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Well.. hellllloooo there!

N

n_pieces

Member
Hi. I'm Kathy... and my car is in pieces.

I have a 64 1/2 Mustang. Coupe. It was a Christmas gift many years ago and I hated the color. So, I decided to hire someone to paint it. BIG. MISTAKE.
Two 1/2 years later and I haven't driven it anywhere and there seems to be no light at the end of my tunnel. Here are a few pics:

Katascar009.jpg

Katascar010.jpg


those are just 2 of about 100 pics I have of her. My heart isn't so much into the car as it once was... I do have all new panels/tubs/parts for the car and even have a motor sitting at a machine shop ready to be gone through. I belive it's an easy fix for someone who KNOWS what they are doing. A little cutting, welding.. slap on a coat of paint and it'll be done. Not saying it wont be time consuming, I know it will. I've got a quote from Alamo Collision for 13,500 to put it back together and paint it. (Plus additional parts if needed). I'm thinking thats a bit on the high end. For that much I can trash the car and get one thats been (not showroom perfection) restored. I guess I'm here looking for advice. Well.. that and JOE sent me, figured you guys could lead a confused girl in the right direction.

So... who do you use for paint and body work?? I'm willing to put her in the car hauler and drive a few hours out of the way to get QUALITY work done. :)
 
"70_Fastback" said:
Sluggo is in Sugerland. Your problems are solved!
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kinda my thinking as well :)

Glad you got here Kathy.
And like me...she swings both ways...has an 03 Cobra as well :vic
 
Welcome. Your story is not much different than many on here. The one in my sig is going back together now after being apart for 18 years! Once the car starts coming back together, your heart will be back into the car more than ever.
 
$13,500 is quite high IMO to get your car back together.

Do you have any mechanical skills that would allow you do some of the work yourself?


A semi-interested hubby/BF? I see some tool boxes over behind that F150 and a neon Budweiser sign so I assume there's a man around somewhere?


We have another female forum member (who I believe is close to you) that has accomplished quite a lot. Keep in mind that we're RIGHT HERE... almost 24/7 to help you with any aspect of the restoration/assembly process. With a good digital camera.... and the ability to post pictures here.... we can just about build the car for you... with you doing all of the actual work.

If this isn't an option, I'd farm out the things that are the most skill orientated. You shouldn't need to pay someone to install your carpet, but it would be wise to hire a good welder/painter.

Do you have a time-frame in mind when you'd like the car finished?

Houston is a heck of a haul, but worse case scenario.... I may be interested in getting it back together for you.
 
Welcome Kathy! :mou

And from Sugar Land :pbj

We have several very talented ladies here that can give you advice and as luck would have it I'm pretty close to your location.

I'd be more than happy to help you assess the car and steer you in the right direction.
 
Since you asked for help, you are likely going to get a number of opinions and suggestions from the great unwashed masses here on StangFix, this is but one of them. For the most part, the folks here tend to turn their own wrenches and some are even brave enough to tackle welding, bodywork, and paint. With that as a backdrop, the first question is:


What do you want the car to be when you are done? (daily driver, occasional driver, track car, concours trailered show car, custom, etc...)

Next, what kind of budget do you think you can commit to this project? (recognize that with unseen damage and a case or two of "While I'm at it...", initial budgets often get left behind!)

Moving right along, how much of the work are you willing and able to tackle on your own? (Be honest with yourself here, you will need time, space, tools, and some level of skill to tackle the myriad of sub-components that make up your project. Do you have those skills or are you willing to invest the time and effort to acquire those skills?)

Perhaps one of the more difficult questions is: How much attachment do you have to this particular car? As you have already recognized, some projects can easily cost more than the finished project will be worth. So the underlying dilemma sometimes becomes one of financial sanity balancing against the sentimentality of that particular car. Only you can decide if being seriously upside down in a car will be a problem.

In general, if a particular car is desirable (in the resale sense) it becomes somewhat easier to justify spending the resources necessary to get the car to where you want it. Conversely, if a car is of average or below average desirability and condition, it might make more economic sense to find one that is already done the way you want it (or close enough that you can enjoy the car). In this regard, all other factors being equal, there is a pecking order of sorts when it comes to desirability. Generally, coupes are more common (less "rare") than fastbacks and convertibles and usually can be had for less money. When it comes to refurbishing ord restoring a coupe vs a fastback vs a convertible, the cost will be similar so at the end of the day where you might be upside down with a coupe you may be in better shape financially if you started with a fastback or convertible. Bottom line is there is no single right answer, rather it depends on how you value the individual aspects of your project and which mix makes the most sense to you.

Lastly, you have to consider the value of time, being able to drive your completed car now vs. a project car that won't see the road for several years. Contrast this with the hobby aspects of a project car. Will working on it be a pleasure or burden? Will being able to smile with pride and say, "Yes, I restored it myself" be enough of a reward to justify the commitment of time?

If, after consdering the factors touched upon in this post, you decide to pull the trigger on your project car, recognize that collectively the members of this forum have a vast amount of knowledge and expereince that is willingly shared just for the asking. Don't hesitate to take advantage of it, ask questions.
 
Welcome Kathy!! As others have already stated, give us gobs of details and we'll help you screw up your ca......I mean fix your car :ecit
 
I have lived and worked in the auto biz in the Sugar Land, Richmond/Rosenberg area for 28 years. There is but one shop I would refer you to that is capable of doing it to a standard acceptable to me.

There are no "Collision Centers" on that list.

If you are willing to do some of the grunt work and have all the parts already, you can probably finish that car with 4K or less. You can come over and practice welding when Joe and I put his new floors in :lol
 
"joesgt281" said:
Heck yeah!
Oh, and thanks for the new title Sluggo.... :bird
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Wasn't me......I'd check with whomever posted that comment. FWIW, you asked for it. You know where you are!
 
"Sluggo" said:
Wasn't me......I'd check with whomever posted that comment. FWIW, you asked for it. You know where you are!
Click to expand...

haha ok.....true, gotta put the target t-shirt on once in awhile just for the fun of it.
 
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