BUYING WITH CONFIDENCE

CONCOURS £18,000- 25,000+

1 WHO RESTORED IT?

Given the knowledge required to achieve an authentic finish, home restos will rarely make the grade. Check who’s responsible.

2 CHECK THE HISTORY

Great provenance is part of the experience. A good RM needs a verifiable history to reach concours status.

3 WHICH VARIANT IS IT?

Excellent 1.5-litre cars can be bought for less than £20,000, while 2.5 saloons top out in the mid-£20ks. Open-topped models are in a different league – and beware converted saloons masquerading as originals.

GOOD £10,000- 18,000

1 ASSESS THE TIMBER…

Many still have their original frames, but its integrity is key to a strong value. Check for softness around the base of the rear window.

2 …AND THE METAL

Hidden corrosion is a major haggling point, so make sure that you get under the car and check the body mounts in particular.

3 HOW ORIGINAL IS IT?

Get an independent expert to verify a given car’s originality. Some panels can be either aluminium or steel, and gear ratios changed throughout the car’s life, so unmolested cars should stand out.

USABLE £6000- 10,000

1 HOW’S THE INTERIOR?

Shabby interiors have period charm and can be refreshed, but leather isn’t cheap, and any water ingress will need fixing first.

2 MAKE SURE IT’S SAFE

All RMs are MoT-exempt and will have been repaired many times. Form your own judgement about a car’s roadworthiness.

3 CHECK THE CHROME

There is plenty of brightwork on these cars, and it can let down the overall appearance of an otherwise decent-looking car if it’s shabby. Rechroming is do-able – at a price – if it’s not too far gone.

PROJECT £2000- 6000

1 IS IT A VIABLE PROJECT?

This has to be a labour of love, given the time required. Despite increased interest, you probably won’t get your money back.

2 IS IT COMPLETE?

Parts availability via the club is remarkably good, but it’s still vital to start with a car that’s as solid and complete as possible.

3 CHECK THE OILY BITS

Engines are generally pretty durable if they receive fresh oil no later than every 3000 miles or so. Cars that have had to endure prolonged periods of inactivity are prone to overheating due to sludgy coolant.