If you're over 40, this probably isn't for you

[Brandy]

Agree 747, i'm in no hurry, I bought a complete unrestored driver for a very good price and knew what I was going to do to it and that it would take a long time. I AM retired and DO have the time so that works for me. I used to do those very things back in the day, I once helped my big brother pop rivet and entire 1/2 quarter onto his 69 Runner and then Bondo the crap out of it so he and my other big brother could take it to California back in 1972. It worked and they had a blast. Nowadays I'm more likely to do it right but i'm not above using rivets here and there..lol.

 

[verdelaw]

If wanting a custom build then trying to find a solid shell minus motor, tranny, interior, etc is the smart choice... not a restored specimen.

Disagree. If you don't have the time, the work space, this is the worst choice. If you were gonna pay to have it done, this is again a bad choice. I know you've got pretty impressive skills Mr. 747... I don't have them (yet).. but more importantly I don't have the time to implement them even I did have em. And I'm not willing to wait 10+ years either. But that's just me. For me, the best choice is an older restoration. Hoping to find one with body work all done.

Someone else mentioned how the new generation can't do quick fixes.. either because these darn kids aren't smart enough or the cars are too complicated. Hogwash. I've plastic welded a radiator on a Honda, used scrap wire on the same car, and self diagnosed all kinds of issues with my own or borrowed obd scanners on Hondas, Toyotas, and a Beemer. Many times the "fix" is a crossed wire, a soldered bit, or just the bulb removed from a nuisance alert. YouTube is wondrous for quick fixes.

 

[747mopar]

Disagree. If you don't have the time, the work space, this is the worst choice. If you were gonna pay to have it done, this is again a bad choice. I know you've got pretty impressive skills Mr. 747... I don't have them (yet).. but more importantly I don't have the time to implement them even I did have em. And I'm not willing to wait 10+ years either. But that's just me. For me, the best choice is an older restoration. Hoping to find one with body work all done.

Someone else mentioned how the new generation can't do quick fixes.. either because these darn kids aren't smart enough or the cars are too complicated. Hogwash. I've plastic welded a radiator on a Honda, used scrap wire on the same car, and self diagnosed all kinds of issues with my own or borrowed obd scanners on Hondas, Toyotas, and a Beemer. Many times the "fix" is a crossed wire, a soldered bit, or just the bulb removed from a nuisance alert. YouTube is wondrous for quick fixes.

My reply wasn't directed toward any one person but just my opinion. Obviously one who has neither the space nor the time cannot restore a car and aren't the ones I was referring to in my reply but instead the ones wanting to enter the hobby of restoring them. The one thing you need to understand is for most of us it's the build that we enjoy most so buying a complete car is just no fun.
I appreciate the compliment but will tell you that everything that I have learned has came mostly from neccesitty and usually the hard way. My first 4 cars were fixer uppers because that's what I could afford. I didn't have a shop on the first 2 either and built them outside. Little by little you build a garage, buy a compressor, welder, air tools, engine stand, etc and one day you look around and say "holy cow, I can't believe I used to do this outside"! Now I'm 40, since I have the tools I buy totals for daily drivers, fix any damages myself and use all those years of practice and investing to my advantage. What I'm saying is if it's nothing more than getting the car you want then yes by all means buy it, for those looking into entering the hobby don't look at it as just that because it opens other doors as well.

 

[Darius]

You done broke the code Bro! Just have to know what you are looking at. In your case, you will be able to make a more knowledge based decision because of your experience. The FNG could, and some will, make a bad purchase on a "done" car because of the inexperience.

 

[GinoX]

All my mopars were fixer uppers.

The 300 for example, was a rust tub as its owner was the refinery physicist/doctor living in a condo on the refinery premises like 200ft from the sea. Yeah, one can imagine when a late teen boy sees the cross rammed 413 in all its glory in the late 70s, a working ac, smooth ride (and I'm NOT going to talk about brakes), 727 type writer shifter etc., he tends to overlook the leprosious and cancerous craters on the body, underneath the windshields, wiper pockets, front bumper, virtually no exhaust system..... you get the picture.

Time he has, no problem. But after three years, this tends to get tedious and he gets very impatient searching for parts...... Hmmmm.... that Duster is getting very sexy the more months pass. So does the R/T Charger......

 

[barbee6043]

yes Bruzilla! so many points you made are so true. so many people have never driven these old cars back when new or later. have NO clue. so many think of "whats it worth" , " I gotta make it perfect"," I wanna win the $5 trophy at the show", "gottsa have 500 HP outta my small block", the list is long.
my take on best bang for the buck. buy a solid driver from where it does not live in the rust belt. pay the shipper. find someone on here to look at it before you buy ( and not off feebay). pay the dude back west some $$ to make a good look a t it. get it home, and drive it, enjoy it as you work on it. so you gotta a 3 car garage full of your and her stuff already. house full of kids, and wife that wants your time for the family? buy a done car!!!!!!!

 

[moose1]

Wow that's a lot of cars in a short amount of time. All for fun? Or trying to make money?



Beautiful car there moose, glad to hear you're loving it. What happened to those two other cars from only 3 or 4 years ago? The Runner and the GTX? Did you sell them? Why?..

Actually, it was WAY more than 3 or 4 years ago. Bought the Runner new in '68, wrapped it around a tree in '70 (my fault - icy road), then bought the GTX. Kept the GTX until '71 then sold it for, get this, $2500!! so I could buy a Datsun 510. What was I thinking? Things were different back then - muscle cars were a dime a dozen.

 

[Bruzilla]

Someone else mentioned how the new generation can't do quick fixes.. either because these darn kids aren't smart enough or the cars are too complicated. Hogwash.

It's not a question of not being smart enough. It's a question of believing since they're dealing with an older car, they have to "do it right" and get exact replacement parts. If you're stopping a project to order an exact replacement part, when an acceptable substitute is available, and your car is just a driver... that's a waste of time.

 

[moparnation74]

It's not a question of not being smart enough. It's a question of believing since they're dealing with an older car, they have to "do it right" and get exact replacement parts. If you're stopping a project to order an exact replacement part, when an acceptable substitute is available, and your car is just a driver... that's a waste of time.

Very good points here for the younger crowd....
If you do not have the means or wealth for perfection but you want an older classic to tinker with than utilize new cheaper replacement parts and drive the car daily...learn as you go perse....

My first daily driver was a 68 four door dart, slant six, auto....after that was a 72 Duster 340 4spd....both great looking reliable cars but not perfection but why would one want a perfect daily driver.

Furthermore, driving these types of mechanical beasts will teach one how to drive the road respectfully and to take care of their equipment....

 

[Richard Cranium]

In all honesty, our cars are the definition of simplicity.

I used to think that "our" cars were much more advanced and complex than cars 30-40 years older, but in reality they aren't. However, there is a huge jump in complexity of cars produced in the past 20 years.