Looking for a project car... What should I be looking for?

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dunc2027

dunc2027

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Houston, TX
Always wanted a '67 Dart hardtop with no pillar. However, this will be my first car that isn't a plain-jane DD. I found one in great shape near Hercules, a GT with factory KH discs, a broken 318 with headers, a good 727, and a rear quarter panel for the current banged-up one. (He wants $5k. Don't know if that's a bad deal... He changed his mind about selling, but perhaps I could press?)

Anywho, there's another up in Seattle (sucky 17hr drive; on eBay for ~$2k ATM) that runs and drives. Good long description, plenty of photos, but has some rust spots. I don't know where common rust problems are for these cars. The front windshield and cowl looks alright, but there are bubbles at the bottom of the front driver door and there seems to be definite rot around the rear windshield and trunk floor.

I live in Texas, but am out in California for work. I do have tools back home, and can store/work in my buddy's garage. I've been home maybe three weeks since February, and will probably continue that trend for the next year or two. I'm juggling between having a roller with good metal or a driver with some bad metal. The first is probably less work and money in the long run; but the second, I can work on it here and there and actually run it around the block whenever I do make it home.

Realistically, I should probably wait until I've paid paid my student loans off and I have steady time to work on it, instead of shotgunning one weekend because I really want one and found something on the internet. Oh well. That's my decision, I suppose.

This is kind of a rambling post. Veterans, any general advice for a young and wandering soul?

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You are from Texas and are currently in California, there should be plenty of rust free cars around. Don't mess with rust.
 
Alright then. Solid bodies only. I suppose metalwork is quite expensive. With regards to price... Would $6k be fair for a solid body? Especially if it comes with an extra quarter and door? What do people pay for these things? How expensive is bodywork, anyway?
 
I think it's more than bodywork sucks. At least in my opinion. I'm not a body guy myself.

That said, when looking for a project always look for something you can stuff a 440 in. Guaranteed smiles for miles.
 
It depends on year, make, model, etc. For 6 grand you ought to be able to find something with a nice body and possibly a slant 6 or 318 to drive around with while you build an engine and do interior work, etc.

Don't get in a rush, you'll find the right car
 
Look at a couple of cars I have for sale...

71 Duster, 70 Swinger, 71 Swinger Anything from 800-4K and all solid cars.
 
dunc2027 said:
Alright then. Solid bodies only. I suppose metalwork is quite expensive. With regards to price... Would $6k be fair for a solid body? Especially if it comes with an extra quarter and door? What do people pay for these things? How expensive is bodywork, anyway?
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Not only is it expensive, will the work be done right. Paint is easy compared to welding quarters on. Nothing better than a solid car that all you have to do is paint, and bolt on your suspension and drive train.
 
And once it is yours, take plenty of pictures, before/during/after, doing any bodywork. If you ever want to sell it,after you have $20,000 or more in it, the pics are the only proof of what is under the paint. Without the proof, the car will be hard to sell as anything more than what you paid for it.
We see that time and again on CL. A beautiful car car that just will not sell,cuz no in-progress pics.
Good luck
 
the best advice is to get the most rust free car you can get. prices are allover the place. so 6k can be a decent price but i've seen people asking 6k for bondo buggies. you'll just have to be careful and go over any car very carefully in person before spending any money.
 
Having just about completed this process after three years, I will definitely second the concept of find the best body you can. I believe $5000 might be a little high for that 67 you posted pictures of, but that does look like a very nice car as a starting point for a project.
 
66fs said:
Get the best body you can.
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X1 million. Trust me, rusty cars SUCK to work on and you're a year or year farther ahead if you get a clean body to start with.
 
Save time and (huge amounts of) money with the best body you can find.

For certainly see member Crackedback and check out his cars.

Electrical wiring and mechanical fixes are cheap and nicely rewarding to ones self when done and complete. There cost is much cheaper than a lot of body work.
 
rumblefish360 said:
Save time and (huge amounts of) money with the best body you can find.

For certainly see member Crackedback and check out his cars.

Electrical wiring and mechanical fixes are cheap and nicely rewarding to ones self when done and complete. There cost is much cheaper than a lot of body work.
Click to expand...
heck even engine work is cheaper than body work. find you a solid roller with no engine/trans. Unless you're gonna drop a Big hemi in it, you'd be able to put a small block or a mild big block in and paint it for probably 1/3 of what body work costs.
 
LOL, no doubt.

Below (I hope, new format site screws with me.) is a '67 Cuda I picked up off a member here living local to me. I am basically just dropping in a drive train, stem to stern.

I added Wheel Vintiques Ralley wheels and Flame tread Mickey's.

image.jpeg
 
Here is the finished inside and a beauty of an engine bay awaiting the engine and trans.

So much nicer and faster than sending it out for body work and paint. I should have done this years ago.

image.jpeg
image.jpeg
 
There's a couple A-bodies near me for sale that look pretty solid, not sure where in California you are. Later model cars, not sure if that matters to you (***edit- crap, just saw you wanted a '67 in particular, I went through your post too fast and just thought the first one just happened to be a '67). Some are better deals than others, but those are all asking prices anyway. I'd second (or third or fourth) the rust thing. There's always more than you see, and it can add up quick. If you can do the work yourself it's not hard, but it takes a lot of time to do it right and buying replacement panels adds up quick. Plus, if you can get away with partial tear down and get a car back together and on the road it goes much faster, it's easy to lose motivation once that car is stripped down to the bare bones, especially if the work progresses slowly. It's a lot easier to tackle one project at a time and be able to put it back together in between, even if it's only for a trip around the block.

Dodge Dart , Runs!
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1973 Plymouth 340 Duster
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1973 PLYMOUTH GOLD DUSTER SLANT 6
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1973 Dodge Dart Sport Mopar
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1974 Dodge Dart swinger 2 door hardtop runs perfect
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Take your time, thrre's lots of nice cars out there tor sale.
 
Rust just sucks the life out of you ........and your wallet. Tend to get the impression that you need a car that runs and moves under its own power. When the car is running it's just a joy, keeps you motivated. When its blown apart... it gets hard, and all of a sudden 3-5-10 years have passed. Lots of great advice above - heed it.
My other advice, build a plan and stick with the plan. Late changes can cost a lot of money .... just ask anyone else on here.... Good luck in your search and keep your eyes wide open.
 
Just add 30 grand to the price you are going to pay for that blue dart. That's what you'll have in it when you're done. If that works for you than 6 grand is a fair price.

Personally I see a car that needs an interior, sheet metal and a complete drivetrain. So 6k seems a bit high but the 67-69's are the rarest and the most desirable of the bunch.

You'd be smarter to buy one for 15 or 20 that's done and let that owner take the hit. Then you can make small changes to make it your own.
 
Cars seem to be getting cheaper, get a complete car. When I look at auction prices, I can't build a car for what they are selling for. Take a magnet and check for filler. Rust free is the way to go if you want to drive. If you want to work with rusty metal and spend lots of time and money get whatever you want to build. The A bodies I love are 50 years old!
 
X2 if you can afford the 15- 20 grand now for a car it's the way to go. Then just give it your personal touch. But then again it is fun to build your own too. Good luck
 
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