FOR those of us who appreciate classic cars, the summer months can be a glorious time.
Driving through winding country lanes on the way to meet hundreds of other enthusiasts, and gape at glittering clearcoat and engines shining beneath the midday sun. What could be better?
Of course, with the ongoing coronavirus lockdown, such things are impossible. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t occupy ourselves with the hobby.
Insurers like Carole Nash offer particular insurance for classic car lovers, so if you’re looking to renew during the lockdown, you might spend a bit of time investigating.
But what else should classic car enthusiasts be busying themselves while they’re waiting for the measures to be lifted?
Virtual tours
While museums are now out of the question, some are offering the chance to pay a visit through cyberspace. A good example is the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles.
They’re streaming regular tours through their extensive collection of engineering marvels – and they aren’t the only ones who’ve thought of this. As such, you can think of this time as an opportunity to take tours of museums you wouldn’t (or couldn’t) otherwise have visited.
As well as the tours themselves, of course, there’s the usual glut of content available for free on Youtube and other such sites.
Get in some garage time
There’s never been a better opportunity to dedicate some hours in the garage, not only to pass the time, but to ensure that your vehicle is in the best possible working order. You can take pictures of potential sources of confusion and post them to online forums – there’s no shortage of expert opinion to hand.
Get tidying
Given that you are going to be spending so much time in your garage, it’s crucial that you make an effort to restore it to some semblance of tidiness. Invest in all of the necessary storage equipment (from an online store) and get everything tidy and within reach.
Then make sure you clock off slightly earlier than you otherwise would each day, so that you can have a little bit of time left to stow away all those loose items, and take those empty cups back to the kitchen.
Get cleaning
Of course, now’s a great time to get that classic car gleaming. This can be an extremely fiddly and time-consuming task, especially if you’ve got hundreds of wires on your wheels.
But you’ve got time to spare, and the process can be extremely therapeutic. The results will be more than worth the effort. Break out that chamois and polish the thing, inside and out!
Get bidding
Public auctions have been cancelled, but some are still being conducted online. Given the slump in demand, you can expect prices to dwindle – and thus there’s never been a better time to pick up that classic you’ve always been lusting after. If your income can support it, now’s the time to get bidding.
