Ball Park price on 70 Super bee

[Phillipkj4]

And not trying to talk myself into it or anything but the I have ran the rust gauntlet on the rear of a b body now. The super bee would need less compared to the RR.

 

[Superb Bee]

just keep in mind repopped metal isnt as available as it is for that road runner when it comes to quarters, so if the quarters are bad, it can turn your car into a parts car pretty fast...

I have fabbed metal for a lot of quarters over the years, and the 70 coronet is one of the hardest I ever had to do, I had a lot of time into the pair I did and I was not happy with them, but it was the best I could do. Make sure they only need the bottoms, because I had a friend buy a car that looked soft at the bottom, when we started stripping them the truth came out, one was damaged previously and full of plastic, and the other was rotted way up but because of a previous resto he couldnt tell until we stripped them down...

now that being said, "bondo" has come a long way, well not bondo but body filler in general, I use Rage and it is amazing stuff, nothing like the stuff from years ago, it light, it doesnt sink, it gets as hard as metal, it takes pant better than metal, and it doesnt come off, I did a fender for a 70 charger that was all dented up and 2 years later they got in an accident which I fixed the damage, and that filler didnt budge, didnt even crack...

 

[Robliepse]

run away run away unless you have an unlimited budget and just enjoy pain.........LOL. I'm over two years into mine and the paint turned out so nice that all the other parts look terrible. Buying a 45-year-old car one piece at a time will eat your lunch. Here's a good exercise, place the YearOne or Classic Ind. catalog in the library (the one with the nice porcelain seat) and highlight every part you think the car will / might need. every clip, emblem, cable, bushing...... then add it all up and then double that number. There my friend is your budget. then compare that to what you can find one ready to go.

 

[BeeKool]

You can get alot of the stuff here. CI and Year One are great but overpriced. If you can buy the parts here used you will save.

I wish I had found this forum a year earlier. I would have gotten a lot of stuff used for less and saved a couple grand

 

[Superb Bee]

run away run away unless you have an unlimited budget and just enjoy pain.........LOL. I'm over two years into mine and the paint turned out so nice that all the other parts look terrible. Buying a 45-year-old car one piece at a time will eat your lunch. Here's a good exercise, place the YearOne or Classic Ind. catalog in the library (the one with the nice porcelain seat) and highlight every part you think the car will / might need. every clip, emblem, cable, bushing...... then add it all up and then double that number. There my friend is your budget. then compare that to what you can find one ready to go.

So true lol, I remember the first car I put on the rotey, and WOW what a difference in cost!!! Wiring was just becoming available, and OER was putting the bolt kits in the little zip lock bags back then with a paper clipping that said "bumper 68-70 b" (now there are a bunch of companies selling bolts). That was the first car I broke $35K (ws23j) restoring, the car warranted the cost and I was partners on the car, sold it to a collector that owned a motorcycle dealership.

I know a lot of people look at a car and think, well it needs the body work, some seat covers, rebuild the motor, new tires, Ill spend $10K restoring it... lol, on a 70 B-body doing it right, you will can $10K before you leave the interior.

I know this is extreme but call dash specialties down the road from me and ask them how much to restore a 70 b console, column, dash, seats, seatbelts, and trim set (kick panels, pillar trim, headliner trim)- $10k lol, buy door panels, a package tray, bolts, headliner and carpet $600, then have the headliner installed $300, and you install the rest, you still broke 5 figures...

Granted, not many people are going to do that, and no one should do that for a 383 car (non matching numbers to boot), but even doing it yourself, you will spend half that easily inside the car even if you start with a complete gut in nice shape...


Right now is a tough time to restore a car because finished cars are buyable and its only ging to get better for the buyer..

 

[Phillipkj4]

Thanks for all the feedback. I am pretty sure I am going to pass, slept on it and feel the same. I have multiple restored cars and honestly do not want another so the restoration costs were not a factor. I do feel if he posts it for sale for 8 it will go quickly.

My intent was to drive it. It would need the window rust fixed and one lower qtr patched as well as trunk pan, that would handle the rust. I was going to throw a new top back on it and drive it, the paint I believe was good enough to polish and leave as is.

 

[Robliepse]

I fully agree that you can find less expensive parts elsewhere but the YearOne and Classic catalogs are a good budgeting reference and help pass the time in the library.

 

[Phillipkj4]

I passed. Having two projects just did not make sense to change focus to this car. while nice it like most needs the rust treatment and even though I have most parts already would ratchet up the costs.

 

[BeeKool]

I passed. Having two projects just did not make sense to change focus to this car. while nice it like most needs the rust treatment and even though I have most parts already would ratchet up the costs.

I know your rationale. I have a friend who has a 69 GTX I'm interested in. Fair price, nice car, 10 year old resto. But I'm still finishing my Bee. One money pit at a time.

I would be ready to buy the GTX in a year, maybe it will still be there. Fingers crissed

 

[Phillipkj4]

Since one project is now driving and interior is done I am back to looking. Everyone still feels strong at projects below 10k? I am just not finding them and the one I looked at sold to the next guy. I know where 3 are sitting that are ruining but not for sale. That is 2 more than I have seen for sale in the state in a year.