Wanted.... Almost any muscle car...

[94"Che-rolet"Z34]

I've been searching forever for ther right muscle car to restore. ive got an entire summer to kill and a job that pays well and takes up only my mornings... tonz of free time. so, im looking for a muscle car for around a grand-ish...i know this is next to impossible to get a decent car for this price... but, im looking, and willing to possibly pay more. I just need something to restore and fulfill my dreams... top 5 im looking for: Challenger, Cuda, 442/cutlass, chevelle, boss/mach 1 mustang... i know its kinda out there, but im still trying. i live in northern illinois, but, i am willing to travel to some extent. any feedback is appreciated. thanx!

[462cid]

OK, a few things-

1) A muscle car for a grand...and you want to kill time. If your motivation isn't you want like holy hell to have one, and unless you're interested in restoration and willing to learn skills you may not have...may I suggest another hobby? Frustration and project burnout are real things, and if you only *think* you want this project, you're going to be stuck with a hulk of a car that you don't want, and may have trouble getting rid of

2) Decide on what you want. Trust me on this. Do not just get any old car. Make your decision now, or at least before you start seriously looking to buy. Do not get a car you only think you want- it will end up being the worst thing you've ever done. You'll hate doing the work, you'll put it off, and you'll do it half assed if it's a car you don't want. Pick the car you can reasonably get on your personal taste. make a list of say the top three- such as- 1) 1970 Torino GT 2) '70 'Cuda 3) '69 GTO. Then see what you can get. Research your choices too. What's hard to get concerning parts? If the 1970 Torino is known for frame problems, you want to know where to look. If the '70 'Cudas are known for trunk rot, know this before you buy.

3) 1,000 dollars...will get you either a project car, as in "rolling chassis" that doesn't run, or a rusty POS. Do yourself a favor- buy a complete, solid rust-free car that needs work, not a full frame off restoration as a first project. You'll burn yourself out fast. On the subject of money- take whatever you think you'll spend in money and time, and triple it. I've been doing this since '89, driving a musclecar as a daily driver. I know how the money goes, beleive me

4) Check your local laws concerning registration. For example- Arizona makes you pass ridiculous emission standards, even in 36 year old cars that don't have emissions controls except for a PCV valve and a vapor return line. Don't have any legal surprises

5) You need more than some money, time, and a car. You need tools, and you need a place to work. A guy in my car club was forced by the local police to get rid of a car on his property that wasn't an eyesore- it was just outside

6) When you get your car, before you do anything (or maybe even before you get a car, if you know 100% what you will buy)-
get the chassis manuals, the assembly manuals, and dealer parts books for the car. They are available, reprinted, or on e-bay. Get tools, too- a 50 buck craftsman toolkit is a good start- but it won't do 50% of what you need. I never have enough tools, I probably have 2 grand in tools and I always, always need this particular stubby wrench, or I need to heat up and bend that wrench to make a custom tool, etc, etc

7) once you know what you want, join a car club. I know a guy with a '70 GTO. He joined a GTO club when he got the car. It cost 50 bucks. he has saved more than 4 times that with the wealth of knowledge the club provides. Personally, I have a 1970 Buick GS455 clone, and I'm in a Buick club. I saved 800 dollars in engine parts last summer because a vendor was having a club-only sale. My club dues are 35 bucks a year

8) Similarly, find a website that caters to your particular car. This site is OK, but trust me, there are better muscle car forums that cater to particular breeds

9) get somebody who knows about the car you want to look at, to go with you to look at whatever car it is you want. If and when you buy, bring cash. Do not put it all in the same pocket. Have a buddy with you. Don't agree to the price unless it really is a deal- and there's never been a deal for a buyer on the seller's mind. If the owners says 3 grand, produce the 2 grand in your pocket (if you feel safe flashing cash there- if not, why did you go there to see the car in the first place?) and say you can give him 2 grand in cash. If he says, "no, 3 grand", you say "excuse me, I need to talk to my friend". You go talk, and you reach into another pocket (or better, he does, you gave him some of your money to hold beforehand), and get another 500 IF YOU REALLY REALLY want the car- and then say your buddy just "lent" you 500, and that's all you have, but you'll buy it now. If he says "no", LEAVE right away. Don't get suckered, there are more cars out there

