Newbie looking to start a Project car

[Crippdaddy]

Hi all,

 

1st post here and have little to no experience with cars other than changing oil and basic service, and a bit of second hand info from my dad doing a off frame restoration on his 1955 Ford T-Bird convertible. My wife wants us to start a project car and I want to get some recommendations before starting out. I am military so I am subject to move every 2-3 years, and I know there is extremes when it comes to resto's but any info is greatly appreciated.

 

1. what is typical budget for a restoration?

2. Length of time to complete a Restoration?

3. Amount of tools required for the project?

4. Likelihood of recouping investment on a completed project?

5. Likelihood of selling a 1949 Chevy Styleline Deluxe fast after a Restoration?

6. any miscellaneous info that you could share?

 

thanks in advanced 

 

Matt 

[Rusty_OToole]

The best advice I can give you, is to buy the best car you can afford. Get one that requires no work, or minimal work. Believe me once you buy it you will find plenty of things that need work.

 

Your chance of recouping your investment on an old car is practically zero especially one you restore.

 

Typical budget, take the time and money you estimate. Double it. Now double it again. That will get you somewhere in the ballpark. Most restorations never get finished.

 

I lied in the first line. The real best advice is to forget about messing with old cars. Use the time and money to take your wife out to dinner and dancing, or take your kids to Disney world. Your family, your sanity and your wallet will be better off.

 

The above wisdom is the fruit of more than 50 years messing with old cars. I'm too far gone to help, save yourself while you can.

[Crippdaddy]

thanks for the insight, just to dot all my i's and cross all my t's are you speaking from a great deal of experience in this field. Just doing my do dilligence here please don't take offense none is intended  

[nick8086]

about 85K to do this one..

Edited March 12, 2019 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

 

" thanks for the insight, just to dot all my i's and cross all my t's are you speaking from a great deal of experience in this field. Just doing my do dilligence here please don't take offense none is intended  "

 

Speaking from more than 50 years of messing around with old cars. More than 10,000 posts on this board most of a technical nature. In other words, I know a few things about old cars and the old car hobby.

 

There are a lot better ways to spend your time and money. Unless you are a real gone old car fan, in that case good sense and good advice are useless.

Edited March 12, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

A good way to dip your feet into restoration without jumping in the deep end is to buy a pretty good driver that could use some sprucing up but not really a restoration.  That shouldn't be too hard to find in something like a 49 Chevy.  I would try to avoid one that needs paint because that opens up a whole can of worms as to what to do while you are at it.  I like to replace some chrome , not a whole car that needs all new chrome but there is usually lots of small stuff that could be replaced with better pieces that aren't necessarily new but alot better than what you have.   do a little mechanical work, brakes etc. maybe work on the paint a bit to bring it up a level if it's faded or full of orange peel.  All this can be done in small phases and you never usually get to the car all disassembled in the garage phase.  In your case that might be even more important as the chance of getting stationed at a new location and having to move a disassembled car or worse yet having to sell a disassembled car which is really hard. 

This will keep your investment down a bit as well and you shouldn't hit that point where now you need to come up with some big sum of money for a paint job or an interior if what you buy has a usable one.  

After you have had that a while,  you'll see how much free time you were able to devote to it and know how much deeper you can dive into your next project.   You'll also get to drive it some and see which you like better the Cruising part or the actual restoration part of bringing something back from the grave. 

Good luck.  If you don't have a car yet,  let us know your general location (atleast state) a rough budget and what you want.  We love passing along leads we find on old cars.  Lets us broke guys do some fantasy shopping. 

[nick8086]

I sold a  few cars for 500.00 to 1900.00

 

They were great buys...

