To Restore or Not to Restore

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1969383S

1969383S

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Since finding this site last week the brain has been running overtime. I would really like to enjoy my barracuda again but wonder what the appropriate path is. I have seen some decent original cars ruined in the past and always wondered why someone would do that, (the Mopar purist in me). The cost of a doing a restoration vs what the car will be worth afterwards must play a part in the decision. It seems foolish in todays times to spend thousands more than the cars potential value would be afterwards. I am willing to spend the cash to restore or sell if the investment warrants that, but I really would like to spend it towards building a Pro-Street driver. I have kept this car (since 1985) through years of no money, changing jobs, getting married and new priorities and the list is to long put in words. All the time thinking the car was fairly rare. I would have put fender headers on it in the 80's when there was no under chassis options out there. It would have been tubbed and narrowed as well.

That being said I am looking for some advice/opinions as to restore or start cutting. Good thing is times have changed and either this car or another Mopar (A or E) will be cruising the scene in north georgia with me behind the wheel. Attached is the fender tag. I decoded it @ stock mopar but some of the codes did not translate or cannot be entered. line 2 from the bottom has B7 twice and B5 following the trim code. Was the exterior paint B7 and the interior B5? This car has trim below the rear glass that wraps around from C to C and trim at the bottom of the A pillars that makes me believe it had a vinyl top at one time (pic attached). Could that have been installed by the dealer?


Scan_Pic0003.jpg



Scan_Pic0002.jpg
 
Gerald, solely in my opinion and with all due respect, if your biggest concern is that the end result will be worth the money investment you spend to get there, you're in the wrong hobby. These days the satisfaction is measured in Smiles Per Gallon. Even the rarest of the rare don't often bring big bucks at resale time and our A Bodies are usually at the bottom of that list (though stature is improving as the more desirable body styles get snatched up).

I can't help with the decode / decisions but from a casual observer, your car looks great and doesn't appear to need much. Seems to be missing a rear bumper but that's a simple fix. Whatever you decide to do, you have the Power of FABO behind you. :-D
 
some of those B's in the codes are 8's look at the inside of the letter/number along the left side...

the second B7 in that row might be 87 by the looks of it, is that a legit code?
 
When restoring a car you will 99percent of the time not make a profit after all the money you dropped into the car. It was to be something super rare and you do most of work. There is a decoder I am sure something will pop in to decode it.
 
also, my opinion on restoration, etc...

a full-off restoration requires a ton of work, a place to do it, time and money.

if you dont have the first 3 you will spend more of the 4th item.

that being said... consider what i term the "fun factor"

what do you want to do with the car? if going to shows is fun for you then go that route. if you just want a nice car to enjoy, maybe freshen the paint, find small resto items here and there and replace them (marker lights, bumpers, whatever). if you want a performance car for the strip, do what it takes for that, etc..

so for you and your car, as well as for everyone else, the fun factor must be considered.

obviously non of our cars are perfect. and making them perfect is very expensive. just make sure you dont sell yourself short on enjoying the car :D life is short

i know a guy locally that does 100% restorations. i've talked to him about it, he spends anywheres between 6 months and 1 year to do a car. the olds 442 i saw him working on last time i went looked BETTER than the day it came from the factory. he had approximately $85,000 tied up in parts/labor into that car. full off frame resto/sandblast/every oem part you could think of, even little marker tags and stuff.

so my idea of fun is to have a nice performing good looking car i can drive. yours already fits that bill to me. some guys want to race them. some want to go to shows. some go to the local dairy queen on saturday nights.

it's all about enjoying your car and spending money/time how it works best for you.
 
One of my favorite sayings is "Restoration is over-rated ". Do you really want a car that you feel bad about taking out and driving however you feel? I agree with the above, there is not too many cars in the whole world that deserve the dollars it costs to restore them, let alone create a profit for the owner. You kept your Cuda through thick and thin, I say build a damn nice driver and build it the way you want. Just my 2 cents though.
 
Here it is. I think the double b7 is a tag typo.


CodeDescriptionE63383-4 BarrelD32H-D A-727 TorqueFlite Trans / Some Years A-998BH29 B = Plymouth Barracuda
H = High
29 = 2 Door Sports Hardtop

barracuda-emblem.jpg

H9B H = 383 330HP OR 335HP 1-4BBL 8 CYL
9 = 1969
B = Dodge Main, Hamtramck, MI, USA
176912Sequence Number '176912'B7Paint Code: Medium Blue Metallic
H6B Trim Grade/Style/Color
H = High
6 = Vinyl Bucket Seats
B = Light Blue
B5Upper Door Frame: Unknown At This TimeA17 Date Built: 10 / 17 / 1968062926Order Number: 062926A01Roof Type OR Color: Light PackageA53Formula S PackageB41Front Disc Brakes Some Yrs. PowerB51Power Assisted BrakesC16Console w/ BucketsC55Bucket SeatsC11Unknown At This TimeG33Left Hand Outside Mirror - Manual / ChromeL31Hood / Fender Mount Turn SignalM21Roof Drip Rail MoldingsM31Belt Molding 69-70N85TachometerR11Music Master Radio AMV6WWhite Longitude Sports StripeENDEnd of Codes
 
I know these cars are getting harder to find and someone out there may want it more for the restoration purpose than what I want to do with it. That picture was taken in 1986 right after a new paint job and the bumper had not been reinstalled yet, the custom ordered centerlines with 4 in pattern were new as well. The car does not look this good now! My plan would be to change the front and rear suspensions and move to the 4.5 bolt pattern. Install the roll cage I purchased in 1988 and lighten the whole thing. The back seat must weigh at least 100 pounds alone. The car is legit short of the engine block, third member and Torque convertor.
 
