The "Anyone Can Do It" Restoration..

[Sweet5ltr]

This thread is dedicated to everyone who believes that you need cement floors, expensive lifts, and ten grand worth of the highest quality tools to complete a restoration... This is me and my fathers restoration. This car sat for twelve years with a busted piston, and a bent rod. I spent $20,000 to get the car back on the road to date, but it is well worth it. All work was done by my father and I under a carport with plywood floors. The Welder used was a flux core, $80 harbor freight unit. The sanding bench was a broken chair with dual water noodles! Just required serious true grit and determination, but it came out better than we expected.. Everything on the entire car is new, other than the actual transmission. It's a driver, and was originally a 383/4-speed car. My father purchased it in 1970. I saved up my nickels and dimes in the military, and stepped up to the plate after all these years..

That's why I HATE TO SEE A GOOD MOPAR DOWN! ANYONE CAN BRING ONE BACK TO LIFE!
Thanks everyone for viewing.-
Korey

 

[Sweet5ltr]

These are videos if you click on the image:


Second start up, after camshaft break-in. 750 Summit Carb, basic engine. 450HP.


First movement in twelve years..

(after first car show) Locker, Custom axles, and 3" exhaust. Holley/Proform Carb and 509MP Cam. 475HP.

(recent) Edelbrock Heads, Victor Intake, Comp XE285HL Camshaft, Holley/Proform Carb with 3" Exhaust. 550HP.

 

[alleyoopmgv]

Looks good, nice work!

 

[fla 66 cuda]

Great job looks very nice hope my garage build looks half that good.

 

[HitIt]

Nice job! Looks awesome.

 

[detmatt1]

Nice work gents, you should be proud!

 

[tpodwdog]

im speechless. beautiful job

 

[dfarmercse]

Great job, lookung great

Dave F

 

[Superfreak]

The car looks good. Your outdoor garage is fine for Florida weather but for most people we need to have a shop of some sort and a heated one at that. I definitely wouldn't mind living in a place that has Florida like weather though.

 

[71ChallengerSE]

Thank you for posting this, I tell people all the time that if you do the work yourself you can restore a mopar for way less than you think. When the guys at MOPARTS say you can't paint a car for less that $10,000 it always makes me laugh. Those guys are the ones ruining the mopar hobby.

She looks great and you can enjoy her without feeling bad that you have half a million dollars in her.

 

[Sweet5ltr]

Thank you for posting this, I tell people all the time that if you do the work yourself you can restore a mopar for way less than you think. When the guys at MOPARTS say you can't paint a car for less that $10,000 it always makes me laugh. Those guys are the ones ruining the mopar hobby.

She looks great and you can enjoy her without feeling bad that you have half a million dollars in her.

Thanks! I actually have pictures of me and my father, priming the car in 30* weather when it was 9'o'clock at night.. I was holding a lamp, while he was spraying. Our goal was to finish the car, prior to the Daytona Turkey Run. It was complete, with one week to spare. We did all the bodywork but got the first paintjob done at a Maaco believe it or not. They ended up spraying sealer all in our interior, and ruined our trunk by not masking up properly (when we offered to mask the car up ourselves). It only cost us around $500. Any professional will tell you, to never put an expensive paint job on a surface that you just completed massive amounts of bodywork on. We have a very good base, and will get a very nice base coat/clear coat for our next paint job. I had around $15,000 into it at that time, and I have put another $5,000+ since that time period. Its always a work in progress. It got hundreds of pictures each day of the show. It just has that "look" that you can't turn away from, and the torch-red paint really just 'pops'.

and I agree... Mopars were all about performance on a budget! I don't like where the hobby is heading either..

 

[Ron 73]

Looks great, A car port is my garage, you did a great job on that car, you and dad should be proud as can be!! Enjoy!

 

[Ron 73]

Thank you for posting this, I tell people all the time that if you do the work yourself you can restore a mopar for way less than you think. When the guys at MOPARTS say you can't paint a car for less that $10,000 it always makes me laugh. Those guys are the ones ruining the mopar hobby.

She looks great and you can enjoy her without feeling bad that you have half a million dollars in her.

I agree totally and the biggest thing no matter where you paint is "clean environment and lighting" and i really didn't have either in my little car port garage. Thats one of the biggest issues, Im no pro but i like my car and it doesn't have no $10.000 dollar paint job on it... You said it perfectly and i hope this thread helps some folks out on a budget wanting a decent ride doing it there-selves..

 

[QTR MILE]

Hey great job, that car look's awesome.

 

[goose69]

Your car turned out looking great.
I was wondering, did the humidity affect your bodywork or prep? Wondering if it rusted bare metal fast while working on it?
Btw, I like the stance on the car too & that red paint really catches your attention!

 

[northerndave]

Car looks great guys! Good job!!

 

[1966Coronet]

This is the type of inspiration that Im looking for every time i log in this web page. Thanks for sharing with the rest of us your beautiful car, it looks awesome!

 

[Sweet5ltr]

Your car turned out looking great.
I was wondering, did the humidity affect your bodywork or prep? Wondering if it rusted bare metal fast while working on it?
Btw, I like the stance on the car too & that red paint really catches your attention!

It did, we actually had to wipe down the car every morning. We used your basic spray can primer on bare metal. It was REAL high then, it now is lower. The SS springs started to settle a bit. It's Torch Red (GM) or Colorado Red (Ford). I picked the colors out, because I have always loved the TR on the Z06 Corvettes. We originally wanted it the Camaro Green, but they didn't sell it in single stage at the time. We just had a Maaco spray job, to see how the bodywork turned out. It will be sanded down, primed, and shot again with a Base coat/clear coat this year.

Thanks everyone for the comments! We joked about sending all the pictures to Gearz (Stacey David) to put on the show, because he always applauds these types of back yard restorations. Just because it was done in our back yard, doesn't mean we cut any corners. I had around $15,000 in parts within six months. Many parts have been replaced since then, gauges, etc. to nicer units. I have around 5-6k more in it since 8 months ago.

 

[goose69]

Well this is a great thread. I envy people like you because I have a good friend with a '72 Roadrunnr that did the same thing along side his house. Whipped out some bodywork & had Maaco paint it. I on the other hand tore my car down to try and do it the "right" way, well over a decade later mine is still apart while he has enjoyed his completely, I wish I would have done that! Hind site 20/20. Now I'm doing it with my '66 belvedere so I can enjoy something sooner.
Enjoy your ride!

 

[fatecaptured]

Boy! This is a fresh breath of air.... Very awesome job!! I needed to read this thread. I'm getting so burnt out and stressed out over my projects and the $ needed to finish them. Thanks for giving your story to us.