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Keep Your Classic Car Safe

Classic cars, like this 1968 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 428, carry different safety concerns than their modern counterparts. Getty Images
If you're thinking of buying a there's something very important you need to be aware of. That well-aged four-wheel beauty that kicks your pulse up a notch also is unsafe, at least by today's standards. And you can't easily or inexpensively compensate for a classic's lack of the safety features we take for granted nowadays. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. With a collector car of the '60s and '70s, "you can end up building a brand-new car when safety issues are considered, compared to today's cars," says Gordon McCall. McCall is a veteran of classics: a restorer, collector, driver and racer of vintage vehicles. He's also CEO of McCall Events, which produces motor sports events. Here are six to keep in mind when shopping for a classic car. None of the modifications is inexpensive, and some, such as steering and chassis changes, can run into thousands of dollars.

Safety belts

Purists might object to installing or replacing safety belts in classic cars that didn't originally have the lap-shoulder belts standard today. But they are a safety feature that could save your life. That's considered so important, McCall says, that some "car shows look the other way if it's a safety issue," judging and scoring a newly belted car as if it were original. You can buy lap-shoulder belts that fit older cars. If you're handy, you can install them yourself. But because belts are a key safety feature, at least consider professional installation. McCall says a good way to learn where the belts should be mounted is to read the rule book for an organization such as the , which requires high-end belts in racers. A rule book "explains where attachment points should be and how they should be reinforced," he says.

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Please Select Make Please Enter ZIP Code Shop For New Cars Please Select Make Please Enter ZIP Code Shop For Used Cars Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Or you can use setups from newer versions of your classic car or truck. "On a '63 split-window Corvette, I put brakes from a '65 Corvette," McCall says. "They bolted right on." Consider "replacing rubber [brake-line] hoses with braided stainless steel. That really firms up the pedal feel," he says. And consider installing a bigger brake master cylinder, or a dual master cylinder setup, from a newer model.

Tires

If they're bias-ply, as on many classics, they'll lack the stopping, steering, cornering, traction and mileage-enhancing prowess of today's radial-ply tires. Radials were pioneered in the U.S. by Ford Motor, which made radials standard on the 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III. AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. — Receive access to exclusive information, benefits and discounts MORE FROM AARP AARP Membership — $12 for your first year when you sign up for Automatic Renewal Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS