Full resto or paint and drive?

[callofthemopar]

I have a 73 charger base model and my question is in your opinion should i fix whats needed and enjoy this spring or should I tear it down and do it right? The car is solid from california and needs very little rust repair. My problem is watching members here do great work restoring cars the right way it makes me want to do the same. I dont have the funds to do that so it would take me years to get a project like that complete. I was thinking a little body work and paint single stage for cheap myself so I could start enjoying my car. I have yet to drive it over a mile and thats what I bought it for. Take into consideration the interior is almost perfect and floors and trunk are perfectly solid. Maybe this way I could do it right later after the 6 kids are grown. I am only 39 now so I got time.

 

[Budnicks]

My current 68 RR I've had for a while since Dec. 2005 it still isn't done {I did 2 other projects in that time frame too, plus sold & moved 2 houses}, like all my cars, it probably never will be ever done, I'm always planning on some change or upgrade...LOL... Life has a way of getting in the way especially with family & children, you can always do it a little at a time, if need be & enjoy it, especially if it's a solid car already, a full on restoration take allot of time & allot of $$$ usually, clean it up make it your own style & drive & enjoy it... my $0.02 cents

 

[callofthemopar]

My current 68 RR I've had for a while since Dec. 2005 it still isn't done {I did 2 other projects in that time frame too, plus sold & moved 2 houses}, like all my cars, it probably never will be ever done, I'm always planning on some change or upgrade...LOL... Life has a way of getting in the way especially with family & children, you can always do it a little at a time, if need be & enjoy it, especially if it's a solid car already, a full on restoration take allot of time & allot of $$$ usually, clean it up make it your own style & drive & enjoy it... my $0.02 cents

Thanks Budnicks, I needed to hear that. some of these build threads are too insperational and makes regular guys dream real big. I want to enjoy this hobby not be frustrated. I just want a cool cruiser thats why i am keeping the teen.

 

[Clay Dots]

if its solid and safe do it a little at a time, this way you can enjoy it while you maybe can save up for the day when you willl have more funds and less obigations from famiy, total resto aways takes more time and money than expected.. best wishes on your project..

 

[tallhair]

Agree with Budnicks and clay dots. Get it road worthy and drive it and do what you can along the way. I'm not doing the full boogie on my R/T either. Just a mechanical rebuild and cleaning it up, and I'm not going into the short block at this time unless I have too. I'm gonna drive it as much as I can.

 

[conv67bdere]

X3 with the rest of the group - I've got (2) car projects, one that I keep running ALL the time, so I can take it to the car shows, drive it, and have fun ! The Belvedere is the current project and it's being torn down to the shell ( that's where I am now ) and will get re-built here ( hopefully shortly ). LIFE does have a way of throwing a wrench into the works from time to time - so you never know when stuff will get done.

Take a weekend - work on a part that needs some attention - get it fixed and back to a stage where you can drive it - and drive the heck out of it ! !
That way you're both working on the car and driving it . . . ENJOY it ! ! !

That's my $0.02 - and that's about all it's worth . . . good luck on your project !

 

[MoparBill]

I would get it safe and drive it like it is. You can plan your resto, do your research, and gather parts so you can make the resto go easier. This might be the best of both worlds- you can drive and enjoy the car and still feel like things are moving forward.

 

[747mopar]

I agree, I'm one that has a full restoration in progress but there was absolutely know way I could have ever put it on the road without doing so. Fix it and drive it until you can afford it.

 

[eric383]

Well lets make this a majority. Get it on the road as soon as you can and drive it like it's stolen! I had a friend of mine give me some advice a number of years ago. He did a resto that took him over 10 years to complete and he said if he had to do it over again he would work on it over the winter and make it driveable in the summer. You never know what life is going to throw at you so enjoy that Mopar as soon as you can.

 

[Gone]

Drive it, brother, and tinker with it along and along. We need to get these Mopars on the road where people can see them; plus, life's too short to have it sit in your garage for years while you're trying to get it just right.

 

[440+6]

A car in your hands is worth two in the garage, or something like that.

 

[bee71]

I would love to redo mine, the funds are not there yet. Till then we take it out often enough to enjoy.

 

[67GTX440]

Drive it long enough to know what you've got before you start taking it apart. I bought mine as a driver a year ago and probably drove it less than 300 miles before I took it apart. I never had time to really enjoy it or get it 100% right mechanically first, and I regret that.

 

[modernistsouth]

I'm going to get mine mechanically ready to drive and worry about a full resto over time. I'll even drive mine around in primer and minimal interior. As long as your willing to keep taking it apart and putting it back together, there is no reason to completely disassemble it. It's all about getting it on the road, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[440+6]

So show us your baby, post up some pics.

 

[roadrunnerman]

Like everybody else has said, drive it and enjoy it. I've had mine for 20+ years and just now getting to work on it. Never did get the chance to drive/enjoy it. Get whatever parts you need for it when you can. Clean 'em up good, primer/paint 'em and keep them in a good dry area. Keep watching other members rebuilds here, take notes, then when you are ready to tear down yours, it will go that much easier and probably faster than mine or Budnicks.

 

[Dennis H]

6 kids? God Bless ya man. Drive it.

 

[callofthemopar]

Here are a couple pics. I removed the top fearing rust may be under it but all was in very good shape. also added the bulge hood which some how matched the roof after the top was removed. You can see the dried glue in the picture it looks like rust but its not. The glue dried and shrank then lifted under the top and looked like rust bubbles. Was glad to find solid metal.

 

[BAD BIRD]

Put a new vinyl roof, paint the hood and enjoy that car! My paintjob is an awesome 10-15 footer.....your looks to be the same. No point in hurrying a full resto....you will enjoy it now and can beat it as hard as you want. Once a full restore is done, you are going to be concerned with every single scratch and ding. Mine needs some minimal mechanical stuff and I will repaint when next, the stars align. I will leave the full resto to my heirs.

 

[conv67bdere]

Added note - I'm not driving mine ( like I suggested to you ) because I had the luxury ( or bad luck ) to buy a car that had NO ENGINE and NO transmission.

So I'm taking advantage of this situation to tear it apart - since I'm halfway there - and rebuild it the LONG way . . . only makes sense from this point.

You have one that can be driven . . . so ( like someone said ) drive the thing like it's stolen and have a blast ! ! !

( I can sit in mine and make pretend engine sounds - but I'd need the wipers re-installed on the inside of the windshield to wipe off the spittle ) . . . ( GRIN )