New guy from Kansas City. Need some opinions!

[Faderade99]

Hi, my name is Fade. I'm a 16 year old from Kansas City, I'm looking to tackle another project. My first project was a 1964 Chevy Impala. But, I'm a mopar guy, so I'm looking for a mopar project. I found a '72 'Cuda for sale about 3 hours away from me. The guy is asking $800. It's pretty rough. No motor or trans, no interior. No hood. And very rusty. But, I really don't want to see a car like that rot anymore. Could you guys give me your opinions on whether or not I should buy it. Thanks!

 

[romester440]

Welcome. I am a newbie myself from Connecticut and also looking for a project. The car looks pretty rough but its cheap enough that you can put some money into it. If you have somebody that can do the body work for you or you yourself is handy at doing that kind of stuff and you can find those missing parts I would say go for it. The parts themselves are costly and to pay to have someone do the work is even more costly, if you can find a better starting point for a project that's more complete it would work out better in the long run but it will cost you more to find something decent.

 

[Bill]

Welcome from Vermont. I don't know what else the car is missing but without a motor or trans. I would estimate it taking a lot of money to get this back on the road. I purchased a 1973 Challenger, 340, Rallye, 4 speed 2-1/2 years ago for $6,200. The external body work was pretty much done when I purchased it with all new fenders, rear quarters, floors and rockers. I estimate I will have it on the road late summer of 2015 and will have a total of around $28,000 by the time it is all said and done. Good thing about the Cuda your looking at is it is only $800.
I know what you mean about seeing this car just sit like this. I'm a novice but from what I find is there are a LOT of little things that add up. The paint for my project alone was over $1,200 and I painted it myself with a friend of mine.
Below is a copy of what I have spent or what I have budgeted. I have about $6,000 more to spend to get it finished. I'm 53 years old and will have borrowed about $15,000 of this money from the bank at a low interest. I don't want to discourage you and I actually envy you because I wish I could of done this at your age. I just wanted to give you an idea of what it is costing me. It seems like I am always spending $50 to $100 for something at the local auto parts store on Saturday morning. I guess it's just hard to do a restoration on an E body on a shoestring budget.
Best of luck to you!

