Let's face it. Unless it was a Hemi Cuda sealed in a time capsule with only enough mileage to get it home from the dealer, we're dealing with used and (too often) abused cars. If they weren't wrecked, they were neglected. By the time a lot of these cars were seven years old, they could be bought by someone making burger flipper's wages. At this income and expertise level, fast and cheap are the operant words that describe repairs. Someone wants a '64 Valiant wagon as a collector car? Hah!
I know that finding out a previous owner cobbled a repair is a PITA. It could be worse. Most of us who started out with a project car have stories that would astonish you. I've come to regard these kinds of things as risks I assume when I buy someone else's stuff. Every time I encounter one, I get to decide will I chunk the project or will I pull up my big boy pants and get after it.
My 73 Dart had a hole in the floor on the driver's side that I knew about. When stripping the car for painting, I found a similar hole on the passenger's side. The thing that really frosted me was finding the roof was holier than the Pope, had been filled in with Great Stuff (spray foam insulation), and covered with bed liner. The floor hole I knew about, I bought a pan for it. The roof, I totally re-skinned. The hole I didn't know about, I fixed with aircraft adhesive, a handful of screws, and sheet metal provided by the local municipality (found in ditch).
I used to think that vinyl tops were cool. Not any more. I wouldn't mind if I hurt the guy who thought they were such a good idea. Ruined a bunch of cars by trapping water and rusting the roofs if you ask me. Grumble, grumble, *****, razzlefratz.
