Looking for a classic car to fix up can be difficult for beginners, especially if you don’t know where to begin looking for cars for sale. There are plenty of newer cars in the local papers and on car lots, but there are not many classics. So to help you find that classic, here are some different places where you can look.

The first place to look is at car swap meets, like the Pomona Swap Meet. This meet is the biggest on the West Coast and is filled with thousands of vehicles for sale ranging from frame-off restorations to rolling chassis. This tight community of avid classic car lovers is filled with people ready to give advice to the newbies.

The next place to look is at auction sites online or in the local area. Auctions, especially estate auctions, have some amazing gems including classic cars. And if the auction is hit at just the right time, the car might be a steal.

The new car enthusiast should also search wrecking yards and tow yards where they can find disabled or abandoned vehicles. Some of the vehicles here may have been discarded because it was too much of a project for the owner. Talk to the junkyard and find out how much money they would want to have the whole car pulled out of the yard. They’ll probably make a deal with you for taking the car as a whole unit.

Finally, search for “classic cars for sale” on website search engines. Just like searching for many other things on the web, it can be a great resource.  There are a lot of completed classic cars on the Internet, if you want something to show off right away. Project cars can be a little more difficult to find, but can be a good deal and also can be much more rewarding when finished. One downfall with the Internet is that it can be difficult to tell exactly what you’re getting. Most “car guys” are hands on people who like to see, touch, crawl in, under, around and drive the vehicles that they’re interested in. If that’s the case, the Internet may not be for you.

We hope that these suggestions will come in handy when you are searching for your next car.