Opinions on a restoration

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swelker

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Two cars need to become one. Which way would you go.

Car 1 1974 Swinger with 360
Bad Roof and trunk pan

Car 2 1972 dart with slant 6
Bad front frame rails
no title $150 to get a title for it.

To keep the 74 I would need to take the roof and trunk pan out of the 72 and weld them into the 74

To keep the 72 I would need to take the whole front clip including the front sub-frame from the 74 and put on the 72. And probably swap the rear end as well.

I plan on keeping the 360 either way.
I believe the 72 is a slightly more desirable body style than the 74 but the 74 is an original v8 car. So based on work/cost and value of the finished car what is your opinion
74 with original v8
or 72 with transplanted v8

BTW this is going to be a driver/ local cruise in car not a show car. But it might get resold at some point. Plus I am not really a Mopar guy I don't want to offend the car gods by sacrificing the wrong car ;-)

Thanks All
 
Which is easier to fix? Frame rails, or roofs & trunk pans?

Also since you don't have a title for the 72, I would go with the 74...
 
I would say the 72 would pull some more value based on it is the more desirable of the 2. Plus you said would only cost 150.00 for title. I would rather do frame rails over roof repair, so I say the 72 and sell the other for parts.
 
quite the predicament. Going off of no pictures I would agree with the general consensus.

I would do the 72. I think they are more aesthetically pleasing to the eye. I believe the resale value would be the better of the two.

Are you doing the work yourself or farming it out? Since resale is in the back of your mind. I would do a work up on both and check resale values. It will probably take a fairly tight budget to not go upside-down.
 
you could also swap the tail panel from the 72 on to the 74 since it has a title and make it look like the more desirable 72.
 
DartNut & KrazyKuda - Thanks for your votes.

KrazyKuda - Honestly I am not sure which will be the easier fix roof vs frame rails

VitaminDemon - thanks for your vote. Have you actually done both a roof swap and replaced frame rails?

Rocky_Js - Re-sale prices are a guess at best. They are all over the place. Haggerty gives the edge to the 72 but that is a factory v8 car, they don't list a price for a 6 cylinder car.

If we sale this car I don't expect to make money, but if I am going to do it I would just as soon build the more valuable car unless it is going to be far more costly or difficult. I am actually building it for my son.

Thanks for everyone's opinion so far.
Currently it is 3 in favor of the 72 and only one for the poor unloved 74.

Thanks All
 
Rocky_Js - Sorry forgot to answer your question about the work. I am doing everything myself so the big issue there is which job am I least likely to screw up ;-)

vitaminDart - I thought that might be an option too. Have not looked into it to see how difficult it would be. I think you can do the front end as well and it should all just be bolt on. I think the only reason to go that route would be if roof and trunk repairs are significantly easier than the frame rail repairs.

Thanks All
 
I know I come from a different time but, just get another chassis. The $150 is nothing compared to what it costs to re-roof or front halving a car. Unless you've already done something like this, and I'm guessing you haven't, frame rails/ roof replacement isn't a beginners job, and poorly done isn't worth anything when done, and can be dangerous to drive.
 
mar-tay1 said:
I know I come from a different time but, just get another chassis. The $150 is nothing compared to what it costs to re-roof or front halving a car. Unless you've already done something like this, and I'm guessing you haven't, frame rails/ roof replacement isn't a beginners job, and poorly done isn't worth anything when done, and can be dangerous to drive.
Click to expand...

^^^^^^^^^^this^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
mar-tay1 - Thanks for your input. Finding a decent chassis for a reasonable price is getting pretty difficult. No, I have not done either before but I do have access to some guys that have that I will drag in to help me.

Thank You
 
I would go with mar-tay's suggestion unless you have a professional do the work. Too much latitude to do a serious screw-up with either roof or frame rails and completely ruin the car (s).
Dragging a posse of 'volunteers' in to help out usually ends badly, no matter how well-intentioned.
Not meaning to burst your bubble, but them's the facts, Jack.
Economically, I would not buy another frame but instead put the money toward paying a pro to do the '74. Replacement titles have a bad way of not getting issued these days. Replace body parts to make it look like a '72 if that's your preference.
 
