Not sure what I'm getting into...

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Esper879

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My name is Kyle and I currently live in a small town in Wisconsin near Minneapolis Minnesota. I've joined this forum because I've always enjoyed classic muscle cars and I'm preparing to delve into my first large project. I don't have a lot of experience doing this. I'm looking for a mildly easy build, something that I can get my boys interested in. I want to go with a Dart, an A body barracuda, or Coronet. I'm not sure if any of these avenues are better than the other. I've been doing as much research as possible before deciding which vehicle to purchase. Perhaps someone out there could steer me in the right direction. The end result would be a summer weekend driver, manual trans, and I'm hoping to end up with enough umph (torque/hp) to bring a smile to my kids and I's faces.
 
Welcome! You may find something to you liking in the vehicles for sale section here.
 
In regards to A body vs. B body, there is a little more good stuff available for the 68-70 B body crowd but A bodies are starting to catch up and the initial investment is still lower for most A bodies.
 
If you're close to the Twin Cities, you should seriously consider attending the Mopars In The Park show coming up June 4-5 in Farmington, MN. It's just a few miles south of the metro area at the Dakota County Fairgrounds.

http://www.moparsinthepark.com/

You'll get a chance to look at the cars in person, talk to the people, and see all that you can see before you plunk any money down for a project.

.....And....Welcome to the Madness!!!
 
welcome........ yes time spent studying the whole ball of yarn is wise for sure.

if you want to keep the boys interested, a model they like is wise. all these cars have their week points. kinda like us people, non perfect.

A bodies have many good points you will find, some models/years are less expensive, some have more after market parts available, some have virtually NO repop sheet metal or if so, pretty poor. lots of devil in the details.
 
Welcome to FABO! The classic car hobby is a good one! To see your project take shape and then take it out driving on the weekends is priceless. And...knowing all along there is something else that needs tweaking or repairing...or replacing is the best part!

In the end you'll have something you and your boys will be proud of.

I found my last Barracuda using the nationwide craigslist site "dailylister.com"
 
I recommend a '70 Dart!
Why?

Well, '68-'72 Darts are totally sweet! I enjoy the slightly more modern look of the '70-'72 Darts as opposed to the '68-'69 Darts... and the '73- '76 Darts' front end "beak" looks funny to me personally...

A bodies are way lighter than the other body types, they fit in modern parking spaces better, since they are lighter and yet can fit 440's in them, they HAUL BUTT!

I lack objectivity since I have owned a 1971 Plymouth Scamp (Plymouth version of Darts), and a 1970 and a 1972 Swinger, as my first three cool teenage cars...

My dad always drove Road Runners, GTX's, and 'Cudas but they are WAY more expensive to fix up due to parts being scarce n expensive and the initial body being more expensive...

Darts and Dusters are the way to go, and I recommend 1968-1972 as their body style is the coolest looking in my opinion!!!!

Here's a sweet Duster n then a sweet Dart!
 

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Welcome to FABO from Colorado! We are here to help you on your journey:coffee2: These old cars can be money pits and try your patience but once your turn the key its over !!! It will bring a smile to your face everytime :D:D:D Enjoy the fun...

Dave,
 
Before choosing a car, you'll need to decide how willing you are to do metal work. I didn't want to get into welding, mainly because my shop is a 2-car garage with two cars in it and so I try to minimize buying large tools. Before you buy, make sure you look at the floor pans, frame rails, trunk pans, and other areas that would need repair for the car to be usable.

I also suggest looking for a car that is stock/unmolested/unrestored. That way you can use the factory shop manual to work on it and you can see how the parts are supposed to go together. If you pick up someone's unfinished project you'll just be lost unless you're already an expert.

Among A-bodies, most people prefer the looks of the 1972 and earlier, but that means the 1973+ tend to come cheaper. The Plymouth A-bodies didn't get the beak that many people find so unattractive (I admit I don't love it on my '74 Swinger, though I still love the car and get many compliments on it).

In the upper midwest it might be hard to find an unmolested rust-free car, so you might have to be willing to get one from far away. I think you'll find it's worth it in the end unless you want to do a lot of your own metal work.
 
Just a thought..... I've found the best way to fix up a car, at least for me, is to have it drivable while working on it. It keeps my interest. I cannot put a car up for 10 years and say "when I get it done". I can pull it off the road for a few weeks while some stuff is done, but I've always kept my cars pretty much "turn the key and go" because that is what drives my interest in it.
 
Esper879 said:
I'll be there. Thanks for the heads up!
Click to expand...

I haven't been to that car show since they moved to the new location but It's on the agenda this spring. got a little saved up to hit the swap meet. good luck on the search, maybe see ya there!
 
like said, best to buy a driver, and one that is 95% all there.

how much space do you have??? don't fall into the trap of taking it all part, unless you have big $$, months and years to work on it, taking it to body shop, engine to machine shop etc...... or getting fatal case of " perfect-it is"......

finding the right project car to meet your particular circumstances, in the right condition is so important.

ask questions on this site and you will get different opinions, but most are sound.
 
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