Part out or sell as project?

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savoy

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Some might remember I had a 68 dart project listed for sale about a year ago. You can do a search under my handle to see photos. Anyway, I have made no progress on the car except to buy a correct radiator from Glen Ray for a cool $1000 and having a 572 gen 2 hemi built by Wheeler Racing. Anyway, I am faced with a decision of parting out the car, or trying to sell as a project because I fear I will never see this Dart as a complete car. What say the collective wisdom?
 
I must say I feel your pain.I'm in the same boat with 3 cars. All need $$$$ to finish. With little I have, I'm confused on what to do first.
Back to you,How bad is the Dart and what would your plan be for it next? Body/paint? interior? The rest of the drivetrain?
Let us know where you are stuck.Money? Maybe we can help after you answer the few questions.
I have one that's driveable,but not too street friendly. One that the paint/body/glass is done. And one that is a shell with glass.I regret ever selling my driver.
Your turn...
 
It's not a money issue . It is frankly that the car needs the body work done, assembly and paint...and I cannot find anyone to do quality work and an not talented enough to do the work myself.. It is currently sitting in a car trailer in the yard of my body guy. It has been sitting there going on 2 years. Guy does great work and we have been friends for a number of years, but the car is in body shop hell. And frankly I have lost interest in this whole car thing. I am sick of kissing some ones a** to get anything done. To old for that crap. So I am in the process of selling my Savoy, and once the Dart issue is resolved, I am done. Thanks for the replies.
 
I wouldn't part it out if it is savable, but that is just my feeling about these cars. Its not a business to me, I also figure that it is going to take time to remove all the parts from it, you may as well put that time into labor restoring it and fixing it. If money motivates you, that is another thing. parting it will get you a nickle at a time figuratively speaking. probably best to sell whole for a lump sum and have it off your conscience. even if it is for a grand or two(or whatever you can get for it)
 
As I said, not about the money. I don't deal well with loose ends and begging someone to do the work. I have over 30k invested without the hemi, and have funds to finish it, but it seems you can't count on folks to keep their word. After awhile, you just tuck your tail, lose money and move on. I am at that point .
 
I understand that, I have decided to do my body and paint myself. It is a long process, but patience will get me there. I chose to go this route for similar reasons. I have a friend who paid ten grand for paint and body work on a Camaro. It is a very nice paint job, but the car still isn't finished. Missing trim pieces here and there. I was there picking the body work apart, it isn't perfect, and I have an eye for when things aren't lined up properly. My friend was upset that I noticed the imperfections after paying all that $$$. Point is, if its going to be screwed up , may as well do it yourself and not pay through the nose. My best experience with a auto paint body guy was getting a motorcycle tank sprayed. It still took a couple of months.
 
Maybe just step away from the hobby for a while before making any decisions. People get burned out on hobbys but most always come back. I started restoring my dart 13 years ago. I made real good progress the first year then it went on the back burner for 10. I decided a couple years ago it was time to finish it. Im currently on schedule to have it done before next summer starts.
 
Yeah man, don't give up. I started mine about 12 years ago, I am getting the ambition to get back on it heavy. I just wish I didn't have so much other stuff to do. I sometimes just want to take a week vacation just to work on my car, I need a situation where I am left alone in my garage for 8-10 hours a day like a workweek.
 
Call CG Customs in Buford, Georgia...... His name is Chris Garrison. Not sure where you live but you may like what he says.

I have one in the garage now and if I really wanted the car done it would already either be there or in line. I completely understand your frustration but trust me when I say you are not alone. Based on what I went through to get things done at a machine shop last year I would never go through the agony of building another motor. People suck, bottom line....

Good luck,
JW
 
Took 10 years to get my 65 Belvedere done. Same as you,a friends body shop.Now my friend cut me allot of slack on price so I never pushed him. Sometimes it is best to get work done from someone you don't know,but has a good reference.
Is that the car needs allot of work time wise and the body man is draggin'his feet ? Have you two had a sit down and talk ?
If money is not a issue find out what is.
 
My first 67 Dart went to 3 body shops.The first let it sit outside for a year( the same spot where I parked it) and fill full of water.Didn't need floors or a trunk floor but it did when I went to pick it up.My fault,busy with work and wife.When I called, I got "Oh yea, things are coming along,have it done soon." Body shop #2 did the work and paint but when I went to pick it up you could see the primer thru the paint from the body line down.Now these were both guys that I knew well. Shop #3 did a great job,some one refered them to me.
 
