Help buying first classic car - 1964 Dodge Dart GT

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Walshb91

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Hello,

I'm looking for some advice on buying my first classic car. I'm relatively mechanically inclined. Meaning I can usually fix an issue if it's been diagnosed for me first. I have very little experience doing any major work on vehicles but have routinely maintained the vehicles I do own. I'm looking at a 1964 Dart GT in a couple days and I'm wondering if anyone can tell me if it seems like a good deal or not.

1964 Dodge Dart GT w Hurst Shifter | Classic Cars | Calgary | Free local classifieds - Kijiji
Here is the link to the ad. Keep in mind that is CAD. So it would be roughly $8,800 USD.

I appreciate any insight this community can provide me
 
Good morning

"What's it worth" is a tough one. I think the best response I've ever heard is that a "Good Deal" is one where both parties feel like they might have gotten screwed just a little on the deal.

Car looks clean up top, underneath on these is where stuff can hide. Front and rear frame extensions, floor panels (especially spare tire well and drivers side floorboard, suspension parts, etc. Watch for heavy bondo use. You want sheet metal.

On that body style, there's a space on either side of the trunk where stuff can build up and rust. Front cowl looks good, the corners of the engine bay tend to collect rust.

Unless they've done a compression test on t the motor, check the plugs... check the oil for burnt smell or coolant, etc. Usual stuff there

Safety stuff like Electrical and brakes as well.

Good luck
 
Pretty basic car. Looks in relatively nice shape topside. Not sure what cars you're familiar with maintaining but this looks worth the money based on pictures. Plenty of knowledgeable people here who can get you over the hump as far as repairs presently or down the road. Obviously YOU need to fire it up, take it for a road test and make sure it's legal for the road.
 
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WV64Signet said:
Good morning

"What's it worth" is a tough one. I think the best response I've ever heard is that a "Good Deal" is one where both parties feel like they might have gotten screwed just a little on the deal.

Car looks clean up top, underneath on these is where stuff can hide. Front and rear frame extensions, floor panels (especially spare tire well and drivers side floorboard, suspension parts, etc. Watch for heavy bondo use. You want sheet metal.

On that body style, there's a space on either side of the trunk where stuff can build up and rust. Front cowl looks good, the corners of the engine bay tend to collect rust.

Unless they've done a compression test on t the motor, check the plugs... check the oil for burnt smell or coolant, etc. Usual stuff there

Safety stuff like Electrical and brakes as well.

Good luck
Click to expand...
Treed me :lol:
 
Can't tell from here but it looks pretty solid. The price is right for a solid car.
 
WV64Signet said:
Good morning

"What's it worth" is a tough one. I think the best response I've ever heard is that a "Good Deal" is one where both parties feel like they might have gotten screwed just a little on the deal.

Car looks clean up top, underneath on these is where stuff can hide. Front and rear frame extensions, floor panels (especially spare tire well and drivers side floorboard, suspension parts, etc. Watch for heavy bondo use. You want sheet metal.

On that body style, there's a space on either side of the trunk where stuff can build up and rust. Front cowl looks good, the corners of the engine bay tend to collect rust.

Unless they've done a compression test on t the motor, check the plugs... check the oil for burnt smell or coolant, etc. Usual stuff there

Safety stuff like Electrical and brakes as well.

Good luck
Click to expand...
That is the best definition of a good deal I believe I have ever heard. I could not agree more.

I'll be sure to spend a lot of time looking for any signs of rust as that seems to be the main thing that will really kill these cars.

Thank you for the information!
 
toolmanmike said:
Can't tell from here but it looks pretty solid. The price is right for a solid car.
Click to expand...

That is pretty much what I needed to hear. If the car is in good shape and the motor runs well, that the price is consistent with how much these cars have been going for.
 
Walshb91 said:
seems to be the main thing that will really kill these cars.
Click to expand...

Not to be Captain Obvious... but because they are unibodies, floor pan rust has much more impact. The body can twist without that full frame, so looking at gaps in panels and just overall "straightness" is good as well.
 
A good deal is when BOTH parties are happy.
The buy might be happy he got a lot of money, or maybe his trouble car is gone! Or like my bud other day, he had one fewer of his dozen projects he had before I bought just one and bis wife loved me for it!
The seller might be happy when he finds fewer issues than expected maybe! Or his wife, says " cool (or will be) ride dear!"
 
I would inspect the front frame rails really well. Where the upper control arms attach, where the frames attach to the trans crossmember and the crossmember itself ,especially where the torsion bars plug in.
All those spots are very prone to rot out.
 
