I am at the Frustrated Point with my 68 Project... vs the '69 500

[PocketThunder]

What Would You Do?

I have two Chargers, a '69 500 and a '68 318 auto.  The 500 i got from HLPAG and it needs a $30k resto.  The '68 i got from a dead relative that he had started.  So i thought, i'll do that one first and finish where he left off and drive the 68 while i work on the 69.  All is great right?  Well, 2 years later i have a 10 month old son, my wife also needs my time, and a house that also creates "projects".   I'm not 20 years old anymore with 10 hours a day to work on cars..

I've got half the 68 in epoxy primer and i just dont have anymore time for it.  I had a couple guys stop by to look at it and the response was $10,000 will get you close to paint, and why are you spending money on this 68 when the 500 is where you should be putting all your money??.  Those were good questions that i'm trying to answer to myself.

So, my situation is, call it quits on the 68 and let someone else buy it and finish it, then i can just worry about one car.  Like Bull said, he only has one set of hands at a time to drive one car.  Or... do i keep slugging away on the 68 and wait on the 500?  And that wait could be 2 years..... 3 years..... 5 years???  

Storage for both cars is not a problem, but its just coming home every day seeing two project cars in my garage instead of one finished car that gets to me.   So i guess i'm answering my own questions but i'd like to hear from the group.....

thanks

Paul
in St. Paul

[Blown70]

PT,

I would personally dump the $$ into the 500.  Now that being said I understand wanting to drive one too, I miss my charger and hate looking at the 70.  My question would be why not look at prep and pait the 68 your self, I think with the knowledge here on the board with Say CUDA ken  and Drop do it yourself.... I know paint would not be cheap but far less than $10,000  Heck if you want to travel about 100miles west on I-94  I know a shop that could do it a slight bit cheaper, maybe $5000

In fact I know a guy who does stuff on the side too.  Maybe even better.  He did most of the work on the car that  Charger4404spd has..... Trust me I won best paint with that at a local show.

[triple_green]

Welcome to the too many "irons in the fire" club. I have to agree with these other guys. Get the most valuable one done first. It would be nice to keep them both, but if I had to I would (even) sell the 68 to make sure I finished the 500. It is true what Bull said, I have a 68 and a 71 Chally Vert and I only need one hobby car to drive. BTW, I'm with you. I bought the vert 18 months ago and I'm still not even close to having it finished. I outsourced all of the interior work and that's about all that's gotten done in the last 6 months.

3X

[Old Moparz]

I shouldn't tell you what to do or offer suggestions because I have my head up my ass when it comes to the topic of too many projects.

But........if you're getting ticked off at yourself over this, it does dound like it's time to sell the '68. There's the chance you could buy another one in the future that might be less work.

[41husk]

I think doing your own work on the 70 is a great idea.  You will gain a wealth of experience, but it is still time consuming and you still have two projects.  Just keep your head up and work as you can.

[Shakey]

Focus on the 500 - hands down.

If you have space and money, tuck the '68 away.

If you need money, sell the '68.

My 

[694spdRT]

I know exactly how you feel Pocket. Until the '69 was completed I was in the same boat with my Mopars. Nothing was getting finished so I finally just focused my time and money on the '69 and let the others sit. If you don't have the time or money for both...I would part with the '68.

On the other hand, if you don't think you will have the time and 30K you estimated to put in the '69 500 you might be looking at an unfinished project 10 years from now also. If you think the '69 500 is a project you can realistically complete over the next 3-5 years that would be my 1st choice. 

[Todd Wilson]

Stay on target and finish the 68. Then go to the 69 500. While the 500 is worth more you probably are not going to drive it as much. In the end you will have a 318 68 that can be driven and the 500 on special occasions. The 500 isnt loosing any value the way it sits.



Todd

[472 R/T SE]

I hate having more than one car that needs work.  It seems you're never doing the right thing. 
Personally, there's no way I could let that rare of a car just sit and not want to tear into it.

[JimShine]

If you have the room, tuck one away and focus on the other. yeah, it sucks seeing one neglected, but its time will come. Make a list of parts you need for the stored car and maybe when you see a too good to be true deal, snap it up and you will have a great headstart when you have the time to work on it.

[tipopiola]

I'm dealing with the same thing right now.   I've got two 68's neither of which are on the road.   I've got a custom motorcycle in the works, I'm a full time student, various jobs, a wife, a mortgage, a bathroom remodel,etc.   About every other day I think I should sell the 383 car and focus on the R/T.   It would be less stress, I would have more money, and for the first time since we bought our house my wife might just be able to park in the garage this winter.   Okay who am I kidding, I won't ever let her park in the garage , but all the other stuff is still true.   I figure I'll get the R/T done and then and only then should I start looking for another car.     I'd really like to go full bore on the R/T and right now I'm excited to get it back on the road.   Anyhoo, thats just me     Tipopiola   Oh yeah, Paul, I PM'd ya.

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Focus on the 500 - hands down.

If you have space and money, tuck the '68 away.

If you need money, sell the '68.

My  

Yup.