The reason is he is an insurance repair shop first, restoration shop second. He is the best in the area and has a constant stream of work. Used to be winter was a down time in the shop and he filled in doing restoration. Now he has 3 month back log just on insurance jobs. And it pays his bills. Can't blame him in the slightest as repair is his main income. But that means the Dart is just sitting in its trailer. Obviously patience is not a strong suit of mine, but it has been 4 years since I purchased the car and frankly the enthusiasm for the project is quickly waning with no progress expected in the near future.
 
I got an estimate on body work and paint for my car. Its going in around July and should be out by end of year. Its not going to be long getting it back together once I get it back. 15 year restoration!
 
my best friend had a beautiful 62 300. It was scary fast for a big car, 426 wedge w/dual quads, cast iron headers. It needed some relatively minor rust repair, but my buddy wanted to do a primo resto so he sent it to some "hotshot" body and paint guy. That was over 20 yrs ago. The guy did a good job taking it apart, and prepping it for paint, but it has been stalled for the last 15 years. In the meantime, he''s damaged the interior by leaving it sit out in the weather. What was once a very nice car, is now a primered bare body, with everything else in boxes (maybe!). Get it out of there, and get it to someone who is capable of following thru with a project. It may not be top tier, but at least it will be done, and you can enjoy it.
 
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If you have a local high school, that has a trade shop, take night classes.
They teach auto body, and will let you do your own car.
 
The shop is Blue Star in Lasalle,IL check them out. They are Mopar only. Been in business for years. And do top notch work.
 
Thanks for the reply, but I have all but decided that I have had my fill of the car culture. It is now a matter of how to exit the project, in pieces or sell as a whole. Either way a significant portion of my investment will be lost. Some times you just have to say enough and walk away. That said, I guess it doesn't cost me anything if no one works on it! Appreciate all your perspectives.
 
savoy said:
Thanks for the reply, but I have all but decided that I have had my fill of the car culture. It is now a matter of how to exit the project, in pieces or sell as a whole. Either way a significant portion of my investment will be lost. Some times you just have to say enough and walk away. That said, I guess it doesn't cost me anything if no one works on it! Appreciate all your perspectives.
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That's a respectable position to take in life honestly.... I am on my last hurrah with what I have in the garage.... Just make sure that you are ditching the car for all the right reasons and not because one or 2 people have let you down on working with your project. It will eat at you. I went through it with machine shops last year and was pretty disgusted and knew it was time to enjoy other things and just let it sit. I personally won't fight body and paint when it comes time for it because I have nobody to impress with a crazy nice paint job... I don't care lol....

Man and his love for cars.... It's a crazy thing....

JW
 
If you're frustrated by having the cash and just not pushing through and finding a shop tp finish it the way you want it, then parting it out will frustrate you even further. One doesn't build what you have and stop mid-stream if one wants to retain any money. If you're not willing to find a professional shop with a great reputation even elsewhere in the country, then just sell it, and be prepared to lose your cash value. Parts are not worth much, and you will get .50/dollar for a brand new engine unless you are very close friends with the buyer. Selling parts sucks, and that comes from someone with 30 years experience doing it...lol.
If it were me, I'd just find a shop, sign a contract with them, and send them the car. You have a chance to get something back with the car done. You will never get what you will need to put into it, but if it's truly a case of just giving up and getting out, that won't matter. Again - I did that some years ago. I scrapped over 3 tons of iron, gave away 10-15 transmissions, junked 2 cars, etc etc. If you want out, get out. If you want to finish it, finish it. Standing still comes from not being decisive for reasons only the individual knows. Lifes too short - get past it.
 
savoy said:
Thanks for the reply, but I have all but decided that I have had my fill of the car culture. It is now a matter of how to exit the project, in pieces or sell as a whole. Either way a significant portion of my investment will be lost. Some times you just have to say enough and walk away. That said, I guess it doesn't cost me anything if no one works on it! Appreciate all your perspectives.
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Just my thought on your options if you do decide to part with your Dart...Parting the car out may have the highest potential to bring the most money. However, you could find that after all of the most desireable parts are sold, it becomes harder to sell the rest. I agree with MOPER above, parting cars out can be frustrating. It might be a good middle ground to sell the car (body and chassis parts), then sell the engine and trans seperately. Just a thought; good luck with whichever direction you choose.
 
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