worth restoring ?

[69bananabeast]

I've got a 70  with a pretty built 318 (orig 383)  if most of you havent already heard in the past. Im trying to figure out if its worth restoring  , or to what extent is it worth restoring?     I picker her up for about 1700 . The body is real straight with alot of surface rust.  The drivers quarter is the worst a bunch of small holes along with a big whole towards the bottom rear. Next the Rear valance is pretty dented in everywhere and rusty everywhere(with no holes)  . The passenger side quarter is almost as bad but the hole is smaller .  The trunk pan also needs to be replaced as well as the front part of the drivers and passengers floor pan. I havent really looked at the under carraige yet but it looks to be a bit rusty and could probably use some work. 

The whole interior needs to be redone. The console is no longer (was broken in three diff pieces) . all the panels need to be replaced , seats need to be redone. Carpet is completely missing (had easily pulled all the carpet out without removing anything)  . the only good part of the interior is the dash and even so it has a few cracks.

what do you think its worth restoring up to ? advice?

[69bananabeast]

car isn't white anymore I guess that was a primer put on , but has been sanded down .

[69bananabeast]

Oh I also forgot to mention all of the frame under the rear window looks pretty gone

[Wakko]

Can you do the metal work yourself?  If not, sell the car and find another with stronger panels.  For the money you paid, you'll make out just fine.  If you CAN do the metal work yourself, decide how much time and effort you want to put into the car and what you'd like it to be.  Since you already have another car, if it was ME, I'd sell the 70 on Ebay for 3k and put it into the '69.

[ChargerSG]

$1700 is no money for a Charger, i have seen people buy worse cars(just regular 500) than that for 4-5 k...

[MoparYoungGun]

Can you do the metal work yourself?   If not, sell the car and find another with stronger panels.   For the money you paid, you'll make out just fine.   If you CAN do the metal work yourself, decide how much time and effort you want to put into the car and what you'd like it to be.   Since you already have another car, if it was ME, I'd sell the 70 on Ebay for 3k and put it into the '69.

[41husk]

There was a 68 that made your car look restored with no drive train that was for sale at Monster Mopar for $2,900 and that got bought a 69 RR in the same condition there for 3K.  So you can definetly get your money back, as for the restoration it can be done but not with a week heart or light wallet.  best of luck!

[DC_1]

If the frame is solid i say restore it. For what you picked it up for you can buy replacement panels and still be a head(assuming you do most of the work yourself). As said before, I have seen alot worse get restored. Question is do you want to do the work or not. Cover up all those rust spots and list it on FleaBay as a "FATHER & SON PROJECT" with a $7500 buy it now option........errrrr .....sorry I guess someone has that marketing strategy cornered!!!!!!!!

[69hemi]

A good rule of thumb is to look and see what a restored model like yours is worth or if you are going the custom route what you think it will bring when done.   Next look at the costs of materials (panels, interior, chroming etc) and be generous here as unknown things will pop up.   Now lets look at what labor you will have to pay for.   If you can do your own wrench, metal and body work you will be way ahead.   If you can do the mechanical stuff but need to farm out the bodywork look at what that will run you.   Next figure in the $1700 and add it all up.   If the estimated cost of the resto is under or near the calculated worth the project is a go.  

If it falls short you need to look at your costs and decide if corners can be cut.   Like attempting some of the metal work or body work.   Recalculate the numbers with your cost-saving items in place and take another look at the bottom line.   If it is anywhere near the estimated value you are in good shape since Charger prices are going to keep going up.   I think we are past the DOH summer spike but overall Chargers have been thrust into the limelight (DOH, NASCAR ETC.) and are comanding much more attention than in the past.

[cudaken]

 I posted this before, if you got the room to store the Charger save it for when you get out of school. Hard to say from a PIC but does not look that bad to me. You should see some of the junk I have saved.

Does it run? If it does I would say you could get $3000 to $4000. You said it was a 383 Charger, 2 brrel or HP 383?

Also, you can do a little bite at a time, do not have to take it all apart at one time. Trunk floor could waite, floor pan's look like they will still hold just not pretty. But again i must say tuff to tell from a PIC.

                              Cuda Ken 

[Blown70]

I have seen people fix worse.  As the above what can you do yourself.  If you have to have all the work done it may cost you a lot. However alot of this sounds like you could do it.  Or sell it to me....  

1,700 is not bad and I am most certain you could get close to double that out of it.  HECK some one on moparts had a complete 70 charger grille for $2,000

[andy74]

just give it to me, ill help ya out!

[PocketThunder]

i could use that car for my Daytona clone.  sell it to me if you want.  i'm the rust replacing expert!

[DC_1]

Lil bita work on your hands there!!!!

[Khyron]

i could use that car for my Daytona clone.   sell it to me if you want.   i'm the rust replacing expert!

nice, my computer needs a tetanus shot now

[Wakko]

lol, Khyron.

[Old Moparz]

Like the others have said, try to decide if it's a project you can tackle yourself or not. If you can, try it & you won't lose. If you can't, it'll be expensive to get a shop to fix it for you. I spent a lot of time trying to decide whether to save the Coronet Ragtop I have in the classified section. (That's why it's in the classified section.) I got a rough estimate from Auto Rust Technicians based on photos I sent to them on disc. (The same pics in the link in my ad.) & they said somewhere between $4K & $5K to have it rust free & solid. I have a Satellite Ragtop in much better shape so I decided to avoid a BIG project. The car is decent, it's just that I have other cars that are in much better shape already. I'm at a point in my life where I don't want to do something that needs a lot of work.

[41husk]

oldmopars, I should have taken that attitude before finding a wife

[69bananabeast]

I posted this before, if you got the room to store the Charger save it for when you get out of school. Hard to say from a PIC but does not look that bad to me. You should see some of the junk I have saved.

Does it run? If it does I would say you could get $3000 to $4000. You said it was a 383 Charger, 2 brrel or HP 383?

Also, you can do a little bite at a time, do not have to take it all apart at one time. Trunk floor could waite, floor pan's look like they will still hold just not pretty. But again i must say tuff to tell from a PIC.

                              Cuda Ken 

Originally it was a 383 but when i bought it it came with an 85% complete 318 .  Im going to be taking that one out and dropping in the 318 from my 69  when i get the 440 in the 69 .  I could probably do a bit of work on this car although I have only been in the practice of body work for about 8 months now.  I belive I am not really ready yet to replace panels.  That will all have to be learned in time .  I was going to send it out to  a Mopar Restoration shop in town  but i know they are quite exspensive.  I called them one time and asked if they would just do a paint job for me and they said they would only do Full Restorations and that runs about 10 K   .  Sounds like the best thing I should do is sell and pick up another project that I can do with the experience I have.

[Wakko]

What will they do for 10k?  If that will cover fixing and painting the body, sounds like a good price to me (if the work is good, of course).  Tack on 5 grand for interior and motor work and you got a beautiful 70 for a good price.

[69bananabeast]

I believe the 10 Large is for completely fixing everything and making it like new .  The thing is  though it will be a perfect car again it will ahve a 318 and it doesnt seem like that will go for big money and I might not get what I paid out if it.

[Troy]

"Full restoration" for $10k? They'd have a waiting list for 20 years. Most places will charge you more than $7k just to paint one...

Troy

[69bananabeast]

yeah when I called about getting a paint job from them about a year ago they said their full restorations  are about a year waiting list.

[Silver R/T]

its restorable

[blackcharger]

SAVE THAT CHARGER!! take your time, learn while you go, and be proud of your car when it's done.
Dave