Edited March 12, 2019 by nick8086 (see edit history)

[Crippdaddy]

Thanks again, I will post pictures of what she wants to restore tomorrow, but we are in S Texas and, a couple things she has priced out is 400.00 for a whole new interior from mexico, 350 for an engine re build kit, the car we found has been sitting for who knows how long with no spark plugs in it, needs some body work due to rust and all windows replaced she thinks we can get this 1949 styleine deluxe to where its ready for shows for under 10k and that it should be worth 30-50k when we are done

[John_S_in_Penna]

22 minutes ago, Crippdaddy said:

...she thinks we can get this 1949 styleline deluxe to where its ready for shows for under 10k and that it should be worth 30-50k when we are done.

 

Mr. Daddy, please realize what others said:

It is virtually impossible to make money by restoring

cars.  The figures you quote, sorry to say, are not realistic

in the least.  Approach your old-car ownership with a zest

for enjoyment--like any fun hobby--but never motivated by profit.

I know of someone who had a 1936 Lincoln, for example,

who had it totally restored by a well-reputed shop for over

$200,000;  it won top awards, and shortly thereafter the

owner passed on.  It was a challenge to get $89,000 for

the car.  And while doing the thousands of hours of work

yourself will save money, it will still be a large expense.

 

When valuing cars, don't judge by others' ASKING prices.

Asking prices by dealers and some optimistic hobbyists

may be double a car's true value.  The car you restore

you can sell afterward, but it must be realistically priced,

and even then could take 2 to 12 months.

 

I concur with Auburn Seeker above:  If you want to work

on a car, get a drivable car that needs just a bit of work.

This is especially true for a newcomer to the hobby.

You'll have the satisfaction of working on a car, and 

you will still be able to enjoy it at the same time.

 

All the best to you in your quest!

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

22 hours ago, Crippdaddy said:

Thanks again, I will post pictures of what she wants to restore tomorrow, but we are in S Texas and, a couple things she has priced out is 400.00 for a whole new interior from mexico, 350 for an engine re build kit, the car we found has been sitting for who knows how long with no spark plugs in it, needs some body work due to rust and all windows replaced she thinks we can get this 1949 styleine deluxe to where its ready for shows for under 10k and that it should be worth 30-50k when we are done

It would be more accurate to reverse these figures. 30k - 50k to restore that heap, worth 10k when done. You couldn't get the body and paint done for 10k today.

 

That is why it is better to spend 10k on a real nice one, and save yourself 20k - 40k in expense and many years of work.

 

Since you are in Texas it is not hard to find decent rust free cars. If you want something to work on, look for something like this Studebaker that can be bought for a few hundred, to a couple thousand dollars. I am not saying specifically Studebaker, in fact you would be better off to start with a more popular Ford or Chev that is easier to get parts for.  I link this as an example of someone getting into the old car hobby cheap without overmatching himself. Watch this series and learn, you will never learn these lessons any faster or cheaper.

 

Later.... I watched the series again and have some second thoughts. I am letting it stand as a good example of someone having fun with an old car and getting into the old car hobby at minimal expense. But a lot of the things he does are crude and incorrect, worst of all, unnecessarily so. There are better ways to do some of the repairs he does that wouldn't take any more time or money. But as I said, I am letting it stand because there are some good lessons to be learned and  I find it entertaining.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[C Carl]

First, Matt, thank you for your service in defence of our country, and protecting our freedom. Next, a great big warm AACA welcome to you and your wife ! There is no better site for the guidance you need, and you got the great Rusty' right out of the gate. Please treasure and heed the valuable advice you will get from the guys so far, and the ones who you will hear from soon. Save your selves grief and disappointment by not second guessing the experts here. DO NOT DIVE INTO THE DEEP END FIRST !!!!!!!!  Learn to swim by getting the best car of your desires that you can't quite afford. Old cars require more adjustment, and more frequent lubrication and general maintenance than modern machinery. That is truly where you MUST start, PARTICULARLY with respect to the necessities of your military career. I've been messing with cars for 60 years now, multiply that by all the generous helpful participants here, and you will have over 1000 years of combined experience at your service. We are also very good at helping people find the right car. 

