Gearheads

I'm guilty.

Besides all the hard stuff is done, and so far, new radiator, motor, tranny/rear end rebuild and new suspension has not cost that much. (I got a smoking deal on the engine).

The wife wants to drive it to work because the van she drives won't fit in the parking garage.

I looked at your project. Sweet!

thanks. My wife at the time totaled my '72 454.

This one came from the factory with 454, but I put a small block back in it.

That was probably a good move. The 454s were heavy and affected the handling. There are far more aftermarket pieces for the 350s.

ya should have popped in one of the new aluminum 427s! hell of a little motorhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6RAA5KYt_E

Neither of us are capable of driving something like that on the street.

Maybe 30 years ago. We've had the car about that long.

pretty awesome though

Cool car....

http://www.dragonmotorcars.com/reasons.html

That is not knew, I believe everyone that has restore a care knows that...... and for others, it best that they not know what their getting into before starting.

I myself a 53' Chevrolet Belair, 2 door coupe. How did I justify it,....... my time was cheap.........

I think your point was that it is cheaper to buy an already restored car than it is to pay someone to restore it for you. But most of the other replies commented on other things. A corollary is that you can't get the money that you have in it out of a car by selling it when you paid for the restoration--in other words, you cannot make a profit.

But if you want the restoration experience, go ahead and buy a car to restore yourself.

Yes, you can spend more money restoring a car than you can buy that car for - especially if you hire professionals to do the work. But if you want to do it yourself (and don't mind if the results aren't perfect) then it can be an interesting project.

Sometimes you just want to restore a particular car because you have an emotional attachment to it, or cannot find a finished car that matches up to your wants. I've known several father-son projects that were really about bonding time more than worrying about ever finishing the car. At least if you do the work yourself you know what and how stuff was done.

Be careful about taking on somebody else's unfinished project. Often those have stalled because of a difficult or expensive problem. Not saying that yours fits that category... just saying that some projects (especially modified cars) can be nightmares.

Yeah, but it is fun...I am doing a '76 Vette.

I am starting out my new year with pulling the interior. Hopefully the floor isn't too rotted.

Rot? It's not metal.

76 first year with metal floorpans. 76 and 77 had extensive issues as they aged. The leaky birdcages (window frame/firewall) would saturate the floors and rot if not cleaned out.

OOPS. Didn't know that. Just went out and looked under mine.

Having to order windshield molding special, windshield people say they can't get it. Haven't even started on the interior yet.

Was the 76, the Indy limited addition.

We had it painted in the 78 pace car style, no stickers or decals. I put the Daytona chin spoiler and rear wing on too. It's kind of different, without the Daytona back glass.

http://youtu.be/uYbIoVCZm_M

Open exhaust still.