10) understand that you probably won't pull off a resto in a single summer on a car that is only 1000 dollars, right up front


Old cars are fun, but they require some effort. Go for it if you really, really want it. If not, go buy a 5 or six year old used 'Vette and enjoy your summer at the beach

[94"Che-rolet"Z34]

i really appreciate the feedback, but i already know all this. im ready to accept it. im not an average teenager. im dedicated, motivated, intelligent, and ready and more than willing to dive into a difficult task. i love a challenge. i dont mind the frustration so much and am willing to meet the challenge. i know this is the hobby for me. i already do all the work on my own cars as is. i just need an awesome muscle car now to show off the full extent of my abilities. i have done things to my current car(94 chevy lumina z34) that my uncles laughed when i said i was doing it and then the entire time they were "helping" me they kept asking when i wanted them to call the wrecker. needless to say i proved them wrong. and, i know exactly what i want, but im open to consider almost anything. for me, its not the car, its the potential the car has for me to make it look good. it doesnt necessarily have to be the best looking car ever. ive already accepted the fact that im going 110% on this to make it that much better. im just trying to scope out what is out there and find something that may interest me. and i realize that a grandish im prbly only going to get a rolling chassis. im looking for something that needs a lot of work. anybody can take a good body and drivetrain and make it look good. this car is meant to me a testament to my abilities. prove that all my talk is actually more than just talk. and i already know what im talking about(ill admit i dont know everything, but i know a considerable amount) and i have numerous others who know a lot more than i. so, i appreciate your concern, but im aware of the circumstances and im not taking this personally. i understand what most of my generation is capable, or in this instance, not capable of doing. and im just saying that im not the norm. and already have done considerable research. so, thanks for the feedback!

[PeteRR]

462 has given you a lot of good advice. Let me add a little more. You won't find an e-body(Challenger, Cuda) for a $1k. The bare shell cars in decent shape are going for $3500 and up. As a group, they are the highest price Mopars out there. You can still get reasonably priced B and A bodies if you look.

If you want it as a project car, expand your horizons. Look for any '60s two door, so your resale value will be at least decent. I almost bought this '62 Pontiac Catalina for a $1k. It needed some work on the rocker panels, one fender, and the chrome needed to be redone. It came with a 389 big block and otherwise was a sweet car. I didn't have the room or time to make it worthwhile for me.

This is the kind of car you need to look for.

[94"Che-rolet"Z34]

i know all of this, im not your average i talk about cars, but know nothing. i know what i want, i know what im looking for, i know that im not going to get a challenger, im just telling ppl what kind of cars im interested in in an attempt to tell them what im looking for. i really appreciate your thoughts and concerns, but im willing to make the commitment and realize what its going to take, ive grown up around cars and always loved them. i was just trying to figure out if anyone knew of any for sale in the northern illinois area, not a lecture on what i want, dont want, or wont be able to do... but thanx anyway.

[462cid]

Originally Posted by 94"Che-rolet"Z34

i know all of this, im not your average i talk about cars, but know nothing. i know what i want, i know what im looking for, i know that im not going to get a challenger, im just telling ppl what kind of cars im interested in in an attempt to tell them what im looking for. i really appreciate your thoughts and concerns, but im willing to make the commitment and realize what its going to take, ive grown up around cars and always loved them. i was just trying to figure out if anyone knew of any for sale in the northern illinois area, not a lecture on what i want, dont want, or wont be able to do... but thanx anyway.

Don't take this the wrong way, OK?

"Lecture" my ass Those weren't lectures. Don't get pissed, but that's a laugh to say you've been getting lectured. You asked for any input and you got it

Now this, this may just be a lecture:

You're new to the hobby, and you have a know-it-all attitude from the git-go. I'm sure I did when I started doing this at 17, too. But since 1989, I figured out I still don't know as much as I could about only one single car- the same car, not just the same year and make

If you're so on-the-ball with old cars, why'd you post? I'll tell you why- you are 100% sure you're sure about old cars you want, but you'd like to get confirmation you're right about it

Everyone does whatever they want to, no matter what the advice is, OK, but you asked for input, and there it is

If you wanted to ask for old cars for sale, you should have asked for old cars for sale. You didn't though. If you don't like "lectures" you got in reply, you should have just asked the qustion you wanted answered, instead of what you asked for, right?

