carscheles

DH won a contest and he's getting his 1973 442 restored by Funkmaster Flex. He'll be calling us this week to find out what we want to do to the car. Since we may end up selling it, can you give opinions of what we should ask for that would keep the value up?

We have 2 months to get all the work done and the budget is $50,000. Right now it's in fair shape. There will be some minor body work and pretty much a whole interior overhaul.

We're wondering if we should try to have it restored with original parts? Or should we have it customized with bling tires/rims, NOS, custom paint? What are buyers looking for in a 442?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Oldsguy

I have seen their show. I don't like their taste in how to do a car but this is what it will have changed for positive. At least 20's, at least 500 watts of power in a new sound system, custom interior with loud colors, custom paint with loud colors, and anything that comes from sponsors (i.e. engine upgrades, tire/wheels, electronics etc.) These shows are really nothing but free half hour or hour advertisements by the sponsors so expect that. They won't restore the car and you might even end up with a chevy crate engine in it. As for value, I am sure someone will buy it when it's done, just not me.
BTW, true 442 collectors won't touch it.

carscheles

I think that you may be getting Flex confused with Exhibit from Pimp My Ride.

Flex likes old school American muscle cars. He has done a lot of tasteful restorations for celebritys. He even did a car for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Here is some of his work - http://www.massconcerts.com/graphics...arshow2003.htm

http://www.teambaurtwell.com/customtruck.htm

He only has 2 months to finish it because it will be unveiled at the SEMA show in Las Vegas. DH and sons will be there for the unveiling. It should be fun.

We're planning on keeping the car for a while but it's a lot more car then we need.

So any advice would be appreciated.

carscheles

Just wanted to add that the sponser of this contest is Castrol. I don't think that it would be in the least bit crazy for them to put in very high proformance parts.

Oldsguy

You know, you are right I did confuse the two. I remember seeing some of his stuff now. I still think you best bet would be to request stuff as close to OEM or original as possible. All Oldsmobile stuff for sure, no chevy crate engines. Ask for him to have Terry at FCR Performance to build the motor. You can see Terry's stuff over at Realoldspower.com. Try to get rather a nice custom muscle car job or else a complete restoration which he probably won't do, what's the point if he can't customize it. I would avoid any radical colors, ask for an original paint scheme or at the very least something mildly done that resembles the 442 paint scheme. I am thinking about a Camaro (I think) that Chip Foose did on that show he is on. It was custom but not radical and most non-discriminating consumers could not tell the difference. This helps to increase the possible buyers and you might even get a few purists too. They will probably use body panels and the like (if needed) from Year One. That is a common supplier for muscle car stuff, they are on the web. They will probably want to put bigger tires and wheels on there. Personally, I don't like to see anything much bigger than 18 inch size because then it becomes obvious. The point of having a muscle car from the 70's is to have it look that way at first glance, having 20 inch wheels or bigger is too obvious. Try to get them to manufacture some wheels that look like the SSIIs the were available in the 70's, that would be cool. The will most likely want to put some expensive electronics in there, try to get them to use seperate control heads that have the units in the trunk or someplace hidden, that way, again the thing looks more stock at first glance. I would say avoid video or game systems, the purpose of a car is to drive it not play Xbox games (IMO). Ask for leather interior, it will probably be custom. This is really turning out to be the way I would do it. I hope other peole chime in as my opinion is like.........well you know, we all have one and they are all different.


http://www.chipfoose.com/gallery.aspx?LinkID=tn7

texasred

How about some SS-II style Billet wheels?

http://www.streetsmartclassics.com/p...2-3d/index.htm

C.J.

carscheles

Here's a picture of the car and the wheels on it. I'm not sure if this is the type of wheel you were talking about?

carscheles

What do you think about the engine? Right now it has a 4 bbl 325 (? I believe) Rocket. Should we ask him to do a 455?

I was reading for the 1973, what made it a 442 was actually the add on options (w-29 package). Should we ask for all of those -

Hood louvers
FE2 suspension (not sure what that means)
442 special 4 slat grilles
442 paint stripes and emblems

I don't even know what paint colors are original for that year. We may not get a choice on the paint though because it might wind up being "Castrol Green".

Right now it has tweed-like bench seats (I believe they're original). We were thinking about asking for the bucket seats. Any opinions on that?

Thanks for taking the time to answer.

Oldsguy

I think you will end up with a car with as many options as they can afford and find. Those you listed are good and you should ask for them all. I like the torque from a 455 and would ask for it if it were my car but the 350's are great too and they really can perform in a little Cutlass. Tell them you want it to be a real "MUSCLE" car and hopefully they will concentrate on those kind of things. Definitely loose the bench seat, ask for buckets with the factory type center console, they aren't cheap now. Good luck.

carscheles

Thanks for all of your help.