Reading through threads of all of your restorations (many of you have done major restorations) I read how C3's being 30 years old and seem to always need something done to them. I have done a major restoration of my steel blue '75 and it's basically done. I'm thinking about another project....but I gotta wonder if I'm crazy for even thinking about going through all of that again. Those of you who have gone through it before, ... would you do it again with another project?

Sure you probably spend more money restoring one than just buying one in very good condition, but for me there just wouldn't be as much pride/satisfaction in the car that someone else did all the work to. Decisions Decisions...

 

I've done it both ways...bought a car already restored and restored one myself. There is a difference...especially financial!

I have a '69 427/435 convertible...all numbers matching, documentation down to the original bill of sale, window sticker, copies of all previous titles and receipts for the reconstruction that the previous owner did. I kind of fell into the car...right place at the right time before their values skyrocketed. The car is great...I have over thirty trophies and awards for it. People rave over the car but I simply tell them the accolades belong to the guy that had the work done previously, all I do is keep it clean and enjoy it.

My other car (not a Vette), I bought as a near basket case and had it rebuilt. It's won a number of trophies including a couple of Best of Shows, though that's less important than simply enjoying driving it. Do I take pride in it? You bet! Would I do that again? No way! It cost far too much...beyond its market value to have a car restored. It's far cheaper to buy a car already restored, unless you find the rare car like an L88 that can justify the expense.

While it is often a financial mistake to restore some of these cars, I am certainly glad many of us do. It saves the cars from being parted out and destruction, though donor cars are a necessary part of the hobby. We also do it for the love of the cars, not for financial reward. I was determined to save the car I restored, and it cost dearly in a financial sense...but I didn't do it as an investment. I knew that going in.

 

Yes & no, will never do another Corvette (2's enough). Have always tinkered on cars so more then others, just picked up a crate 427 SB a few weeks ago for a excellent price, so now I'm looking for a donor (cheap) 1966 Chevy ll, SS if I can find one cheap enough. That will take care of the next couple of years of tinkering for me.

And as stated by Roughrider, I do it because I enjoy working on older cars, it's not an investment in anyway as the cost involved out weights the value in the end.

 

I started one restoration of a 70 LS5 Convertible and got overwhelmed and it sat in my garage for years.. I learned alot but realized it would become a upside down investment in both time and money totally...

although most people routinely **** away lots of money per month on their daily driver with depreciation costs etc., perhaps the money didn't mean as much as the time it would take.

I sold it for a great price totally dissassembled and bought one mostly done with the same options for less than double what I sold my project for. It was mostly done but needed a couple hundred hours and a couple thousand $$ to complete and finish... I am nearly done..
so a good part of the finish work is mine and most of the major grunt work was the previous owners..

much better than 30K dollars and 2K hours to restore a car..

Buy one that is done.. or nearly done... Unless you really need to hide from the wife for 3 years.. I also had the major guiltys neglecting my family hanging out in the garage.. so I sold it...

 

Yep. I sure would.

 

i have done 3 (no vettes so far , thats next ) and i am looking forward to starting on the vette. if you are asking about the money end, its a no brainer , you will have more time and money in the thing than its worth. ( unless you have an ultra valuable car ).but to me its more than money, i enjoy fooling around with cars, i get a lot of satisfaction doing things that the average hobbiest is too intimidated to do,and i also get a lot of satisfaction when a car is done knowing that its 100% me that did it. no my finished products are not 100% perfect......but every single detail i did myself, engine trans & rearend rebuild, suspension, interior, paint..... everything. to me that makes up for loosing my butt on the money end. gotta spend your $ on something right?

 

I loved my experience, lasted about 5years,, even kept a record of all expenses. At the time I had just come out of a divorce so I had all the time in the world to complete the job, didn't have to ask permission or justifie any expences, Today I would do it again,, only difference is I have less time.

 

Resoring them is half the fun

 

I would do it again because I am retired. It would have to be the right car though. I wouldn't do it as an investment, just a hobby.

 

If you don't think that working on a non-running Corvette is FUN , then you shouldn't start a restoration project. Only the pros have all the right equipment and 'tricks' to make money by doing such a thing. We do it for the fun and enjoyment of working on the car...and the satisfaction of seeing it come back to life! If that doesn't do it for you, just buy one already restored.

