To Restore or Not to Restore

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I say go get the car you want already done. It doesn't sound like you are emotionally attached to this car so you should consider selling it and getting something that is ready to drive/race - this would save you a lot of time and many even a lot of money. Being a real 383 Formula S you should be able to get a decent amount of cash for it and there are a lot of good deals out there.
 
If you are planning to keep the car, your finances are going to be the issue with how "perfect" you make it. If you can do the majority of the work yourself then you can really save some money- especially with bodywork and paint. If you are limited, do what you can do to bring the car back to what is acceptable to you without cutting or destroying what can't be reversed. My car is worth more to me as an affordable clean driver than something that becomes nerveracking to bring out in public. It is your car. Enjoy it no matter the path you take.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

I saw this car

http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/inventory/1969-Plymouth-Barracuda-Formula-S/131352

I imagine it is about the same except for the engine/trans and exterior color. Got me thinking real hard about doing a resto. I have spent a lot of hours under mine years ago and even notice the right hand exhaust pipe and how it looks weirdly crooked as my pipes look identical. Even though I have kept the car all these years I would be willing to sell it and purchase something that I would not be timid about cutting up if the offer was right. This feedback is why I made this post to help me decide. Perhaps I should have labeled the post Restore, Sell or Cut!
 
Tough one. Buddy has a 69 Charger, all # matching 383 auto; whoopee..

He had a 440 he had built a little, put it in. (still has the 383). And restored from the ground up ( MSD, etc). must have $70 in it; won't sell for close to that; that bubble busted, along with the economy.

A full resto; you won't believe the costs, especially when you factor in all the attendent bs- turn signal switch $75, window gaskets and mouldings for the doors, trunk and hood, maybe $600, seats and headliner re-done $500, etc.

We did the front suspension, I think parts alone were $300. New brakes, etc.... it drags out, all this stuff not in the budget.

Not to discourage, but research the cost. That auction crap on tv is a dog and pony show for rich people, that don't care what the real worth is.

The real worth is what it is worth to you, after putting 2000 hours in it, and half of that involved some one helping. the dash coming out is not a 1 man job, etc.

Not trying to discourage. I did a 70 Duster by myself, but I hacked it into street strip, not restorable. Looked at the charger, thought 3 months, after bodywork. Wrong!
 
Thank for all the replies,

I saw this car and it really got me thinking about doing a restoration of some degree.

http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/inventory/1969-Plymouth-Barracuda-Formula-S/131352

I imagine that my car was originally about the same with the obvious engine/trans and exterior paint difference. I spent many hours under my car years ago and noticed how the weirdly crooked exhaust looks identical to mine. The reason I started this post was to help me decide what direction to take. Even though I have kept this car for so many years, Emotionally I could sell if the deal was right. Perhaps I should have labeled this post “ Restore, Sell or Cut”. The costs I understand, and now that life has given me a chance to play again I want to make the most of it. Again thanks for the feedback
 
I have a 66 cuda not in bad shape but showing 40 plus years of use i have debaited upon how far i want to go with a restoration and as of right now i'm leaving it alone and enjoying it as it is, on the other hand we have a 73 charger my son bought as a project in august 2011 i have been doing metal work since then just finished last week and began skimmin and sandin my son has less than 500 dollars in this project in supplys/tools all the patch panels i made from scrap sheet metal and i'm doing the labor, every car i have done was a low buck project that could compete with the high dollar cars and place most of the time. Now i just build them to take to car shows and relax and talk to folks and give myself something to do not interested in trophys or what they are worth or selling them just surrounding my self with automotive history till my days on this earth are over then my family can do what they wish with them.
 
