Ever feel like you will never be able to stop working on your car?

[FROSTBITE]

I sure do, i purchased a 1966 4 speed 383 dodge charger for 20,000 this spring off ebay that was supposed to be fixed up and didnt need anything new rebuilt 383. I sold my 1973 duster thinking this would be a nice step up... im starting to miss my old duster. I dont think im going to be buying off ebay again soon.

Once I got it home and first time i got into the throttle... putt putt backfire... 15 min later the engine temp starts getting warm and doesnt stop then shoots coolant out of the overflow. :angryfire:

Been working on the car for 4 months now, about the only thing i haven't done to the car is rebuild the engine or trans....

 

[Dennis H]

Nice looking car. Caveat Emptor. I consider it an evolution. There is usually something on the whats-next list while keeping daily driver status. Next is the pre trip inspection for an upcoming road trip. Then some interior upgrades - by choice.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

I sure do, i purchased a 1966 4 speed 383 dodge charger for 20,000 this spring off ebay that was supposed to be fixed up and didnt need anything new rebuilt 383. I sold my 1973 duster thinking this would be a nice step up... im starting to miss my old duster. I dont think im going to be buying off ebay again soon.

Once I got it home and first time i got into the throttle... putt putt backfire... 15 min later the engine temp starts getting warm and doesnt stop then shoots coolant out of the overflow. :angryfire:

Been working on the car for 4 months now, about the only thing i haven't done to the car is rebuild the engine or trans....

That sux, think of it this way you will have a kick *** 66 charger soon and it only cost you a 72 duster.

 

[tpodwdog]

yeah...i hear ya dude....just when i thought i had the Belvy II all done........WHAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.....i go out this morning to load up the truck and there it is.....a frikkin puddle of coolant on the floor. time for a new rad i see !.

thats a nice car BTW .

 

[67 coronet]

nice looking ride.been building my current project for a bit over a year now and i did rebuild the motor and trans.:headbang:half the fun is putting it together.

 

[440roadrunner]

I don't have the money nor the strength (arthritis). But I'm 64 and STILL feel like I'll never be able to stop!!

 

[snakeyes]

tell me

 

[70RR]

Pre-Inspections

I have found hiring Companies that do car inspections for you for cars that are not near by are the best way to go...It was like $200 but, they told me those frame rails on that 1970 $20,000 Roadrunner were almost gone..Even though seller said little rust on the Frame that 1% of the cars cost I spent saved me $19,800..I will never buy a car I can not see any more with out a 3rd party to inspect .
I :nono:Trust no one any more buying an old car..Rick

I sure do, i purchased a 1966 4 speed 383 dodge charger for 20,000 this spring off ebay that was supposed to be fixed up and didnt need anything new rebuilt 383. I sold my 1973 duster thinking this would be a nice step up... im starting to miss my old duster. I dont think im going to be buying off ebay again soon.

Once I got it home and first time i got into the throttle... putt putt backfire... 15 min later the engine temp starts getting warm and doesnt stop then shoots coolant out of the overflow. :angryfire:

Been working on the car for 4 months now, about the only thing i haven't done to the car is rebuild the engine or trans....

 

[dfarmercse]

For me, one thing leads to two more. I may never finish.

Dave F

 

[bigredbird]

Crap, dude, $20K and still needs all that work?? That hella suxx for sure.

 

[Meep-Meep]

I have long ago learned that you never fix a problem on a car but rather move it to a different spot.

 

[Budnicks]

I have long ago learned that you never fix a problem on a car but rather move it to a different spot.

:iamwithstupid: God isn't that the whole truth & nothing but the truth...LOL...

 

[Propwash]

yup...just a cycle. Once you finally think you touched everything, it starts all over again.

 

[red 69 runner]

I feel your pain,I bought mine off EBay almost a year ago but I went and picked it up my self so I could have come back with an empty trailer.My car was painted by the PO and it is not a show class paint job but looks good,the interior was all good except for being dirty,so far I have replaced the wireing harnesses from the tail lights forward,only need 2 more for the engine compartment,repainted the dash and had the heat and a/c box re furbished($934.00),replaced the fuel tank and sending unit,new carb and added an aluminum intake.replaced the ignition to electronic,car runs the best since I got it,just ordered all the front suspension parts and am going to rebuild that next since the front end is original.I paid $20.000.00 for my car and that isnt that much when you think about it,if you want one that doesnt need anything,they will cost a bit more.I didnt have the time for a complete project but I also bought my car to get back into working cars and all the work I have done on it makes me feel good,I bought a good driver (work in progress)at least thats how I explain it to the wife.Eventually it will all be done,nah i will find something else to do to it.