 

                                      I am very happy you found us. Stick around !!!    -   Carl 

[jeff_a]

Hi Matt,

   Welcome to the AACA Forums. Not an expert -- but I'll take a try at your questions about restorations. That word reminds me of my dad's best Army buddy Ralph, after  getting a doctorate in mine engineering. He said "ore" is the most misunderstood word in mining: it can mean anything.

 

   A couple of good things to start off wit. Your father restored a T-Bird; your wife wants you to do it; and you get that a resto can be done that is extreme. A. extremely over-restored B. extremely incorrect C. extremely shoddy D. extremely ugly...even if it was good mechanically & cosmetically, who wants to see a fluorescent orange 1960 Edsel with polka dots and a spoiler? E. extremely expensive

 

   Did you just hear about the 1955 Thunderbird restoration, see him working on it, spend hours with him on it? WWYDS = What Would Your Dad Say about the wisdom of restoring an old car? Your spouse "wants us to start a project car" is not just good -- it's great! On the extreme thing, it shows you have some common sense.

 

   Do you already have a 1949 Chevrolet, or are you just thinking about something like that? A car like the one in the video Rusty showcased would be a very good start.  That one may have cost a bit, though. Actually runs, not a rustbucket, and not a trendy model.

 

1. what is typical budget...I don't know. You came up with some figures, and I have no way of knowing what you can do with the people and things you know. If you are a gifted artisan re: upholstery, paint & body, and mechanics or have access to people who are..........maybe the low end of the $30,000-$300,000 scale. It sounds like you want to participate in the restoration, not send it out to a restoration shop. You could ask some of the people on here who actually are restoration pros what they see re: the latter. Growing into some of those fields out of necessity could happen, also.
2. length of time needed...I don't know the specifics of the project. I'm not a mechanic.
3. amount of tools needed...Open-ended, like asking how much golf costs.
4. likelihood of recouping cost...back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, there used to be a formula where you bought an antique car, paid a shop to fix it up, and subtracted those two figures from  what you sold the shiny restored car for, to arrive at your profit. Back when beer was a nickel at the baseball stadium. They used to say a new cabin cruiser costs $100 a foot, too(Ha!). On the other hand, if you restored a car, it may have some intrinsic value greater than the "sinking investment" of a new car. There are some people on the forums here w/ a lifetime of experience who can go to an obscure auction and say "That's a piece of junk", "That's priced right", "Jeez --- mortgage your house, that's worth 5x what the bidding is", etcetera. Latch onto one of them, or join a car club.
5. likelihood of selling a '49 Styleline Deluxe after a restoration fast...I don't know.
6. any extra info...Sorry if I sound discouraging, but I would prefer realistic answers if I were in your position. It's neat you both are interested in working on an antique car, and too easy to say bah humbug. It is possible to turn a 5th rate car into a a 1st-rate one...but as some will tell you, it's way better to try to turn a Condition #3 into a Condition #2. If a rebuild kit is $350, does that mean one of you has rebuilt a 1940s engine, or were you going to send it out to a re building shop? Not knowing your situation, you may have that under control. 

 

   Back in the 50s and 60s, I've heard, military personnel could have their personal cars shipped from duty station to duty station nearly free. My dad did that w/ a '47 Nash: Kansas>Yokohama>Kansas. In the 1950s. Is that still possible?

 

   Wild idea #314: Do you have away-time & an interest in seeing Alberta? Look up the Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin*. Once a year they have 5 days of classes in museum-quality antique automobile restoration. It is more of an overview than a thorough shop course of study like McPherson College(4-yr degree in restoration)**. Biggest vehicle museum in the country. About 350 cars & trucks + aircraft & tractors. Two 100,000 sq ft buildings and one of 30,000 sq ft. Even if you don't take any classes -- it's still worth seeing -- IMO.