All of these posts pose excellent points of interest. All covering relative issues of "to restore or not to restore". If you have never fully and correctly restored a car in the past and if you do not posess the resources necessary to do so, whether it be financial and or equipment/connections with equipment, it can be a difficult journey to put it mildly! Several members have stated that a full on properly executed restoration can net you an absolute show stopper that may not be and most likely won't be a money maker! I couldn't agree more. I have been involved with full auto restoration my entire life and have worked on some rare vehicles (some very rare) both foreign and domestic and most of them that have gone up for sale depend on the same thing year end and year out. What will the market support this year?
I recommend a come to your senses reality check when it comes to building a car to any level. If you wish to experience the joy, trials, and tribulations that come with a build you perform yourself, if you desire to feel the intense pride that comes from creating your very own personal rolling work of art, then go for it! If you want to build a vehicle that will net you a respectable profit in the end then good luck. That's a heck of a lot of pressure to put on yourself even if the car is super rare and it becomes a very clinical process which in most cases, sucks the joy right out of the process. The way I look at a potential car build is that if I cannot enjoy it, then I don't want it! Just my 10 cents :)
 
Lol, correct. My buddy worries about his car; I say just do it this way, cheaper. Then he says, but not original; then I bring him back down to the ground.

Wrong engine, trans is a 1968, that may fly, paint wrong, wiring to bypass ammeter, etc, wrong; Denso alt wrong. Tires and rims wrong, 4 core rad wrong, a/c wrong, tti's, wrong; etc.

Do you want to drive it, or trailer queen it to shows, and lose points?

Decision- drive it.
 
And let me tell you, he left a bunch of HP behind, when he said he wanted a cruiser, low maintainence. But, what a joy to drive.

Once we figured out that 2 Eddy 750 were just screwed, bought a new one, and tuned it, head ache smell gone, plugs good. And that pos procomp dissy gave us huge problems, gone.

What a fun car. For being about 3800 lbs, it moves; not good burn-outs, 3.55's. But very light on it's feet. Be doing 120 before you feel it, great mid-range (small duration, fast ramp cam). And since we added shims to the power steering regulator; actually steers nicer.

It is in what the car is set up to do.
 
I guess, bottom line, what would make you the happiest? Really?
These cars were made to be modified when they were new, nobody thought about collectability at all. They were the basis for modification.
A lot of you purists may shudder at my response, but that was the facts back in the day.
Many people might not know that the prototype for the factory race hemi Barracudas that are so sought after these days was actually a 383 car to start with.....a "mule" so to speak that they happily yanked the engine out of and "butchered" it to make the hemi fit and the rest of the car modified as they saw fit with no regard for originality at all.
Most people fawn over it and say it was cool and great these days. They never cared about if the engine blew up or original parts got cut out or anything. It was just a car back then, and it's cooler now because of it's heritage.
Have a look at the original hemi, big block, 340 etc. cars that Sox&Martin, Dick Landy, Arlen Vanke, Petty, etc. modified/hacked for racing back in the day! Unthinkable now!
Or is it?
My real opinion is, you have owned the car for a long time, and what would you have done in the '80s when nobody cared? Why are you so concerned about what other people think about what you do with the car now? Has Barrett Jackson really entered into your mind as far as the resale value is concerned, or are you building the car for yourself?
It's your money, your time, your dream.
Do what you need to do to make yourself happy, and screw what everyone else thinks.
If it was a low mile survivor car, all original and complete, with original paint etc. then i say don't modify it, restore it.
If you're worried about it, buy a slant six car with a good body and go to town! Then sell your car as a restoreable rare 383 car to help finance the build.
It takes a man to restore a rare car, it takes a real man to cut one up!
JMHO,
Start the hate mail a comin'!
Tom.
 
