to mess with or not to mess that is my question

I bought a 1951 Chevy deluxe ( it's a 4 door)
I'm pretty attached to it since it's my first old car that i am being taught how to work on by myself with just helpful pointers and i really don't fore see it being sold anytime soon.
I want to customize, frenching the head lights and antenna, peak the hood, change the grill maybe alter the top a bit stuff like that but i don't know if it would be the best idea to mess with it since it's so complete.
I'm getting ansty i want to mess with it but i also in the event that i want to sell it would i take a bigger hit if i took away from it being all factory?

 

Not terribly valuable even in perfect original condition making it the perfect car to "mess with".

 

keap it as a driver and get a "project" that way you can still drive your cruiser.

 

does that mean don't mess ?

 

If you do your mods well they will more than likely increase the value of your car...

MorDor Chevy's aren't all that rare. Chopped, frenched, styled MorDor Chevy's aren't as common...just food for thought.

 

Congrats on the new car! Go ahead and enjoy it,start on the easy stuff.If you do a good job custom mods won't hurt the value,just have fun with it.

 

Hotroddin:Chop,cut grind, patch then paint or no paint.OH YEA MEASURE TWICE CUT ONCE.Keep us updated with pic's

Good luck

 

If you don't want the down time with the mods you suggest and still want to be able to drive a nice old cruiser I would do as Slamcouver suggested...get another project car to mess with and keep this one as your stress reliever and all around enjoyment car.

Good luck!

 

Anybody can leave one stock, but it takes a real WOMAN to cut one up.

 

well i am a woman and i am all real ha ha ha so we'll see definatly will up keep you guys updated. i think im going to go out side and make a list of all the stuff i wanna do with it. thanks for the feed back so far

 

i would say go for it

 

I say do it, a lot of the stuff you wanna do will have little "down time" as far as driving it goes and like said above done well may even make the sale for you if or when it comes to that.

 

take it from someone who learned the hard way, prepare your "project" of the day or two days and have stuff ready and enought $$ so you can finish it on time. Don't overdo it and end up with a "small" project that ends up tying the car up for weeks at a time.................. don't ask how I know this.... Best of luck and K.I.S.S.

 

if you plan to keep the car forever, do what you want.

if you think you might want to sell it someday, being a 4-door it will be easier to sell stock (not that that's saying much). Reason being most of the people who do buy a sedan are usually recreating a parent or relative's car, or the one they rode in as a little kid or something, and 99% of those cars were stockers.

 

Life is short. Eat dessert first.

 

Cut it! Best way to learn is to dive in and do it. My 54 was complete and I didn't think twice, and couldn't be happier.

 

man such a decision i have on my hand

 

theres more than a few threads on more door to two door conversion! Sam F has a thread somewhere thats great ..

 

I say go for it! Do what ever you want to do with if do not let resale hold you back from doing what it is YOU want to do with YOUR car. You never get your money out of customizing and way. I know a guy that would help you metal flake it if you wanted

 

a few mods wont hurt that car,overboard could kill it,i like the skirts on 4 doors. keep us posted

 

I say go for it. Do it right and do it how YOU like it! If you need ideas and how-to. Check out the link below! (Shameless plug)

 

Get some new wide white wall tires, maybe hubcaps, add a visor and cruise it, buy something else to cut up with you drive this.

 

bumper gaurds, visor, real spotlights, vent shades for the doors. I'm all about the accessories with 4 doors like that.

 

THAT is actually a great idea. Keep it 'as is' (since you already have that bit of concern in altering it), use it as your daily driver/cruiser, and get a project, something not totally far gone to where you get fed up with it, but something to where you know when you see it, you won't mind chopping on it.

 

How about just drive it for this year and iron out any little issues while enjoying the car?

If you are worried about the *value* of the car if you modify it that all depends on who might be interested in buying it later.

The lowrider "bomb" brigade likes every piece of chrome left on those cars with more added for good measure and usually they like the body to be stone stock.

A lot of us who like customs would think that a simple nose and deck job along with maybe frenched headlights would clean it up just right.

As for myself, I think I'd just make sure the mechanials are in top shape, lower it a bit, put on the just right wheels and tires or caps and tires and go have fun for a while while I came up with a master plan.

 

I agree! If you don't plan on selling it build it the way you want it and enjoy it. Well built customs will always be worth more than stone stockers. I can see the other guys side saying leave it alone and buy another project to cut up and that's how i used to think, but I never had enuff budget to upkeep both projects and build them the way I wanted to. If you just have one car your budget goes farther making it easier to afford to build it the way you want it. Take the plans you have for the car and break them down into smaller projects and try to keep the car on the road while your working on it. This helps you keep from getting overwhelmed and burned out. That way you get some instant gratification when you get to take your ride out for a cruise after each completed project. Just a suggestion. Good Luck! The main thing is build it the way you want it and drive the wheels off of it.

 

Just lower it & get some pipes on it while you decide how far to go ...

 

MESS WITH IT!
I fully understand the attachment you have with the car, but just think if you customize it and have a real 'Looker' of a car after messing with it not only do you still have the car and the attachment but also the pride of the work you put into it.
Doc.

 

go for it! build how you want it

 

Stock 4 door cars are not of any great value, a lot of people who have them is because they got them cheap, almost any thing you do to this car ( within reason) is going to increase the value, If you get stuck with a project don't be afrade to ask for help, My wife is bull headed and thinks she can do anything, I quite often have to help her out of a jam, But at least she trys, Nice to see a lady with a drive. GOOD LUCK