Had you rather buy a completely restored car, or restore it yourself?

[uthustler]

Sorry for all the questions as of recent, just looking for others opinions since my wife isnt really "mopar excited"  I am debating whether to spend $10k on a rebuilder/restorer, or $35K+ on one already restored.

Which had you rather do?


Also, how hard is it to convert an AUTO car to a manual car? I want a 6 speed cuda, and am not finding many 4 speed projects. Just wondering how difficult it would be to convert an auto 70 cuda to a manual car.

thanks.......

[Oldschool]

I love working on these old cars and getting them back in great shape.  But I don't have the tools or the space to do a resto myself. (not to mention the knowledge necessary to do a bumper-to-bumper resto).  IF I had the space and the tools, I would rather buy one and do it myself.  But since I don't have those resources, I had to buy one that was already done.  I thouroughly checked it out, and haven't regretted the purchase one bit.  I guess there are several factors that would influence your decision. Do you have the tools, space, and knowledge to DIY?  If not, a predone one would be the way to go..........        ...Oldschool

[zerfetzen]

Hi,
Hopefully you have a really different experience than me, but I bought a 73 Cuda that needed a lot of restoration work.  I put a LOT into it, and drove it every day to work, only to have an uninsured motorist on a revoked license rear end me at high speed on the highway.  That was a month ago.  Just something to think about.  Now I have another Cuda, basically finished, and won't take it on the highway.  Best of luck, considering other drivers.

As for do it yourself or buy one already restored, I think you'll probably find both opinions on here.  My second one, now, is basically finished, and I'm pretty glad, remembering everything I did to the other one, and although I loved it, I'm not ready for it all again so soon.  However, if you get one basically finished, you may always have the gnawing feeling that there's a lot of rust that you can't see, unless you buy one that has pictures of it going through a ground-up restoration.

I'm pretty sure you'll spend less buying one that's basically done, than buying one that needs a full restoration.  Big bucks, and there's always more that needs to be done than you think.  That's my 2 cents anyway.  Let us know what you do, and post pics if you can.  Cheers.

[Robb]

auto to manual isnt that hard.   been there, done it.  





How much time and patience do you have to deal with a bodyshop ?  

I think it depends on what part of having a mopar is exciting to you.   Do you just want something to wash and wax and cruise in, or do you want something you can tinker and make how YOU want it.

If you get no joy from tinkering and problem solving, then buy a finished car, and try to find one that has all the work documented so that you know exactly what was done to the car.  (what cam and pistons were used in the motor, for instance)




If you get all the joy from tinkering and problem solving then buy something that needs some work (in your eyes).

It all has its bits of frustrations but it seems like having to deal with Body Shops seems to have the Lion's share of headaches and hassels and dissappointments.

My opinion:

If its not important to have a numbers-matching car, but just a fun big-motor driver:
I would prefer to find a car that is missing the driveline, but has all the bodywork and most of the interior already done.

A numbers car:
Give me a survivor.  Ill take a running/driving original with a few cosmetic flaws over a good looking god-knows-what the car has been through and "who did the work" car.

(meanwhile always keep re-sale value in your head as to the mods you do, in case you hafta get rid of the car unexpectedly)

[70RTdroptop]

Buy one already done up. I've done it both ways, and I guess my patience is starting to wear a little thin for multi-year projects. When I bought my Challenger, I frankly did not want to wait several years before I could really enjoy it. Glad I made that decision. Just be sure to thoroughly check out the vehicle.

[Carlwalski]

Now I went through one with my restoration team 3 years and $$$ I am DEFINITELY looking to buy and drive.
Searching for parts, waiting, stress time and money.....just a long road. Though, I wouldn't take any minute of it back I learnt heaps and it was fun to see Lucy come along. But now, I just want to go the cheap route....by and drive.


Buying one complete & made will almost always be the cheaper route, usually by some margin. 

[ambitions2]

 

auto to manual isnt that hard.   been there, done it. 

You get the keiser conversion?  I see you have a 5 speed in there, that is what I am doing with the '72 auto I have

[Total BS]

Having gone both routes, they are both positive learning experiences.  With my done car I only have the previous owner's word on how he rebuilt it.  After four days of owning it, the motor exploded cruising down the highway and he was nowhere to be found again.  

With my Cuda resto, I know exactly what I am doing to it and doing my best to be true to it's legacy.  It is a lot of work finding NOS parts, a lot of money and a lot of long hours of work, sometimes frustrating. I would do it again in a heartbeat if given the chance.

[Robb]

You get the keiser conversion?  I see you have a 5 speed in there, that is what I am doing with the '72 auto I have

Yep.      Finished it back in September or August, I forget now.  I have a lot of it documented in the Engines section here, as I swapped a 440 in at the same time.  If you have any specific questions let me know via PM so we dont HiJack this guys thread too bad.  

[HemiOrange70]

It probably is cheaper to buy one already done, unless you are a bodyguy and mechanicically inclined. Even knowing this, I have one that I am doing myself...depends on if you have the time or not. This is my hobby

[CUDASTRIKE]

I think oldschool hit it on the head, I myself if I had the time I would find a viper drivetrain and a 70-71 donor and go to town
  if you don't have to have a 70's muscle car per say and you have 35K :money:than why not hold out for the new chally? less knuckle busting and swearing :undercar:and its a turn key deal :burnout:best of both worlds.
Good luck

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I'm along the lines of oldschool. Its the three T'S TOOLS TIME TALENT. I've got a bit of each but not enough to go bumper to bumper. I dont mind do'in the this/that but total project ...naah. Plus tying up my limited space for who knows how long...?   Of course go'in in with a big wallet at the begining don't hurt either..  

[TKat13]

I have spent the last 13 years buying all the tools to restore a car, 10 years ago I got the 'Cuda and I am just now digging into. I can be a bit too picky to let anyone else do a resto for me, besides, 90% of the fun is rebuilding these things, but that last 10% is the best reward you can give yourself knowing you rebuilt it as you  .

My friends tell me I am so picky I will never be done with the car, they just have not figured it out yet. 

Wife issues... well, I am lucky, my Wife's dad gave me the cuda as it was a parts car many years ago so she understands... always good to have a father-in-law that loves our E-bodies....

[Prowler Orange Challenger]

Honestly, I would buy a turn key car you can learn on (aka driver quality) but, even then there lies a problem because you never truly know the quality of the work done on the car. You can have the documentation you want but, the if the guy didn't assemble the motor right then you're going to have to fix that person's mess up. As for me I don't mind tearing into it a little to build a nice driver 71 Challenger because one thing is for sure its learning experience and honestly I would get a non-numbers car to drive. Leave the #s matching to the purist crowd. Also, one thing about building your own car you can say you done most of the work (bragging right) and you know what you have. I bought my car as a driver and I have some things wrong with it so I'm tearing into a little bit. No big restoration but, just a few new electrical things, new paint, wheels and tires. It adds up but, it's a pain and its fun at the same time. Nothing like driving any type of old musclecar. Just my two cents.

[Ghost]

Build it yourself, so you KNOW what's been done to it.  That's my plan, anyway.  I just don't think I can really call it mine, unless I've put my blood, sweat, and tears into it.