 

....Jeff

 

*The transportation museum in Canada: https://reynoldsmuseum.ca

 

**McPherson College is in Kansas

Edited March 12, 2019 by jeff_a (see edit history)

[Roger Frazee]

I would add that you should start with a car that has a good availability of parts.  Model As, Tri-Five Chevrolets, Corvairs, and Volkswagens are a few examples of cars that have good networks of NOS, reproduced, and used parts.  Purchasing an obscure marque with limited parts availability will slow your project down to a crawl and will severely impact your checkbook.  

 

Like the others have said, you should start with a good rust-free driver and enjoy it while you restore it.

[mercer09]

1949 styleine deluxe to where its ready for shows for under 10k and that it should be worth 30-50k when we are done

 

fully doubt that will ever happen. Next time Barret Jackson comes on TV, turn it off quickly and dont ever look back!  lol

[Ben Bruce aka First Born]

 

  Matt, some GOOD advice here.  See the car in my signature?  If I discounted the buying price and transportation to me, I still ended up with North of 16G in the rascal. My son and I did all the work we could. Machine work farmed out. Inexpensive paint farmed out. Ditto interior. I would be lucky, indeed, to recoup HALF if I sold it, which I won't.  So if breaking even or making a profit is what you are after, forget that.  But does a fisherman or golfer look to recoup or profit from his/her hobby?   And timewise?  My wife says she felt like a widow! The final year was 20-30 hours a WEEK. I cannot imagine moving every 2 years and doing a car. 

 

  Good luck.

 

  Ben

  

[John_S_in_Penna]

10 hours ago, Crippdaddy said:

...a couple things she has priced out is 400.00 for a whole new interior from mexico... 

 

Having an old car is a wonderful experience.  I hope you

won't feel discouraged when we speak of the time and costs

of a major restoration.

 

Matt, if you are restoring a car, you will want to do everything

entirely authentically.  You can get the exact fabrics

that belong in a 1949 Chevrolet--SMS Auto Fabrics in Oregon

is an excellent source--but a Mexican product

may not be correct.  Anything you do that isn't 100% accurate

will not add to the value of the completed car, and in fact

will actually detract from the value--meaning that you spent

money actually to devalue the car, and made it harder to sell!

 

The exception is a "resto-rod," where very little is correct,

and the car is done to the individual's own taste with modern

components.  Those aren't necessarily cheaper to do, and

they are an entirely different part of the hobby.

 

At a good upholstery shop, a completely reupholstered interior

(front seats, rear seats, fixing some springs, side panels and

door panels, and arm rests) could be $10,000.  It will be comfortable,

will be done with all the right materials, will look perfect, and

will make you want to go for a drive!

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[bryankazmer]

I'll put this bluntly

 

good luck getting $10k for a perfect 49 Chevy sedan.

 

where is the 30-50 k idea coming from?

 

Your restoration approach sounds OK, but your financial figures are way off as has been pointed out

[dei]

From my experience....

I have this car (and three others) since High School. Two were daily drivers and the others were project cars.

 

I paid for this one at the time what a used car was worth (no price deal) and back then was not really a collector car. Over the years I've had it on and off the road as my life moved in different directions.

I got serious about getting it back on the road, out from good storage for over 13 years, and can tell you that is has cost just over $5,000.00 in the past two years for things like tires (5), transmission rebuild, water pump, gas tank restore, gas sending unit, fuel pump, new battery, complete brakes and an exhaust tail pipe to get it to what you see in this March 2019 picture.

And this was for a running car which I put away initially just needing a new steel brake line. 

My point is, any car, used or hobby, will require maintenance and project cars will cost more to bring them to the standard you are wishing it to be safe on the road at a minimum as a driver. 

 

The advice about spending what you can afford for a running, driving car to start is GOOD advice for sure but it will need those maintenance issues as it is being used just like any car does.

 

Mine is no show car needing a complete new interior, body work and paint and detailing under the hood which is way out of my budget (short of that Lottery win) to bring it up to that standard but... It's out on the road now and enjoying the ride again!

 

Take your time and figure out what you expect the car to be, what resources (money) you can allocate to it and what you are willing to learn about the car you purchase to maybe turn a wrench or two yourself (to save some money and get the satisfaction of saying, "I did that!").

