Project cars

[crash113]

Hey ya'll i was just wondering is it feasible to get a good project car driver for a reasonable price, $8k being the most id like to spend. My dream car would be a 68-70 road runner but i do have a lot of other likes so if need be i can look into another car. The biggie would be that its a driver, ive come to the conclusion that i would rather spend more and be able to enjoy my toy than spend years fixing a project into a road worthy ride. I just dont want to deal with $5k in bodywork. Hopefully ill be in the market in the near for future so any opinions would be a great help.

 

[Budnicks]

sure it's possible....welcome to FBBO

 

[Pistol Pete]

Welcome to the board.

Well, let me be blunt - an $8000 Roadrunner is going to need $5000 worth of bodywork. Yes, you can find a driver for that price range, but how much money it will take to make it what you want depends largely how much you are willing and or able to do yourself. A good paint job alone can easily run $5k and that's without any major bodywork.

I don't want to discourage you as for many of us, we just can't run out and plop down 15 or 20 grand on a finished car, so I understand attacking it from a project perspective. But it's also important to realize early on what it might take so that you don't become bummed half-way through the build.

Now, if you want to start with a different year/ model, you can buy more car (needing less work) for the same money. Say a '73 or'74 RR or Charger for example.

 

[crash113]

Oh its no problem i appreciate the honesty. I should have been more descriptive, i dont mind a little bodywork i just dont want holes you can jump through. I just want something that would be reliable enough to drive a little on weekends while im fixing it up.

 

[Richard Cranium]

Unkless you fell into a deal of the century, an $8,000.00 Road Runner is going to need at least $15,000.00 worth of bodywork. Then add interior, suspension, wheels, tires, brakes engine, transmission, rear end, fuel lines, trim, etc, etc, etc.

 

[loneagle]

I'm gonna agree with them in this you could find a driver for that price but in buying a full blown project you could start off better by being able to see what you get to start with as a for instance I have 3 projects as a 71 super bee project needs driveline and misc interior but just minor rust for sale at $5000 then a 72 rally charger for about $2000 but needs a lot then there's the 73 charger se that comes with almost $3000 in extra parts including a parts car and tons of new parts and extra parts !!!!!! Finding a driver there could be bondo or tiger hair hidden everywhere in it under the paint as there was in a red 71 I bought as a premiered driver needed floors and both 1/4s then there is the $$$ you will spend keeping it on the road versus doing how you want it

 

[daredevil]

Why take opinion when you can searsh for sale threads and ebay and see for yourself what your coin buys?

 

[crash113]

Hey thanks everyone, like i said I'd love to be able to get a 68-70 road runner (my dads first car was a 69 road runner 440 6 pack and i always wanted to build up one just like it with him) but there are several other models im interested in i.e; 71-72 road runners, belvederes, satellites, hell even a dart could be fun. I didnt think a road runner would be in my budget but ill take daredevil's advice and see what i can stumble across.

 

[HT413]

the key for me was looking for other 'flaws' in a car that lower the value but are something i could deal with. I couldnt afford a roadrunner so i found a 69 Belvedere. The car has a freshly rebuilt motor but it's a truck 413 block, was mini tubbed and has a 4 link suspension (both things i wanted), and is rust free but was blasted and painted without the body being smoothed and filled.

All of those things drastically lowered the value vs a real 69 roadrunner in nice original driver shape, which is why i was able to afford it. But the car is 100% complete, rust free, with no hidden flaws or rust, nice driver interior, fresh motor and runs and drives for less than $10k. Of course, now i have some serious body smoothing to do plus a paint job but i get to do it at my own pace as budget allows but for now i'm driving it as a sort of rat muscle car lol. Oh, and it took me 2 years of searching everyday to find the right car at the right price in the right condition.

So they're out there but you need to be realistic, flexible and very very dedicated. Maybe look at an old racecar that can be easily converted. That scares most people away so should drop the price considerabley.

