1970's Auto Restoration Question

[Johnny P]

Front axle in a Mustang?

[lyman]

Front axle in a Mustang?

maybe a control arm, hub or suspension piece?


hard to imagine a Corolla (for that vintage it was probably a 1.8ltr?) getting bad mileage,

we bought a Corolla FX (1986 model) after we got married, and it sipped gas,
good little car,

my 79 Celica (20R, 5 spd, and around 25-26 mpg) and 82 HiLux 4x4 (22RE and 5 spd 22+mpg) did better mileage,

[togor]

Speaking of 1970's vintage Japanese cars,

My driver's test car was a '74 Datsun B210, automatic transmission. As cars go, not a bad one for the parallel parking exam.

Bright sunny day, I'm fired up. Equipment check, lights, wipers, etc. Wipers. The locking ring on the pull-to-activate switch chooses that moment to unscrew completely from the dash, so pushing the knob in does nothing. Got it screwed back together later that day but missed my exam window.

So I'm driving home madder than a volcano, still on my learner's permit, with the wipers mocking me every mile of the way as they squeaked back & forth across a clean dry windshield.

My old man tried, unsuccessfully, to help me keep perspective. He did think it was a little bit funny, a point on which I respectfully expressed my disagreement.

Stuff still goes wrong on cars but overall so much better now.

[Merc]

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This 57 Chevy is completely restored, inside and out and was recently sold for $70K by my friend and neighbor. The buyer is picking it up today. I brokered a deal for the car about 10 years ago. It was completely disassembled on its way to being an off frame restoration when he bought it and finished reassembling it about two years ago. It acquired a 4 speed standard transmission and a 1960 283 C.I. engine somewhere in time, so it’s not completely original. There was lots of rust that was covered with body filler in the rocker and quarter panels that he had to have replaced with fresh panels welded in place plus all new floor pans. The body is as close to factory fresh as possible. Since the engine and transmission are not original, he went a little overboard and had everything chromed including fuel lines, alternator, valve covers, etc. The car would have probably been worth a lot more if it was original but he kept everything that he had to work with. Nice car. I’ll miss it.

[togor]

My neighbor bought a '57 Chev, Robin Egg blue, with some of the insurance money from when one of his children was killed in a MVA. Nice car, he drives it sparingly. Apparently has a way of keeping the rodents out of it. Still, a heck of a way to come by a classic car.

[kj47]

Yes, body filler. That made alot of instant " bodymen" You had to be alert when shopping for used cars.

[Merc]

I was surprised to see all the body parts that are available for old cars.

[Allen]

I was surprised to see all the body parts that are available for old cars.

Yes, on popular models, and no one makes all the parts. If restoring a badly bent or rusted car a donor car is still sometimes needed for certain parts. Often, smaller parts can be fabricated from scratch. All of this adds up quickly to the total cost.

It's easy for a good restoration job to cost way more than the car is worth.

[lyman]

I was surprised to see all the body parts that are available for old cars.

JEEP's, VW's and a few American cars can be assembled from parts ordered thru various supply houses

[Johnny P]

You only have to watch the Barrett-Jackson auctions for a short time to see what a bath someone took in some of the less popular restorations.

[JB White]

Mid70?s to early 80?s American cars are from the planned obsolescence era. They failed miserably by design. Detroit?s way of selling more cars sooner than later.
The Japanese capitalized on that folly by offering cheaper but longer running vehicles.

I did my share of shade tree body and mechanical work. After I completed my automotive apprenticeship and left the trade behind me.
Those cars were junk off the assembly line for the most part. Even Caddy?s had orange peel paint most times.
In 1977 Ford had 26 recalls to be done before an LTD was allowed to hit the streets. Anything from bad wiper circuit breakers to fan blades which could fly apart at speed.
Had a couple of engines which didn?t have the oil galley completely drilled in the blocks. Meaning it ate lifers like a gator at feeding time in a zoo.

If your friend wants to dress up an old car to have a seldom seen daily driver, then that?s OK. They even sell/swap better.
To win at shows judged by paint and chrome nazis?go the custom route. Original is too costly. Why restore an old turd to a like new turd? The nitpickers will definitely hurt feelings.

Once knew a guy with a cherry 68 Vette. Always lost because the drivers side mirror had a1969 part number etched into the glass. That car wasn?t restored to original. It was original. It wasn?t until he could prove the glass and the ?early 69 console? was correct for his 1968 1/2.

[lyman]

Mom had a Pontiac Gran Safari LeMans wagon,

old lady green with wood grain decals,

it as not a great car, (1978 model)
for a short bit later she had a Gran Prix, may have been a 82,,, similar body and drivetrain as the LeMans,,
it was a nice looking car, but not reliable,

most folks that I have seen in this area that still have them, have done a good paint job, an a crate motor added,
and either the hoopty 20 or 22" rims,, or Cragers,,,