Advice on buying an AM V8 Vantage

[balls-out]

A friend of mine is looking to buy a AM V8 circa 1980s (probably Vantage spec). He has the funds, but isn't very knowledgable on cars and so has asked me to advise as I'm been a petrol head all my life and this is probably the car I most lust after. Alas my typical budget has one less digit in than his price range so I'm a little out of my depth!
Any advice, particularly around the follow would be much appreciated:
- bugdet is flexible say 50-100k
- whilst he accepts that its not an investment, he doesn't want to see his asset depreciate like a new car!
- what sort of budget should he put aside to keep it in tip top condition. It'll do a small mileage and be very much a high days and holidays car, so I'm guessing one trip to a specialist per year will be a few £k?
- he will be buying from a specialist dealer, so I'm guessing that me proding the sills with a screwdriver and looking for white-foam in the oil filer, isn't really the order of the day, but are there things I should be looking for?
- I suspect any of the models will be more car than he can appreciate, but a late vantage X pack looks the pick of the crop, any thoughts which model are the easiest to live with and the best bet to hold/gain value.

Cheers - I need to do a good job for his, because not only is he a top bloke, but my finders fee is to insure me as named driver

[Neil1300R]

Probably best to trawl the AMOC site for advice on '80's Vantages. Most people here have newer models. Lots of information up there - lots of variants on models from that period.

[balls-out]

thanks - tried to register with their forum, but can't make the confirmation email thing work... I hate computers

[V8LM]

Rikki Cann (rikki .at. rikkicann.com) is THE guy you and your friend should chat to. Email webmaster .at. amoc.org to sort out the AMOC forum.

Edited by V8LM on Friday 23 April 14:20