Register now to get rid of these ads!

Projects The long process of finding a project car and adventures of the new guy.

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by RaginPin3Appl3, Apr 4, 2016.

  1. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    Alright thanks ill keep that in mind. The car actually probably isnt too far from at least being able to be driven down the driveway. Like i said the i6 sounds like it would fire right up with some gas and a battery


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  2. David Gersic
    Joined: Feb 15, 2015
    Posts: 2,730

    David Gersic
    Member
    from DeKalb, IL

    Hit the IL DMV web site to see what you have to bring. Signed title, bill of sale, and a couple of forms. If you're driving it home, check to see what MO requires. IL you can drive for 48 hours IIRC with no plates, just have the signed title with you. Call the Secretary of State's office to get any questions answered.
     
  3. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    Id be too scared to drive it home because the floor isnt solid lol the only thing that might be an issue is that i'm not 18 for another month and a half so i'll have to sign the title as a minor


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  4. Your DMV site should tell you what you need to have to register it. I did my Ford a couple of weeks ago and I was shy a bill of sale. But did that stop me.. nah...

    At my NY DMV they screen new registrations right up front. They have a list of what states require a bonded or notarized title and or bill of sale. In my case, I was good to go.
     
  5. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    Question about x frames... If the rockers are gone, are they toast? Before i hand over the cash and haul it home, i want to make sure im not buying something that wont ever see the road again


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  6. F-ONE
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 3,271

    F-ONE
    Member
    from Alabama

    Bail!
    If the guy gave you the car, you would still be in the hole.The rockers, floors, quarters and trunk being gone means it's pretty much toast. It's not a 58 Chevy, it was a 58 Chevy. Despite the best dreams and intentions a kid in a one car shed is not going to change that. That would be a difficult car for a pro shop to do and it would cost thousands just to get it structurally sound.
    Save your money. Don't start looking until you have three to five grand in hand. You can buy a lot of car when you get over 3 grand. You can also get ripped off. Do the research and be realistic. This should be your criteria.
    1. Legal stuff in order
    2. Complete and structurally sound.
     
  7. Chrisbcritter
    Joined: Sep 11, 2011
    Posts: 1,970

    Chrisbcritter
    Member

    ^^^ What he said. As satisfying as it would seem right now to "rescue" a car in that shape, it could get very overwhelming very fast. I was dead set on a first car when I was 15; it was a '41 Buick sedan that had been sitting in a ditch for eight years. Thank goodness my dad and my uncle talked me out of it and into a running, driving, non-rotten '50 Plymouth that I could learn a few things on without getting swamped with problems.

    You say the doors still open and close well, but that could change easily when you have to cut out rotten areas and get to what's left of the good metal. Check out some of the builds here when the owner has to weld up a jungle gym inside the body to hold it together straight and see if you really want to go that route. Best of luck!
     
  8. Sporty45
    Joined: Jun 1, 2015
    Posts: 1,166

    Sporty45
    Member


    So, did ya buy it? Looks like the craigs ad has been removed.
     
  9. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    I agreed to buy the car from the guy but no money changed hands and no papers were signed. It definitely needs rockers and quarters and floor patches and the trunk is gone. I hate to break off my word and i dont like passing up my favorite car of all time but if its as much work as you guys say it is, maybe i should


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  10. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

  11. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Here are the 2 pics i have of the car. Does it look like its going to need half of a body?


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  12. Bring a floor jack, a screw driver and check it, the only way you will know. Everyone is just giving you their best guess, they can't tell from a photo. The frame might not be that bad, stranger things have happened. If you have changed your mind call seller asap so they can relist, they'll understand.

    If it were me I would tell the seller that the deal hinges on a workable frame, if they won't let you jack it up to see, no sale.
     
    David Gersic likes this.
  13. David Gersic
    Joined: Feb 15, 2015
    Posts: 2,730

    David Gersic
    Member
    from DeKalb, IL

    If possible, bring a more experienced friend with you to evaluate the condition. If the frame isn't solid, run away.
     
  14. I would run as has already been mentioned. I know you said you had 3000 to spend and I believe I sold this one for not much more than that just a few years ago in the "nicer with scallops" condition. I would wait for one with less rust. They are still out there. I paid 2000 for this one with a 348 and powerglide and a lot less rust (only in floorpans).

