I need some encouragment, or maybe a different car

[Theslo1]

About 2 years ago a friend of mine gave me a 69 coronet deluxe, it was a slant6-auto car, its a shell now. I've been gathering parts, 440,727,8 3/4, and all the little stuff, k-frame, trans cross member, bb engine mount brackets, disk brakes for the front, and other stuff. When i got the car i looked it over, its nice from the firewall forward, I saw it needed some work to the floor on the driver side, a whole trunk floor and extensions, quarter work, and a tail panel, my friend is willing to give to me a good tail panel. I was excited, but I feel I looked it over pretty good, I had just finished front frame rail replacement in a mustang and was not looking to do that again soon. Two years later, I looked at my coronet today to start working on it, I missed a few things the first time i looked at it, I see now it needs a repair on the pass side of the torsion bar cross member, and repair to the rear frame rails on both sides, and maybe spring shackle mounts. My question is, Is it worth the trouble fixing this car? Its nothing special, other than being an old mopar, if it was a bee, or RT, i'd have no doubts. I wonder if i'd be ahead to give it back and start with something else. Selling or parting the car out is out of the question, it would hurt my friend if i did. I know the saying "you gotta pay to play" I don't mind putting some money in a car as long as its not a lot more than i could buy a car in the same condition for. It'd be better if i fix it up, a little at a time is easier on the wallet. Right now i have about $1300 tied up in everything I have, and i expect to spend about that much for the rest of the little things, now its time to fix the body which I think will cost about $3000-4000 in parts, paint not included, I do body and paint my self so there is no labor, I enjoy doing this stuff. Then comes the interior. Do you think a 69 coronet deluxe is worth $7-8k. Now that I've written this out, its given me a while to think, I'm slow at typing, that doesn't sound so bad, maybe because I'm off on my figures. Let me know what you think, I can try to get pics of what i have to work with next time I go work on the car, I moved, and its still at my old house. Thanks for your time.

 

[wedge69]

Take your time and redo the car. For what you have in it and the work you can do you will never get another one !

 

[Cranky]

Are you doing the car to sell after it's done?

 

[Theslo1]

Are you doing the car to sell after it's done?

I don't plan on selling the car, If I part ways with it, it would go to my younger brother, he's 11 but a car nut like the rest of us.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Sounds like a perfect candidate for a tubbed out big tire street machine to me. Anymore I feel like having a certain VIN isn't all its cracked up to be. You have a car you can fix up anyway you want and enjoy the hell out of it without worrying if you are hurting your investment or not. Hell man. You got a free car. I wish I had your dilema

 

[Photon440]

Hello Theslo1. First of all, welcome!

As stated, some pictures would help out. But when you're all done, your Coronet with fresh body and a big block will be worth more than $9,000, provided you can show proof that the bodywork is solid. I'd say go for it!

 

[HawkRod]

I say go for it also. You said two things that conflict in my mind. One is that you are concerned that you would have more in the car than it is worth, the other is that you would not plan to sell the car.

In many cases, we may put more money in a car than it is worth, in theory. But that is all paper money. If you are not going to sell it, who cares? The other thing is that when you build a car you can built it YOUR way. Whatever color you want, options, little tweaks for yourself, etc. If you buy someone else's car then you better hope it is exactly what you want.

I say build it! If the money is an issue, take a little bit at a time. Recognize that a major car build is a L O N G process. Be in it for the whole process and it will be all the much sweeter when you get to drive it.

My $0.02

 

[Theslo1]

Thanks for the replies, I don't mean to sound like a spoiled brat fussing over a free car, I understand I'm lucky to have it. I see it can look contradicting, I don't plan to sell it, in the past i built a car, once it was done, i saw i could have bought a better car for the same money, different cars different times, I try not to make the same mistake twice. That is the reason I worry how much I'll have in it, but I'll just have to get over it, there are always going to be screaming deals to be found after a car is finished. I'll try to take lots of pictures as i fix it, mainly so I'll have something to look back on, I regret not doing that with past projects. Thanks again.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

X2 on pictures. Lets see this thing. Maybe we can give some ideas for a total budget build

 

[modernistsouth]

Glad you're sticking with it. I wouldn't say you sound like a spoiled brat at all. These cars are no small endeavor, especially if all the work is done yourself and on your own dime. We are in similar situations. My 70 RR was given to me by my dad. It sat on my grandmother's property for 34 years, and now it's my task to get it back on the road. I'm excited and proud to have it, but sometimes I look it and wonder what the hell I got myself in to. I feel good knowing it's nice and comfy in my garage and no longer rotting away in the weather. If something happens before it's finished, I know I put it in a better place than it was before. We're saving a Mopar, even it takes 3, 5, 10 years or more to do it.

