Howdy Granite,

Welcome to the madness. ;-)

What to look for that isn't obvious? Man, that is a loaded question.

I cannot tell you specific items to look for; I'm not familiar with the PV's. But I can say that any car that has been sitting for thirty years will require you to rebuild every system on the car to make it a driver. Rubber, chrome, potmetal, plastic, vinyl, cloth, and wiring will all have to be replaced or refurbished. It's just something to keep in mind when you look at the car and before you hand over the cash.

What is your intended use for the car? A parts car is just that. A driver must be complete enough to rebuild. A car you intend to show for trophies must be complete, including all the trim and rubber and, well, everything.

IMPORTANT
When you move the car, don't even touch the brake pedal; if the master cylinder is capable of producing any pressure at all the wheel cylinders will sieze. That is a hugely frustrating adventure. Ask me how I know. ;-)

My rules of acquisition (in order of relative importance to me):

The owner must have a clear title in hand. I don't want him to "look for it"; I want it available when I view the car. If his name is not on the title, the name that is on the title must be accompanied by a signature on the appropriate lines. I don't know how important a title is in your state but in Texas it is King; you cannot even deliver a car to the scrapyard without one.

The car must have as little rust as can be expected. I don't mean completely rust free. Holes can be repaired. Rot is too expensive to deal with. You can buy a concours restoration for less than you would spend repairing pillars and suspension points.

No major components missing. For instance, if the pedal assembly is missing that would be a deal breaker (unless the car is priced as a parts car). If you've read the posts in the 444-544 forum, you've seen that coils and ignition switches and such are rare and pricey; a complete dashboard would be a huge plus.

I've got to "like" the seller. If he seems at all shady to me, I leave empty handed. I've come to trust my gut instinct more and more as I get older.

That is about all I can think of at the moment.

Do your due diligence before you leave home; know what the market is. Don't pay too much for the car just because you've got to have that car. I'm guilty of that myself; I get a bad case of "got to have it now" and end up spending way too much for what I'm getting. Every time a car changes hands the transaction determines the market for that vehicle. When we pay more than the car is worth, we drive up the cost of admission for the youngsters who might be interested in the hobby.

Good luck on your trip; I hope the car is everything you want it to be and you get it for a song.
--
Mr. Shannon DeWolfe -- (I've taken to using Mr. because my name tends to mislead folks on the WWW. I am a 51 year old fat man ;-) -- KD5QBL