How many times has a parts car become a builder

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Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
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So back in February I bought out the majority of the A body stock from a local yard that pretty much has one foot on a banana peel and the other in the grave.

I bought a bulk lot that included 5 cars, all A body. At the last minute I told the guy to throw on an additional car which is a 69 dart 4 door. I had in mind that these cars would likely be cut up because they were too far gone already.

The yellow 69 looked worse than it really is but at the time I didn't know that.

I noticed the 1/4 panels behind the rear wheels are mint. But I assumed the floor was probably gone roasted and rusted as most rubber mat cars are.

So I got it home and I took the interior out and the carpet was just rotten. The floor was covered in a dirt layer probably a couple inches thick.

So removed the body plugs on the floor and I got the power washer on it once the seats were out to see what I'm working with.

As I was power washing I saw more and more bright yellow. Not sure how but the floors in this car are nicer and more rust free than some other cars that I'm actually building.

So I'm going to do right thing and turn this into a builder since I already have the glass and almost everything to complete it, except for front end pieces which are around and available. It came with paperwork so why not.

The second Pic is the same car with the doors swapped so it has glass now and those are a pair of different year dart fenders for now till I get some 69 fenders on it.

How many "parts" cars ended up being builders?

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I think Vixen would have been a parts car or worse, scrapped had you not found her and sent me the ad. She had a lot of rust. More than I wanted to mess with, but I did it anyway. Still have a little left to go, but she is a great driver. I thank you.
 
Looks like a keeper to me! I think that would make a very nice driver with minimal body and paintwork, indeed. I commend you for saving what's left out there instead of letting it go to the recycling heap.
 
Depends on your perspective of what is saveable- I've gotten two "parts cars" that were better than the original project car, and the roles became reversed. They came from further south than here in Wisconsin, but it can be amazing the difference even a couple hundred miles can make. A few patches versus a year's worth of bodywork (at my speed) wins out every time.
I think an appropriate question is "Why do some people call a car junk because of some minor flaws, and the next guy thinks his rusted out pile of trash is worth a fortune?" One of the great mysteries of life.
 
Depends on your perspective of what is saveable- I've gotten two "parts cars" that were better than the original project car, and the roles became reversed. They came from further south than here in Wisconsin, but it can be amazing the difference even a couple hundred miles can make. A few patches versus a year's worth of bodywork (at my speed) wins out every time.
I think an appropriate question is "Why do some people call a car junk because of some minor flaws, and the next guy thinks his rusted out pile of trash is worth a fortune?" One of the great mysteries of life.
Very true. Some people probably think this car isn't worth anything but It helps that I wanted a dart more door so there it is.

According to the paperwork, it had been in that yard for 34 years, so the perspective was probably different in in 1991. At that time who wanted a 20 year old sedan that was probably well used and old fashion compared to the new Toyotas coming out.
 
I got poo pooed for buying these parts as a builder.

Sold the parts recently to a guy that is putting the parts together.

One of the few times I've actually made money on a car.

The black car will be more interesting to build in my opinion.

Nice pile of parts you have. I often wonder what it's like at barracudakids or littleredcoffin's place.

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I got poo pooed for buying these parts as a builder.

Sold the parts recently to a guy that is putting the parts together.

One of the few times I've actually made money on a car.

The black car will be more interesting to build in my opinion.

Nice pile of parts you have. I often wonder what it's like at barracudakids or littleredcoffin's place.

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33 Plymouth here?
 
Not a mopar, but my son in law just bought this '93 fox body shell. Someone took eng/trans/front suspension/front seats off it. But car is rust free never had any rust anywhere. Zero fade on interior panels. He has a complete running '87 Mustang GT he has had for a while with severe rust in the roof as a donor car.

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Should have stayed a parts car.........

1971 GA4 340 numbers matching Demon. If I would have parted it, I would have hit a home run. Now, I'm waaaaay upside down. :BangHead:

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How many "parts" cars ended up being builders?
This was my last build "Beater". Parts car that was put together with many left over parts from years of building Mopars.From radiator to rear bumper. A Arizona car with little to no rust.Just couldn't scrap it,had to build it.

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For sure it happens a lot.
I bought this as a parts car. I saw Cosgig had bought a similar car that I had looked at that was a disaster- I was glad I had my tetanus shot. I figured he was better off with my parts car and actually more skilled and motivated than I too. He did buy it from me and since then he’s helped me out so much with my car.
I’d like to think it worked out for him too.
He’s made this a wonderful car.

[FOR SALE] - 1966 Valiant Signet Convertible
 
I had a 74 Dart Sport that a guy on Moparts gave me to get it out of his yard so the War Dept. would quit :mad: at him. All I had in it was the cost of diesel to go get it an hour away. It sat around for years and I would rob do dads off of it for other cars every now and then. Years later, I ended up buying two 73 Valiant crew cabs with 318's in them. I tore them down and parted them out and had a ton of stuff left over. No title for either of them, but had one for the Sport. I ended up making the Sport a running and driving car out of self defense with all the junk I had laying around from the Valiants. I sold it in the local trade paper for $800. The guy sold it to his brother-in-law in Indiana a year or 2 later. The dude fixed it up VERY nice! I saw it at The 2012 Mopar Nationals and was able to identify it by the way I made the front bumper fit. The guy never knew it was a Valiant bumper. I'm sure it still lives somewhere.
 
Both my boy's car should have been parts cars. Jacob's 65 B'cuda was $400 13 years ago and needed more work than it should have. And here I am with his little brother's 73 Dart Sport that was $400 and needs a lot more than it appeared to need on that winter morning 2 years ago.... LOL. Same deal with the 69 Fury ragtop I built and drove for 17 years, except the original owner's son gave it to me because it was so bad.
 
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Very true. Some people probably think this car isn't worth anything but It helps that I wanted a dart more door so there it is.

According to the paperwork, it had been in that yard for 34 years, so the perspective was probably different in in 1991. At that time who wanted a 20 year old sedan that was probably well used and old fashion compared to the new Toyotas coming out.
You can keep your Toyotas. Wouldn't have one even for free
 
I imaging a lot more parts cars have become builders in the past couple years...since prices have tripled.

I've personally seen people with very, very savable cars with good quarters and uni-bodies and with titles declare them as parts cars. Often times because they have a similar car with a better option package or is an HP car that needs a few parts.
 
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