the 69... to keep or heap

[Domestic Disturbance]

Been tossing this around in my head a lot lately. Really feel bad even thinking it, because I hate the idea of abandoning it (even though its inanimate, I still feel bad). Anyways, can't decide if I should part it out and wait to find a more complete one or just stick to it.

The worst part right now is the floors. Passenger footwell is bad, and the rocker/floor pinch weld is rotted too. The whole drivers side is fiberglassed which is sturdy but... wtf. Most of the underside is flaky. I was hoping to mildly patch the floors, and just get it one color and on the road as cheaply as possible. That still includes new headers, carb, exhaust, windshield, a few random body parts, filling/sanding/painting, new wiring harness, drivers seat, tuning, and some other not so necessary things I'd want to do. After that save for a couple years and enjoy it running until I can afford a full floor pan, wheel tubs, 1/4s, and paint.

I got a pretty good deal on it so I feel I could come out ahead, which is what helped me justify buying it to begin with. Its not all about the benjamins though. The most time consuming thing is trying to figure out how to put together stuff I didn't take apart. Just feel like if I got a little nicer and more complete camaro, chevelle, or gto things would be a lot nicer and more enjoyable. I just REALLY like this car. Maybe its just cause it has open headers and 12.5:1. Opinions...

[Deimos]

well pm me how much for the car. Opens for trades?

[85XR7Project]

Honestly I think you should keep it, sure it has some flaws but what car in iowa doesn't? When all is said and done and its complete you're going to be so proud of that car. Either way do what makes you happy, if you feel badly about this it will more than likely be a move you will regret. I miss my 79 mustang and 85 cougar all the time and wish I had never gotten rid of them.

[black88gt]

Been tossing this around in my head a lot lately

Is that all you've been tossing?

You could sell it and find a cleaner car but the price will go up exponentially. So it really is all about the benjamins. Do the work yourself and save the money or sell it and find a cleaner specimen. Not terribly helpful but its one of those get what you pay for time is money things

[JacobS]

id hate to see you get rid of it. if you need any help with it let me know and ill com eout...ive got a key! youve got all the nuts and bolts and most of the stuff you need, so stick with it.

i know how hard it is to have a project you cant enjoy and drive around...but when its done you feel that sense of accomplishment and that alone is worth it in my opinion.

[86svo9L]

Is that all you've been tossing?

You could sell it and find a cleaner car but the price will go up exponentially. So it really is all about the benjamins. Do the work yourself and save the money or sell it and find a cleaner specimen. Not terribly helpful but its one of those get what you pay for time is money things
Agreed. For what I ended up spending on my recent restoration a far better car could have been purchased. But then again there is nothing hidden in my car so its a nice piece of mind. You may buy a great car and not know what could be hiding as far as hidden rust and what not. At least when you have it all done to your own car then there is a lot of future guessing taken out.

[Drifte]

start sanding...

[AutoMods]

get a 4th gen camaro or firebird

[stangvortech]

sell it man and get something that needs less work!

[DustinsDuster]

do the work and keep it. the car will mean more to you. i replaced the floors and trunk in my Duster when i was 18, and now i cant imagine ever getting rid of it. plus, if you decide to get crazy down the road, you wont feel as bad chopping it up because its worn out anyway. just my .02

[Domestic Disturbance]

the main issue is how much it'll cost to fix everything the way I want it in the end. Getting those rear quarters done is ~2k, plus the rear filler panel, tail light panel, rear inner panels, floor pan, tub kit. Thats a lot of money. Floors I may take a swing at, but a jig and bracing to do major body panels is something I don't have/don't really want. Things that really concern me are the underside pinch welds. I don't know how I could maintain those until the severe work gets started. Until spring I'm going to keep tinkering with it though.

Going to have to pass on the 4th gen idea. Been there. Enjoyed it a lot, but if I were going to do anything newer it'd be a c5z or shortbox chevy. Neither will probably happen.

The other really big elephant in the closet is my cadillac. I won't sell it, no questions asked, but if I have to dedicate this much time and money to the camaro the cadi isn't getting anywhere. I'd like to get it done before my grandma passes. She turns 80 this year.

[Jappbox]

This is a prime Example why Muscle cars going for big money on Barrett Jackson and other auctions, Body Work is Expensive and unless you own a body shop or are a crazy bad ass to do everything yourself youll have a TON of money in fixing that 69 to were its not shortcuts that just turn into more issues down th road. At the end of the day you have to decide if you want a old rusty not so perfect muscle car, or a 30k+ perfect rust free muscle car. Or if you want something more modern again. Its all on personal choice. Me Im a clean freak so if I were to have a old car it would have to be a body off restoration.

[sparkles]

Keep it. Fix it. Build it. Learn something.

[Deimos]

He never asked what I had for trade on it.

[sparkles]

A back halfed Camaro?

[sLoWnStEaDy]

just went through this myself with my Mach 1... I kept everything good (pretty much everything except the body) and gave it away. Looking for a nice, hopefully bare rolling chassis i can pick up for a couple grand and throw all of my stuff into. It needed floors, lower quarters, trunk pan, fenders and rockers, i have all the sheet metal though. Point being, i decided after the endless hours, welding wire/gas etc... It just wasn't worth it and i got mine for less than the price of the new floors. Plus i have a couple other projects so i didnt want to take up garage space for that long.

Anyways, its all on you. Not really something i would take "advice" on. Figure out if it is worth it to you or not and go from there. Not like there is a shortage of 1G camaros/firebirds or anything... At the same time, one mans trash is another mans treasure, might be able to sell it for a decent price.

[Deimos]

A back halfed Camaro?

Nope that would be an even bigger project

[DustinsDuster]

This is a prime Example why Muscle cars going for big money on Barrett Jackson and other auctions, Body Work is Expensive and unless you own a body shop or are a crazy bad ass to do everything yourself youll have a TON of money in fixing that 69 to were its not shortcuts that just turn into more issues down th road. At the end of the day you have to decide if you want a old rusty not so perfect muscle car, or a 30k+ perfect rust free muscle car. Or if you want something more modern again. Its all on personal choice. Me Im a clean freak so if I were to have a old car it would have to be a body off restoration.


Camaros are Unibodies technically; even though you can unbolt the front subframe.


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[Domestic Disturbance]

you meme mother fucker. Ya advice is hard on something like this, I just needed to vent the idea a little more.

[Deimos]

PM sent btw its 15 grand not 18 grand that was my bad.

[AutoMods]

Going to have to pass on the 4th gen idea. Been there. Enjoyed it a lot, but if I were going to do anything newer it'd be a c5z or shortbox chevy. Neither will probably happen.

yea, just trying to make you feel bad about selling your 2000 ss.

[Caleb]

Well I have no job and a fully bought and paid for 1980 Firebird Formula that is just sitting right now, I am in the same predicament, but I am at the point where I think I am just going to keep it and slowly work on the body through the years. The body is pretty solid with minor infractions. Its the engine and suspension I need to get done on the damn thing. 383 block just sititng out there waiting to be thrown together after the rings get shimmed for the block (still missing the heads, carb, blower, intake etc aka a lot of money to get the engine even done). I just have literally 0 money to put into it with lifes priorities. However I still have the white bastard bitch of a firebird to tinker with that keeps me entertained. All in all when the formula for the most part is drive-able even with the body not being perfect and the interior being pretty damn good, It'll be worth it and I'll be more than pleased to be driving an old would be classic around with a lot of power.