 

[daredevil]

Cloning is a cheaper alternative if youre not hung up on numbers. I see rm23 cars and think rm is abbreviated real money.lol

 

[dvw]

I'd clone one. Start with a Belvedere or Satellite. Find the best quality body you can. If it's a six or 318 find a good used drive train. Aftermarket 6 pack glass hood a few emblems and stickers and your good to go. Take your time and search. Good bodys are out there,. As are decent used drive train.
Doug

 

[Basket case]

I got mine in 2007 for $9k. this got me a driving car, just needed a tune up and some tinkering. new interior, rebuilt engine, 4 speed post car. solid body except for the patched and muddy 1/4s. I drove it untill last fall and have a buddy doing the body work. Besides new 1/4 skins, just some door dings and one spot on each side of the rear window needed fixed. gonna have $5k in the bodywork.There are deals out there, just take your time, save as much as you can to get the best most complete car.

 

[crash113]

Ya i should have said that i dont want anything numbers matching or any rare options that id feel bad about if i tore apart and modded and it doesnt have to be an actual road runner, thats why i was looking into belvys and satellites. Its mainly that classic squared off B body styling i love. Im perfectly fine with cloning something into what i want.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Here's one in your price range. Not the year model you want, but it's a nice lookin car.

http://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/showthread.php?50659-1973-Road-Runner-340

 

[greenmachine]

Here ya go. Medford Oregon Craig's. listing number. 3712915942. Not exactly what u want but it is a roadrunner of the correct age range with a Dana 60 ex race car. Go for a 68 or 69 satellite and do a tribute/clone. More reasonably priced.

 

[Budnicks]

sure it's possible....welcome to FBBO

:iamwithstupid: I guess I should be clear, you can get one for that price, I looked for a year or so before I found something that wasn't junk... I got my real 68 RM23 383/727 for $6k & it was a driver/runner, w/near perfect interior, with all it's necessary trim & little pieces, but back in Dec 2005, it was also nearly a rust free Calif. car too, just a couple of minor rear lower quarter patches, but it had a bad crease down the whole drivers side... I repaired/metal prepped the car myself, using all the original parts on the car & a bunch of sweat equity & maybe under $1000, to get it into Ultra Flat Black primer/paint... Yes it can be done, it depends on your knowledge base, having a place to work on stuff & what Books &/or tools you have & know how to use the necessary needed tools... I have far more than $5k in mine now, after the original $6k purchase price & way too many mods & improvements to list, now over a 7-8 year period.... As you see, yes it can be done, depends on how you look at it, mine is drive-able & still a work in progress, not every car needs to be a 100% OEM restoration or a high dollar show car, with a high dollar paint job to enjoy them while you work on them.... Unfortunately I spend far more money updating my damn house & taking care of old Pops every year, than I spend on my car... it ain't no show winner but it's mine & I like it.... if you want it done faster, then yes you can spend a ton of cash, in a short period of time, we all don't have that kind of money, to be able to do that stuff always... Maybe the getting a "usually much cheaper", Belvedere or Satellite & make a RR/GTX clone/tribute, isn't a bad idea either, unless it's a real finished 68-70 RR that you want, then I suggest you start saving now... Good Luck what ever you decide

 

[Ron 73]

Which ever way you go, There is no way your going to get out of staying away from your bank account. A driver ready to go that more then likely you will need parts for and add that to the price paid, Or a project car that you start fresh, and keep adding until your satisfied. This is point blank but ive been in both situations and am there now, Very seldom you can buy a car ready to drive and it be in the condition you want, as much as a year down the line you can find putty bulging out of fenders and quarter panels (you do get lucky sometimes), This is why i think a project car is the way to go, you KNOW what it is and if you buy the year you want (68-70) You want to be able to sell it at a price it deserves and is worth if its done right, If you never sell it, you don't want to have to start doing it again in a few years. If you get a project car for a decent price, depending on your money situation, and do some or all the work yourself, in 2-3 years you can have your dream car done right. Patience is a tester, a driver now is fun, but in time you can have the driver and done right and then enjoy it for "years" to come.

 

[64BEL]

If you're interested in going in the other direction (earlier), you can get a nice driving '62-'65 car. There are a lot of those out there for under $8k.