opinions needed

I pulled up the vinyl at my rotting A-pillar and then took the car to a reputable body shop for their opinion. They say about $300 to make up some new metal pieces and weld them in. Then the cost of the new windshield, which it needed anyway, then whatever it ends up costing me to replace the top at an upholstery shop. Now I need to decide if the car is worth all that expense.

The rest of the body is fairly solid, and I have a line on a budget repair for the quarters assuming the guy remembers me. The door will get swapped with a junkyard one to make a nice $50 repair there. I figure all told I'll have $750 or so into bodywork/glass/top when it's all done. I'm just not sure if I'd be better off using that money towards a different car. I've yet to find a boxy b-body for under $2k, let alone $750, that doesn't need as much or more work, and that's what makes me confused.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

How is the undercarriage is the big question. Are the floors and frame solid? Especially the area around the rear frame rails?

All and all, it comes down to how much YOU like the car. If your skeptical about the car and you think there is one out there that you will enjoy more, then save your pennys....but if you really like the car and you want to hold on to it, then invest.

All and all you very seldom get your money back out of these pigs, so before you jump the gun, make sure you want to stay with it for a while.

I say if it is a solid foundation, and the body is not to rough, 750 is not a bad investment...

just my .02

Frame is solid but has surface rust at the front and rear ends. The floors look great although I'm sure the part under the drivers foot pad may need attention soon since that's where the leak is puddling. Basically the rear-end is nasty and the steering box looks like it's fused to the frame. But the center of the car is so covered in oil and trans fluid that it's not really able to rust

I want a boxy 2 door with a big block but that's not in the budget so it's a matter of making due with what I can.

If I were you I would save up for a 2-door and drive it while you aquire parts for a build...

http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/cto/1891961705.html ...beat them up on the price, really good deal...

Try and get that thing for 1800. Wave cash under peoples nose and its funny how far they can come down

Brad, just by the fact that you are asking, leads me to believe you're ready to part ways with it. I think I agree.

Tom

Thats like being asked...
DO you think my wife's purdy?
No good answer!
I'd concentrate on mechanicals & save my $ on the cosmetics
If you ever intend to get a car you LOVE your going to have to save those $ somewhere.
If you think you'd LOVE this car if it was cosmetically all there then fix er up.
Wish I had a good answer.

I'm very wishy washy on the matter. I'll never have enough money to get the kind of car I really want, and I know these old boats aren't getting any easier to come by which makes me think I'd be ahead in the long run if I stick with it. So far all the parts I've bought can be swapped over to another if I decide to give up on the whole thing, so I'm not really putting myself in a hole yet. If it were a coupe or had a big block I'd already have sunk every penny I could borrow into the thing

I'm leaning very much towards doing the chassis rebuild since I have all the parts anyway, and then making a "black bat" of my own. Although I'd keep the bumpers cause there are some real idiot drivers in my neighborhood. I imagine a "black bat" isn't a huge investment beyond the drivetrain

I already have a non-working headlight and half disconnected brakes which puts me part way there

You should try to get at the caprice over on 140 across from roche brothers in norton. That car sat all summer '09, the winter, and this summer, maybe he will consider letting it go for cheap. Plus i believe it comes with two sets of rims(monte ss and some donkers) and some xtra parts. Sell your car to some high school kid so he learns early on in life, and use the money to get in on it. plus you can sell the xtra b/s that comes with it. all you need is the basics.

Didn't the guy want like 3k for that car originally?

Right now I have $120 in my bank account so it'd be hard to find something within my budget at this very moment

I could raise money by selling off my steering/suspension parts, but if I do that then there's a good chance I'll get out of the b-body game all together

its hard to say then. i would stick with it then, turn it around for a possible profit later

When I'm done with cars there's no profit Best I ever had was a small loss. Usually when I'm done with a car the buyer has 2 options, bring a trailer or burn it here.

Finally got pics for everyone. Don't view while your eating or you may lose your appetite. It became quite obvious why my windshield cracked after I pulled the vinyl up. By the way these were taken after I cleaned out all the debris with a screwdriver and a magnet.

man...that pillar sure is in rough shape.

There was an 84 delta 88 2 door with a rod knock posted on CL last night...
Solid body, frame and interior.

I called the guy this afternoon to go pick it up and he already sold it!!! He was only asking 345!

Such a bummer

I'm going to try and find a boxy at a junkyard that's willing to let me cut up a car. Then I'll cut out a clean pillar and the corner of the roof and have it grafted in. That should knock down the price of the repair a bit. The roof is fine, but better to have more steel than not enough.

I think you should just buy this and start fresh...

http://boston.craigslist.org/bmw/cto/1896560721.html

one hell of a deal if the body is as solid as claimed....

Yeah Brad...I would really look into getting something nicer, then you could have a few spare parts and scrap the old car for 2-300 bucks with the cat converter on it. That's just my honest opinion. Although, I'm unaware as to how much you currently have into the Buick...

That's a good deal. My car had a perfect landau roof too


Ya never know what lurks beneath