Opinion, Full resto, or just get on the road?

[451-74Charger]

74 Charger, was going to do a full Rotisserie resto on the body, but am now thinking, shoukld I just get her on the road?
Opinios solicited..
Currently 318 #'s matching Base charger with replacement fenders and Bulge hood.
No interior
Body is pretty solid besides the original fenders.

Should I just get it the way I want it and drive, or take it totally apart and make it a showcar?

[tan top]

  is it the car you want to keep for ever & a day ?? 

[451-74Charger]

I am never going to be allowed to part with it, if that is what your asking

[hemi68charger]

Should I just get it the way I want it and drive, or take it totally apart and make it a showcar?

Why can't you do both? Seriously, getting a car to the level you want and can afford it is the most important decisioin in my book. Don't be one of those that state, "It's over-restored,,, so I can't drive it".. Sure you can; just get in, turn the key and go...... Now, obviously, the more detailed and deep you go into it, the more time it'll take to finish her, so you have to weight in your time-table till enjoyment. There are certain things you'll have to do regardless, so in those realms, just do the best you can do and pay attention to detail and quality.

Good luck on your decision and enjoy........
Troy

[tan top]

I am never going to be allowed to part with it, if that is what your asking

well if your never going to sell it ...  do what you got to do to get it on the road & drive it  while collecting parts , saving money etc... then do a complete resto some time in the future ... 
 

[1BAD68]

Just get it on the road.
Once its mechanically sound you can start collecting parts for your restoration meanwhile enjoying the car.
So many people go gung ho ripping it apart and then it sits.
Restorations are way easier when all the parts are on hand.

[PocketThunder]

I am never going to be allowed to part with it, if that is what your asking

well if your never going to sell it ...  do what you got to do to get it on the road & drive it  while collecting parts , saving money etc... then do a complete resto some time in the future ... 
 

My Dad and i drug home a 67 Goat convertible 10 years ago.  We used two trucks and a trailer to get it all home.  Once at home we thought, this car needs a full detailed resto to be sweet.  But, instead i spent a week putting it back together and my Dad has been driving the wheels off it enjoying it for 10 years.  The full blown resto can come later on when he's sick of driving it and has boatloads of cash to pump into it.  

[Mopar2Ya]

If you want a kool Mopar driver for this summer, then just get it on the road. If you have an existing ride then restore.

[SFRT]

I did a combo. as I really wanted to drive it. so I did a full mechanical systems rebuild and cosmetic stuff where it was 'appropriate' as i went along, it took a full solid 8 months but I have a very solid car that is cosmetically decent except for the rear quarterpanels.

this meant I did it all 'in house' so that I wasnt waiting on some bodyshop or whatever. the only thing I sent out was the motor work, it took the 2 months, which I spent redoing the front of the car.

it was a lot of work but I got it done pretty fast.

in a year or so when I can live without driving the car for a few months I'll replace those quarters as well and then the car will be basically at 100%.

the 8 months where divided into about 3 weeks of teardown, 3 months of collecting parts and stripping metal down, then 4 months or so of
putting it all back together.

a lot of time was spent organizing it all.

[451-74Charger]

If you want a kool Mopar driver for this summer, then just get it on the road. If you have an existing ride then restore.

I have 2 daily drivers and so does the wife.
So its not like I have to drive it.
Now that said, its been sitting for 8 years this year, without so much as a single part being touched.
I bought fenders last year, a hood this, and 3 years ago a parts cars, and 5, 2 motors.
Ive been collecting, I just want enough fire to get started on it.
I was going to start 3 years ago, until I found out we were having an addition to the family.
I have a few commitments outside of work now, but dont want it to sit and just sit and sit.

[Back N Black]

I say drive it and start restoring mechanical, when done and had the satisfaction of driving it for awhile, then do the resto. I started my restro 3.5 years ago and never driven the car, so for me there is no instant gratification. Which is bugging the crap out of me. 

[69*F5*SE]

If your wallet can handle the demand a little at a time then do what you can a little at a time.  

[TK73]

Had my '73 for 8 years, only been "down" one weekend for a motor swap. It's ratty as hell and I love it!!

DRIVE THE DAMN THING!!   

[69bronzeT5]

Just get it on the road.
Once its mechanically sound you can start collecting parts for your restoration meanwhile enjoying the car.
So many people go gung ho ripping it apart and then it sits.
Restorations are way easier when all the parts are on hand.

That's what I'm doing with my Duster.

[tan top]

If you want a kool Mopar driver for this summer, then just get it on the road. If you have an existing ride then restore.

I have 2 daily drivers and so does the wife.
So its not like I have to drive it.
Now that said, its been sitting for 8 years this year, without so much as a single part being touched.
I bought fenders last year, a hood this, and 3 years ago a parts cars, and 5, 2 motors.
Ive been collecting, I just want enough fire to get started on it.
I was going to start 3 years ago, until I found out we were having an addition to the family.
I have a few commitments outside of work now, but dont want it to sit and just sit and sit.

ok i understand a bit better now  have drivers all  ready & the chargers been sitting for 8 years , well would definatly strip it down for a full resto 

[73TXRallye440]

GETR ON THE ROAD!

[challenger70]

GETR ON THE ROAD!

  What I am doing is getting on the road and then restore what you can as you go along, interior, heater box, here and there, until you know exactly what you want to do with the car, then tear it down.  I see it as a way of test fitting/ trying everything/working out the bugs to make sure it's the way I want, before the full blown resto.

[Dans 68]

Get it back on the road first.      Then work on it as time and money permits. 

Dan

...and make up a poll. Probably be at least 19.4 to 1 to drive it now. 

[bull]

I'll go against the grain here and suggest you restore it first. Given the way the economy is going there are probably lots of good deals out there to be had right now whereas if you wait, and the economy improves, the prices on parts and services are going to go beyond what they were a few years ago.

That said, no offense but I wouldn't spend gobs of money on a 74/318 car.

[Silver R/T]

whatever you can afford. If you're fine with good driver then just fix it up and drive it.