How to restore an A-body Mopar, what I learned the hard way.
Chapter two
Now that you have narrowed down to a particular model, start looking. Depending where you live, the choices vary. If you are in the north where road salt is a regular occurrence, most of the A's have long since been fertilizing you grandma's flower bed. I remember back in 1979 when my sister bought her first new car for $200, it was a yellow 71 duster with a slant six. We lived in Detroit. She got it home, how exactly I am not sure of, my Dad nearly had a heart attack! This car had to weigh at least 400lbs less that when it left the factory, because it certainly did not have floorboards, inner fenders, or the bottom of any door or fender, the only thing keeping the gas tank from falling out was well wishes. Overnight the front bumper fell off, the next day the car had a flat, my Dad very nervously inserted the jack into the rear bumper slot, he managed to jack the bumper up a good 6 inches, but the rest of the car did not follow. A week later, she was driving it when the rear end broke loose from the leaf springs. A mechanic took a look at it, he pulled a gun from his waistband and put it out of its misery. Well, not really, but he said that if we put any more than $20 into the car, we would double its value.
What I am trying to get at, is that these cars were know to be rust buckets almost 30 years ago, they have not gotten better with age, and unfortunately, the vast majority of cars from central states to the east coast have long since disintegrated into dust. But there is hope, its called the southeast and pacific northwest. The holy grail still exists in the form of Rust free A-bodies for cheap. Living in Texas has it rewards when I am not cowering away from the 105F heat. A simple look through Craigslist in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and El Paso reveals a myriad of clean stockers. Keep going farther west, and you will find the same. And, unexplainable to me, northern Cali through Seattle have a treasure trove of Mopars that look like the day grandma bought it in the early 70's. But be a little cautious of true desert cars, they may not have any rust, but they will also not have any rubber, plastic, or anything soft, all you are getting is clean metal.
My favorite place to look is Craigslist, since they are a free service, you are going to get a better deal, because its local and free of rules. Definitely give the Southwestern states a look, even if you are far away. If it means paying $2000 for a car, and spending $2000 on trailer, gas, and lodging, then you just saved some money, because if you spend $1000 on a rust bucket, you are surely going to spend 5 times that on rust repair. Price out a set of rear quarters, floorpans, trunk pans, front fenders extensions, rust repair pieces for the frame rails, and all the shipping costs. We are talking $2-3K easy here, not to mention that this stuff is beyond most people’s skill set.
EBay is another option, however, Overhaulin fever is rampant and there are a lot of people on it trying to make a quick buck. Many are asking $15K for grandma’s mint 74, 4 door Dart with a cherry slant six and pea green paint, because they believe it’s a classic that Chip Foose is going to fix someday. In all honesty, I bought my Dart off eBay, and I sold two cars that way. My Dart is the exception because it was local, the pics looked horrible, but I went out to look at it anyway. What I found was car that was complete, already had been converted to an 8 ¾ rear, V-8, 73+ K-frame, and was not missing anything major. It turned out to be a rust free car, mostly. There were a two little spots of rust at the bottom of each quarter, one required a 1” x 4” patch, the other side required I just welded up the hole. If you can see the car in person, then go for it. Most of the fees go to the seller, but don’t be fooled, people also tend to be paying more because you are bidding against someone. And people get caught up in bidding wars, spending way more than they want to. My car stopped at $3750, I set my limit at $4000 max. Did I get a good Deal? Yes, I have not seen a 68 Dart (which is what I wanted) since I bought it for less or in better shape. I got a fair deal, not great, but I did OK. Don’t get bidding fever and do something stupid. And don’t buy a car based on pictures, when I sell a car, I take pictures of the good things, not the bad.
Here are the pictures of the car as was on ebay:
Here are the pictures of the car that I took when I went to look at it. Notice the difference.
Autotrader is another source, it seems to be Ok, but I have only bought newer cars with it, again, most people with older cars think that they are worth more than they really are.
The best way to find a car, is word of mouth, if you drive an old car, people will tell you about their gramps that is in a retirement home and needs to sell his car, or that hollow over yonder that has an old Duster sitting in it. Once you have an old car, these people will come to you. There is a guy in Mellissa TX that has about 40 old mopars sitting behind his house on 3 acres of land, all hidden by an 8 ft fence, at least 300 ft from any road, this I found through a tip from a fellow FABO. Also, driving out away from the interstates, you tend to see more cars parked with for sale signs on them. One trip to Houston I saw no less than a dozen old mopars, some in good shape, some not.
And lastly, try internet boards like this one, many times a Mopar lover will buy a car that they don’t want, but can let it be crushed. I know a guy who pulled a 66 Dart out of field that is very restorable, but he is a Ford guy and he just wants to pass it along to someone who will restore it for $350.