Not a lot of us have driving/show cars over night when purchasing a project, even with unlimited resources, so plan on having fun looking for parts, meeting new like minded collectors if you go that route and time. Those half hour car cable shows are just that, a show, never giving us a REAL time line.

 

Good luck with your adventure into the old car Hobby.

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by dei (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

10 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

  I would try to avoid one that needs paint because that opens up a whole can of worms as to what to do while you are at it.

 

What Auburn Seeker said here, I learned when I

was becoming more involved in the hobby.

 

I took my 1961 Imperial to a fine local restoration shop,

thinking I would have its dull paint repainted.  Well, a proper

paint job requires removing bumpers and all trim, so the

chrome should be replated at the same time, and the stainless

steel moldings undented and polished.  No one would want

dull and pitted trim on a beautifully painted car.   I'm glad I did

all the chrome and trim. 

 

And don't I want to have the paint under the hood redone while

everything is being stripped?  Of course.  So the engine compartment

was detailed at the same time.  The trunk too.  And you know,

why detail an engine and make it look perfect without pre-emptively

rebuilding it for years of future reliability?  I did opt out of a rebuilding,

however.

 

One need not make a car perfect, but you can see how

one thing leads to another.

 

Edited March 12, 2019 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[60FlatTop]

10 hours ago, Crippdaddy said:

she thinks we can get this 1949 styleine deluxe to where its ready for shows for under 10k and that it should be worth 30-50k when we are done

 Just be very grateful for having an optimistic wife. Hold off on buying a car and try to keep her that way as long as possible.

[Guest]

My Pontiac was bought new by my Grandfather.  He put 99,000 miles on it in 29 years.  In the last 59 years I have added 400,000 miles.  Total cost for 89 years and 500,000 miles including original purchase and repairs but not including gas and oil has been just over $14,000 (approx $160 per year).  Today I would have difficulty getting $5000 for it even with it's newly rebuilt engine and differential.  To restore the body, paint and upholstery would cost $75,000+ and then I could sell it for maybe $15,000 if I was lucky.

I am not complaining.  I wouldn't go back and change a thing that I have done. I have driven my daily driver in every state west of the Mississippi and all of Canada west to Thunder Bay.  The only days my car was off the road since 1959 was when I was rebuilding the engine (3 times).  Never was a show car, always reliable and always fun.

Buy the best condition car you can afford and enjoy it.

Good luck in your search.

 

[bryankazmer]

there is a beautiful Chevy Styline for sale by a dealer in Wisconsin.  Under 30k miles, claims original paint, interior - a never restored car.  Asking $19,500.  I'd view that as a market cap.

[Zimm63]

Thank you for your service.  Now some Dutch uncle advice from a guy who has been fooling with cars on the low end for 40+ years.  

 

First- fund your kid's 529 plans.  Greatest legacy you can give them is an educaiton with no debt.  

 

Second- fund your retirement plan.  Your kids really won't want you lliving in their spare room.

 

Third- fool with old cars, but if you are on a budget you need a space and skills.  Skills can be developed (mine have) but you need to have some.  I will second others as to inputs/outputs by offering this blunt statement:  If your intention is to restore a car to make money, you will not make money.  Nope, nada, will lose money.  Period.  The only real way too make money restoring cars is to have other people pay you to restore theirs.  That gets back to skills etc.  Sure, every once in a while somebody finds a gem, gets it cheap, and makes a buck.  That is rare however, and the car you describe needs everything.  

 

If you really have the fever, get a driver as others have recommended.  That will give you a taste and still be portable enough that it can move with you as your career takes you to new places.  

[MCHinson]

I don't want to discourage you from beginning a restoration project. With that said, I would suggest that you should do it for the fun and for the love of the hobby, not thinking that you are going to make money on selling the end product. It is very rare to be able to sell a car that you restored for more than the what it cost you to restore it. Restoration can be fun. It is more fun when you already have one old car to drive while you restore the other one. It is much better to buy a better car and enjoy tinkering on it when you first get involved in the hobby. I tinkered on an old Model A Ford for years. Later I had a series of better Model A Fords and enjoyed touring and car shows. 

