Originally I posted this in the General section, but I think this is a better place to ask these questions.

https://picasaweb.google.com/noeatno...eat=directlink

^ My car.

It runs, and drives. Front end feels sketchy, brakes feel sketchy. All of that I can fix myself without much problem.

Cosmetically, the car needs a LOT of work. Body is mostly straight, there are a couple spots where the bondo is cracking. (I can do body-work myself. I'll probably take it down to the metal and lead-fill it...) But the interior is TRASHED.

The major questions is this: What should this car look like when I get done? I don't have a big budget, just a decent knowledge of cars and repairs, a decently stocked shop at my house, and a lot of time on my hands.

I have a few modern touches I've considered, such as disc conversion, rack/pinion, etc.

I don't really have the money or the desire to factory restore, or make this into a show car. I'm considering trying to go with a retro-mod feel, something like you might see in the late-mid 70s, when a young guy might have gotten a car and modded it.

Anyone who was a young guy during that time know what you would have done to the car? What were common mods in that period? What would you have done with the car cosmetically, if it was in bad shape? Decals? Paintschemes/paint types? Cosmetic bolt-ons?

I have lots of ideas, but I need some imput. Satin black with big tires in the back? Mad Max? Looking for something kind of rough and DIY here, but not ugly.

Positive/Negative comments welcome. Can't hurt my feelings.

 

First off, that's a nice looking car. pretty sharp for a 4 door.

Secondly, I don't think the interior looks that bad. Id spend a weekend cleaning and scrubbing it out.

If you are on a limited budget, I would focus only on the mechanical parts of the car. New set of shocks, replace any loose front end parts, maybe do a disk brake swap on the front. Look in to doing the Jeep Grand Cherokee Steering gear swap. If the engine is in decent shape, give it a full tune up and leave it.

In between upgrades you can work on the body.

all of these things can be done for not much cash while still keeping the car drivable.

 

I would work on the brake system and steering first. What ever it takes to make it safe. If its safe, you'll be able to enjoy the car much more.

As far as cosmetics go, I like the idea of satin black off set by sparkally chrome! As far as what I remember what they did back in the day.....Jack'em up high in the back with big tires. Dual exhaust with chrome tips. Hey, maybe some mud flaps and side pipes..... Open up a JC Whitney catalog when you have a chance. I lot of guys would have done that back in the day.

I applaud your efforts to do this yourself. Go out and have some fun.

 

Thanks Shizzy. I might do that. I think the pictures do it more justice than it deserves, but I might be shocked by a good cleaning.

don71 - Yeah. Safety first. That is top priority, of course. I just kinda take it for granted, cause it should be a one or two evening fix. I love your idea about JC Whitney and big back tires. I remember my dad perusing the JC catalog in the 80's.

 

Update:

Got the car running. It is purring like a kitten now. The handling surprised me, it really is quite tolerable. Not NEARLY as much wobble as I remember; in fact, it's pretty much tight, for how old it is. Not more than a half-inch or so of play in the wheel, and it's holding true in corners. It's holding oil consistently, not leaking at ALL so far as I can tell. Has lots of power!

The suspension is trashed.

It's leaking water.

As stated before, the interior and exterior are trashed.

 

Young guy, first car, early 80's?

Jack up the rear at least 4", install too-wide tires on cheap Cragar rims. Single glasspack exiting before muffler.

Remove perfectly working factory carb, install Holley 600 with lightest spring in the secondaries. Cheap chrome air cleaner to suck in hot underhood air. Noisy flex fan is a must too.

Remove a/c compressor "to save weight", hacksaw the hoses off at the condenser and evaporator.

Remove stock radio, hack unmolested dashboard to install Craig brand am/fm/cassette. Cut door panels for 6x9 speakers. Extra points if you bolt an equalizer booster amp under the dash.

That about sums up my recollection of "early 80's first hot rod".

I'd say just drive it and do whatever makes you happy.

 

71403 Haha. Sounds like you did lots of cutting holes in things. I'm leaving the stock radio in it, but I'm ripping out the interior, it's torn to hell and groady beyond repair.

I'm thinking about doing cherry bombs and side-pipes exiting before the back wheels, big back tires, flipping the OEM air intake lid, looking for some Cragar rims, some cheap driving lights, and see if I can find some old decals for the rear windows.

That sound about right? =P

 

Nice post sedan!
Make it safe, then drive it till it drops. You have lots of what appears to be really good original sheet metal that's not all rotted out. Sand it down and throw on a Maaco special. Tear out the interior and redo. Surprisingly not that expensive if you use the existing material as templates for new going in. I'd probably pop for new carpet and upholstery, but your call.

The interior dash picture actually looks impressively clean and survivor material. What's the mileage? I'd say you have a darn nice driver there.

 

Well, the odo says 33k. I'm thinking it its 133k.

The dash is surprisingly usable. It has some cracks on the top, but nothing I can't live with.

I used to do exotic car interiors, so I'll build my own door trim panels, and possibly interior quarter panels. Headliner and carpet will probably be equipment coating, but we'll see.

Thanks for the compliment! I really like the car. Most people who see it seem to think it is junk.

 

Its so ugly, its cool looking ...i know its old post (i'm new) what did you do with it? drive um as is, show cars own you, its more fun to own the car !!

 

I drove it as a daily driver for a while, and then sold it.