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1970 Plymouth Satellite


Harmless

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"Oh benttech, you've restored two classic cars, any good advice?"

"Yea, one golden rule: triple your budget and your projected time frame at the MINIMUM."

"Oh har har har, I thought you'd say something practical, I already have everything planned out to a T, I hope to be done in three months"

"We'll see"

Months or years later when I see the dudes who started their project cars I ask what happened, most after a few years gave up and sold it, one guy finished his ride but put in FIVE TIMES more than he wanted, from 6 to 30K, the rest never even started and just keep their rides rusting in their garage.

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When I was ~13, my dad purchased a running '55 Chevy Nomad to restore, then sell to pay for my college tuition. He finished the car 15 years after I graduated, and he was a professional. Granted, after working on other people's crap all day long, most nights he did not feel like working on his own.

He spent more on restoration than planned, but then again, the value of the car went up almost 400% during the 25 years that he was "working" on it.

As others have said, kiss your money and free time goodbye!

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

As birthdays go, today has probably been the best. This will be my car after i put in some TLC.

So has anyone else every restored a car? Any pointers to begin with?

Take allot of photos, start a notebook/logbook with details of wiring, small parts etc. Keep parts organized and labeled. Sit down and build a plan WITH a budget. Be realistic in your plans and expectations.

Questions. "This WILL be my car AFTER I put in some TLC" as in it is NOT yours now? Get the title before you put any money into it. Or, have some sort of written contract. If it is family, then sort out the details now, with some due dates.

Do you have a space for this project to "Live In" for a few years?? If not , don't take it on.

Have fun, if you can do it with your Dad, Brother, Mom , best friend, it will be even more memorible.

What makes you think you will stick with it? Realistic? Do you stay on point?

I have a "Project" car, I have had since I was in grade school. No, really , it is now 82 years old

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It all depends on what you mean by restore.

Body off rebuild all the way up? Or a paint job to get on the road now and then some mods later?

Does it run? Needs a rebuild sooner? Or later? Upholstery?

Not knowing any of those variables. I would put a decent paint job on it now since the body looks pretty good and the rust will start if not sealed. Everything else can be managed ( as long as it's not body off, frame up resto.) a piece at a time with your budget.

Great looking car btw and Happy Birthday.

The three cars I have started to restore......well I never finished any of them, but I did make money on all of them. Not a lot but enough to take a little sting out of not finishing.

It has also been years since I have had a car capable garage.

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car has a new motor, trans. only rust i found on the car was on the floor pan and tad bits on front and rear bumpers. seems like the car was painted before it was stored if that means much. pieced the doors backs together but still missing the locks. also started repairing the dash. new gas tank to be installed tomorrow.

hoping the car starts within the next year.

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never done a car, but I have a few vintage motorcycles under my belt.

1) Take pictures of EVERYTHING! - especially any parts that are going to be painted.

2) remember to plug any threaded holes before painting

3) buy electrical tape and zip ties by the crate

4) anything that will get over 150 degees - seriously consider ceramic coating over paint or powder coat. It's a little pricier but very worth it,

5) like they said abve, triple your budget!

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sorry, Harmless. I suppose I was not at all helpful. Probably my unresolved emotional issues related to a 1971 Cadillac Eldorado I bought 25 years ago with $1K and big plans. If nothing else, I did right in getting rid of it after about a year.

the convertible top was stuck in the down position after the electric motor failed and that seriously hastened the demise. it was fun to cruise to school all winter with hats, scarves and the "climate control" cranked up as hot as it would go. bought it from a retired admiral and found a fifth of bombay gin under the seat the day I bought it. bonus.

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I bought a 68 "Stang from my vet in 1991. He was the second owner and the car had 47K miles on it. I recently had it repainted to match the color the blue had faded to and the engine worked on-it had a massive fuel leak and the carburetor was crap.....it cost about $5K to have someone else work on it

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Did not restore it but modified the hell out of it.

Bought an empty body and frame of a 1954 CJ 3B Jeep, sandblasted all of it. there was no running gear or springs --nothing. Added late model Dana 30 series front end and a built my own rear end from a 67 Jeep Wagoneer, shortened the one long side so I could make a center drive rear end, bought a new Dana transfer case mated it to a Ford Truck T-98 Tranny. Had the two drivelines built to my drawings at a local driveline shop. Dropped in a LT-1 Chevy small block V-8 with special goodies so it had around 300-350 HP. Used a Ford Tbird power steering box, a tilt steering wheel from a Chevy Elcamino, converted the thru the floor clutch and Brake system to a Swinging Pedal style mounted to the firewall, that was from a stick shift Pontiac. Had the radiator made to my drawing for proper cooling, Speedometer was out of a Jaguar, Seats were from a Ford Fairlane 500, tailights from a Chevy Vega, and heater was taken from a older Chevy passenger car, modified to fit the small mounting area.

Anyway -- lot of work, 3-4 X more than I thought. Sure ran great and was very scary fast. Sold it a couple of years ago.:biggthump

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