Is this Car to Rusty to Fix?

[hemi-hampton]

What do you think of this car? Is it to rusty to fix? Trunk & frame gone, 3 of the 4 floors are like the Flintstone mobil, meaning stick your feet through the floor & run, I actually fell through the floor trying to remove console. LEON.

[hemi-hampton]

Heres part of the floors, whats left of them LEON.

[BigBlockSam]

 

man! that looks like a lot of work. anything can be fixed but is it worth it ?   

[Mike DC]

 
It seems like it's a little late in the game to be asking that question. 


Salvageable?  Yes, technically. 
Worth doing it?  Probably not unless you're sentimental about that particular car. 

Technically you could "restore" it, but it really is getting to be just a technicality by then.  It's pretty much a rebody by the time you're done.  If you weld together a whole bunch of individual sheetmetal parts from other cars, then it would still be called a "restoration" by most people in the hobby.  But if you replaced the exact same percentage of the body/frame by splicing in part of another intact shell, then people would cry foul & call it a "rebody."

If you don't want it for some other reason than just to get a 2nd-gen convertible, then maybe you should just pay up for another body.

 

[69bronzeT5]

Ok 1st, yes....it looks like it can be fixed. Will it be easy, no but anything is possible if you try. Like for instance, me doing body work on my car...alot of people thought it wasnt possible but I just spent 2 hours doing body work on my Charger.


When I first saw the 1st pic, I thought the roof was gone but then I realized it was a convertable. 


But to answer the question...yes, it looks fixable. Ive seen worse and the owner fixed it and it looks like a million dollars after. Also, what kinda b-body is that??? It looks for a Coronet?

[moparguy01]

it'll buff out.  Man that thing is crunchy.

as far as the rebody thing goes, in the eyes of the law a vehicle is defined by its cowl forward. so if you replace the whole back end of the car from the rear most part of the cowl, its still whatever car was used up front.

I would say that car isn't worth saving unless theres sentimental value or its ultra rare.

[RangerDan440]

less typing, more cutting

[lilwendal]

Looks like fun to me!  With the new AMD metal coming out that would be a great candidate to check out the fit of all that new metal they are releasing. One piece floors. Rear floors. Inner and outer wheel houses.  I'd love a project like that.

[ChargerRT440]

I'd fix it. convertables are worth it.

[TruckDriver]

 
It seems like it's a little late in the game to be asking that question. 

Salvageable?  Yes, technically. 
Worth doing it?  Probably not unless you're sentimental about that particular car. 

[The70RT]

Hell you can fix it Leon .......better you than me though.

[TUFCAT]

Wow....thats the 67 Coronet R/T convertable you talked about in previous threads....that's unbelievable!

[6pkrunner]

See Alan's "World Famous Barrelcuda" for a real in depth restoration. It was probably worse than that one you have. And many years ago a GT500KR convertible was restored by a magazine sponsored company to bring the car back. They started with a firewall and driver's front frame rail. Just to show how far one can go....given the desire, time, talent and money.

[BrianShaughnessy]

Old Al's 68 GTX looked like that at Speedo's shop awhile back....    this is what it looked like at Carlisle (and a couple pix from on the lift at the shop).   Anything can be fixed with enough $ and willpower.    Whether a particular car is worth to be putting that kind of cash into is another story.  A 68 4 speed GTX ragtop is.

[41husk]

It does seem your pretty far along to through in the towel.

[Old Moparz]

My '68 Coronet 500 ragtop is in slightly better shape, but I decided not to go forward on a resto & got a different car. (I still have it though.) I have never done that kind of extensive sheet metal work on a car before, & probably couldn't afford to pay someone to do it. I don't think it's too rusty to fix, but if it were mine I'd probably have to pass on something like that.

[Magnumcharger]

I did a restoration on a friends' 1970 Roadrunner convertible back in 1993-94.
I bought a real nice '68 Coronet 500 two-door sedan as a floor/frame donor.

Long story short, the firewall, inner wheelhouses, rocker panels and front frame were all that remained of the original car.
Oh yeah, and the hood.
Everything else was either transplanted from the Coronet, or was new sheetmetal.

Was it worth it? Yes. That car is worth more than $50K now.

[BigBlockSam]

you're sentimental about that particular car. 

  i was told to get a differant body for my rr clone . i brought that car back from death  , so i have  a sentimental  attachment to it. it needs a lot of metal work. Rene

[AutoRust]

C'Mon Leon,
Your not losing your mo'jo now, are you?
Of course you can fix it. And my vote is you should fix it. Of course I'm not footing the bill.........

