$10,000

[Ghoste]

You guys are starting to depress me.

[Bob T]

I'd go with  presence not a soul - just a machine not a Christine. Modern cars have a lot more features, reliability and often performance, but nothing of the appeal of a classic or hanging out with the people that value the similar aspects of owning and maintaining such a car.

I've owned 26 cars and worked on all of them to varying degrees, I do what I can and call in the professional mates to do what I can't with their specialist tools and knowledge, nothing like doing it badly once and finding out that it has to be done again at more cost.

Also, to the OP, bear in mind your first project could also be a stepping stone to work up to your Prime Mover, maybe spend a bit less on something else to do it up and learn some skills on then sell it to move up the food chain a bit, we all did, I'm guessing.

Buy the  best car you can afford for the dough and keep plugging away at it, fuck watching mindless tv in the evenings, go into the garage and work on your car. Or learn what you can to work on it on D.C
And some nights just play your guitar to get a break from the car  

[1974dodgecharger]

If one has dreams one can achieve just my opinion.


OP i say do what u can and consider everyone's advice but don't take it to heart do whats best for u.

[xs29bb1]

Some day there will be a seat heater that can be turned up or down. I know it sounds space age to me too but I think it could be done.

Really??  Wow - I've got a car from 1999 that has adjustable heated seats....

[xs29bb1]

And some nights just play your guitar to get a break from the car  

Sounds good.  I've got an ES-335 and a PRS Custom I bought 20 years ago.  I should play them a lot more than I do though...

[1974dodgecharger]

Man U guys are on a forum about old cars but acting like well reminiscing about modern technology whats next u guys want a auto pilot for car driving lol.."

[JB400]

Man U guys are on a forum about old cars but acting like well reminiscing about modern technology whats next u guys want a auto pilot for car driving lol.."

It's just around the corner.  Unfortunately.

[Bob T]

And some nights just play your guitar to get a break from the car  

Sounds good.  I've got an ES-335 and a PRS Custom I bought 20 years ago.  I should play them a lot more than I do though...

( Hijack warning  )
Vintage, nice! Was listening to Carlos on the Supernatural cd last night and noticed the covershot was his PRS, there's a guitar thread on here too, check it out and put up some pics

[Patronus]

What do you think happens when you print money as fast as you can, night and day, for years?

[Ghoste]

You get caught?

[Cooter]

$150.00 Chargers do exist today...
There's one right here in the local crusher yard with no title and  is cut in half for $300.00. How bad you want one? THIS IS THE REAL QUESTION. You either buy a cheap car and invest big money over years, or invest big money up front and buy a complete car.
Not whether or not you get a complete car.

Been trying to sell GL for over a year and nobody wants to pony up the cash. Then, in same breath, will complain about insane prices, or none to be had.
They get here and see a little quarter rust and act like these cars are everywhere, rust free, and priced like 1987...
WTF??

[Challenger340]

I'm old, I saw the 70's and 80's, the so-called "good old days" when these cars could be had for fairly reasonable ? I say "fairly" because I thought the prices were starting to get INSANE even back then !
"That guy wants $6K for THAT" ??.... which was just a decent running and complete '69 R/T with no rust, maybe weathered paint with a rip in the seat, and 80,000 miles showing ?

and moving along to today here...
I can't see "Debt" as the answer to buying one today, unless you have a 6 digit income with security ?? Who has that
From what I have seen,
all $10K is going to buy the OP, is the option to spend another $70-$80K, while paying Interest ?

IMO,
While climbing right now....Prices on these Cars will eventually drop again as more people will prioritize living & eating, against the inevitable Inflation that is indeed coming ?
Think about it.....
it is mind-boggling, but a stack of $100 Bills equal to 1 Trillion Dollars..... laid over on it's side..... is 950 MILES long !!!!!!!

A $100 Dollar Bill is .006" thick
1" takes 166 $100 Bills
12" or 1 Foot, equals 12 X 166 = 1,992 $100 Bills
1 mile takes 5,280 Feet...... or 5,280 X 1,992($100 Bills) = 10,517,760($100 Bills)... which is only a little over 1 BILLION Dollars ? at face currency value.
and therefore,
if 1 TRILLION Dollars, Face Currency Value is 1,000 Billion ... you get the picture here  

The U.S. Debt went from what $8-9 Trillion in 2008..... to past $17 Trillion in just 5 years ??
Just numbers.... but see it for what it is... a MASSIVE devaluation in what remained of our North American standard of living is coming for competitive reasons ?  

[ws23rt]

My bills are only .003" thick.  Maybe I'm stretching my money too thin.

A trillion is a big number and perspectives help to get a feel for it.  Another one is one trillion seconds is about 30,000 years.

[myk]

You guys are starting to depress me.

Yeah, I hope we didn't scare the 'OP off...

[Cooter]

You guys are starting to depress me.

