snizzle

So i've got the itch. My dad used to have a 69 Camaro a few years ago and he was in the process of restoring it but ran out of money and sold it. I'm thinking of buying another and making it a new project for us. The 69 is by far my favorite.

Any of you restore classic cars? What's the best way to find one and what sort of things should I be looking for when I go to see it? I know it varies but what kinda budget should I set aside for a decent restoration?

Any help would be appreciated!

Transam kid 01

iTrader: (1)

Make sure you have at least 10-15k on the side to keep it running
I almost bought a 78 t/a w.bandit decals, t-tops and 4 speed, but they ended up raising price and i said FU
gl

bascho

I fully restored a '66 Mustang Fastback with a HiPO 289. I spent $4K on the car and $15K restoring it. That $15K does not include all the labor involved which I did myself. The only thing I out-sourced was the paint and body work. It was a full restoration with modification (restomod is the term used for this).

Here is what you have to look for:

Pay no attention to wheels, chrome or exhaust.....they are not important to a restoration.

If you are buying a car that has spent any length of time in the northern states, then you need to pay close attention to the condition of the frame, floorpans, fenders/quarter panel wheel lips, trunk floor and spring mounts. If you are doing a restoration to exact OE specs, then the most important thing is #'s matching. That means the engine and trans are original to the VIN. In 30-40 years a lot can happen in the life of a car, and engine swaps are the #1 mod to most muscle cars.

Now.....if you are looking at a car from the south, then you need to pay close attention to all rubber parts, interior fabric, and paint......but chances are you will be replacing all three during the restoration.

Southern cars are definitely the way to go for a solid car to start your project with. If you are not mechanically inclined....then a muscle car from the 60's might not be right for you. If you think the RX8 is high maintainence.....you are in for an eye opener. The Mustang of mine was an absolute money pit......had to work on her almost everytime I took her out. In a lot of ways it was worth it for the attention and personal satisfaction of the huge project I'd completed.

Most important thing about restoring any car is patience. Usually one project only leads to another. Don't replace anything that you do not absolutely have to.....why? because you cannot predict what will be needed along the way.

Do not start a project like this unless you have a lot of tools....or are willing to invest in a lot of tools.

therm8

Finding a 69 Camaro that's cost effective for restoration will be difficult. It's one of the most popular pony cars out there. Most have already been restored. You could always buy one that's partially or fully restored, with the latter being more common. Buying a restored one will be cheaper in the long run anyway.

bascho

And you'd get to enjoy it right away......unless you really want to spend hundreds of hours breathing in 40 year old dirt and dust, while bumping, bruising and cutting yourself several times resulting in the use of thousands of *****, *****, goddams, *************, son-of-a-bitches, etc

snizzle

I was excited about this project until I started reading the replies, lol

SSJ 909

not that im of help, but im a sucker for an 81 camaro!

rob3379

Here is my money pit besides my RX8. I just recently lost this car due to Hurricane Katrina. I had it insured for a whole lot and I really don't miss it now.

http://community.webshots.com/album/222357162oGKhBS

The advice from earlier posts above take seriously. You will always spend double or more what you really intended to spend. You will spend countless hours on labor. It will never be done. Trust me if you have an itch to spend money it's a fun hobby but the money going in to any project always get's out of scope. Happy modding!!



Rob

Transam kid 01

iTrader: (1)

I wish i had that, i really would have loved a muscle car, i miss that sound

snizzle

Wow, i'm jealous. You've done an awesome job on it.

bascho, why did you get rid of a car you put so much work into?

rob3379

I did not just get rid of car. I worked as an IT director for the parish governement and I had to stay for Hurricanne Katrina. I was so busy trying to save my family and personal things before the flood and the Camaro got left behind. It sat in about 12 feet of water for 10 days. It was a sad loss but live goes on it's just a car.

Rob

bascho

To buy an engagement ring for my wife.

It was worth it in the end though, been with her for 12 years and we've had 2 beautiful kids together.......no car can compete with that.

For me building the car was a lot of the appeal....and once it was finished I was kinda bored. It was my first restoration and as anyone who's restored a car will tell you, the learning experience was worth the $$$. In my next adventure I will start with a greater knowledge of what will be needed, cash wise and other. There is a great amount of pride in doing all the work yourself. At one time my garage was just a bunch of piles instead of a complete car.......to go from that stage to a car that is road worthy is a real accomplishment.