I didn't mean to crush any dreams with my comment. Just trying to point out the potential pitfalls of major frame reconstruction, even (especially) journeyman body guys would probably tell you the same, and when considering shop labor rates these days (especially in CA) and whatever a fair body might run, I'm thinking the fair body would be cheaper. I'd probably have to get a minimum of $2500 to replace a front frame section, and request that weld in frame connectors were installed too, so with that said and of course probably want to OH the front end too while apart $3500 would be more like it. Now what does a decent body cost? I just picked up a 71 Demon for $1000, now it needs floor pans, and isn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination but I think you might see my point. If anything, cut the front off the 74, disassemble the 72, tow it to a frame shop, have them rack it and weld it in straight, tow it home, add the frame connectors and maybe a solid rollbar to unify the whole thing and re-assemble it yourself. Probably not what you wanted to hear but that is the best way to go. With a unibody car even parked in an off kilter driveway it can twist the frame a bit and if you weld it together like that it stays off. Not even going to get into the roof thing, but consider it a part of the frame too, because it is!
 
VitaminDemon said:
I would say the 72 would pull some more value based on it is the more desirable of the 2. Plus you said would only cost 150.00 for title. I would rather do frame rails over roof repair, so I say the 72 and sell the other for parts.
Click to expand...

72 for sure
 
I would go with car one for a restoration, simply because it has a title, and a V8 K with a straight frame, i have never worked on a frame, but im pretty sure it would be a massive pain, plus having a V8 k member is a huge plus.
I would probably see if i could buy the '72 for a parts car though. If it has good metal for replacements, thats a lot of money saved. Plus you could transplant the front clip, if you wanted to go that route.
 
To be honest - even completed neither will get back what it costs to actually get done so cost is moot. If it were me, and I've done all that, I'd do the V8 car. Roof and trunk/extensions are not hard at all and even a novice can learn on them. Rails are much more involved. Clipping I wouldn't even bother with unless you have a chassis jig or frame table to put it on and work around.
 
Dartnut said:
Go with the '72.
It'll be easier to sell when done.
Click to expand...

Personally, i would do the '74 because i like them better, but my response was for the resale angle.
Both are ambitious undertakings.
How about some pics of the bad areas of both cars?
It's hard to make a decision based alone on your description, this is already getting out of hand.........
 
ArizonaKid said:
plus having a V8 k member is a huge plus.
.
Click to expand...

Why is that a huge plus?


I'll give you an idea on resale considering I've owned all the genres. Fully restored 1969, 23,000. 1972, 12,000. 1973, 5,000. Not sure if it matters but the 69 was a big block car. The others were 360 cars.
 
Price will always be subjective- but like I said when you've got that much problem to start with it will never make money.
 
I own one of each but my vote would be to pull every possible part off both and flatten what is left. In the end you should keep the V8 stuff and BBP brake hardware. Sell everything and put your money in a jar. Look for the car you want and then look some more. While you are looking, build the motor and trans. What you really want is a clean roller. You can find one for easily half of what you will have in the cut and paste.
 
Look at the costs involve and amount of work needed, and the value of the end result.

I'm guessing the 72 will warrant the work.

Everyone says, your not in it for the money...bla bla. But in the end of the day when the time comes to sell, you would rather get more, than less.
 
How rusty is the roof, if it just needs minor patches to make it solid it is an easy job.
Trunk pan is so simple, I could easily teach my 14yr old kid how to do it.

If the roof is rusted beyond repair than I would put the front frame rails in as a unit.
Both rails, inner finders and radiator support in at one time, it is also not hard but alot more work.

Yes I have done all the above work at one time or another.
 
I would go for the 74 ...it already has a title and frame rails are structural .....the roof could be considered structural too but a roof is so easy to change out, I did a roof replacement on a scamp which is the same body and its not hard just time consuming.

The 74 would be more unique at a car show because you rarely see them around......

The 72 would probably worth more but if your goal is to flip then I would say don't do either one and look for an easier way to make money.
 
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