Q:We saw some older cars at the Back to the '50s event that had the original engines and parts. We would like to buy a classic car but we do not want to pay for a lot of maintenance. Were those older cars driven to the show, or do people tow them on trailers? - Linda and Bob D., Maple Grove

A:A lot of the cars are driven there - you may have noticed them coming or going on area highways before and afterward. Just because it's old doesn't mean it can't be made to run well.

As an owner of British cars, I hear a lot of stories about people getting stranded in them because "they always break down." Yet I have had very few problems with my '72 Triumph or '69 MG. These cars - and other classics - develop problems when they are run too little. When we run fresh gasoline through it, rather than stuff that has sat there and changed composition through evaporation... when we use the brakes, moving their components around to prevent them from seizing up... when we change the oil regularly to keep the engine lubricated and free of gummy crud... when we pump coolant through the engine and radiator by running the car's water pump... when we use the lights and switches... all of this helps reduce muck and rust and sticking components and corroded connections.

An older car can be nearly as dependable as a new one. Think of all the miles cars from the '50s and '60s made up and down the coasts, across the country, up into Canada etc., as families traveled and enjoyed the interstate highway system with them. What allowed all of that long use and dependable mileage was the use itself and the maintenance people did on them as daily drivers.

Old cars are less efficient than new ones but they're also less complicated. I have a friend with a 1962 Buick Skylark who drives it regularly during the summers without problems. If you buy a car that has been well maintained and run regularly, you can drive it around and enjoy it. If you buy one stored for many years and not run, you'll have to sort out all the systems that may have started to gum up (fuel) or rust (e.g., brakes, gas tank, cooling system) or corrode (wiring connections) or decompose (belts, hoses). The car's simplicity makes repair less intimidating than tackling a modern "check engine" light issue. There are many car gatherings throughout the summer and each weekend's are listed in the Friday Cars section in the Auto Scene column. Talk to people with cars like the ones you're considering and you'll learn a lot - what to pay, where to find parts, maintenance issues and costs, etc.

Q: Is there a source that can tell me what an average price for a `68 -'72 Mopar 340 engine is worth on the market? Also, is there a difference between a 340 and an H code 340? - Mark S., Minneapolis

A:I found a couple of engines at wrecking yards on car-part.com for about $1,200; also saw a stalled rebuild online for $700. A few websites estimate current values at $1,500-$2,000.

A rebuildable core is worth the least because a rebuild is going to add a couple grand to the cost of making it usable. A complete motor with everything - carb, intake and exhaust manifolds, distributor, etc., is worth more than something less complete, for which the buyer needs to buy more parts. A low-mileage engine that runs and burns no oil will be worth more than something that must be rebuilt because a buyer can throw it in and sell or use it as is.

Most valuable is a fully and professionally rebuilt motor that's ready to drop in. H code is a four-barrel 340, `70-'73. (J Code is a 6-barrel [3x2]). There's an engine chart on allpar.net, here: www.allpar.com/mopar/enginecodes.html. Mopar fans like numbers and details, so when you list it describe condition, known history, what is included and the casting numbers.