If you had to do again?

[h76]

Would you guys have bought a project car or just been patient and save your money for a drivable more finished car?
I am really having to catch myself and not get hasty to buy a charger that is a project, just to satisfy my want for one. But I am realizing for myself, that I really think I will be glad I stuck to my guns and saved my money for a closer to finished car.

[1974dodgecharger]

should make a poll im interested also based on a couple of respones in other threads it seems folks would rather buy a car thats complete, redone already, and driveable vs a project. If one had money and time then a project would be for them, but majority of us have to work to make a living.

[Steve P.]

Everyone experiences some of the same things and some things very differently.. It all depends on how the build goes for them or how bad a car is that was sold as ALL DONE... So really every answer would still leave a question mark.

The only consistent thing you'd probably hear is: I wish I had bought one new and put it away back then for now....

Sure wish I did!!!!! 

[h76]

I have heard some guys say they just got beat down and lost the love for their car/project, due to all the time and money they entail. Not to mention all the effort put in and you still have in some cases an undrivable car.

[doctor4766]

I think I would have still built mine, since I enjoyed doing it, and it took my mind off the divorce I was going through at the time. (To some extent at least)
The whole experience was interesting to say the least, and I know the car inside and out.

My current project car is becoming a bit of a drag, even though it's not that far off being completed.
I have an interested buyer for it atm, so I may not even finish it myself.

I think that next time, I will buy a completed car, if for no other reason than not having to spend such a long time getting things done before it's driveable.
With that comes other issues of course, such as not really knowing what's really under the paint.

[skip68]

That is a really good question and topic.   I'd have to think about it.  Mine was a pain in the butt but it was a good experience and I knew my car well.   Still, this is a good topic for sure.   

[Fred]

I've got to say I'm way to fastidious for my own good so would never be happy with a finished car. I would definitely have to build it myself.
A finished car would never live up to my expectations no matter how much I pay for it. I would always be able to find something wrong with it and In the end I would have to put more money into it to get it just how I want.
And I've got to admit (even though I want it all done yesterday) I truly enjoy all the work even the often frustrating fiddly bits.
I've bought finished projects before and can't remember a single time I was ever really happy.
I'm happy as can be with my charger though.

[dodgey68]

yep interesting question, it also depends on what stage you are at during ya life,(young family ect) i had mine striped to a bare shell and did most of the work during the night when wife and youngen went to bed, now i have 2 kids it would be a lot harder, money wise as well,, but would love to do it again, bugger watching late night television, i could be out in my shed building another car , but at presant i am going back to work after hours just to get customers cars finished, ,,,




would love to do a 68 coronet

[AirborneSilva]

I have a 73 that is taking too damn long, between the wife, work and keeping up the home I don't have a great deal of time to work on it.  I have had it for over a year and a half and it still sits in the garage, yeah it is now running and can drive but little things are keeping me from being able to legally drive it and it's just frustrating  I want a 68 Charger R/T and will be looking for a finished one, or one that is in such good shape that it just needs little things here and there done but I will be able to drive it now and many many years to come.

[Indygenerallee]

I would say make sure you have enough cash to at least buy all your sheetmetal and drivetrain to get it that far, I know a lot of people who have tore into a car only to run out of $$$ when they found out the true price to fix one up!!!!

[bill440rt]

I've got to say I'm way to fastidious for my own good so would never be happy with a finished car. I would definitely have to build it myself.
A finished car would never live up to my expectations no matter how much I pay for it. I would always be able to find something wrong with it and In the end I would have to put more money into it to get it just how I want.
And I've got to admit (even though I want it all done yesterday) I truly enjoy all the work even the often frustrating fiddly bits.
I've bought finished projects before and can't remember a single time I was ever really happy.
I'm happy as can be with my charger though.

I have to agree with Fred here.
I prefer to build my own. I like the challenge of a project, & enjoy doing things myself when I can. I know what's been done & the in's-n-out's of my car when it's finished.
Buying a finished one is nice, but knowing how I am I'd be going thru it stem to stern anyway & doing things over again so I know I'd have over & beyond in it than if I were to just start from scratch.

[Scaregrabber]

Building a project was absolutely fun until about 15 years ago. Now parts have dried up and everything costs twice as much to fix rather than having a done car in the first place. When I started in this hobby you could buy the parts from a junkyard or the local Buy and Sell paper. Not anymore. Nowadays a proper paint job costs $20k and up around here and that's just for the paint job, if you don't spend that much everyone will pooh, pooh it when they look at it too.

Sheldon

[charger_fan_4ever]

As said with a finished car you don't know what you have hidden. Unless the restoration was highly documented with pictures. I would never buy a driver project that is bublling out. Chances are it needs as much work as the $5k project, but you paid an additional 10k because its driveable.

Chances are there will be something not done to your liking on a turn key car.

[Back N Black]

It was on my bucket list to build a charger, so i would not change a thing. But, now that i have restored a charger, i would not hesitate to buy one completed if it was a well documented restoration. Usually, you can buy a restored car cheaper than building one, its the seller that always takes the hit.

[lloyd3]

If you already have the skills and the contacts necessary to do a good job on a restoration, then a project car makes good sense.  If you have a wife, and a job (and kids?) then......maybe not. Life is always a balancing act and trying to fit one of these cars into it (given the care and feeding requirements, let alone the time it will take to "restore" it) needs to be considered carefully.  That job can take years to complete, and the guys that do it all themselves have the added pleasue of knowing every nut and bolt and I admire them for that. There is a real "Pride of Ownership" that goes with that situation.  