For my next project I am going to take some technical courses in welding, paint & bodywork. I can already do everything else in the project....so having those skills will give me even more satisfaction.

ASH8

Great Post Bascho!
I have never tempted a FULL restoration of a car any older that 15 years..

I tip my hat to you...the satisfaction in the end would be/is enormous.

My cousin once restored vintage cars, I recall all the nightmares associated with cars made in that era....He always said to me when you get frustrated or down on the job...turn your back and walk away for about a week....he said it helped..

Good advice..great read Bascho.

SGT.Cap

30months in the US Army, SPC(P) 91P radiology technologist (x-ray tech) Winn army community hospital Ft Stupid (Stewart) Ga.

2005 black RX8 6 speed

wifes a reservist E5(SGT) 91P w/ a black 6 speed 06 MX5 miata

we like the army, black mazdas and 6 speeds if you hadnt noticed

zaglo6204

my dad just told me that his friend is going to give him an old beetle so that i can fix it up. do you think its worth it? i think i could get some really good satisfaction & knowledge out of it, but i dont want to bother on this particular car if its already a lost cause. from what i have been told, the car is in really good condition for such an old car, but isnt running (???).

also, what kind of things could feasibly be done to it? should i restore it to original condition & specs, or make it a little beast...cant decide....

PS-sorry for kinda hijacking, i thought this was great timing, especially having just read this yesterday not knowing about the beetle.

ASH8

Hi Mate
As I posted ^^ earlier I have not and generally wont restore anything older than around 15 years, A Beetle really is not that much different from other cars, except rear air cooled engines, funny German enginerring...have fun!

Here, there are still many Beetles about, from the 60s on, I would suggest looking into a VW forum for real advice on the Beetle, where the best place to go for Parts and engine gear, etc...

Like all cars they are a money pit, I hope you have deep pockets.

IMO keeping the car as close as you can to original spec, is the best bet, because if you are wishing to sell down the road you will always get a better price for your labour and hard work if its not over done or into a "little beast', as you are restricting your 'buyers' market. And that goes for new car modifiers (I know I will get dished here by saying this, but, again even in new cars) you won't generally get back what you invest, because any buyer will always look at an "original" in A1 condition first.

Having said that, If you want to do it...do it, as you are the one who will get the enjoyment from the car if you plan on keeping it for some time.
Hope this helps.

zaglo6204

thanks ash8. i think ill just have to examine the car first, get some ideas from a vw forum, & go for it. i appreciate the advice, we'll see how far this gets.

snizzle

How about a 1969 Yenko Camaro? hehehe

snizzle

I'm starting to think about shopping for one that needs a partial restoration. I could get my feet wet without having to go the whole 9 yards.

Is there a standard such an autotrader for classic cars?

bascho

www.traderonline.com has a subsections for Classic Car Trader and Muscle Car Trader......both are good sources for finding the car you need. Hemmings is also good....but the ads tend to cost the seller more money.....so most of the listings are for more expensive cars. Many times you will see the same ad is all three sources. Good luck.

By the way, what car are you thinking of? You may want to check out the market for replacement parts before you decide.

XeRo

do CJ's count?...i restore CJ and FJ40's...bout to venture on to the next...checking eBay now..

snizzle

Like my 1st post says, I want a 69 Camaro.

The replacement part market is HUGE.

bascho

Duh!!!! sorry about the brainfart on that one.

Well, there is a place here in Michigan (just down the street from my office) called National Parts Depot. They specialize in Mustang, T-bird and Camaro. You can get just about anything from this company.....in fact, you could almost build a car from scratch with their catalog....that is how many parts they service for these cars. I think I spent about $10,000 with them when I restored my Stang. It was great having them so close to me......I remember needing a steering gear on a Sunday afternoon and I was able to just drive up there and get it. It was as easy as picking up an oil filter for a 2000 Taurus at an Autozone.

Checkout the Hotrod issue (Dec 2005) with the Crate Camaro project. This company sells brand new steel '69 Camaro bodies for restoration projects. No need to spends hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars repairing a 40 year old body. Not to mention you can basically build yourself a convertible even if the donar car is a coupe.