Having just joined the forum everyone can guess that we (Father & Son) are contemplating a restoration project. You see my son is going on 15 and half (25) and it's about time to look for him a car.
The boy has been pining over american muscle cars for years now. He doesn't want any foriegn stuff, just old american steel and muscle. So 3 weeks ago his mom and him are running errands and he see's this 1968 Oldsmoble Cutlass 4 door up for sale. We finally called about it yesterday.
She is still road worthy and priced at 3K. Seats are in good shape, carpet is trashed. Enterior all together seems to be sound and original. The trunk is solid with only minor surface rust on aged scratches inside the truck. It wouldn't take long to knock the rust off the scratches, prime thema and then repaint the trunk with trunk paint. Hopefully with a color that matches the original. The truck lid is showing internal rust through the holes in the supports. I have no idea what to do about that since it's not an area that you can get to. But there are no holes in the trunk or lid at all.
Engine compartment has seen some black spray paint. But the original L6 resides with 132K miles on it. Started right up and sounded smooth with a hint of exhaust manifold leak and a vacuum leak. Leaky valve cover gasket needs some attention and the spark plug wires look like they are original, although I doubt it. The entire compartment needs a good steaming then I'd tackle the gasket, plugs, wires, hoses and belts. Which should set it up pretty well after a tune up. Sanding and painting the inside of the compartment as needed.
Enterior, the carpet has to go. I think most of the odor is in that carpet. Found new molded carpet already in the original color as well. Pull the seats, clean them. Pull the carpet and check flooring for rust. Take care of any rust with sanding primer and a good coating of what? Maybe bed liner material? Install new carpet and then set to cleaning the enterior. Found the new headliner material as well, but I can't remember if it's needed.
So that's the list after looking at the vehicle for the first time. And it's not even bought yet. So what else should I be checking BEFORE I do buy it? I plan on taking it for a test drive and putting it up on a rack so I can check the under carriage for rust on the floors and frame. If that all looks good then I'll have them check the engine compression and such and let me know how that looks.
If all is well then I'll drive it back and make an offer of 2K and let him talk me up to 2.5. He told me he paid 4K for it 3 years ago and I doubt that he's done a darn thing to it since.
Worst of it all is that someone painted the car, white over white. The paint looks a good 8th inch thick! No rust though and the magnet attaches to everything I thought to stick it too.
I need some advice on this. We are capable with tools, I have worked on our family cars (maintenance) and I woodwork. So tools and me get along fairly well. Painting a car is beyound me though. Interior, motor and such I can work on, although I wouldn't take on rebuilding a motor without some assistance.
The fact that it's a 4 door, L6 engine really intriques me as it's something I have not seen restored on the internet anywhere.

Thank you
F&S

 

Gotta love father son projects. I am a furniture maker myself Glad to see you guys are looking at Oldsmobiles.
Unfortunately I think 3 grand is too much, especially for a 4 door.
All of the money that you are going to put into the car fixing it will end up being 10 times what it will ever be worth in my opinion. If your son really loves it and promises not to wreck it and keep it for a long time, I'd say go for it. BUT... Things change in life, especially for someone his age, and he might not like it in 3 or 4 years. Depends what kind of kid you have there. I have had my first car since I was 15 and still have it now at 25. I have gotten so mad at it while fixing it that I have almost junked it 2 or 3 times. Not to mention the fact that I get reamed $450 a month for gas driving it everyday. Kids love to cruise. You gotta make him understand the gravity of the situation he is about to step into. It's like having a kid at 15 years old when getting an old car like that.

 

$1500 is the MOST I would offer for it. You didn't say where you are from, but out here in California those cars are still readily available. Sedans are not worth beans after the 1950's early 1960's models. It might have "cool" factor if it was really low miles and completely original, like some old man owns it and has kept in it a garage, but from what you described, this one sounds like a dog.

I would pass on it for now and keep looking. Dime to a doughnut it will still be there if you don't find anything in a few weeks.

 

I gotta go along with J and MM on this one.

You can buy a car with a hellufa lot more potential for 3k, especially in the midwest or south.

Jeff

 

I agree with the other posts.....a 4dr is so not cool in my book and money spent would never be recouped. Most 4dr cars are turned into parts cars. A L-6 engine is also so not cool in my book and especially for a kid. The price also seems way high.....I imagine this car was for sale for a long time or will be for sure. Look for a 2dr Cutlass 67 to 72....parts are becoming more available and most of the small block v8 parts are still able to be had off the shelf.

 

I have to go with the other guys as well. Even though I am a 4 door lover. If your son likes 4 doors then he should look into a full sized car. You can get a 98 or 88 that is a 4 door hardtop. They are much cooler than ANYTHING else (except maybe a station wagon). The inline 6 is a decent little motor but probably wouldn't move that Cutlass very well. If you can get the owner down to $1800 or $2000 then it might be worth it. Plus, if you eventually decide to put a 455 in it with a SHOT OF STEROI... er I mean... NITROUS, then it would be an ultimate sleeper if done right. The comments the other guys made have merit. You might want to keep looking. Post some pics though, maybe it is a diamond in the rough.

 

If he's into muscle cars, hold out for a two door.

 

Thank you for all of your replies. And I've been doing more homework online and see the merits of all of your comments. Specially when comparing the 2dr issue to 4dr.
I'm going to put up another post that is related but different than this one.

Thanks again

 

If you could find a plain vanilla Cutlass, say 1970, 71 or 72, no accessories but good condition, that would be the ticket. Fix 'er up and most people wouldn't be able to tell if it was a 442, W30, Hurst or just plain vanilla, to most, they all look the same. Nice wheels and tires, nice paint, hefty small block with headers, viola! you've got American Muscle!!!

 

if hes just lookin for some american muscle i would go with the late 70's to late 80's cutlass supreme 2 doors. you can still find most parts for them like floor shifters and bucket seats in the junkyards and parts are still readily available in most part stores.
Not to mention that if you can get a v6 they can get up to 20 mpg. Plus they are still small enough to get around the city easily. But beware of the V8s if you are just concerned about fuel consuption, i have headers dual 2 1/2 inch exhaust and an out of tune quadrajet and i get an average of 7 mpg. currently i am paying more for gas than rent...

 

Then I would say the culprit is the out of tune Quadrajet, you should get better than 7mpg.

 

I'll second the "just plain vanilla" car.

 

BTW just read your post about the car coming out of paint after two years, nice looking. It reminds me of my '72 Cutlass S only I had it painted root beer brown with the same stripe configuration.

 

and yes i ordered a book to tune my quadrajet... its coming in the mail

 

don't pick this one up...I once had the opportunity to pick up a '68 4 door in about as good of shape as you described for $300.00, but I passed because I don't like the 4 doors.

 

Thanks. I hadn't really planned on the stripes but the paint guy suggested they'd look good. Aside from those and the 4v and duals she's pretty pain jane.