Car $6,200.00
New radiator and cap $250.00
Brake lines $100.00
Distributar $150.00
KYB Shocks $150.00
Brake parts $150.00
Fuel lines $200.00
A/C $600.00
Clutch / flywheel $500.00
Motor overhaul $2,670.80
Single stage door jam,trunk,engine area $132.00
Trim rings for wheels $150.00
Carberator and fuel rail $365.90
Carberator fuel rail $32.00
Paint / clearcoat build paint booth. JD's labor $1,945.30
Lizard skin Undercoating $872.00
rear springs and shackles $583.34
seats $150.00
suspension freshing up (PST) $505.00
stereo $750.00
TTI Exhaust + Exhaust cutouts + headers $1,700.00
New power steering pump $70.00
Front parking brake cable $60.00
Mirrors $250.00
Front hood trim $140.00
Rear trunk trim $150.00
Hood pins $60.00
Tires $600.00
New dashpad $130.00
Weatherstriping $1,000.00
ISIS Power system $1,351.44
Battery $150.00
Rear Battery mount $150.00
Classic Dash
Napa $17.30
Napa $7.62
Napa $24.26
Napa $14.30
Napa $19.07
Napa $49.10
Napa $84.22
Napa $71.42
Napa $62.83
Napa $22.48
Kibby equipment sandblasting $12.41
Kibby equipment sandblasting helmet $105.95
Kibby equipment sandblasting $19.03
Welding Gas $44.73
Eastwood paints (epoxy primer/rust stuff) $282.88
Metal for rotisserie $350.00
Castors for rotisserie $65.00
Paint for rotisserie $20.00
Metal for connecting fram rails $44.00
Map gas $9.53
Hole saw 1" for frame rails $12.38
Poly tarps for paint booth $21.98
Metal barker steel for frame rails $19.13
Welder gas $41.70
Welding helmet $80.60
Repair book $73.70
Bond Autobody $45.39
Bond Autobody $53.07
Bond Autobody Gallon high build primer $124.20
Bond Autobody $26.49
Bond SEM plastic paint products $57.46
NAPA $18.64
Bond Autobody $10.58
Bond Autobody $44.09
NAPA Bushing kit $21.93
NAPA Autobody $23.54
NAPA $19.18
NAPA $20.96
NAPA $13.98
NAPA $54.67
NAPA $67.15
NAPA $31.89
NAPA $33.12
NAPA $18.97
NAPA $52.66
NAPA $6.83
NAPA $9.53
NAPA $15.04
NAPA $18.62
NAPA $37.50
NAPA $34.47
NAPA $12.69
NAPA $5.33
NAPA $77.40
NAPA $14.65
NAPA $94.00
NAPA $102.04
NAPA $34.97
NAPA $69.74
NAPA paint $263.31
NAPA $67.19
NAPA $22.14
NAPA $60.82
NAPA paint $132.80
BOND autoparts seam sealer $24.37
NAPA $16.63
NAPA $11.99
BOND $15.14
NAPA $72.78
CarQuest $59.72
NAPA $38.47
NAPA primer surfacer $34.68
NAPA $13.48
NAPA fuel pump $16.49
NAPA $1.96
NAPA samseal $13.49
NAPA masking paper $14.49
NAPA water pump $44.99
NAPA puller tool $36.99
NAPA black acry enam paint $51.99
NAPA $8.29
NAPA autobody stuff $3.69
NAPA drill bit and tap $7.48
NAPA drill bit, oil seal, wheel seal $40.94
NAPA extractor $3.99
NAPA Autobody surface cleaner $21.99
Sanel auto parts primer $58.12
Carquest Autobody $40.40
NAPA sandblast $13.35
NAPA sandblast $13.35
Sanel auto parts filler $25.20
Sanel Guide coat kit $54.58
JEGS oil filter gasket kit $19.99
Rebuild Starter and Alternator $140.00
JEGS clutch $182.99
Fischer Auto parts brake lines parts $40.72
Eastwood Durablocks $89.99
Bond Auto parts (high build primer) $36.52
Paint booth supplies $23.25
Paint booth supplies $43.98
Brake lines stuff $5.44
Shaker can of paint $6.39
Shaker cans of paint $25.67
Primer supplies $38.71
Primer supplies $57.46
NAPA self etch primer $6.35
NAPA sandpaper $5.01
NAPA Rags, tack cloth $25.56
NAPA Sandpaper $17.72
NAPA Spray gun water filters $14.20
Bond Auto Parts Wax and grease remover $20.02
Bond Auto Parts new air hose $32.55
NAPA respirator $15.89
NAPA Undercoat for wheel wells $19.69
NAPA Power steering pump $63.99
NAPA Power steering return hose $17.97
NAPA water pump sealicone $5.71
NAPA Radiator hose upper and lower $33.51
Paint booth supplies $21.46
AutoZone Fram air filter $8.19
AutoZone Sandpaper supplies $10.68
Tyvek paint suit and head sock $19.06
Paint booth supplies $4.55
Labor (lol) $0.01
NAPA Hose clamps, power steering hose, ftgs $87.86
Nuts, bolts, masking tape $11.59
NAPA sandpaper, dash paint and clear $22.11
Bond Auto. Windshield wipers, paint, lug nuts $58.44
NAPA paint shaker cans $12.83
NAPA paint shaker can $6.42
NAPA sanblast material $15.89
BOND auto paint shaker cans $14.61
BOND auto electrical supplies $11.53
Jo-Ann fabrics vinyl dash cover $61.63
Contact cement $15.00
NAPA new windshield washer pump $18.61
Valley Vintage Z bar clutch pivot service kit $64.45
BOND auto sandpaper $4.79
BOND auto buffing supplys $177.42
BOND auto buffing supplys credit $(68.47)
NAPA Sandpaper $5.01
NAPA windshield washer motor $18.61





Totals $28,011.04

 

[DetMatt1]

Welcome to the site from the Motor City! It's been said many times on this site and others, buy as much car as you can afford. An incomplete car will cost you many thousands more to restore than one that is more complete to begin with. Lets see some pics of the '64.

 

[Faderade99]

I found the '64 in an ad in the newspaper. And older man was selling it. He bought it new in '64. Hit a deer 2 weeks later, parked it in his barn and it stayed in there until me and my father pulled it out. The drivers side quater panel and hood were crushed in. Most of the seats were chewed out by rats and mice. And I preferred blue over red. So, I went with the original color and a blue interior. I got it about 80% done, until I had to sell it. These are the best pictures I have. The one with the blue interior is it right before I sold it. The one with the red is the day I brought it home.

 

[rbbruno3]

Welcome, nice looking Impala you did. I hate to see these cars get like this but I don't see the value there even for 800 the PO sold all the good parts. Just a grill is $1000. Just my 2 cents

 

[challenger6pak]

It would cost more than it is worth to redo the car. It appears to be a 318 Barracuda. It may have been black with white vinyl top and white interior. With a/c and slap stick auto it was a nice car. It is a shame it got this bad.

 

[aussiemark]

It is great to see young people interested in restoring classic Mopars but I would hate to see you take on a project that just bogs you down, drains all your money and makes you lose interest and enthusiasm. If this was a collectible car that you could make a good profit or have a cool ride for all you hard work I would say go for it but it is what it is so I think you could get a better deal maybe a bit more cash now but a lot less in the long run.

 

[DetMatt1]

The Chevy looks great if you're into that sort of thing, nice work! As far as this fish is concerned, run!

 

[js29]

i like that you are interested in classic cars! the industry needs more young blood to take the place of though's that are retireing. with that said that poor old cuda would cost more to fix than it is worth. and i don't see 800 dollars worth of part's left on it.the definision of a total loss is value exedes cost of repair. PS the job on the impala look's good! it's better to practice on a gm anyway

 

[burntorange70]

Welcome to the site.