The time has finally come!

[6bblbird]

I've been hanging on to this car for a long time. I bought it in 1976. The time has finally come for me to put this thing back together.

It truly is completely rust free and has only 6009 miles on it. I thought that I would know what to do and how I would go about it, but not so sure now. Should I do a concours restoration? I would like to drive it when complete.
I question how much it might cost to send it out and how much would it be worth if done this way.
Should I sub contract the paint work and do the rest myself? I'm just a bit confused right now.
WF

 

[Xp29h]

Very nice! I'm sure you'll get many opinions on this. Both ways to restore, concours or a really good driver quality, will be expensive. I figured I knew that going into my driver. Basically I'm not going to help you out much, do it how you want to! If it's all original numbers, there aren't many left so you might want to keep it that way. If not matching numbers, then have some fun with that build.

Good luck and keep us posted on direction and build.

 

[bigmanjbmopar]

Is that the car in the picture? Looks like you raced it for the most part how much of the race stuff can be switched back to OE? What's your budget? That always dictates what I can do and not do. If you have all the OE parts and they work and you have the time and money take it back to factory specs. If not than make it what you want it to be other than what it already is for example a pro touring type etc.

Did you see that I was able to slip in the pro touring thing there see ----> lol

 

[Hemi Rebel]

6000 miles? Im a hot rod man but at that low a mileage I would say concourse restoration. Then sell it and buy something you are not afraid to drive and rack the miles up on.

 

[6bblbird]

6000 miles? Im a hot rod man but at that low a mileage I would say concourse restoration. Then sell it and buy something you are not afraid to drive and rack the miles up on.

I would consider a concourse style resto if if I could be certain that I would not lose money on the car. This would only be a "matching numbers" car if I can locate the original engine. Don't know how much a non original engine would hurt the value.
The car has not been tubbed and the heater box and wiper parts have never been removed from the car.
WF
P.S. I do have a car that I'm not afraid to molest!

 

[eldubb440]

what part of jersey?

 

[HT413]

Welcome from NJ. Sooooo, what exactly are we dealing with here, condition-wise? Is that a recent pic? Looks like she was making some serious HP.

 

[6bblbird]

That photo is over twenty years old. The car (fortunately) was not consistently campaigned. Lack of money and time prevented me from beating it up too bad! It hasn't seen the race track for almost twenty years although it did win a NHRA Divisional in 1990. Almost put subframe connectors in it but never got around to it thank goodness! The car is in very good condition although the paint is pretty rough. It will have to be stripped. I have found an extremely reputable shop near me to do the paint work. It won't be cheap, but it will be perfect!
WF

- - - Updated - - -

what part of jersey?

You see the race track in photo of my Challenger? That part of Jersey.
WF

 

[HT413]

Old bridge I guess? I'm in bridgewater, my cousins live a couple miles from the track. What's your budget? Everyone loses money on a concours restoration.

 

[6bblbird]

Old bridge I guess? I'm in bridgewater, my cousins live a couple miles from the track. What's your budget? Everyone loses money on a concours restoration.

Good guess!
My budget is "I can afford it". I won't lose money because I will be doing everything but body and paint by myself. Sending it out to do a soup to nuts restoration is not what I ever expected to do. I've been working on these cars and cars in general since 1971.........and I have a bitchin' set of tools!;)
I will, however, be coming here often to ask questions regarding certain parts and to post progress pics.
WF

 

[steve817]

If you have owned this car since 1976 and the metal is good, (may need a few patches and/or a trunk floor, etc.), you should have a plan to make it into a functional car and drive the wheels off it!!!!! I am assuming that you kept it that long because you absolutely love the car??? Don't sell it! After a nice paint job, cleaning/rebuilding each sub-assembly(heater, complete dash, seats, front end, window regulators, etc.), you should have something to be proud of. It sounds like you want to do "lots" of the work yourself. Do you understand the process?, do you have time, tools(hand tools, air tools, pressure washer, sandblaster, parts washer)? Do you have a place with storage, lift? How about a sink? oh yeah, did I mention time!!! Doesn't sound like money is a concern(just don't go out and buy things that you don't need). Factory parts are the best and it's safe to say that your car has most parts that are usable. All I know is if you don't have a good handle on the "process" of building a car, you will get discouraged, taken advantage of(screwed) and we will probably see this one for sale as a disassembled project. You have owned this car way to long to mess this up. Research, Research and Research, get a plan with organization and goals and get busy having fun. By the way, I build my cars and drive them all over the USA! Steve

 

[kidsixpack]

Sounds like a great car that deserves a great resto.. I'd do real nice paint and drive the heck out of it. Still worth doing as far as the investment goes. Figure a value of around $75K for a correctly done 4spd car. I did mine almost ten years ago. I've driven it 11,000 miles since the resto. and enjoy the car very much.
KID

 

[6bblbird]

Thanks for the advice Steve. I have done Mopar restorations before (in a previous life) as part of my auto repair business. I have a pretty good idea of what I'm getting in to. I will be needing help on locating parts and finding the right people to refurbish certain items. I will need a transmission and a lot of trim pieces.
Hopefully I can get the help from you guys!
WF

 

[Bigcountry]

i put about a 100 miles on mine every weekend when the weather is nice and would drive it everyday if not for all the dipsticks driving these days. Mine is non #"s matching driver. My buddy just sold his A12 bee because he never drove it(100 miles a year). Said he could not enjoy it while worry about someone or thing damaging it. That car now cruises in Australia.

 

[kidsixpack]

i put about a 100 miles on mine every weekend when the weather is nice and would drive it everyday if not for all the dipsticks driving these days. Mine is non #"s matching driver. My buddy just sold his A12 bee because he never drove it(100 miles a year). Said he could not enjoy it while worry about someone or thing damaging it. That car now cruises in Australia.

Is it the orange one that just went to Australia? There is a new one over there that was just wrecked. Not too bad. just the front end.
KID

 

[Bigcountry]

Hello Kid, it's the one Aussie A12 owns....different from the one with new front end damage. Aussie's has white int. bench seat with four speed. It won the Nationals back some time ago supposedly on a coin toss. Not numbers matching but every part date code corrrect.

 

[6bblbird]

I am looking forward to actually driving this car on the street although I will probably be afraid of the jackasses out there. I never thought twice about driving it at 125 on the track!
WF