    I know you said you made a deal, but it would likely be better to back out than end up with a car that you never finish because it ended up way beyond what you can deal with or afford. I wouldn't feel bad about backing out if the frame were rusty or the rust otherwise is worse than might show up in pics (likely).
    100_5172.JPG
    Picture 003.jpg
     
    enloe likes this.
  15. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    Wow. Wish i could have been around to buy that from you.


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  16. JackdaRabbit
    Joined: Jul 15, 2008
    Posts: 498

    JackdaRabbit
    Member
    from WNC

    58 Impala Wht.jpg
    I feel your passion Ragin. I was 7 yrs. old and my little buddy's (much) older brother just got a brand new `58 Impala Sport Coupe, white over red interior, skirts and continental kit. That was one of the first cars I went ga-ga over, along with a porthole baby T-Bird and a stone guard headlight `Vette.
    The Biscayne is gonna need serious metal work. Since you don't weld I hope your budget allows for hiring that done. Please checkout the frame carefully before you pull the trigger. Passion can carry the project but the love affair can turn sour quickly if the hurdles become mountains.
     
    Last edited: Jul 19, 2016
  17. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    Alright. Well i'm by no means a fabricator or welder. I'm going to look at the car again before i decide for sure. I'm gonna bring my buddy with me (older guy, my car mentor) with me and we'll look it over again. I feel bad because I told the guy I'd buy it and I shook his hand and I don't like to break handshakes but if I have to I guess I will. My hopes are that I can still find these cars 5 yrs from now.


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  18. JackdaRabbit
    Joined: Jul 15, 2008
    Posts: 498

    JackdaRabbit
    Member
    from WNC

    I dig your stand up attitude, I would have a hard time, too. Bringing a mentor is an excellent move. Maybe broach the topic of: "the sale being based on your guy's findings" right when you get there. If you get even slight bad feelings back off and accept the handshake bond. The seller might be sympathetic to a young fella's haste.
     
  19. I admire your desire to honor your word (rare these days) and won't blame you a bit if you choose to go through with the deal. However, I also would hope the seller would show compassion on a young guy and consider his situation as well. Many of us are probably speaking from experience we have had making our own mistakes. Praying it all works out for you.
     
  20. Squablow
    Joined: Apr 26, 2005
    Posts: 17,369

    Squablow
    Member

    It would be a shitty thing to tell a seller you'll take it and shake his hand on the deal and then back out. I'm sad that so many here think that's perfectly OK but I'm not surprised.

    Outer rockers are not difficult to replace, I could do both on that car in a day, although I'm pretty experienced. And a '58 Chev could very well have good inner rockers and outers that are shot, I personally had one with perfect floors, body mounts and inner rockers you could lift the car on a hoist with but junk outers, it's the way they're built. If the doors open and close nicely it's a good sign.

    It obviously needs lower quarters too, and you said the trunk is shot, so you're in for a big project regardless. And yes, there are a lot of old cars that got bought cheap, tore into, and left to collect dust because buyers got in over their heads and lost ambition.

    But there are also those of us who learned all the skills we have by tearing head-first into big time projects like these and not giving up when things got tough. Is the goal to own a nice '58 Chevy? Because then buying a finished one is the cheapest way. Or is the goal to learn how to restore/customize old cars and to do it yourself? Think about that.
     
    clunker likes this.
  21. F-ONE
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 3,271

    F-ONE
    Member
    from Alabama

    Just wait a dang minute with the false moral high tone.
    Are you really going to shame that kid into this car? Anybody that's been in this hobby for more than five minutes knows that that car is unsuitable for a 17 year old with only a tool box and a heart full of dreams. It's easy to pull out the soap box out for 5 minutes, post and then forget about it but that young man is going to have to live with it.

