How far gone is too far gone?

[cooldude]

I remember when I was in high school, back in the 80s, we spent a lot of time prowling junkyards for project cars or parts cars. I remember carelessly walking over or jumping on the roofs and trunks of 1st and second generation Chargers, Roadrunners, and so on, to get to a car body in the junkyard that looked especially promising.

A lot of what we saw then, some rusted out or heavily dented quarter panel or fender, would be considered a parts car. But what we considered too far gone back then, would be considered a rare gem today.

But what is the worst basket cases that you have ever seen restored successfully?

And, how do we put a value on when deciding how far gone is too far gone it. Is it merely a dollars game?

[ws23rt]

Too far gone --is what most of us work with.  This is what we do for fun.
Our cars were "done" a long time ago.

To me a car is "gone" when one feels the need to build what they cannot find and are compelled to make what they want from scraps.
It is done all the time and nice cars result. --Time and money makes the soup of a car from scratch.--

One can make a 57 chevy (for example) with nothing from an original. - I like that for the hobby.-  It is an option.--  Playing with a car style will live as long as we live.

Your last sentance brings this together.---Value--Is it money or the fun of years spent?

By the time most of us may need to cash in on the many years spent enjoying our cars we could be blessed (at the end) with a neckless of hundred dollar bills to be buried with. --That is of course if we remain obessed with the "value" in dollars and pass on that directive.

How far gone is too far?---How old are you?  Are you married? Do you make your own way and have leasure time? Do you have a plan for when you no longer work to pay your bills?

When we know how far we can go before being gone we can add everything up and put it on a chart.

[daveco]

I had a 318 powered Charger in High School (early 80's), payed $750 for it.
It was a running, driveable car. I took parts off of junkyard cars that today, would be worth many, many times (even in "junkyard" condition) what that 318 car was then or now.
It's always sort of a ratio of what "is" -vs- what could "possibly" be at the time.

[Mike DC]

But what is the worst basket cases that you have ever seen restored successfully?

And, how do we put a value on when deciding how far gone is too far gone it. Is it merely a dollars game?

It's like asking "who has the fastest street car?"  The discussion unravels into a gray area of how you define a 'street car'.  


Take a rusted-out Hemi car, cut away 80% of it, and weld a whole pile of 318 car panels onto it.  It's an amazing resto.

Take that same pile of 318 car, and attach it to the Hemi's remains without cutting the 318 body down to individual panels first.  Now it's a chicken-shit underhanded illegal re-body.

Use a Dynacorn repro body instead of an original 318 body .  .  .  I don't even know where that falls.  




The only thing that everyone seems to agree on, is that the same VIN should not be shared by more than one car.  

[Baldwinvette77]

there was a thread here of a guy building a 70 charger from scratch, i don't know what happened to it, but if you can start with nothing and end up with a car, i guess nothings too far gone 

[gtx6970]

This is MY opinion and MY opinion alone.

When the costs to resurrect said project exceeds the value of restored said project , in MY opinion its to far gone.


Your opinion may vary.

[cdr]

This is MY opinion and MY opinion alone.

When the costs to resurrect said project exceeds the value of restored said project , in MY opinion its to far gone.


Your opinion may vary.

That would eliminate  [a guess] 80% of all the old mopars redone. LOL 

[ws23rt]

This is MY opinion and MY opinion alone.

When the costs to resurrect said project exceeds the value of restored said project , in MY opinion its to far gone.


Your opinion may vary.

My opinion does not vary.  I agree.
Some are in this "hobby" for the love of the cars.  When one mixes "value" in the project it becomes something else.
Spend for what you want because that is what you ask for.  Someone else may not see your vision and you will take a hit when selling.
This is not a way to make a living.  It is all about fun.

[DAY CLONA]

 




The only thing that everyone seems to agree on, is that the same VIN should not be shared by more than one car.  

Not "everyone" agrees on that statement, rebodies have been performed for decades, and will continue to be performed in order to resurrect a vehicle that is either to far gone in it's essence or budgeted costs to make it whole again, whether one does it legally or with the garage/shop doors closed doesn't really matter, it's just a machine, meant to be repaired, reconstructed in any way shape or form

IMHO a rebody only becomes unethical/illegal when you've used stolen parts or a stolen vehicle to assign it a new identity...basically what the Federal VIN laws were meant to hinder, not some auto enthusiast restoring some old junk in his/her shop/garage that they legally own....   

[Mike DC]

 

Not "everyone" agrees on that statement, rebodies have been performed for decades, and will continue to be performed in order to resurrect a vehicle that is either to far gone in it's essence or budgeted costs to make it whole again, whether one does it legally or with the garage/shop doors closed doesn't really matter, it's just a machine, meant to be repaired, reconstructed in any way shape or form

IMHO a rebody only becomes unethical/illegal when you've used stolen parts or a stolen vehicle to assign it a new identity...basically what the Federal VIN laws were meant to hinder, not some auto enthusiast restoring some old junk in his/her shop/garage that they legally own....  

Rebodying does not produce two cars with one VIN.  The unused remains (of the trashed Hemi car) normally get destroyed to hide the evidence, or at least totally parted out.  The solid 318 car gets the Hemi car's VIN and the 318 car's VIN disappears permanently.  

[DAY CLONA]

Not "everyone" agrees on that statement, rebodies have been performed for decades, and will continue to be performed in order to resurrect a vehicle that is either to far gone in it's essence or budgeted costs to make it whole again, whether one does it legally or with the garage/shop doors closed doesn't really matter, it's just a machine, meant to be repaired, reconstructed in any way shape or form

IMHO a rebody only becomes unethical/illegal when you've used stolen parts or a stolen vehicle to assign it a new identity...basically what the Federal VIN laws were meant to hinder, not some auto enthusiast restoring some old junk in his/her shop/garage that they legally own....  

Rebodying does not produce two cars with one VIN.  The unused remains (of the trashed Hemi car) normally get destroyed to hide the evidence, or at least totally parted out.  The solid 318 car gets the Hemi car's VIN and the 318 car's VIN disappears permanently.  

I mistook your quote meaning a rebody...when and why would an individual have 2 or more vehicles with the same VIN?. that's a new one to me

[ht4spd307]

i recon i saw a episode on tv on the series the guild were they swapped the body on a trans am fire-bird i cant remember  and it was all good to them 

[crj1968]

The idea that it's fine to swap the body one part at a time, but not the whole thing at once is silly... (I am not talking in the realm of thieves and frauds here)


Anyway, that Stephens Daytona IMHO was REALLY far gone. And is in reality a re-body...but whatever, it's not my car...