It might take a man to restore it, but a real man would drive it like its 69, brand new, and without a care that it might be rare, valuable or some type of retirement investment :)

Grant
 
Decision made,

Thanx for helping me to make my mind up and Wife agrees (Good thing). Ready to drop some cash$$$. Will restore the interior to original, Exterior to original except keep the Duster/Demon Dual Snorkel scoop in flat black. Keep the Polished Centerlines 15x10 and 15x3.5 - 4 inch pattern. Will Keep Motor 383 +.30 /292-5.09 + 4 degrees, EDY Tarantula TM-6, Holley 750 DP, 2 stage, 2 plate powershot N2O /727 trans 3800 stall /rear 4.56 8 ¾ 4 spider posi, lots of braided hoses as is. Year One will enjoy my order (+ 6G) fortunate for me they are 25 miles away and I can save the shipping charges$$$. No headers yet (always enjoyed seeing blank faces after a mid 7.60 pass on the 1/8th when they look under the hood and see cast iron manifolds). Bad thing is, if I go to the strip again will have to sandbag because of safety requirements. No Cutting , No cage ! Anyone interested in a A-body 6 point cage from Jegs ? Nice patina after 24 years! Will post progress in the near future.

P.S. Anyone know a good paint shop in the Dawsonville, GA. area let me know.
 
You can get better and cheaper parts than from year one. I refused to give then another dime, 10 years ago. crap.
 
Dartnut said:
I guess, bottom line, what would make you the happiest? Really?
These cars were made to be modified when they were new, nobody thought about collectability at all. They were the basis for modification.
A lot of you purists may shudder at my response, but that was the facts back in the day.
Many people might not know that the prototype for the factory race hemi Barracudas that are so sought after these days was actually a 383 car to start with.....a "mule" so to speak that they happily yanked the engine out of and "butchered" it to make the hemi fit and the rest of the car modified as they saw fit with no regard for originality at all.
Most people fawn over it and say it was cool and great these days. They never cared about if the engine blew up or original parts got cut out or anything. It was just a car back then, and it's cooler now because of it's heritage.
Have a look at the original hemi, big block, 340 etc. cars that Sox&Martin, Dick Landy, Arlen Vanke, Petty, etc. modified/hacked for racing back in the day! Unthinkable now!
Or is it?
My real opinion is, you have owned the car for a long time, and what would you have done in the '80s when nobody cared? Why are you so concerned about what other people think about what you do with the car now? Has Barrett Jackson really entered into your mind as far as the resale value is concerned, or are you building the car for yourself?
It's your money, your time, your dream.
Do what you need to do to make yourself happy, and screw what everyone else thinks.
If it was a low mile survivor car, all original and complete, with original paint etc. then i say don't modify it, restore it.
If you're worried about it, buy a slant six car with a good body and go to town! Then sell your car as a restoreable rare 383 car to help finance the build.
It takes a man to restore a rare car, it takes a real man to cut one up!
JMHO,
Start the hate mail a comin'!
Tom.
Click to expand...

Lol, I got flack for my avatar, butchered a rust bucket. ???
 
OneOfMany said:
It might take a man to restore it, but a real man would drive it like its 69, brand new, and without a care that it might be rare, valuable or some type of retirement investment :)

Grant
Click to expand...

Lol, we already had that Charger up to 120, trying to get 3rd gear shift point set; hell, it self shifted at 90, what will it do? Us 2 old farts backed down, it has a lot more in it. You know, here in Fl, the cops get really pissed as soon as they see that magic 100 mph on their radar.
 
I'd get it back on the road and drive it while I fixed it up. Like someone said earlier "life is short" so have fun with it now!!!
 
maybe you may want to read thru this thread,

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=123563

Very tough car to get your money out of if you put a ton into it. You better hope Barnum and Bailey are with you to get resto type money. I know of a few of these that are available and no one is touching them for what they need to see for them.
One in particular is a 4 speed car, apart, ready for paint and re-assembly with about 10g of NOS parts with it. Can't move it, period.

Spend a little on it, drive, have some fun. When your times up, let the kids deal with selling it! lol

good luck with whatever the end decision is.

PS, I am looking for a ride.
 
Congratulations on your decision! Enjoy the process and good times spent with family :)
 
Green1

How long have you been in orange park? Me and this car used to run the streets there and was an original member in first coast mopar.
 
Thanx CudaChick1968

I plan on going over with the list and do some negotiating....
 
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