Decoded this is a sweet cuda. 383, a53 "S" package, auto with console and of course bucket seats. b7 Jamaica blue i think it was called, with med. blue interior. Power disc brakes and white stripes. A few options, radio and tach.....




Nice ride
 
I tend to lean towards restore. However, being fairly rare in B7, I would make it look stock with possibly some mods if that is what you want. Mini-tubs can be done, and are pretty much unnoticeable, motor painted to look like 383 etc.

If you are restoring or modifying with the intent of profit at a later date, neither way will neccessarily get you there. If you like the car, and plan on keeping it, what difference does it make?

Grant
 
va58,

It is G11 and the car was B7 exterior. I was confussed by the B5 and assume it was the upper door jamb color. is V6W the upper style stripe with 383 lettering or the rocker panel stripe?
 
Restore it! You wouldn't have kept it all these years if you whern't attached to it.
 
OneofMany,

Thanks for the opinion. If I go foward the correct paint will be used, to make it look like a resto but tubs would be done and much more. This car is hard to hook up and needs some more meat. The motor is in black w/gold moroso trim. All my mopars were 383 cars and I like to coax some good power out of them that most don't think is possible.
 
1969383S said:
va58,

It is G11 and the car was B7 exterior. I was confussed by the B5 and assume it was the upper door jamb color. is V6W the upper style stripe with 383 lettering or the rocker panel stripe?
Click to expand...


It may take someone who is more of an expert on this body style than me, but I think that" V6W White Longitude Sports Stripe" is the upper body stripe with the 383 lettering.....
 
If your goal is to make a profit, restoring it is a poor idea. If your goal is to keep it, restoring it is a great idea. Or, you could just do small work to it and keep it as a driver. It isnt like the car is falling apart.

Nice S Car.
 
I couldn't bring myself to put tubs or a cage in a original 383 S car even if the engine wasn't original.
 
1969383S said:
I know these cars are getting harder to find
Click to expand...

harder to find is an understatement

i sold my '68 dart with it's running 340 for $900 back in 1990

i could shoot myself now

the best i could find in my price range that wasnt almost rusted away was a '74 duster "project" car ... i got the car. it needs the floor pan, both fenders, inner fenders are cut out for headers grrrr, quarters are rusted.

trunk is ok, frame / undercarriage is ok.

k-frame was cut wrong for a schumacher kit so the 413 shortblock sitting in is tilted by about 1" or 1.5" on the drivers side.

front end pieces are shot. only one rotor, one caliper.

hemidenny is helping me out i'm buying one of his setups. the floorpan is getting welded in. i have an engine getting built at a local machine shop.

i have a long ways to go for something i can ride in but it will be worth it. i can tell you right now im not selling this car for nothin' :tongue3:

yes they are very hard to find and you would be smart to keep your baby
 
4404spd,

I have been trying to convince myself of that since I parked the car in 1988. I have carried around that cage through 5 or 6 moves since and not sure why. Seems like most on this site would do a basic restoration and drive it. I bought it to drag it and once I got it home, I realized it might be best to keep it as original as possible once I understood what the car really was. I would prefer to build a radical pro-street car and do not have room for two in the garage. Which is why I posted this topic to help me decide.
 
1969383S said:
4404spd,

I have been trying to convince myself of that since I parked the car in 1988. I have carried around that cage through 5 or 6 moves since and not sure why. Seems like most on this site would do a basic restoration and drive it. I bought it to drag it and once I got it home, I realized it might be best to keep it as original as possible once I understood what the car really was. I would prefer to build a radical pro-street car and do not have room for two in the garage. Which is why I posted this topic to help me decide.
Click to expand...
Well, If your goal is to have a drag car then why not sell this car as is, And buy a 6cyl car, Barracuda, Dart ect... And use the extra money from the sale of this car to finance some of your drag/street car.
 
4404spd said:
I couldn't bring myself to put tubs or a cage in a original 383 S car even if the engine wasn't original.
Click to expand...



I couldn't agree with you more, any 383 s car or 340 for that matter, but the fender tag on this one speaks to me.......
I can see it restored to its former glory, with the recall wheels and redlines.
It would be incredible. Easy for me to say, i not doing or paying for the resto....
 
va58 said:
I couldn't agree with you more, any 383 s car or 340 for that matter, but the fender tag on this one speaks to me.......
I can see it restored to its former glory, with the recall wheels and redlines.
It would be incredible. Easy for me to say, i not doing or paying for the resto....
Click to expand...
This car even came with the Kelsey Hays recall wheels...WOW!
 
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