    A.It is against the law to have a binding contract with a minor child. This is to protect the juvenile who may naively enter into a contract.
    B. I will not deal with a minor child....Period! I deal with the parents-guardians. So should this seller.
    C. When a minor child(with parent) or anybody for that matter I make a point to advise them of all the problems I know of and the difficulty of repair. I have been burned and I will not burn someone else. I honestly feel that this young man is being taken advantage of by the seller.
    The truth is young men even old ones sometimes get the goo goo eyes over a car. It's real easy to sell one regardless of condition to someone with the goo goo eyes.
    If this kid breaks the deal; which I think he should, he is going to be really troubled by it. On the other hand the seller is going to laugh all the way to the bank if this kid goes through with the deal.
    Where's the morality?
    D. Safety....What happens when a rusted out car wrecks and rolls over(with backyard repairs)? It become a 58 Chevy food processor.

    I know we grew up fixing cars but that was different time. In my time that car would not have been worth 150 bucks. We would have passed over that rust bucket. That's why it's still in the shape it's in it was passed over then and need to be passed over now by the backyard mechanic.
     
    arkiehotrods and clunker like this.
  22. Pinepple: "Alright. Well i'm by no means a fabricator or welder. "

    Wrong. You ARE a fabricator AND a welder. You just haven't learned how to do it yet.

    Pineapple: "I feel bad because I told the guy I'd buy it and I shook his hand and I don't like to break handshakes..."

    Feel bad. Then move on. Next time be sure. This is how we all learn.

    Squablow: "But there are also those of us who learned all the skills we have by tearing head-first into big time projects like these and not giving up when things got tough. Is the goal to own a nice '58 Chevy? Because then buying a finished one is the cheapest way. Or is the goal to learn how to restore/customize old cars and to do it yourself? Think about that."

    This is the #1 most important statement in this whole thread. If you completely ignore everything else all of us have said, at least pay attention to what squablow just said. That is the crux of this entire old car thing. Well said, Squablow.

    If the frame is rusted badly, pass. If the car turns out NOT to be toast, buy it. You really want a '58 Chevy, so you'll have to work for it.

    I have a GM, X frame, same era, punky rockers, punky door and fender bottoms, rust holes in floor, but a perfect frame with NO rust damage. So if my car is any indication, that Chevy still has a chance.
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2016
  23. Sporty45
    Joined: Jun 1, 2015
    Posts: 1,166

    Sporty45
    Member

    Don't be afraid to back out on this car if your mentor says it is too far gone. I hope the guy understands, but I'm kind of surprised the guy pulled his ad based on a handshake deal.
     
  24. Nothing wrong with bringing someone to look at the car and give it a yes or no based on his opinion. My experience with rusty cars, what you can't see is usually 10x worse than what you can see. Save your $$$ for a better car.
     
  25. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    Alright before i do anything, what would be the cost (roughly) of getting all that new metal welded in? Because if it's more that i'd spend on a better car then i won't do it. I'm kinda leaning towards the side of not getting it at this point. I really want the car but it might not be a good decision to get a car that needs so much bodywork. What do you guys think cost wise? Buy this rust bucket now and pay to have new metal welded in or pay 10 grand in a few years for a solid one?


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  26. Well, a welder costs 525, gas costs 200, mask costs 80, angle grinder, tape, metal, forming tools, sheet metal clamps, wire...

    And doing it yourself is the cheapest way out! Speaking loosely, you might be able to find someone to work on it for 50 bucks and hour, if you are lucky. Probably more than 80 hours of work, so five times 8, carry the four... Minimum of 4k just in labor I think to get it just kinda roughed in. Plus parts...

    Long story short, you should probably just look on.
     
  27. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    Alright. Yeah i'm starting to think i'm just going to move on and keep saving money. The problem is the part of the country i'm in. Everything is rusted to hell. I looked around on craigslist out in the western and southern states and a solid running v8 58 can be bought for 3500-10,000 with all original sheet metal. Even in Oklahoma theres a solid car roller for 4500. A lot of money for a roller but i'm comparing that price to the price of getting metal fixed.


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  28. If I were smarter, I would have traveled down to Arizona or so cal for a car. Rust kinda ruins everything.
     
  29. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    I think thats my best shot. Take car finding trip one of these summers.


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     
  30. RaginPin3Appl3
    Joined: Mar 31, 2016
    Posts: 1,172

    RaginPin3Appl3
    Member

    [​IMG]

    I'll be watching this closely to see how expensive an original solid car actually is


    What'cha got in there, kid?
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.