gem rotting

[classicfan1]

A first gen Thunderbird is rotting away untouched and covered up and I want it so bad. How should my approach be? What of offer should I give? Should I let it be?

This car is sitting in the driveway at a house in a neighborhood that my bus used to go on. I saw it for a long time without the front end covered up. I know it's a first gen Thunderbird because even though it was stripped clean, the empty fenders and panels gave it away, plus the body lines under the tarp. I can see the port hole when the wind blows. After a windstorm, the owner covered the hole car. There was a guy acrosss the street from him that had an Edsel, but he sold it-DARN! A guy down the street from there also has about 3 or 4 garaged Classics. Most look like '58--'62 Impalas though, but I'm not sure.

Please help me! I want this car to be this again:

:auto

 

[gbhrps]

classicfan1,
First you need to do some homework .... on yourself. Say that you buy the car. Where would you store it? Where will you work on it? How much do you think it will cost to totally restore the car? How long are you willing to wait before you get to drive the car? Who will rebuild the engine and tranny? Who is going to do all of the body panel replacement, body straightening, prep and paint? And the list goes on.

Can you afford it? One of these little birds can top $ 100 000 in restoration costs alone, depending on who does the work. Yes, you can restore one for a lot less, but you should count on spending at least $35 000 to $40 000, and that doesn't include the original cost of the car. It can take years for a restored car to finally appreciate to the point where you break even.

Your best bet is to find the best small bird that has already been restored, that is in your price range and work from there. Too many people get caught up in the emotion and buy a car to restore, only to end up years later selling the unfinished project, and taking a big loss.

I don't want to throw a wrench into your dreams, but you need to do a lot of research. Join a TBird Club, get to know the experts who REALLY know what they are talking about. Not the guy down the block who knows a guy whose father had a friend, who used to know a guy who owned one.

When you've acquired an knowledgeable TBird guru who'll steer you straight, take him with you to look at the car. Only then will you know whether the car is restorable, if its all there, or whether you should pass.

You'll also by then have a better idea of what it should cost you to buy it. In the meantime, check out the TBirds and parts for sale on eBay, as well as the website for AmosMinter in Dallas/Fortworth. He's a TBird restoration specialist and his website has tons of TBirds (and prices) for drooling on.

Good Luck!