Now listen, you're not gonna like this, but read it anyway- stop thinking you know everything and realise you only think you do. Why do I say that?

Because this website, in all honesty, is not a good resource for musclecars. If you had really checked the car out you wanted to the nines, you wouldn't be here, because it's easy to find websites with forums devoted to different brands and makes of cars, especially muscle cars.

I'm not mad at you or anything, but c'mon now. With Google or Yahoo and 5 minutes of spare time, I could be a member at a dozen muscle car specific forums, asking folks who actually own the cars for advice. I sure's hell wouldn't be here if I was new to the hobby, this isn't a great forum for a new guy, which is why I was attempting to help

Now then. I now understand you want to simply decide on a car. What makes you want the cars on your list? You like their looks? Their reputation? Your uncles/Dad/Older brothers had them? What is the reasoning?

I ask because there are many more types of muscle car out there than the good old Chevelle/Nova/442/GTO 'Cuda/Challenger/AMX Mustang/Torino gang. Cars like the Spoiler II, Dan Gurney Special, GS455 Stage 1, Comet, Chevy II, Marauder, Wildcat, Riviera GS, Rebel Machine, Road Runner, etc, etc, etc.

I'm a Buick guy. Buick made some of the best muscle cars made, although to this day folks don't want to hear it. The 1970 Buick GS455 Stage 1 was capable of a 13.38 second 1/4 mile at 105 mph in 1970, and the Stage II was faster still

As an example of the type of website you need to check out isntead of this one on your quest for the car that's right for you, I submit the website I'm usually on, and the one a lot of my club members go to- www.V8Buick.com

That's a taste of what types of expertise you should be referring yourself to

.

[94"Che-rolet"Z34]

ok, sorry if i sounded pissed off. im not. and i realize that those are not the only cars, thats why i said i would consider them all. but generally, i go for the looks, or the potential i see for originality or uniqueness... so, im sorry for the confusion and misconception, im not pissed off, and i know i dont know everything... one reason for wanting one. to learn more. i know i dont know everything and im never ever going to say i am. so, sorry if anything got taken the wrong way. and i really do appreciate your input... just that i was more just looking for cars...

[462cid]

I think right now I'd recommend a Mopar. I've done some small amount of work on one or two, and some things on Mopars just make sense- like the front suspension. I love my Buick, but I know of a POS '69 Super Bee AND a '70 Dart that isn't in great shape, either- and both, even after being hit, have doors that close smoothly, with no effort, and line up with the body lines beautifully. They seem a snap to work on. I can pick up a 727 automatic- it's so light. The rear ends have a system that makes gear change easy. Plus, with a 340, 383, or a 440, they screw. You don't need the Hemi to go fast. a 383 is a great street motor, as is the 440. The 340 is a little monster, too. Get a '70 Dart, stuff the right K frame and 440 in it, and go burn the tires off

[BleedDodge]

What 462cid said exactly.

[94"Che-rolet"Z34]

mopar is what i would love... if i have any luck at all thats what im gonna be getting.

[PeteRR]

Originally Posted by 94"Che-rolet"Z34

mopar is what i would love... if i have any luck at all thats what im gonna be getting.

I'll keep an eye out when I'm working out West. You'll have to come pick it up though.

[94"Che-rolet"Z34]

im more than willing to travel... thanx!

[462cid]

Pete-

gotta say that '68 looks badass. Nice job

[72GTO]

94"Che-rolet"Z34.. When i was 16, just got my lisence i baught a 72 GTO. Yujh you are all probaly asking why a 72? Personally I been in love with GTO's for like soo long. but anyways im almost 18 now. im getting the engine rebuilt now, still need to do so much work to it, its taking me time, need to pay for the current daily driver, gas, parts etc.. Its a hassle i didnt know what i was getting into when i 1st baught it but what im trying to say is going with a car that you love. Dont just pick any car. Start reading up on Muscle cars, find what intrests you. Dont just jump the gun on any muscle car you see. pick a car out and look around and wait until you find what fits you.

but anyways good luck with it man.

[PeteRR]

Originally Posted by 462cid

Pete-

gotta say that '68 looks badass. Nice job

Thanks. It took me 4 years, and more money than I like to think about, to get it to where it is now. I've still got a bunch more to do to it.

BTW, it's in the July 2005 issue of CarCraft.