POLL: Pretty vs Functional

[Alvin]

exactly and if you paint the engine bay black when the body is not black we will hunt you down like a dog ...just sayin

I vote to paint it first, then do the mechanicals before you drive. Primered cars just look unfinished. I had the paint done first on my last car and now would never do it any other way, that way when you put the last part on and it's SAFE to drive, it's finished.
Blue painters tape and cardboard or fender covers keep the scratches and dents away.

And yes, my engine bay is black, I know the car didn't come that way, but it also didn't come with a roll cage, stroked small block or 6 pack...
Bring lot's of friends.......=P~

 

[rmchrgr]

Based on the pic you posted, I've changed my mind about this car and wanted to make a few points. I may not have grasped what you were asking at first but based on the pic, it needs a total restoration.

Like I've said many times before in these types of threads, it's likely that every piece of rubber is shot on that car which includes weatherstripping, bushings, window gaskets etc. I would say that if you plan to keep this car for any length of time you should strip it and do the body first. Brakes are a good start but trust me, it will snowball from there once you see how things look that have not been serviced for decades. Might want to consider that the exterior sheetmetal is only part of the question.

It would also be prudent to make sure you know the extent of the rust that can not be seen. If there is rot in the quarters then there's a good chance things like the trunk extensions, rocker panels and wheel houses are rusty. Not saying definitively yes but it's not a stretch by any means.

Also, if you're putting a big block in then you'd really want to consider putting frame connectors in to prevent body twist with the added torque. Not that a 383 is a monster but it should have more torque than your average small block, not to mention adding weight to the front end. So considering the idea of welding on the subframes, ensure they are straight before doing any other work. Wouldn't want to weld in the connectors and find that you need to do some more extensive work than you originally planned.

My Duster is from Southern California and never saw road salt. I was willing to pay a premium for a car from the west coast so I didn't have to deal with any body/structural work and could concentrate on performance. Regardless of how solid the body is, I still spent the last year redoing almost everything - front and rear end, brakes, suspension, interior and on and on. Here's the link to see what the underside of a rust free car looks like.

Just some things to consider before you start on this car in it's current state. Rust is the enemy, I think you'd want be 100% certain that it's only what you can see.

 

[ohiocowboy1277]

I'd rather be blowing peoples doors off in what looks like junk than pushing something that looks like a show car. That being said I would repair or replace floor pans and anything rusted on the underside or at the very least make sure I cleaned up the underside as far as rust removal goes because it's one less thing to worry about later and you know that the mechanicals are being done to a structurally sound car

 

[72bluNblu]

Looks like its all one color to me. Maybe a little rust in the lower quarter panels, but I've seen worse. I'd get the mechanicals sorted out and drive the hell out of it.

If you do bodywork and paint first, there's no going back. You're doing a full restoration. If you've got the time and money for that, awesome, thats how you should do it. Strip it down, do the bodywork, paint, etc, and when it comes back assemble it with all rebuilt/new mechanics. But you're going to need at least $10k (probably more like $15k) and a few years to make that happen, unless you win a spot on Overhaulin.

If you don't, and you want to drive this car sometime in the next ten years, do the mechanicals first. I would definitely take a look and figure out the extent of the rust before I did anything, but if it's limited to the lower quarter and drop panels I'd go right back to getting it running and driving. You can do lower quarter patches and drop panels, hit those spots with some primer and keep on driving. Not pretty, but you actually get to enjoy your car.

As far as the car needing a total restoration, I'd disagree entirely unless it's hiding more rust. My Challenger has had a hole in the driver's floorboard during the entire 40k miles I've put on it. And rust bubbles in the lower fenders and quarters. It was a Utah car and I'd wager it has at least as much, if not more, rust than that Duster. Still runs fine, it's still a blast to drive, and I still get offers on it a couple times a month.

 

[67 prostreet gt]

Yes! A perfect body is essential before all else!

I've always been partial to a perfect body.

We r talking cars not the other kind of bodies though a finely sculpted specimen is nice to look at

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[1966cuda]

If the body is good then the mechanical's can be repaired , changed. Because the body takes so much time in repairs preparing smoothing filler out for paint thats my pain body finish.

 

[timmy.1953]

great answer,tim

 

[rmchrgr]

As far as the car needing a total restoration, I'd disagree entirely unless it's hiding more rust.

That was kind of my point - just be sure that the only rust is what can be seen. You don't want to throw any kind of power at a car with a marginal sub structure. That's all I'm saying.

But also just to be clear, if you're going to do a lot of the mechanical stuff, it may not be such a stretch to do the body (if funds allow). Then you have it out of the way and don't have to worry about for a long time. I know that cars can get lost in paint shop jail but pick a reputable place and work on the sub systems while its out of your way.

Frankly, it almost seems kind of silly to do all this work to the mechanical side and leave the thing all ratty. I know that would bother me but some guys can live with that.

Just trying to help illuminate some things that may not be apparent when you first start out with these types of projects. They always seem to snowball. It would take a certain kind of discipline to 'only' do what's needed.

 

[demoman3955]

on the note of paint, i see people put big money into a paint job, and be too scared to drive it. make it good enough to be a daily driver and throw a 2000 buck paint job on it.

 

[67 prostreet gt]

Or just leave it alone body wise and go drive the hell out of it

The body guy that did the work on my b body had a 72 charger that looked like absolute **** the first time I saw it I thought it was someone bringing in work I mean the lower rear quarters were cut off completely! The floors were really really nice and so was the frame and trunk but I mean it looked like **** on the outside but man did it run and the few times I got to ride in it that guy was giggling from the time he started it to a few minutes after we got it back he drove the hell out of it and he was having fun with it

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[ValerianMagnum]

 

[ValerianMagnum]

far from being flashy , everybody complains that the car s paint job is too simple and not quite professionnal bla bla bla , but a 1000 pds lighter 380 hp crate duster is still quite amazing for me ! and im happy with it , be happy do it for yourself .