 

I now own a 1937 Buick Century that I enjoy driving and a 1938 Buick Century project that I really enjoyed working on for about a year and have been somewhat stalled on for about 6 months due to a number of life issues and a desire to hire someone for door skin work instead of doing it myself. If you are planning to work on a car with rust be prepared for the chance that you have a hard time finding anybody to do the sheet metal work that a newbie will find to be more than you want to do on your own. After doing some metal repair in the trunk, I decided I would prefer to hire an experienced sheet metal craftsman to do the door skins. This has not been easy to find in my area. There is too much everyday driver collision repair work available is easier that keeps the auto body shops constantly working at capacity.

 

I would suggest you scroll down to the Our Cars and Restoration Projects forum and do some reading to get an idea of various approaches to hobbyist car restoration.    

[mercer09]

 

First- fund your kid's 529 plans.  Greatest legacy you can give them is an education with no debt.

 

while I completely agree with a higher education and no debt, should you need to borrow money for your kids education, the 529 will work against you.

best to pay the debts off after they finish their degree. My opinion............

[Crippdaddy]

Here is the car she wants to buy, the guy says it runs (havent seen it run) he is asking 2600 but already said to my wife he would let it go for 2k. I told her I see 5 years and 40K min to restore she thinks that this is outrageous and doesn't know where my numbers are coming from. my numbers are a WAG but i thi are on the low end can anyone verify, thanks in advanced for the help and thanks everyone else for your posts.

 

Matt

[auburnseeker]

There are better cars , maybe alot better, out where you are for 2G. 

Your numbers probably aren't far off.   That interior needs alot more than a set of seat covers. 

Honestly the best you would get out of it in the end is maybe 20 after the 5 years and 40G.  Alot of 49-52 Chevy 2 door sedans on the market for under 20 to compete with.

A friend bought a very nice 50 Chevy coupe with loads of accessories , really nice correct interior in very good.  Atleast 3 plus condition for around 16G  I believe. bout 3 years ago and it was advertised nationally so no special back door deal.  Just an average price for a good car. 

It was a few years ago but I sold this 48 Fleetline aero for I think $7500.  Original (very thin but shiny paint). good usable original interior alot of new chrome and accessories with no rust.  Turn key and it ran well. 

This Caddy a couple of years before that and it ran really well for 6G with original paint and very nice original chrome but it needed rear upholstery work because a raccoon ransacked the rear compartment but fortunately was exterminated before he made it to the front.  (word to the wise, make sure the rear 1/4 windows are locked when you store a car.  They are one way doors otherwise) 

 

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by auburnseeker (see edit history)

[Pomeroy41144]

21 hours ago, Crippdaddy said:

she thinks we can get this 1949 styleine deluxe to where its ready for shows for under 10k and that it should be worth 30-50k when we are done

 

 

Sorry, you have it backwards.  It'll cost you $30,000-$50,000 to restore the car to "Show" quality and the car will be worth a lot less.  

 

If you are in the hobby to enjoy the car, then you should save your money and buy the best car you can afford.  And then enjoy your car as you maintain it over the years (they always need something).  If you are in the hobby to buy a car, "restore" it (here is how we use the words restore on this page ---as in restore the car to original showroom condition with correct parts, materials and finish) and then sell it, then you should stop now.  You will never get the money back, especially on the 49 Chevy.  My uncle restored a 1938 Chevy in the 1980s.  He bought all the correct parts, the best he could find.  Made everything just right.  Did a lot of work on his own and farmed out work he couldn't do.  He spent about $30,000 in 1980s money to restore a car he eventually sold for about $13,000 (this was the 80s remember).  