Dave

[TUFCAT]

From what I read on Leon's posts, that's a pretty rare (and rusty) Coronet R/T Convertable....maybe a 4-speed?  Regardless, I hope it has a nice predigree to go with the restoration bill.....because the owner will have a lot of money invested in it when its done.  BTW Leon, just FYI (if you didn't already know), Metro parts is repro-ing the rear finish panel for these cars.  They didn't have them at Carlisle, but they are coming soon. The hood lip molding is already out, and its sweet. I believe you can also get wheel lips, and rocker moldings from Metro Parts as well.   

Tell me what color combo is this car?  I'd also like to know more about it.  You porobably should remember my Coronet from the Centerline show, its Dark Turquoise (LL1) and white.    I'm the resident '67 Coronet freak.     

[dkn1997]

Hey brian, I like the lower right part of that bottom pic.  the part where the girl is holding her own breasts..and if it's your'e wife/GF/Daughter, then pretend I just said "nice car" 

[hemi-hampton]

I'm surprised nobody asked if it was a Hemi or not? Only 4 made in a Hemi, 2 4 speed & 1 Automatic & 1 Automatic exported to Canada. This would definatly make it worth restoring. Last one I seen got 1/4 Million+ ($250,000+) at Barret Jackson, I think it should have gotten more considering rarity. Even though a R/T unfortunately only a 440, one of 628 total. dont have a break down between transmissions but this one a Automatic. Original color is a Bright Orange metallic with white top & Interior. Cool combination I think. Owner wants it redone in a newer Bright Orange metallic like you see on these new cars nowadays probably containing lots of Pearl. If it gets done or not depends on the owner. As Usual once you dig into it & tear it apart & media/sand blast it, they always reveal more & appear worse then originally suspected. I got a solid rustfree donor car from the Desert. Donor looks so nice & solid owner is Comtemplating Restoring the Donor instead. Would save lots of time & money but Clones never worth as much as the real thing, What would you do? Restore the real R/T Rustbucket or clone a solid non R/T car? Curious? Let me know your Verdict? That Black 68 GTX Convertible sure looks nice. TUFCAT, Yeah, I remember you, wasn't your car the original non restored car like mine? LEON.

[The70RT]

Well i guess you can't kill a HEMI car then. I guess if he goes that route his wallet will be on death row....well till he sells!

[hemi-hampton]

It's not a Hemi car But I think he should throw a Hemi in it, either in the original R/T or the Clone non R/T. It's a 67 440 motor but I could not find any Vin. or S.O. # anywhere on block, on bottom of oil pan rail, typical of these older motors or on the side typical of a newer motor. LEON.

[TUFCAT]

Leon, yep ...you're right.    I remember seeing your unrestored Burnt Orange '70 Charger R/T as well.  Very impressive.  Its cool to see cars from the performance era that aren't all hacked up - - in their original unrestored condition 

[The70RT]

Nice car. I know where one is for 3,250 OBO. It is solid and rust free. I looked at it a couple months ago when he had it for 5K. If I had mine done I might be interested. It is a 440 Coronet but has the leaning tower of power.

[hemi-hampton]

TUFCAT, If you live nearby I might have to see your car again in person. I noticed these 67 Coronets headlights mount 2 different ways. Either the mounts are attached to the front on the Fenders on some while some are attached to the grill, Which way is yours?  LEON.

[BrianShaughnessy]

Hey brian, I like the lower right part of that bottom pic.  the part where the girl is holding her own breasts..and if it's your'e wife/GF/Daughter, then pretend I just said "nice car" 

Nothing to do with me at all - good eye      I never noticed it 

[66mopar]

Now thats a good father & son project

[BigBlockSam]

Now thats a good father & son project

[TUFCAT]

Leon, I'll be at the Woodward Cruise parked at the Comerica Bank on 14 mile road...or send me a PM,  I'm happy to take digital pics of anything you want for reference. 

[Moparmatty]

Hey brian, I like the lower right part of that bottom pic.  the part where the girl is holding her own breasts..and if it's your'e wife/GF/Daughter, then pretend I just said "nice car" 

I never noticed either.  But I did notice my Dad in the picture.  LOL!!!  He's the one in the sub-lime coloured hat.  We were standing right there when you took those pictures Brian.

[nakita7]

Better be a Hemi car for all that time and money....

[BrianShaughnessy]

Hey brian, I like the lower right part of that bottom pic.  the part where the girl is holding her own breasts..and if it's your'e wife/GF/Daughter, then pretend I just said "nice car" 

I never noticed either.  But I did notice my Dad in the picture.  LOL!!!  He's the one in the sub-lime coloured hat.  We were standing right there when you took those pictures Brian.

Doh!!!  that's even stranger yet!    I just walked over to check on Al and his wife Val and caught them off guard by the X.    Sorry I didn't get to meet you. 

Also there were a lot of Autorust Technicians parts used in the rebuilding the X - not just limited to the repro torque boxes and subframe connectors.   

[TUFCAT]

......I like the part where the girl is holding her own breasts..and if it's your'e wife/GF/Daughter, then pretend I just said "nice car"
 

I second that.