Should this bubble be a deal breaker

[68charger383]

Looking at this car for a possible purchase, it's a 67 firebird. I've only seen pictures and not the car itself. Wondering if I should move on?   Trust the board members opinions on here more than on other sites.

The car has this rust bubble in the channel running below the rear window and on the side of the 1/4 panel and dutman panel. A normal area for rust on these cars. The blown up pic seems worse then the bottom/last pic showing the actual size at issue.

The strip on the vinyl top that runs along the rear window and dutman panel is also coming up, either from a poor job or something which may lie below? Plus the rear window trim/moulding has gaps or spaces, kind of like a charger, but this is not normal since the moulding is usally tight on the window.

Should I pass on this car? If I get the car and fix the bubbling spot, can I spot paint the area or will I have to paint the entire 1/4 panel.

Thanks in advance  

[gasoline_24]

Not an expert here, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.  I don't see a problem buying the car, but take into consideration the rust when purchasing.  If there is that much rust you must assume there is more.  I would suspect that the area under the vinyl is full of the rust as well.  Looking at the picture it appears that the vinyl is lifting and with the other rust I would assume this is also caused by rust.

[charger_fan_4ever]

Bubbles is usually holes once you hit it with a sandblaster. In this case might be bubbling from filler which was used over top of a previous rust repair.

[The70RT]

My Cutlass has a vinyl top below the back window too. Mine looked similar, when I pulled it off I ended up pulling the back window out and replacing the lower channel. So pretty much worse scenario would be a new top and some window channel work. A good painter should be able to blend the paint back in 

[BLUE68RT4ME]

The paint isn't metallic and doesn't seem like anything too off the wall, you shouldn't have too much trouble blending it but the quality of your painter will determine how much you need to repaint... well, and the amount of trouble you find lying underneith all of that.

If the owner is considering this issue in his pricing, then that's not too hard of a decision, but everyone thinks their car is worth top dollar (including myself!  ) and I imagine this guy does too.

I'd agree with the comment above, you'll probably be popping out the back window and replacing some metal and some bondo.  My concern would be where has other work been done on this car.  If this part is bubbling then maybe the other work done at the same time will soon be also.  It all comes down to price, and how much it means to you to have it.

That car looks fantastic from a distance, for a GM.    I was going to say that the bubble wouldn't make it a deal breaker for me but the emblem would   but I'm only joking.     Let us know what you decide.   

[charger_fan_4ever]

As long and costly as a restore is, in the end you will know whats been done to it from the frame up. Personally I'd rather a project with rot holes everywhere for less money than a driver thats bubbling out everywhere and no photos of the restore. Your paying more for a driver, but in the end the bubbly drivers usually need as much metal work as the flapping in the wind project cars.

I'm not reffering to this car in particular.

As Blue said seeing the issues in the window area I'd go over the car and check for plastic filler in other troublesome areas.

[BLUE68RT4ME]

As long and costly as a restore is, in the end you will know whats been done to it from the frame up. Personally I'd rather a project with rot holes everywhere for less money than a driver thats bubbling out everywhere and no photos of the restore. Your paying more for a driver, but in the end the bubbly drivers usually need as much metal work as the flapping in the wind project cars.

I'm not reffering to this car in particular.

As Blue said seeing the issues in the window area I'd go over the car and check for plastic filler in other troublesome areas.

I agree.  Two friends of mine laughed at a couple Chargers I was looking at.  They were rough in the quarters and trunk, interior was shot, etc.  I'm restoring a Charger that looked good but had a lot of hidden stuff underneith, which I expected, but the difference between them and mine was about $12k.  They asked me why I'd want to take on so much work instead of looking for another car like my current one.  I said, "Think about it.  My car doesn't have much rust at all in the trunk, but we're replacing the trunk floor anyway.  My quarters looked good while painted, but they needed to be replaced anyway."  and so on, and so on.  Fact is, I've replaced the same metal on mine as I would have on a basketcase, only difference is mine looked better to start with but I'm ending up with the same finished product.  ...and I'd have saved more buying the basket.

All that said, I couldn't drive a basket for a few years before doing the work, and that can mean a lot to someone.   

[mikepmcs]

What's the price of the car?  Plenty of rust issues going on there. Doesn't scare me but you're gonna be replacing some metal for sure, new vinyl top, possible window replacement when they break it taking it out, possible trim replacement when they destroy it taking it off, etc....just sayin so you keep these things in mind.  Blend will depend on the painter, + how old the paint is on the car now might hinder color matching etc.....