 

 

 

 

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Edited March 13, 2019 by Pomeroy41144 (see edit history)

[maok]

Here is one in your state that will put a smile on you and your wife's face. Under $20k

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1951-Deluxe/372624199896?hash=item56c22210d8:g:zFcAAOSw8KRchbe8

 

There is no way the one your wife is considering will be running within 5 years and less $30k

[Rusty_OToole]

That's a rough condition parts car worth $200, maybe as much as $500 if it has something on it you really need. Did you watch the Studebaker video series I posted? He sold that car for $4000 or maybe less, AFTER doing some fix up. That is the kind of deal you should be looking for, a car like that or better. One that is complete, running, and does not need major work. No one in his right mind would try to restore that Chevy.

 

You can do WAY better than that Chevy for $2600 especially in Texas. If you can afford to spend $5000 - $10,000 you can be looking at some quite nice cars. If you can't afford that much, don't buy a cheap car because you can't afford to fix it up.

Edited March 13, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

You should know that Chevrolet cars and pickup trucks before 1953 had an engine with poured babbitt bearings and splash oiling system. This means if you drive one over 50 MPH the engine life will be short. How short depends on the condition of the engine but a few hours running at 60+ usually results in burned out bearings and a ruined engine. Sometimes a few minutes. And the bearings are very expensive to replace.

 

This is why most of them have been replaced by newer, 53 - 62 model engines. They made the same type engine up to 1962 and they are similar and interchangeable. So, if you are looking at a Chevy from that era learn to spot the difference. You will either have to live with a car that has an incorrect engine, or one you can't drive over 50.

 

If you think this means I am knocking the Chevy - I should tell you I have a 1942 Chev with the splash oiler  engine sitting in my driveway.

Edited March 13, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[1912Staver]

The one your wife is thinking about would make an OK "rat " style ride. If the paperwork is in order, and the body free of serious rust {more than the all over surface rust} then $1500-$2000 might be understandable. But only if the seller has a valid title in hand. And don't even think of restoring it. Just a fun driver rat with blanket seat covers. Spend only on getting it driving, nothing cosmetic. And you will learn, meet people, have fun and at the end of the day you just might get 75 cents back for every $ you spend. Relatively cheap fun.

 

Greg in Canada

Edited March 13, 2019 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

1912Staver remember he is in Texas which is full of rust free old cars. He can do a lot better even for $1500 - $2000. And he should not get involved in such a major project just starting out. It would be like starting a new fitness program by slapping Mike Tyson. You might get a workout you wished you hadn't. Don't overmatch yourself in your first fight.

Edited March 13, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Matt Harwood]

You're getting good advice here. Instead of a full frame-off restoration, buy a decent car that you can tweak and upgrade. I promise that no old car you buy will be perfect and there will always be little projects you can tackle. I have a 1941 Buick Century on which I'm doing a frame-off restoration and it has stalled. I used to have the time and a garage for the work, but life gets in the way. I will likely pay someone else to finish the job.

 

I also have several "finished" cars on which I'm always doing smaller projects and I find that MUCH more rewarding. The sorting process is a great way to stay motivated because 1) it never requires you to take your car off the road, 2) every time you fix something, the car gets better, and 3) you can do it in pieces as your time and budget allow. For example, I drive my '41 Buick Limited limousine all the time and aside from when the rear axle was broken, it has never been off the road. But I have done a dozen little projects on it over the years that I've owned it and they're all rewarding. Right now I'm fabricating an entirely new exhaust system. I also installed fog lights, re-wired the interior lights, rebuilt the shocks and front suspension, tuned the carburetors, detailed the engine bay, and a bunch of other little things. Each time, the car gets better and the project is not so big that it's overwhelming.

 

Having moved a shop and a disassembled car, I would strongly recommend against it. What a nightmare and parts are sure to get lost. Keep your car intact and moving will never be a problem.

 

PS: Forget the nonsense about spending your money on Disneyworld instead--I just got back from a week there with my family and if someone asks me if I would rather go to Disney or cut off a finger, my response would be, "Which finger?"