 

[fatecaptured]

I hear ya man. I have a 13 year project and got a wild hair to buy another one. I'm not even finished with the first one. The newest project looked good on eBay and thats where I bought if from. Got it shipped, picked it up and seen that is a mechanical nightmare. Needs wiring, complete interior, doesn't run (looking at an over haul), suspension, body work, and on and on...

 

[Moparsmitty]

yup...just a cycle. Once you finally think you touched everything, it starts all over again.

I've owned or worked on a lot of old cars & trucks over the years and I never really stopped working on any of them unless I sold them. That's because there is no such thing as perfect. There's always something on an old car that could be just a little bit better.

 

[Budnicks]

I had 6 years on my last 68 RR sold it to a friend, that wanted to go fast, in the 9's or 8's right off the trailer, with out doing any of the work or tuning for $28k, I've pretty much spent all that on taxes & my house improvements, I'm doing them myself & my other 68 RR RM23 HT, I purchased back in Dec. 2005 while I was still thrashing on the other "fast 68 RR", fortunately I purchased most all of the parts 2 of each so I have a pile of parts still on the shelf for this current 68 RR project, but I'm spending too much, just spent $7200 on new A/C system for the house lately, to spend too much on the RR, every time I touch anything it seems it cost another $100 & I won't compromise on what I have envisioned for my cars, regardless of price, it won't ever be sold anyway, unless someone gives me way more than it's ever going to be worth, it's still just a 68 RM23 HT 383ci {not a 383 anymore} Decor Package, LL1 Surf Medium Turquoise Metallic, w/727tf & w/8-3/4 rear car, you can buy all day long for $15k-$20K, maybe not in that color or all my stuff & engine/trans/rear/suspension parts, this car handles like a sports car now, I also already have more in this car, than I did the fast 68 RR that took me 6 years, that I recently sold a couple years ago now & this RR is not even painted or finished yet...LOL... My next car is going to be a 65-67 AC Cobra {not real} or a 39-41 Willys 60's style gasser or a slammed 56 F-100, pro-street/pro-touring, or maybe even a Cool Wagon of some kind, since I can't justify the price of a 69 Daytona Charger, my #1 bucket list car... the RR will need a stable mate, when it's done finally...

 

[70Fish]

Sorry to hear you didn't get what was advertised. Sadly, like the other replies, it's an endless cycle of blood, sweat, and tears making em go!

 

[Dennis H]

I wish every time I touched something it was only another hundred. Doesn't matter at this point. Whatever it takes to make the ride either faster or more comfortable. 25 year owner here so I don't care what it is worth either.

Latest? Get better distribution for the aftermarket AC. Need dash parts, grille and soft stuff too. Figured maybe 2-3 hundred. $425. Just happy to find nice one year only parts.

 

[Bruzilla]

I won't compromise on what I have envisioned for my cars, regardless of price, it won't ever be sold anyway, unless someone gives me way more than it's ever going to be worth.

I just had to show that quote to my wife. She busted out laughing and said "That's you with the red car!" I restored a red '73 340 Roadrunner back in the late 1980s and she is right... that was exactly the attitude I had while doing it. That car was showroom new by the time I was done, and it cost me a frigging fortune in 1980s and 1990s dollars! And then I never drove the damn thing anywhere but to two car shows a year because I was so paranoid about everything that could happen to it. I was even paying $40 a month to keep it stored because I was afraid one of the kids would damage it if it were in the garage. All that time, money, and effort, and what did I get besides having to spend more time, money, and effort on it.

Then one day in 1994 I woke up, said WTF am I doing, and sold the car. I bought a beat up 318 73 Roadrunner for $900, dropped a built up 440 into it, got a $99 Earl Scheib paint job on it, and drove the crap out of it until the wheels almost literally fell off. I had a blast with that car. Now I have my 74 that I've spent less than $6k on and it runs good and looks good, and I do all my Friday through Sunday driving in it. I drive it to work on Fridays, to get groceries on Saturday, racing Saturday nights, and to Steelers games on Sunday, and wherever else I have to go. It's by no means a perfect restored classic, but I am one very happy owner... which I wasn't with the red Roadrunner.