Good Cars are out there, you just have to find them.
Chapter two
Now that you have narrowed down to a particular model, start looking. Depending where you live, the choices vary. If you are in the north where road salt is a regular occurrence, most of the A's have long since been fertilizing you grandma's flower bed. I remember back in 1979 when my sister bought her first new car for $200, it was a yellow 71 duster with a slant six. We lived in Detroit. She got it home, how exactly I am not sure of, my Dad nearly had a heart attack! This car had to weigh at least 400lbs less that when it left the factory, because it certainly did not have floorboards, inner fenders, or the bottom of any door or fender, the only thing keeping the gas tank from falling out was well wishes. Overnight the front bumper fell off, the next day the car had a flat, my Dad very nervously inserted the jack into the rear bumper slot, he managed to jack the bumper up a good 6 inches, but the rest of the car did not follow. A week later, she was driving it when the rear end broke loose from the leaf springs. A mechanic took a look at it, he pulled a gun from his waistband and put it out of its misery. Well, not really, but he said that if we put any more than $20 into the car, we would double its value.
What I am trying to get at, is that these cars were know to be rust buckets almost 30 years ago, they have not gotten better with age, and unfortunately, the vast majority of cars from central states to the east coast have long since disintegrated into dust. But there is hope, its called the southeast and pacific northwest. The holy grail still exists in the form of Rust free A-bodies for cheap. Living in Texas has it rewards when I am not cowering away from the 105F heat. A simple look through Craigslist in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and El Paso reveals a myriad of clean stockers. Keep going farther west, and you will find the same. And, unexplainable to me, northern Cali through Seattle have a treasure trove of Mopars that look like the day grandma bought it in the early 70's. But be a little cautious of true desert cars, they may not have any rust, but they will also not have any rubber, plastic, or anything soft, all you are getting is clean metal.
My favorite place to look is Craigslist, since they are a free service, you are going to get a better deal, because its local and free of rules. Definitely give the Southwestern states a look, even if you are far away. If it means paying $2000 for a car, and spending $2000 on trailer, gas, and lodging, then you just saved some money, because if you spend $1000 on a rust bucket, you are surely going to spend 5 times that on rust repair. Price out a set of rear quarters, floorpans, trunk pans, front fenders extensions, rust repair pieces for the frame rails, and all the shipping costs. We are talking $2-3K easy here, not to mention that this stuff is beyond most people’s skill set.
EBay is another option, however, Overhaulin fever is rampant and there are a lot of people on it trying to make a quick buck. Many are asking $15K for grandma’s mint 74, 4 door Dart with a cherry slant six and pea green paint, because they believe it’s a classic that Chip Foose is going to fix someday. In all honesty, I bought my Dart off eBay, and I sold two cars that way. My Dart is the exception because it was local, the pics looked horrible, but I went out to look at it anyway. What I found was car that was complete, already had been converted to an 8 ¾ rear, V-8, 73+ K-frame, and was not missing anything major. It turned out to be a rust free car, mostly. There were a two little spots of rust at the bottom of each quarter, one required a 1” x 4” patch, the other side required I just welded up the hole. If you can see the car in person, then go for it. Most of the fees go to the seller, but don’t be fooled, people also tend to be paying more because you are bidding against someone. And people get caught up in bidding wars, spending way more than they want to. My car stopped at $3750, I set my limit at $4000 max. Did I get a good Deal? Yes, I have not seen a 68 Dart (which is what I wanted) since I bought it for less or in better shape. I got a fair deal, not great, but I did OK. Don’t get bidding fever and do something stupid. And don’t buy a car based on pictures, when I sell a car, I take pictures of the good things, not the bad.
Here are the pictures of the car as was on ebay:
Here are the pictures of the car that I took when I went to look at it. Notice the difference.
Autotrader is another source, it seems to be Ok, but I have only bought newer cars with it, again, most people with older cars think that they are worth more than they really are.
The best way to find a car, is word of mouth, if you drive an old car, people will tell you about their gramps that is in a retirement home and needs to sell his car, or that hollow over yonder that has an old Duster sitting in it. Once you have an old car, these people will come to you. There is a guy in Mellissa TX that has about 40 old mopars sitting behind his house on 3 acres of land, all hidden by an 8 ft fence, at least 300 ft from any road, this I found through a tip from a fellow FABO. Also, driving out away from the interstates, you tend to see more cars parked with for sale signs on them. One trip to Houston I saw no less than a dozen old mopars, some in good shape, some not.
And lastly, try internet boards like this one, many times a Mopar lover will buy a car that they don’t want, but can let it be crushed. I know a guy who pulled a 66 Dart out of field that is very restorable, but he is a Ford guy and he just wants to pass it along to someone who will restore it for $350.
Good Cars are out there, you just have to find them.