[Laughing Coyote]

I would find a better option.  That one looks like a lot of work and a lot of money.  I would find something that does run, does stop, and has all the features that came with the car operable.  If it needs a little interior work and cosmetics then you would be able to still drive it, enjoy it and when time permits do the repairs.  Rust repair, engine, trans, and suspension work alone will be costly.  There are a lot of other stylish cars out there that you would be better off with.  Just adding my opinion.  Good luck.

[Rusty_OToole]

"The guy says it runs" ha ha I got quite a laugh out of that. Sure it runs, with the battery,  ignition system, valve cover and air filter missing and the fuel line disconnected.

 

Ask him to stick the key in the ignition and fire it up. If it starts and runs in the condition shown  buy it and you will have the miracle car of the ages.

 

Is that the bird that told your wife you could restore that heap for $10,000 and sell it for $40,000?

Edited March 13, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[auburnseeker]

For a second I saw a new rubber looking fuel line and thought well he tried,  but the nut to the carb on the fuel line looks untouched as does the rest of the fuel lines so I don't think so.  I didn't think that carb would run anyways from the looks of it.  Looks completely rusted up.  I think they are all iron not potmetal if I'm not mistaken.  I would assume the valve cover is there somewhere but it really doesn't look like it had an air cleaner on it any time in the recent past. 

[1912Staver]

1 hour ago, Rusty_OToole said:

1912Staver remember he is in Texas which is full of rust free old cars. He can do a lot better even for $1500 - $2000. And he should not get involved in such a major project just starting out. It would be like starting a new fitness program by slapping Mike Tyson. You might get a workout you wished you hadn't. Don't overmatch yourself in your first fight.

Yes, I do tend to overlook the advantage Southern residents have. Here in the Pacific North West that Chevy would be considered not that bad a deal at say $1500.00. Many around here {British Columbia particularly, Washington State uses very little road salt and the cars are definitely better} are significantly more corroded and definitely at least $1000.00 and up. A rough condition parts car for the $200.00 you mention in these parts usually has no floors whatsoever, the bottom inch of the doors missing, no trunk floor at all, you get the picture. $200.00 parts car is actually a $150.00 piece of scrap metal. With virtually no salvageable parts.

 

Greg in Canada

Edited March 13, 2019 by 1912Staver (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

17 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

For a second I saw a new rubber looking fuel line and thought well he tried,  but the nut to the carb on the fuel line looks untouched as does the rest of the fuel lines so I don't think so.  I didn't think that carb would run anyways from the looks of it.  Looks completely rusted up.  I think they are all iron not potmetal if I'm not mistaken.  I would assume the valve cover is there somewhere but it really doesn't look like it had an air cleaner on it any time in the recent past. 

Over the years I have brought a lot of cars back to life that had been out of commission for up to 30 years, possibly longer. 9 times out of 10 I can get an old motor to run again without too much trouble. The only time I have been completely stymied is when someone left the air cleaner off or the spark plugs out, which rusted up the inside of the engine and froze it up so bad it would take a safe cracker 2 years to free it up.

 

So I can be confident of getting an old car running 9 times out of ten if it is intact and untouched. If the air cleaner is off and the spark plugs out, that drops to 1 chance out of 10.

 

It may be different in the dry climate of Texas but I wouldn't bet my money on it.

 

 

Edited March 13, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[Rusty_OToole]

22 minutes ago, auburnseeker said:

For a second I saw a new rubber looking fuel line and thought well he tried,  but the nut to the carb on the fuel line looks untouched as does the rest of the fuel lines so I don't think so.  I didn't think that carb would run anyways from the looks of it.  Looks completely rusted up.  I think they are all iron not potmetal if I'm not mistaken.  I would assume the valve cover is there somewhere but it really doesn't look like it had an air cleaner on it any time in the recent past. 

Yes it looks to me like someone tried to get it running and failed, then left it with the air cleaner off and spark plugs out. So the engine has 3 strikes against it.