Is it worth it?

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B

Ben Windsor

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Nov 6, 2008
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Location
North Carolina
Hello, everybody. I'm new here, mainly because I need some professional advice. There's a lady near me selling a 65 Barracuda Commando (I think it's a Commando based on her description) at a very good price, I think. Some parts are pretty rusty, though, and I just wanted to know how much trouble it would be to get it fixed up. I've done some car restoration in the past, but have never dealt with any rust or rust-through. The only really bad parts seem to be on the bottom of the frame.

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Well welcome!!! Yeah it looks like its going to need quite a bit of metal work. And Id for sure be careful as to how much frame is going to have to be cut away and replaced/capped. How much do they want for the car if you dont mind me asking?
PS- This is by NO MEANS expert advice. Just my 2 cents
 
65 Barracuda, The first year
the int looks good from what I see.
It must be a V8 car if its a Commando
does she have a title
I am sure brake lines brakes front end gas tank motor trans and
allot of other stuff will need to be repaired
Nice early a barracuda from what I can see.
 
No, she doesn't have the title. I can do a lot of the mechanical stuff myself... I just don't know about the rusted metal.
 
I would make sure she owns it or has proof that it has been tagged in
here name, If its in her husbands name make sure he is willing to file for a lost title or take a chance and fix it and hope some one don't drive up to your house and have it taken away from you.
Check her story out and let us know what she has to say.
It looks like some one started sanding on it and quit on it.
 
I would pick that car up for $700. Sounds like a good deal to me. If you or some one you know has a welder the body work should not be to hard. And I know if you have any questions about it the members here can and will help you out.

But ya like memike said. Make sure she owns the car befor you buy it. He knows what he is talking about.



O ya I All most forgot. Welcome to FABO!
 
Some good advice up above. I would buy it for 700 also.

Welcome to FABO!!8)
 
Hey Ben,
I'm in total agreement with the other guys. If you can get clear ownership,then you should jump on it for that price. We bought a 64 Valiant Barracuda last year,in what appeared to be very rough shape and we paid 1200 for it so 700 is a really good price if the frame and such are good.
 
Welcome to FABO. And as memike has stated make sure she owns it or can get a title to it. It does sound like a great deal for it that is for sure, just depends on how bad the rot is in the frame. 64 was the first year of the Cuda, and the last year of the push button auto.. They are a fun car to drive and pretty easy to work on. Keep us updated on how it goes
 
Hi Ben,

The titling issue is serious business. Save yourself the frustration of going up against the DMV and get this resolved first.

$700 for what I see looks okay. The rust on the body seems superficial, the front of the rear wheel well opening is going to be a problem. The floor pans are probably rusted through. They are available in Repro and not difficult to install if you can trim, shape, & weld sheet metal.

At one point, all Valiants & Barracudas had "Commando V-8" insignia on them. The VIN is not much help as the 2bbl & 4bbl were both D code engines. Obviously if the carb or intake is still on the car, you'll have an idea as to what you have. Since the torsion bar cross-member was "notched" on just the driver side for the exhaust pipe, both V-8s used a single exhaust. If there is a resonator with a square tip at the end of the system, you have a 4 bbl car.

Good luck. Welcome to FABO. I wish this had been around when I got started. Feel free to ask questions. The only "dumb" ones are the ones you have, but don't ask.
 
Well, I went and looked at the car and the body overall was a lot less straight than I would have liked. The interior was sort of rotten, because the driver's side window was down. The glass is there, but it can't be raised up. The engine looked pretty good, though, as did the dash. The glass was great. THis would make a great parts car, but it looked a little far gone for me to consider it as a project.
 
The first thing I thought of was "parts car". I hate to say it but it's probably not worth the expense and effort to get it on the road much less make it look good. But there does look like there's some great stuff on it, the dash pad and steering wheel look decent and if it's got a "commando" engine it's easily worth the $700. I'm sure someone on this board would love to get it.
 
welcome
In N.C. you can get a birth date title by posting a small bond if she will give you a bill of sale. I'm in the High Point area and am working on a 65 myself. Even though your looking at a lot of work offer her $500 and see if she bites. Remember, the barracuda's are not that easy to find anymore and that will just keep getting harder as time goes on.
Good Luck
T Adams
 
Ben I've got a guy here in N.C. that can cut out and replace any of the sheetmetal or frame your looking at. If interested I can get you his number.
T Adams
 
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