Front grille and chrome bumper of a 1979 Chevrolet K10 pickup with the hood raised

Inspections & Reports / Classic & Collector Inspection

ClassicRestored · numbers-matching

Classic & Collector Inspection

Numbers-matching, restoration quality, and originality. With a classic, the story is the value. We confirm it's true.

Classic & Collector Inspection from PPI Auto. A certified inspector checks it where it sits and gives you a written report, so you know where you stand.

At a glance

Restored, numbers-matching
A certified inspector comes to the vehicle
All 50 states, private seller, dealer or auction
Call 951-267-8500 to book

Fill-in formUse the classic and collector inspection form81 points, written for cars. Fill it in and download the report.

A classic is worth what its history and quality say it is.

We check the body, the numbers, and the work — so you're not paying restored-car money for a driver.

What we check

Originality

VIN, engine, and trim numbers vs. what's claimed.

Body & filler

Panel fit, filler depth, and hidden rust repair.

Restoration quality

Paint, panel gaps, and how the work was done.

Mechanical

Engine, brakes, steering, and leaks.

Frame & floors

Rust, repair, and structural soundness.

Documentation

Build sheets, receipts, and prior sale records.

What you get

A read on originality and numbers-matching
A paint-depth and body-filler report
Detailed photos
A straight talk on whether the value fits the work

Common questions

Can you verify numbers-matching?

Yes. We compare the stamps and tags to the claim and the records.

Do you check for hidden filler?

Yes, with a paint-depth gauge across the body.

Where do you inspect?

All 50 states.

Do you provide photos?

Yes, lots of them.

One call gets it done

Ready when you are

Tell us the vehicle and where it is. We handle the rest.

951-267-8500 Call now

Request a classic & collector inspection

Prefer to send details? We'll call you back.

Our own photos

What the inspection actually looks like

Shot on real jobs, not bought from a stock library. This is the same work you get when you book one.

Heavy rust on a rear leaf-spring hanger and frame bracket — Frame rust at the rear spring hanger — the thing that decides these trucks

Cloth bench seat and door card inside a classic pickup — Original bench seat and door cards, documented as found

Steering wheel, dashboard and bench seat of a 1970s truck cab — Dash, column and gauges on a 47-year-old truck

Pickup bed floor of wood and steel with worn blue paint — Bed floor: original wood and steel, with the rot mapped out

Carburetted engine bay with the air cleaner in place — Carbureted engine bay — a different inspection from a modern truck

Steel wheel and all-terrain tire under a rear fender — Wheels and tires, including the date codes most classic buyers miss

Underbody frame rail with surface corrosion, brake lines running along it — Frame rail from underneath — brake and fuel lines checked by hand

Rust along the lower rocker panel and cab corner of a classic pickup — Rocker and cab corner. On a truck this age, rust here is structural, not cosmetic

Rear axle housing, leaf spring and brake drum seen from underneath — Rear axle, drum and spring perch — checked for leaks and past welding

Rear leaf spring, shackle and tire photographed from below — Leaf spring and shackle, checked for cracked leaves and seized bushings

Front shock absorber and coil spring with the wheel removed — Front shock and spring, with the tire off the ground to load the joints

Lower ball joint and steering linkage seen from beneath a classic truck — Ball joint and steering linkage, levered by hand to feel for play

Battery, cables and added wiring in the engine bay of a classic pickup — Battery, cables and the wiring a 47-year-old truck has collected

Rust at the bottom of a blue pickup door and cab corner above a diamond plate step — Door bottom and cab corner. Bubbling paint here is rust working out from inside

Floor pan rust around the pedal area of a classic pickup cab — Floor pan at the pedals, where a leaking cowl rots a cab from the inside

Underside of a pickup showing a rusted floor pan, driveshaft and rear axle — The same floor from underneath, so the buyer sees how deep the rust really goes

Pickup bed floor with surface rust under a camper shell, seller sign blurred out — Bed floor under the shell, checked for rot before anyone falls for the paint

Rusted frame rail and spring hanger bracket behind the front wheel of a pickup — Frame rail and spring hanger, the rust that decides whether a classic is worth saving

Front axle, leaf spring and steering linkage on a four-wheel-drive pickup, seen from below — Front axle, springs and steering linkage on a four-wheel-drive K10

Brake booster and a new master cylinder with coiled brake lines in a classic engine bay — A new master cylinder on an old booster. Recent brake work gets noted, not assumed

Original blue door panel with chrome trim and a paddle handle inside a 1970s pickup — Original door panel and trim, documented as found

Power steering pump, belts and hoses on an old Chevy V8 — Power steering pump, belts and hoses on the old V8, checked for weeps and cracks

Engine bay of a 1979 Chevy truck, wiring and brake lines in view — Wiring and brake lines down the inner fender. Old repairs show up in here

Every photo on this page is from a real PPI Auto inspection. Plates, names, VINs and signatures are blurred to protect the people involved.

Need a classic & collector inspection?

Certified, unbiased, anywhere in the country.

Call 951-267-8500