[THE CHARGER PUNK]

i say flog off the 68 its only a 318 car not woth squat the 500 on the other hand is big $$$ if it were my choice id go ahead and make the 500 into fully restore daytona replica but again hats just me and u could change it back if u wanted 2 l8r-MATT

[Charger_Fan]

I know I can't really give a helping answer either...I hang onto things waaay too long.

However, your situation almost mirrors mine when I was younger. Having kids completely changed my world. I was constantly fighting for time & money to put toward my projects & it was making me a lunatic. So one day I just stopped cold.
I tried selling my Charger, but back then nobody would give me what I considered it was worth, so I stuffed it & my project truck into my garage & more or less forgot about them...that was about 16 years ago.

Now that my kids are grown & kinda self-supporting, I'm finally seeing the light faintly glowing at the end of the tunnel...it had better not be a freight train.   

[Old Moparz]

16 years isn't so bad unless your a dog.

[Charger_Fan]

16 years isn't so bad unless your a dog.

Yeah, at least I'm still young enough to be able to finish my projects.


Funny comic.

[Charger Aficionado]

   Don't hate me for this:   Sell the 500 since prices are at a peak, sit-back and let someone make your '68 MINTY, throw a HOT 440 in it (make it an R/T Clone), and call it DONE!   (That 500 deserves a HIGH DOLLAR resto).  

[BrianShaughnessy]

Pick the one you want the most and concentrate your energy on it.     Sell the other unless you have someplace to just let it sit for many years and be ignored.    I'd pick the 500 to work on myself.  If time is your problem, then outsource the work as necessary or as $ allows.   

[SanDiego70RTSE]

I'm speaking from personal experience. A quality restoration takes alot of money. Anywhere from 30K to 100K. I would suggest selling both of them, and using the proceeds along with future savings to buy a Charger that is finished. Otherwise you'll spend too much time and money in a partial restoration that will probably never be complete and you'll never get to enjoy either car.

Best of luck-
Mat

[Charger Aficionado]

I'm speaking from personal experience. A quality restoration takes alot of money. Anywhere from 30K to 100K. I would suggest selling both of them, and using the proceeds along with future savings to buy a Charger that is finished. Otherwise you'll spend too much time and money in a partial restoration that will probably never be complete and you'll never get to enjoy either car.
Best of luck-
Mat

So much TRUTH in that!  I'd rather be ENJOYING the DRIVE!  You still can find DEALS!

[Tom_440]

"i have a 10 month old son"

So...you need 2 Chargers.  Since storage is no problem, finish the one you can get on the road with the least hours invested, so you have something fun to drive.  Save the other to build with your son.

[SanDiego70RTSE]

I do not follow your logic on how having a 10 month old son justifies keeping both cars and restoring them. Anyone who has restored a car, knows how much money it  costs. It's crazy how much money it costs. When you have a 10 month old son, the car and the financial drain it causes, should be a second priority. The right thing to do is to get rid of both cars and get AS MUCH MONEY FOR THEM AS POSSIBLE. Take the money and either buy something that's finished or invest it for your son's college education.

[General_01]

I would say to relax a little. I think you have the "I need the car next summer" thought in your head. Step back for a little while, get other things done, save a little more and get back at it when you can. Do the '68 yourself and save what money you can for the 500. If you need a helping hand, you got my number. In the end though, it is up to you to decide how you want to spend your time. The car will take quite a bit of your time, but if you don't push yourself and step back once in a while, it will be done in a couple of years. If money is what's driving this, then sell the '68 and put all your money into the '69. My two cents.

Dean

[Charger Aficionado]

  Remember this:  Life is short Gents...  I know that I know, if you sell those both you can get a very nice driver.  I'm guessing you could sell for 20k+ on eBay, then buy one out of the paper (never buy at eBay prices). 

[Lowprofile]

"i have a 10 month old son"

So...you need 2 Chargers. Since storage is no problem, finish the one you can get on the road with the least hours invested, so you have something fun to drive. Save the other to build with your son.

I would say to relax a little. I think you have the "I need the car next summer" thought in your head. Step back for a little while, get other things done, save a little more and get back at it when you can. Do the '68 yourself and save what money you can for the 500. If you need a helping hand, you got my number. In the end though, it is up to you to decide how you want to spend your time. The car will take quite a bit of your time, but if you don't push yourself and step back once in a while, it will be done in a couple of years. If money is what's driving this, then sell the '68 and put all your money into the '69. My two cents.

Dean

Some Good Advice Here.


Take your time with this decision. You have 2 great cars there. The 500 is ,without a doubt, 1 of the most desireable Chargers around. And the 68', well, wouldn't that be a nice gift to hand off to your son when he gets his license?  Look, its very easy to get overwhelmed with so much to do & no time to do it. It happens to all of us. My 70' R/T has been sitting the better part of 12 years now. I will be finally starting on her this winter/spring.
If the cars are bought & paid for [not owing anyone $$$$$] and you are not in any kind of financial trouble....keep them. Store them for awhile. Take a 6 month sabbatical from Chargers. Look at them again in the Spring. Its obvious to most of us you really love these cars. You worked damn hard to get them. Why throw that away when the going gets rough?
If you are in a bind financially, well, thats a different story.......we've all been there. Decisions like those is what separates the men from the boys.


Remember the old saying  "Don't pet the sweaty things" or something like that.   LOL!
Good Luck with your decision