That being said, however, the horny adolescent (that still lives somewhere deep-down inside of me) just wants to jump in the car and drive it....hard.  Patience is overrated.  These cars were for getting laid and raising hell when I was a younger man.  Maybe that's why they're mostly driven by old, fat, bald guys now?

[Mike DC]

 

Improving the fit/finish of a car is a thankless job, financially speaking.  If you want a very nice car eventually then you should buy a very nice one to start with.  Colors & mechanicals & options are much more easily changed than improving the overall condition.  

[C928BRAN]

I think I would rather build one, than buy one, already finished, because alot of times, you spend big money, to buy one, then you find all the hidden problems. Then you may have to work on it more than you enjoy it, at least, I built mine exactly as I wanted it, and I know the car inside and out, and makes me sleep good at night, knowing the car is right. I would much rather be driving my dream car, than somebody elses' dream car. Just my opinion.

[Dino]

I used to restore cars so a project has always been my cup of tea.  Unfortunately I do not have the time for even a small job let alone a big project.  I found middle ground by buying a Charger that is a driver but could stand some work.

I can't have a project sit too long or I will lose interest.  If you have a car sitting in the same spot longer than a year, it would be time to reevaluate.

[Cooter]

IMO, The only reason most wanna buy it already done is for the fact that they themselves can't stand the fact of having to tell someone(Mainly their buddies/friends/wifey/etc.) that they spent "X-amount" on a car that to most looks like a POS...It's a WHOLE lot easier to tell someone you spent $25K on a car that looks good enough to be worth that. Too many today are into instant gratification.

Telling someone you just dropped $20K on a Hemi car that the only thing left "Hemi" on it is a tiny little letter/number in the VIN sequence tends to hurt some.

I have to build my own sh*t as I can't afford to pay for the "X-mas present" cars.(Dropped off at a shop and picked up in 3 years looking awesome)...

I work anywhere from 8-15 hours/day most days restoring anywhere from two-three projects. Many for customers, so the "I have to work for a living" thing still applies here as well. Many times, my vac. days are spent wrenching on the projects instead of sitting on some hot ass beach looking at all the hot young women I'll never get. Most refuse to go to this length to finish a project. Nothing is impossible. It just seems that way.

[BrianShaughnessy]

I've never seen somebody elses's car finished the way I want...  so Black Betty was somebody elses' abadoned project that required finishing... and ultimately new quarter panels and a bunch of other work to fix their screwups.    And it's still not "done".    I just shake my head at it sometimes.

Meanwhile... a growing part of me wishes I never found Sinnamon after 28 years.    If it wasn't my old car I wouldn't touch it with a 20 foot pole.
But it's started and slowly making progress.   I'll probably go bankrupt or die trying to finish it whenever that is.

[HeavyFuel]

Evaluate your own circumstances and then come up with a plan.  Money, time, commitment...they all factor in.

I've had my car for 20 years, and have only driven it about 150 miles total.  Things in life can become priorites over the car, and if you don't make allowances, the restoration can really drag out.

In a few minutes, I'll be going over to the body guy with trim pieces to outline where I want the black on the back panel, and in a couple weeks I should have the car back in my garage to start the long re-assembly process. 

It's been apart for 6 years.

Don't let this happen to you......it's no way to enjoy owning a classic muscle car.

[69charger2002]

This is the exact thing i was afraid of when i bought my first project. I didn't want to own it 20 years and only drive it 100 miles. I guess i am in the "instant gratification" clan, but i got into these at 17 years old, i am now 34. And though that may seem young to some, i already feel old. I don't want to be 55-60 and not be able to enjoy a charger all the years in between. I could give a rat's ass what others think about a paint job, or what letter of the VIN my car came with from the factory. I want to own and be able to get in my charger when i feel like it, whether i go around the block or 100 miles. Life is too short- driving them is what it's all about. I am in no way knocking those that prefer perfection, or like the challenge or a project, or simply can't afford a 20k car at one time. But to the OP, if you have a CHOICE, buy as complete, as finished, and as solid a car as you can find up FRONT and enjoy the crap out of it!

[cdr]

i like my project,but dont think it will EVER be done,on the other hand if i bought a completed one it would never be finished either 

[Tilar]

I wish I would have had the money to buy one that I could enjoy right from the start. But I love working on cars and I wanted a 68 Charger so bad, so I bought this as a project. But after I bought it I decided I really needed to put it out back of the house and forget about it for a while, because If I had started on the car back when I bought it in 1986 at the age of 29, I would have half-assed it up trying to get it done. 15 years ago I started buying bits and pieces that I knew I needed to do the job.  Problem now is I am 55 years old and have so many projects and so busy I don't know if I'll live long enough to see it finished.   

[roger440]

Knowing what i know now, i would have waited until i was in a position to buy a really good one.

12 years to do a car really is too long. Ive got to much other stuff i need to do in my life!

The other problem is being a 440 RT/SE numbers matching deal, and restored the way i have done, means im going to limit its use. Which was never the original idea.

If i ever sold it, i would get a rust free 318 low option car,and just make it nice. Few suspension mods, maybe some paint, and not be frightened to use it.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing......................................