Yeah, I hope we didn't scare the 'OP off...

I dunno bout you, but I'd much rather be told the f'n truth than to be misled.....

[ws23rt]

You guys are starting to depress me.

Yeah, I hope we didn't scare the 'OP off...

I dunno bout you, but I'd much rather be told the f'n truth than to be misled.....

I agree.  He asked for our opinions and honesty may help keep him out of trouble.

[archie360]

Not sure about having a soul, I would use the term Mojo.  Meaning it has it's own vibe, a relic from days gone by.  Musicians use this term all the time to describe guitars such as as original 50's Stratocasters, Les Pauls, etc. A guitar with a tone that purists say cannot be reproduced with modern equipment.  Modern stuff can be arguably superior in every way, but it either has the magic or it doesn't..

[Chargerfan77]

You guys are starting to depress me.

Yeah, I hope we didn't scare the 'OP off...

Nope, I'm still here.

[69hemidaytona]

$150.00 Chargers do exist today...
There's one right here in the local crusher yard with no title and  is cut in half for $300.00. How bad you want one? THIS IS THE REAL QUESTION. You either buy a cheap car and invest big money over years, or invest big money up front and buy a complete car.
Not whether or not you get a complete car.

Been trying to sell GL for over a year and nobody wants to pony up the cash. Then, in same breath, will complain about insane prices, or none to be had.
They get here and see a little quarter rust and act like these cars are everywhere, rust free, and priced like 1987...
WTF??

If half a car is $300.00 wouldn't it be $600.00 for a whole car, not $150.00?

[Ghoste]

Not to mention no title.

[myk]

You guys are starting to depress me.

Yeah, I hope we didn't scare the 'OP off...

Nope, I'm still here.

Don't let the doom and gloomers put you off.  In the summer of '94 I wanted a Charger too, and working at McDonald's for $4.25 an hour it felt like it would never happen.  But guess what?  Patience, perseverance, and waverless self-control over mind and money paid off in the long run.  No, Chargers don't cost now what they did in '94, but the idea is still the same:  set your goal and go after it, the only alternative you have is to just give up and automatically fail.    Please do not settle and get a 60's Mustang with a 289 and all that other nonsense.  Follow your dreams!

[Ghoste]

Myk is 100% right.  Every age group looks back rosily and thinks it used to be better and then there will be a bunch who buy into and they somehow missed out.  Yes, when I started in this you could buy these things as nothing more than cheap used cars.  I bought a 68 road runner for 75 dollars.  Golden era?  It was a junky used car only worth 75 and I was making about 2.50 an hour at the time.  And no AMD or repro industry, you went to the scrapyard to fill your junk with better junk.

[charger_fan_4ever]

Like anything its about how bad you want it. Want it bad enough and it will happen.
I unloaded $5k for a rusty 70 R/t back in 2009. Got over 20k in it but the body is now rust free with real metal and a new interior,bumpers ect. Another 10k or so and that key will be turned.

Could have put up want ads and held out for years to find that special deal, but at somepoint you gotta commit to it and get it done.

[Dreamcar]

To the OP...

Here's what 10K Canadian got me for a car and extra parts in July 2013 (they are a little more rare up here):

- rolling 69 Charger (non RT) with a previously replaced front clip from another 69 Charger with a/c (likely 20+ years ago), likely done professionally because the car is very straight, even with a measuring tape.
- clean title
- Fender tag that matches the VIN on dash and front clip
- car already sandblasted and primed to stop future rust
- no major quarter panel surgery required (just two lower spots needing small patches)
- no frame rot, very solid
- All the seats (need re-upholstering)
- bare 383 block needing complete rebuild
- Complete 318 engine installed with small-black tranny
- complete glass with extras
- Most of the exterior chrome and stainless trim
- extra set of doors
- grille needing complete resto but useable
- tailights
- extra front lower valance (never used)
- some usesable interiror trim, but no carpet or headliner or useable interior door panels
- complete and rebuildable gauge cluster

I now plan on replacing the front floor pan (with full one piece) and factory style rockers to fix prior "fixing" that was done on the car. I already bought new fenders and the small patches for the quarters. Then no more metal work will be required.

Anyways, I have a big project in front of me (which I wanted anyway), but no worse than some others that I have seen that require more than half of the AMD catalogue (there's nothing wrong with that IMO, let's save as many Chargers as we can!!). But, I just wanted to show you want 10k in local currency got me in a place where they are a little rare, but not impossible to find. Honestly, I sometimes would prefer buying a project that's half started because you get a better idea of what you are starting with rather than wondering what lies underneath the fresh paint. But, starting with car that needs a rebuild or, like in my case, with something already mostly torn down is not everyone's cup of tea. Up to you to decide.

[Patronus]

I paid $7900 for a totally complete car, rusty lips, and some shitty upholstery. Pulled the pine cones out, changed the plugs and I'm still driving it.