I bought my car around 2001. A friend saw it at a gas station and called me. I ran down to look at it. The mechanic on site only wanted $600 for it as it sat with it's 350/350 combo, big dents in the door and rear quarter, drums all around and out of tune carb. I quickly paid him and drove it home in tears from it running rich. Not shortly after getting it home, I decided to try my hand at a frame off. I bought an engine lift, cinder blocks and 4x4 timbers to do it with. I sprayed some rust protectant on the scuffed up frame (don't ask what it was because it didn't work and I will have to redo it. Lesson learned.) I installed BMR rear suspension & front and rear sway bars. Around 2 years ago, I put it in bodyshop jail. The guy was supposed to pull the dents out, repair rust and put it in primer. Well, long story short, I am now learning to do bodywork, rust repair and painting primer. I had the opportunity to go to Goodguys Nashville in June. My mindset was changed when I saw an early K5 Blazer with 4 friends in it. The truck looked like a regular truck with a foot long cancer hole in the rockers, everyday interior and some 18" or 20" wheels. What struck me was that these dudes didn't care what it looked like because they were just having fun enjoying the ride. With that said, I plan on putting my Cutlass back together to drive to Goodguys Nashville next year. And enjoy the ride.

 

Welcome aboard

Maybe joining here will save ya so many "lesson Learned'

 

Welcome to CO. I think you probably made a good decision. I believe if you like cars and only have one or two to play with, then you should be able to enjoy it at some point. I cannot comprehend the patience some people have to wait and wait and wait on a five or six year project. I would lose all the excitement. A car should be driven. On the other hand, if you have a half dozen cars already then not being able to drive one of them wouldn't be too bad and worth the wait on the full restoration.

 

Welcome t bell. Yes drivers are the best. I try to drive mine any chance I get as long as the weather is good. I have had some friends go the **** restoration route and their cars became trailer queens or jails. Jails like I had this one friend with a 69 RS SS 396 Camero that was perfect in every way. When he took it to a car show (had to be close or it went on a trailer) he would not let the car out of his site. WHAT A DRAG. Like JAIL. Post some pics as soon as you get enough posts
Rokit

 

Welcome to CO!

I agree - it would be hard to not be able to drive it...
Try doing resto and mods in small chunks, just enough to last through fall and winter so that you can be ready for spring driving! Not sure if that would work for you in your area but I have been doing that here in TX with good results. Luckily I need no body or paintwork on mine and I am sticking to my chat that "the body will stay on the chassis"...

 

yeah that is my goal now to do small stuff that won't leave it sitting up for months. I hung the driver's door and put the trunk on Sunday. That little bit of time, made me feel like I've really accomplished alot. Baby steps. I found my tank, so I may clean it up and install it. Gotta move some stuff around in the garage so I can put my front end together. I may try my hand at replacing the rusted part on my fenders. The brace is also rusted and it will be some metal shaping. Which I have no experience at. We'll see. I may feel inspired one day.

 

I always do the machanics first so I can enjoy the car while working on the body and interiors. More fun that way and it gives me shorter goals

 

Uploaded pics. Here are a few. The rest are in my album. And Zero Rust was the name of the paint that I sprayed the frame with.

 

Wow,
What a clean car.

 

Funny

 

Not much fun to drive when the seats are missing though - I found that out already...

 

In Minnesota that means not much rust. 72's didn't look that good in the early 80's up here.
That looks to be a real solid car!

 

Wow. Sorry Minnesota. It does have it's share of cancer but nothing detrimental.

 

Yes, Tbell. That is a clean looking car and I'm also from Minnesota. I bought my car when I was 18 and living on the western slope of Colorado so mine wasn't very rusty. I had a little bit coming above the wheel openings on the quarters. I foolishly replaced the whole things and had problems with the welded seams. I have been working on it every weekend and got to repaint it this saturday. I think I've got the problem solved. There's no trace of the welds now. I'm tickled now. Actually if you look around where you live, I really think that quarter panel can be saved. I know I'll be more cautious about just cutting into a car again. lol. I may have found a 1969 Chev Nova from Az. with a factory 396 Only problem is a tree fell on it and the roof is damaged.Shhh... Don't tell my wife. I've found over the years that it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission...

 

Amen...