 

[mopar12372]

pictures

 

[satman72]

Look at it this way. You think you'll spend more money than it's worth... So what! You would do that with any new car as well. As soon as you buy it the value starts dropping.

Once your Coronet is done, it's going to be worth it's value on the market. Again, so what! At least the Coronet will probably retain that value, or possibly appreciate. Can you say that about newer cars? At least you'll be driving a classic car with style rather than some generic vehicle. In the end, it's a car, it will cost you money, you might as well enjoy it.

 

[SublimeSixpack]

Go for it.

 

[snakeyes]

pictures are worth a thousand words ......PICTURES

 

[kb67mopar]

I started with a 67 Coronet Deluxe with similar issues and my parts are WAY harder to find then yours. I replaced the torsion bar x-member, rear frame rail sections, cross panel, trunk patches, floor patches, inner quarter patches, outer quarter patches... In the end as soon as i get it on the street this spring I will have something nobody else has and I built it myself. And yes NOBODY else has the car YOU build yourself...its yours done the way you want.

Starting with a free car...well thats just a huge bonus!

Get cracking and we can go cruising soon!

 

[WP29440SE]

pictures or it didn't happen lol

 

[Theslo1]

I'll try to get pics, its an hour away, and I work two jobs, so its difficult to get over there. I'm still gathering parts, does anybody know if a bench seat out of a mid 60's fury will fit, I don't know the exact year, and the front clip was gone so I can't look for pics and match it up. Also, a friend gave me a wire harness from a 67 coronet, from the firewall forward, can anybody tell me the differences from it to the one I need for my car? At the same yard there is a 68, I'm going to try to get the harness from it, it would probably be a closer match.

 

[BigBlock61]

I guess your answer comes down to desire and talent level. I have a 69 Coronet 440 that I'm replacing everything from the firewall back. It started out life as a 318 automatic, nothing special of a car. Sort of sounds like what you have. I'm building it into a car that I want. If you know how to, or have a desire to learn how to do the needed body work then that's half the battle. Just fix it one piece at a time and don't get overwhelmed. You'll make a lot of mistakes along the way but they can be fixed. I figure I will have built my Coronet twice when it's done from all my redos. Measure everything first so you know where it is. This way you can put the new piece back in the same spot. Write down the measurements along with some drawings to show you how it goes back together. Brace the surrounding parts so nothing moves when you take parts off. If I can do this than anyone can. Again just take your time and focus on one piece at a time.

 

[Basket case]

I traded a buddy of mine a 383/727 for this shell of a '69 road runner. 4 speed car.Lots was missing, or complete junk,but it had new 1/4 skins already welded on. I had to have part of one rear frame rail replaced. I spent 5 years scrounging moparts,e bay,swap meets for parts.Found a lot of great deals. I had a good 440 4 speed to put in it. I was able to do 90% of the work myself. I was geting it close to sending it off to the bodyshop when my garage burned down. But I had more fun with that car than any other I've ever had. I doing most of the work, it really made me feel great anytime I drove it. so have fun with yours.

 

[monaco66coupe]

A Coronet is a Coronet. Fixed up they are worth the money you put in it. I would focus on the structural part first, and get it running. That will motivate you to continue. it also raises it's value. Lets see some pictures! Regarding the wiring, Keep the harness the same year. Headlight, engine to firewall, to the dash.

Every year is slightly different, as Mopar changed the wiring schematics in the car from year to year. So if your dash harness is a 68, get the 68' engine harness, etc. The only other option is to be able to read the schematics, and move the Individual connectors yourself. And don't get in a hurry as said earlier. Can I assume it is a coupe since it is the Deluxe? If so they are hard to find like that!