[68charger383]

The firebirds are actually pretty cheap compared to the camaros or Chargers evuivalents. We are in negotiations, but he is thinking $20K I'm thinking $15K which is the usual high low range for a 400 car. A frame off car non convertible would be around $25,000. A basket case 400 needing a resto would be $12K.  

Keep in mind this car has the 400, which is like an R/T. It's not a 4spd, but has rare options for the car, similar to a 69 sunroof charger, Power windows, AC, fold down rear seat.

Now that I've read a few comments, it makes more sense. The rear window trim is kind of off or bent like someone took it off anput it back on. Most fireirds the trim is tight and confroms pretty well to the rear window. So the rear window was probably worked on when the car was restored about 8-10 years ago.

If I could pick the car up for $16K I would be happy. I don't think I would go over $17K.

Thanks for bearing with me on this non-charger. Next to the charger, I always wanted a firebird  

[b5blue]

Can't you get in under there in the trunk? I've had pretty good luck sticking my camera where I can't see and shooting flash shots around to see whats going on. (almost like an endoscope) 

[mikepmcs]

The firebirds are actually pretty cheap compared to the camaros or Chargers evuivalents. We are in negotiations, but he is thinking $20K I'm thinking $15K which is the usual high low range for a 400 car. A frame off car non convertible would be around $25,000. A basket case 400 needing a resto would be $12K.  

Keep in mind this car has the 400, which is like an R/T. It's not a 4spd, but has rare options for the car, similar to a 69 sunroof charger, Power windows, AC, fold down rear seat.

Now that I've read a few comments, it makes more sense. The rear window trim is kind of off or bent like someone took it off anput it back on. Most fireirds the trim is tight and confroms pretty well to the rear window. So the rear window was probably worked on when the car was restored about 8-10 years ago.

If I could pick the car up for $16K I would be happy. I don't think I would go over $17K.

Thanks for bearing with me on this non-charger. Next to the charger, I always wanted a firebird  

Whoa! I'm saying that is too high for that car.  I actually did a 68 back quite a few years ago. Don't claim to know a ton but I know some.  Heck you might as well get this vert for $13.5 BIN on ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-Firebird-FIREBIRD-1967-PONTIAC-FIREBIRD-CONVERTIBLE-400-AUTO_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem19b7262f18QQitemZ110446915352QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks#ht_1443wt_1165

I know you can score this car for much cheaper and in better condition. I really thought you were gonna come back with a number in the 8-10 range tops.

[mikepmcs]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Pontiac-Firebird-1967-Firebird-Convertible_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2c5156946cQQitemZ190343189612QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks#ht_500wt_1182

[BLUE68RT4ME]

Thanks for bearing with me on this non-charger. Next to the charger, I always wanted a firebird  

I nearly bought one as a teen, '69 with a Munsy (sp?)  They are nice.  Always liked them more than Camaros.  And you don't need the porno mustache and the leather jacket to own one!  lol  Wasn't it like Members Only or something like that?    I don't remember, I caught the tail end of that as I was growing up.

[The70RT]

Make sure you check out the body mounts on any you are interested in. I wouldn't even look at that convertible with the rusted body mounts I bet it was fixed up just to flip. Why would you paint a car and not paint below the rockers and leave rusty body mounts. No telling what the body looked like before the paint.

[jeryst]

Just my 2 cents, but I wouldnt pay over $15k for the car.

[b5blue]

Fresh out of USAF in 80 I missed a sweet 400 rag top bird because my next door neighbor didn't tell me his son was selling it.....for 1500.00!! Dam that thing was cherry!   

[jeryst]

Fresh out of USAF in 80 I missed a sweet 400 rag top bird because my next door neighbor didn't tell me his son was selling it.....for 1500.00!! Dam that thing was cherry!   

A lot of them were cherry in 80 - lol.

[Mike DC]

               

Maybe it's just the angle & lighting of the pics, but the car appears to be an old GM product rather than an old Mopar.  That issue would concern me more than the rust being discussed. 

[Scaregrabber]

The car looks good from far but just that repair will cost about $2k or more at a body shop. If the rest of the car checks out perfect I wouldn't go more than $15k on it. I bet you'll find more problems the more you dig though.

Sheldon

[BLUE68RT4ME]

So, we're all chiming in our  here but the question is, have you made a decision on it?     Let us know.  Hope you're happy with whatever you decide, and that our opinions helped more than not.   

Mark