Walshb91 said:
That is pretty much what I needed to hear. If the car is in good shape and the motor runs well, that the price is consistent with how much these cars have been going for.
Click to expand...

Be more focused on rust than a good running engine.
The engine is easy to repair or replace.
Rust is called cancer for a reason.

Bring a magnet and a tshirt. Put one layer between the magnet and the paint and check that the magnet sticks. If it comes off easy or falls off there's bondo. Depending on the size of the patch tells you if the car is more likely fucked. Drive behind the car to observe if it tracks straight.

Ignore any smartass who tells you to put a 360 in it. Those guys have delusions of inadequacy. Stuff a 440 in it. :poke:
 
My advice. Based on your saying you are new to this and are looking for a car to tinker mechanically on.

Is this the car you want? Do you like/love the looks of it? Will you get thrills every time you plop into the seat and take it out on the road?

You are going to spend time and money on it. It will cost you more than you will recover selling it. So make sure its what you want.

If yes, put on clothes you don't care about and when you first walk up to it, start at the rear and get on the ground and slide underneath it. Examine every frame rail, trunk pan, floor pan, torsion bar member under front driver pans, rocker panels, wheel tubs, front frame rails. Grab them, squeeze them to ensure they are solid. If they aren't, get up and walk away without looking at the rest of the car. This is the hardest thing to do, especially if you have sat in the drivers seat and shifted the Hurst.

Here in Canada, cars deteriorate from the bottom up, and often look great standing up. Needing to replace many of these unibody panels require major disassembly, acquiring many expensive and sometimes hard to find parts, expensive metal work, and lots of time where the car is off the road. Not worth it.

Dented trim and missing doodads can be replaced. Mechanicals like brakes, bushings, leaking oil pans, hoses, are doable. Just make sure it's a solid foundation.
 
4spdragtop said:
@gdrill @1MeanA are knowledgable valued members here in Alberta. It's 60+ yrs old be VERY careful.
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gdrill is down here in the Lethbridge area and 1meanA is around Edmonton. George does travel through the area regularly, but member @4mulas is likely much closer. You might try to send a private message and ask if he's willing to look at it with you. I would, but like George I'm 2 hours plus away.
 
I knew/know there are more Randy (you included). 1st classic purchase, TAKE SOMEONE knowledgable.
missing linc said:
gdrill is down here in the Lethbridge area and 1meanA is around Edmonton. George does travel through the area regularly, but member @4mulas is likely much closer. You might try to send a private message and ask if he's willing to look at it with you. I would, but like George I'm 2 hours plus away.
Click to expand...
 
4spdragtop said:
I knew/know there are more Randy (you included). 1st classic purchase, TAKE SOMEONE knowledgable.
Click to expand...
I know there are others in the Calgary area, however I can't recall their screen names.
To the original poster:
Start a new thread asking for a member in the Calgary area for their help in making a realistic assessment of this car. Offer to pay for their gas, buy lunch, etc.
 
Walshb91 said:
I'll be sure to spend a lot of time looking for any signs of rust as that seems to be the main thing that will really kill these cars.
Click to expand...
All your signs of rust was/is under all that red Rust oleum, that we can see from the pics. Bring floor jack and jack stands, get under it.
 
It doesn't look to be much of a deal to me. A paint job starts at $5k for a basic scuff and shoot and goes up to $10-$15k or more for something nice assuming it doesn't need much bodywork. I'd be more inclined to find something with a good body and paint if you like the mechanical work. Its just something to think about.
 

I have looked at the car. It has a really good interior, needs 1/4 panel repair on the passenger and starting to need the same on the drivers, the engine has a definite miss, maybe tuneup, maybe not.
I personally thought it would be a really fun car for 4 -5 grand.
 
4mulas said:
I have looked at the car. It has a really good interior, needs 1/4 panel repair on the passenger and starting to need the same on the drivers, the engine has a definite miss, maybe tuneup, maybe not.
I personally thought it would be a really fun car for 4 -5 grand.
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Wow thank you! This is really good to know. I think I'm going to go in a different direction then. I was already worried the price was too high.
 
It is not my body style, and I agree 12k is high, to be nice. But nothing is getting cheaper.

Now, yesterday I spotted this. If that is a car that cranks your engine, this looks like a nice little machine. 1965 Plymouth Valiant They state rust free. That is a big claim. But only eyes on a car will tell the truth. I have seen a lot of good deals lately. Take your time. Patience is a virtue……

To hell with that, if I wanted patience I would have gone to medical school! :)
 
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