 

[SOCKEM]

Those that replied with positive comments, especially "67 prostreet gt" (love ya man!) I thank you for your comments. That said, I really hate the fact I posted a picture of my car after I put up the poll, based on someone's innocent comment to post the pic. I thought it was a good idea but based on some replies, wow! I'm like wtf! By the way, the poll was not originally about my car but I guess it is now?

My car has no rust through in the floor panels or trunk or anywhere else except the typical quarter panel rust outs like it shows in the pic.

It must be nice to have a huge shop to restore your car in but I'm not that lucky. I'm just a lowly working man in South Dakota trying to piece together a legacy to leave my son with when he graduates from high school in a couple of years. I will focus on the mechanicals first and hope there is enough cash left to get the body looking sweet when he graduates in a couple of years. Thanks all.

 

[hemichuck]

If the body is good then the mechanical's can be repaired , changed. Because the body takes so much time in repairs preparing smoothing filler out for paint thats my pain body finish.

"Bodymen" take so much time, we used to churn a turd out every month to sell at the shows and rarely had more than 3 days of paint and body. I had a bodyman tell me once that they had to hold the car long enough to justify the expense of the paint job. He said if you charge a guy $5000 to paint his car and finish it in 3 or 4 days he will feel like you hacked it, but if you hold it a year and then only work on it for 3 or 4 days he will feel like he got his moneys worth. I always tell him I am going to pay him the same way he does the job so if it takes him a year to paint it then it will take me a year to pay.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I like your car. Keep the duct tape marks. lol It is funny how some seem born with a silver spoon and can do anything how they turn their noses up. Let um go blow themselves and have fun with your ride.

Those that replied with positive comments, especially "67 prostreet gt" (love ya man!) I thank you for your comments. That said, I really hate the fact I posted a picture of my car after I put up the poll, based on someone's innocent comment to post the pic. I thought it was a good idea but based on some replies, wow! I'm like wtf! By the way, the poll was not originally about my car but I guess it is now?

My car has no rust through in the floor panels or trunk or anywhere else except the typical quarter panel rust outs like it shows in the pic.

It must be nice to have a huge shop to restore your car in but I'm not that lucky. I'm just a lowly working man in South Dakota trying to piece together a legacy to leave my son with when he graduates from high school in a couple of years. I will focus on the mechanicals first and hope there is enough cash left to get the body looking sweet when he graduates in a couple of years. Thanks all.

 

[66fs]

My kids used to call my 66 Barracuda the cow car. For decades it was white and black with blue doors. Most of us have been there, I say keep it running and enjoy it as much as possible. Repair the rust so it will not spread and do what you can, when you can. Dusters have nice big wheel wells. Oh, and everyone has an opinion, feel free to discard the ones that do not help you.

 

[Walker434]

I had a kid in a brand new challenger RT laugh at my unfinished Dart at a stoplight last Sunday. He wasn't laughing so hard when I blew his doors off getting on the interstate!

I actually love the fact that my car isn't pretty yet since it's now mechanically sound and fast! My wife....... not so much.

Oh and I feel you on not having a shop. I do all my work in my driveway.

 

[Jarlaxle]

I would be sure to fix all the RUST (look at the quarters!) before it gets any worse. Other than that...I'm fine with a somewhat ratty-looking car that runs perfectly.

 

[74Dusted]

I prefer to focus on the Brakes/Suspension/Engine/Transmission/Rear first and work all the bugs out of a car before I ever worry about paint.

The first year I drove my '74 Duster, it was in Primer and I worked quite a few bugs out of the 340/727 combo and the rest of the car too. Glad I didn't paint it until I had everything working correctly, because chances are I would have screwed up the paint in the process of getting the car perfect.

Embarrassed many other drivers who thought they were big, with a primered '74 Duster, ugly dinged up rallye wheels on the front and furd truck wheels on the back, no stripes, no call outs, just a nice 340/727 combo. The only giveaway to what was sleeping under the hood, was the 340 Resonators/Exhaust Tips poking out from under the rear bumper.

 

[Orangepeel]

I have a little red D150 that had a high school shop class respray when I bought it and it totally orangepeeled over every square inch of the thing. I decided on the mechanical first because I knew if I could drive it I'd keep working on it. I take the truck to a few cruise nights monthly and it quickly got the name Orangepeel by everybody. I will probably never have it repainted now and the low 12 second sleeper makes the duramax guys cry. Lot more important things than looks but I have to admit I would have to fix rust.

 

[Muad'Dib15]

functional before pretty. Sadly my dad does not quite feel the same way, so when I first got the cuda, one of the first things we did to it was paint it. Now, I finally have a car that runs good and has some dings and dents. Now that I have control over the project (which I've had for the last 4 years), I've been focused on getting it to continue running rather than keeping it pretty. But still hate the fact that it accumulates dents occasionally. I wish I didn't have to worry about it sometimes but it's nice having a nice car.

 

[bmw88rider]

The car I've got is the exact opposite. It looks really good but doesn't run worth a crap. So It was sitting in my dad's garage for years and never really ran much. So now that I have it, I'm doing the exact opposite. I'm taking the time and building the motor immediately and getting the running gear sorted. Then, once that is all sorted, I'll get the few cosmetic items fixed up.