Good point. I never completely kept track either, just did a general total by major purchases. I'd be too chicken to tally all the receipts, might give my ass a heart attack. We do it because we love cars, need our heads examined or some combination thereof. In this case, bite the bullet, forge on with the existing car and hide the receipts from the wife.
If you pursue this project, just remember the 3 P's and they will see you through. Patience, Perseverance and Profanity Works for me every time. Just be careful about that third one. It tends to make little old ladies get their panties in a bunch.
i think its both if there was a cure for it i think some of our wifes and gfs would be trying to force it on us, i say go for the project its a skill that you can learn that will never fail to help you in the long run
This is a good example of a running car, that was good enough to drive and most likely looked fair. Sucks that your car was hiding all that damage. Not the only one thats happened to looks like. Lesson for me; Leave the running ones together till they are unsafe or somthing, find another car to build from the ground up and at the same time saving another car. good luck what ever you deside to do...
Hay, If it runs and drives, LEAVE IT BEAR, BAG IT AND CHEESE GRADE IT !!! Save some money up, but drive it till ya find a good body , then do the swapp. That body is easy to find,. You can find a better car cheeper then you can fix that one.BEST OF LUCK !! Build it to make old ladys cuse and little kids cry !!!!
What you have is what a lot of us deal with up north. I say build it. Take your time and do it right and they way you want.
build it because you problably wont recoupe your investment as it sits now. You want to learn how to fix it up anyways right?
Channelled, Cad quarters, maybe even a 2-3" section. That would require doing to a solid car what you have now. Most customs of that period began as totals, so think of it as a good place to start a great full custom.
Soooooo, what you're saying is that your car is in the same condition as every car NJ? No offense to you man, but the only reason you're making this post and in this dilemma is because you're new to this and either don't have the skill to put the car back together or have never tackled a job of this magnatude on your own. It's a daunting task. But if you spent the $2K on patch panels from EMS, you'd be $5500 into a 54 Chevy with legit NO RUST, and would have a perfect body to put on your good chassis. Props to you for going and getting the car media-blasted in the first place. It sounds like you're well on your way to building a really nice, high-dollar car. Keep it up. DO NOT crush it. If you decide you're in over your head, sell it to someone who can finish it.
i guess im a sucker cause id say to myself i all ready own it i know what the damage is , id make my own floors and slowly pick up what panels i couldnt fix and id practice my welding skills on it , and try to make a runner of it ,
Like Injunjoes said, check this out for some inspiration to see what can be done with some determination... http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=305147
too bad you dont live in the Houston, TX area theres a guy selling two bodys for like 800 each on craigslist.
Yeah need pictures....Sounds like a good car to learn on if you don't have the skills already. Never crush old cars like that. If you have to give them away. Or sell all the bits and pieces on Ebay.
If its as bad as it sounds, put it to one side and find a better shell, even a 4 door. Cut out the sections you can to repair/modify the better one. Then scrap it when the project is finished. Repairing rust takes a lot of time ( often years ). If you have the space and the $$$, a better starting point will be a better end result, sooner and cheaper.
Like some said here, you bought it to make a custom. If you can work with metal, try and make your panels to replace rust ect. alot cheaper. Biggest mistake is to make it a bondo buggy. A good challenge is good for anyone honing their skills. A picture is worth a thousand words. Example. What I brought home: Where its at today: So dont lose all the cash you put into it, Build it and make it worth more than you have in it! Plus have fun with making it your own. My 2c
Well by reading all the posts I'm sure you've come to realize that everybody has a different opinion. Go with your gut.
even if it's bad it's still fixable, thats my favorite style car..if you crush it I'll fly out there and kick you in the nuts haha
I question if it is as bad as you describe. Rusted out floors in old cars is a given. You now know where the problems are, fix them. Pictures would help. Neal
I think you've just answered your own question...and learned one of the hardest lessons there is to learn. There is an old saying about "not throwing good money after bad...", and your case is a perfect example. Unless you've got the skills, time, money and enthusiasm to completely rebuild your rusty body, you need to give this project some serious thought. I think that, given some time and contemplation, you'll admit to yourself that you've bitten off a little more than you can chew. There is no shame in this. We've all done it...or will. As a certified grey beard, I'd advise that you stop now and cut your losses. With some careful marketing, you'll be able to find a buyer for your current car who has the enthusiasm and skill to finish it...trust me on this. You may not get all your money back, but you will get a good portion of it. Then start all over again by looking for a rust-free project car. You'll be way ahead in the long run. Good luck!
It is decision time and you have gotten a lot of input. Forget about the $3500 because it is already spent. Start where you are now and decide what you want to do. Consider what you have settiing in front of you is free ( the $3500 is already gone remember, it ain't coming back). Do you want to start with what you have or look for something else. Starting from this point which is the best way to get to where you want to be with a car. Don't let the $3500 drag you down. Education costs $$$ however you get it and the more it cost the better it is usually remembered. Make it fun.
If one of these bodies is in good shape. I would just have it shipped. Your prolly talking $500 for shipping plus the $800. I'd rather spend that then 2k on panels
This answer is the complete opposite of what I said, and I agree with it too. Because we don't know you, none of us can really tell you what to do. Building cars is dirty, hard, and expensive work requiring a lot of tools, time, skill, and knowledge. Anyone who just wants a nice old car to drive is way better off to just buy one that someone else has labored over. But, if you won't be happy driving someone else's car, and want one that you built, then decide if you have all that it takes to do it, and if so, get the hell out to the garage. If you want to learn, you have the perfect car to learn on. Anyway, only you know if you're up to it. I hope the advise you've been given has been some help in deciding though.
Here's another way to look at it-it's a hell of a car to learn on. If you stick with it, and you do build it, you will be so much better of a metalworker in the end, and you'll be far more ready for the next project to come your way. Honestly, though, I don't think any of us can judge one way or the other without pictures.