Looking at project Challenger - 1970 "R/T" wannabe

[TheBigKowalski]

Hey guys, I posted in another forum, and I wanted to get a second opinion.  Guy is asking 9k for this 1970 Challenger.  JH23GOB

So, it's not an R/T, but has the Rallye hood, instruments, 340/727, 3.91 gears, decent enough Cragars (which I love), very nice interior and needs a LOT of rust repair, haha.  Comes with a trunk floor, rear quarter skins, and I have a lead on decent front fenders if needed.

Floor is rusty on one side.  Frame "has some rust".  I need to see it one more time in person to see the extent of the frame rust.

Now, I am a decent enough MIG welder, and I am a pretty good shot with a spray gun.  I won't hesitate to paint it myself when it comes to that.  As for installing the sheet metal skins...well, I may leave that to someone else unless I can get some good practice in.

Goal for the car (you guessed it if you read my screen name) is to emulate the Vanishing Point car.  I know it's not original, but I'm doing it for me.  I'm not hung up on resale value, etc...  I wrecked my 95 Viper a few weeks ago and want a project.

Just wondering if you guys could check this out and tell me if $9000 is:
a)  total ripoff - way overpriced
b)  not the greatest deal - overpriced by about a grand
c)  meh
d)  gotta start somewhere, this'll do

Pics to follow...

[TheBigKowalski]

[TheBigKowalski]

[anlauto]

It depends totally on what your complete budget is.
This car, in my opinion is a little over priced, but even if you beat him down a bit, you're not doing yourself any favors....Instead, I would rather look for a more solid project for more money.

This car needs about $6,000.00(parts only) in sheet metal alone...

 I'd rather spend like $15K and get a much more solid car to start with.

[anlauto]

Look at this thing for $23K...It has $3500 worth of transmission for cripes sake ! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dodge-Challenger-R-T-Hood-Buckets-5spd-Sublime-Green-1970-dodge-challenger-r-t-hood-built-318-tremec-/221310332345?forcerrptr=true&hash=item33871fadb9&item=221310332345&pt=US_Cars_Trucks#ht_2503wt_999

[Super Blue 72]

Hi TheBigKowalski! 

I don't know the answer to your question, would love to see what the others say.  At first glance, the car looks like a nice 20 footer then upon closer inspection as you have mentioned, there is a lot of body work to be done.

You mention the floor is rusty on one side, so I assume it has a hole in it.  Check the area of the torsion bar frame where the hole is.  That is a common area to rust out.  Also check out that torsion bar frame close to the sides of the car.  Don't ask me how I know where to check...   

If the guy is asking $9k and has some wiggle room, go for as low as he'll go.  Is $9k a bad deal for this car?  Hard to say.  Alan knows his stuff.  As he mentions it does need some metal replacement, although the car is complete so that's a plus.  Some parts cars sell for $4k around where I am and this one is a running car I assume, but needs some work.


As far as the $23k Challenger, why a nice Tremec with a 318? 

[TheBigKowalski]

Damn, wrote up a huge reply but IE crashed!!

In short, yeah, the green one...I talked to the guy on the phone about it.  I'd have a hard time spending as much as I spent on my Viper almost and taking that green one home to strip down and paint...I couldn't bring myself to it.

The car is a good driver.  It runs, tracks straight, sounds very nice, but it's aching for a 440!!

My webserver is having issues, so the pics may not be showing properly.  I want to add the interior pics, too.

Yeah, it's pretty complete, for sure.  The interior actually is very nice.  Say I get it for 9k and it's really worth 7.5k...I won't feel too bad.  Now, if I took a $4000 hit on it...ya...I'd be pissed.  I'm sure restoring it "the right way" would be a ton of money.  Now, restoring it my way (looks decent on outside, interior looks good, engine bay isn't particularly lovely and there is visible rust on undercarriage) would be significantly cheaper.  I know, I know, it's a bad outlook to some, but I don't make a living doing auto work.  I'm an IT manager.  I just want to make a decent looking, decent driving car to satisfy myself.  Resale value may be crap...but then I put about $27k total investment into my 3000GT and sold it for $10k..............  ugh...I hate reminding myself of that...lol

[TheBigKowalski]

[Super Blue 72]

Whoa!  You have a console mounted deal!  IS that an 8-track or cassette? 

[TheBigKowalski]

Heh, cassette sadly.  I actually have a Blood Sweat and Tears 8-track somewhere.  I think it was them anyway.

So, yeah, still kinda mulling this over :/

[hemiken]

If you are indeed capable and willing to do the work, then that price is not too bad as it must be local to yourself and you do not have to spend money on shipping, that is a save their.
You have some cool stuff in that car, rear defogger, console mounted casette player , proper 70 -71 Rallye gauges , it is a good looking interior, so NO money to spend there, that is a huge saving and will suite the White Challenger you want to recreate, i think the whole thing is a good idea and sounds like a great project for you to jump in to.

[Super Blue 72]

What state are you in?  I'm in MA and it's tough to find cars that aren't rotted out.  Duh, just saw the plate, Illinois.    Is it tough to find Challengers out there?

I think Brad or Rick posted this ad before.  Just for comparison and food for thought.  In MA.  Here is a 1970 roller, missing a lot of stuff but some body work has been done.  All the stuff that is missing adds up.  Like I said, around here, you get parts cars for $4k and often not good ones.  See if you can get some pics of the underside. 

http://worcester.craigslist.org/cto/4161750660.html

[TheBigKowalski]

Yeah, I talked to the owner of that car.  Apparently over 20 people have come to see it in person and himmed and hawed about it, tried to talk him down, then walked.  He was VERY short with me on the phone, but I don't blame him, people probably show up expecting it to be perfect, and it's just not...needs a good bit of work still.

Hard to find decent project Challengers in Illinois, yeah.

I'll try to get some pics of the underside.  There are 2-3 guys currently in the market for this car, but I put down a deposit so that I could ask around about it for a few days.  I'd rather lose $100 that get into something horrible.

[Edison1970]

Hard to say looking at pictures. It's the stuff you can't see is what will cost you more.  Make sure the fire wall is ok.  Look under the dash to see if it has any rot.  Check the hood hinge areas.  Vinyl tops can look good but you don't know what's going on under it.  Especially around the rear window.  If you have used a mig before, you most likely can tackle it.  I would add up all of the costs of the parts you know that need to replace and add some for what you can't see.  IE dutchman panel or partial floor pan.  If I were to buy that car, I would drive it and fix it a little at a time.  I have seen parts here and there at swap meets, craigs list ect to put it together without breaking the bank.  I'm sure there are guys on this site like myself that have purchased new replacement steel and didn't use it.  I will probably put my extra parts up for sale this spring when I'm done with the body.  One thing great about it is it's not  a Hi po model so you can do what ever you want with it.

[TheBigKowalski]

Yeah, it'll definitely be something I can drive as I restore.

You're right on the model type...sure it's not an R/T, but that means I don't have to worry about destroying the value of a really nice car.