car enthusiasts, the article provides advice on how to be a successful collector. Look for some helpful links and car reviews at the end of the article.
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BusinessWeek has an article focusing on the financial and investment angle of car collecting. The article explains what the financial benefits are, if any, to collecting cars, and suggests what you should think about when considering such a hobby.
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For car collection trends …
Sports Car Market is a magazine that claims to be “The Insider’s Guide to Collecting, Investing, Values and Trends.” Visit the “SCM University” to get an overview of this extremely extensive Web site. Take the full spectrum of free classes, from “Collecting 101 - Intro to Car Collecting,” to “Collecting 301 - Advanced Car Collecting.” Be sure to print out your diploma afterwards.
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Hagerty produces an annual survey detailing the current collector car trends. Read this press release to see a summary of the results of the 2006 survey and learn which car was voted the most popular make.
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For car lovers who want to learn about old cars …
Old Cars Weekly is a weekly news magazine that provides this valuable Web site for car aficionados. Find forums, news, blogs, podcasts, stories, classifieds, and more. The site mainly covers vehicles “from the classic touring cars and roadsters of the early 1900s, to the popular muscle cars of the 1960s and ’70s.”
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MotorCities prides itself on its mission: “at least one page for every vehicle that has ever been produced in the history of this planet.” The site is a searchable database with profiles and photographs of autos. You will not be able to purchase these autos here, but you will be able to see what is in store. Note that there are also links to purchase similar autos on eBay.
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For classic cars, muscle cars, and hot rods …
Cars From Yesterday.com is a novel Web site to explore. The site thrives not only on a love for cars from the past, but a love for the memories evoked by these cars. Read up on the history of classic cars and visit the “Nostalgia” section to find photographs of old billboards, radio and TV ads from the past related to classic cars. Stop by the “Inventory” section to link directly to eBay’s classic car auctions and insurance information from Hagerty. Also, take a look at the blog.
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AOL Autos hosts this article from CNNMoney.com about the muscle car market. Read the article to examine a ranking of the fastest-rising muscle cars by auction value, as determined by Kelley Blue Book.
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Hot Rod magazine’s Web site is a great stop for anyone interested in hot rods or who simply loves cars in general. Look for a variety of blogs and forums and become part of the "Hot Rod Community."
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Buying and Selling Collector Cars

Antique and vintage cars elicit images of small towns, grain silos, and the American heartland. And ... read more »

Collector Car Auctions

Auctions are a great way to buy a car. And unlike Web sites, collector car auctions allow you to ... read more »

Auto Restoration and Auto Restoration Parts

Often old vintage or classic collector cars are restored, and for many collectors, the most ... read more »

Car Collector Organizations

As mentioned in the first section of this guide, there are many different types of collector cars, ... read more »

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