 

Many good replies here. When I did my '75 I got the car cheap and knew it was all original. I have $11K in the car now finished. I found an original/nos urethane rear bumper cover and though it might not be the most desire year of Corvette I love this car. It was well worth the 4 years and money it took to do it right. I'm really leaning toward doing another one as I really enjoyed the time in the garage and the satisfaction when it was finished... not to mention enjoying having this forum as a resource! And yes, I did enjoy "saving" the '75 from becoming a parts car. Now I guess it's time to look for another project, not sure if I'll get a chrome bumper or a 80-82... or maybe a C1.

 

Boy, do I understand that. Well stated 7T1, just like the others here.

Most of my non-car-loving buddies raz me because they don't see or feel what I do when I "Lay Hands" to raise the dead. Since I was a teen, I'm always dinking with machines and learning why the design engineers developed the parts I'm staring at. Besides the science part of it, there's the emotion I put into a project that defies the money; it's the satisfaction of a job done well.

The time needed to completion fluctuates between flavor of car and the variances of each so I try not to get in a hurry. I hate rework.

Neither am I positioned to deal with more processor-controlled subsystems, regardless what they monitor. If I had the resources for new stuff, I'm sure I could have fun there too. My tools and knowledge are old like me so I do what I can with what I have and enjoy.

So yeah, in a macabre sort of way, I'd love another opportunity to grab another chrome-bumper or a C2 car and apply what I've learned thus far.

With all due respect: Like our friend brdd says in his postings: "Anyone can take 'em apart". Roger That !!

 

The way I see it, there are waxers and there are wrenches.

If your Corvette experience involves turning the wrenches, then resoration/repair is always going to be an important part.

I love my time in the garage with my Vette up on jackstands and excercising my tool collection . It's my version of therapy.

To be honest, its a neccessity, as I dont think I could afford it any other way.

 

Yes I would do it again, It might be a 70 Camaro RS or a chrome bumper vette to sell it when finished. But finances must be in order to accomplish the task. Best experience I ever had with my son. He will have those memories for life.

 

Im lovin every minute of the restoration process. But its just not for everyone. Ive never been without some project of some sort going on.

 

I have found myself telling others no way I would do another vette. I have a 64 chevy II right now to start restoreing with my soon to be 11 year old daughter. As soon as the vette is done the duce and the vette will swap places and the work will begin.

I have no idea on how long it will take. It depends on her interest in the car and how much she wants it done. But one thing is for sure I am not doing this one by myself, if she want it she's going to work on it. I have seen severial people I know restoreing a car with there son/daughter and the dad ends up doing the work why the other is off doing other things.

Funny thing is I say I won't do another vette but I find myself looking. So I can't rule it out.

 

wills670...
I'm guessing that restoration project will take about 5 years; and it will be ready to roll just about the time your granddaughter gets her driver's license! You know what that means... She's getting the car!

I can't think of a better reason to work on one than to pass on the love of working on these things to your kids [or grandkids]. I'm sure she will learn a lot and you guys will have a 'ball' working together!

 

I don't mind working on it, but I'm getting older and doing a total restoration on anything is not in the near future. I wouldn't mind building a 1932 ford coupe with all new parts. However with the economy being what it is I'm very content with two corvettes.

 

Different strokes for different folks! I have a hard day at work, working on one of my Vettes makes things right. Kind of like Valium without the side effects. You can't just look at the receipts - if you're not working on the car, you're probably spending money on something else - at least the Vette has the possibility of appreciating!

I love working on them, I love driving them, I love showing at car shows and cruise nights. Above all, when I drive down the street and a youngster gives me a and says, "Nice car mister", that's the icing on my cake!

The only thing I would NOT do again, restoring 2 at once! DOH!

John

 

It's for my Daughter, she's getting ready to turn 11 in a few mths. and I think she will enjoy working on it. She was 6 when I started my car and she's wanted to help with the vette every since I got. I let her help with a few odd things but for the most part I have had to put her off on a lot of other things with the vette.

But she already knows the chevyII is hers and we are going to do it together. The funny thing is I was 18 when I got the chevyII and at the time I never dreamed I would be thinking about doing this car with a child 22 years later. It realy won't hurt my felling if it takes 7 years to finish, hopefully she will learn to respect the car and not abuse it by having a large interest and we both will have fun working on it.

Shoot she laid claim to the vette over 4 years and she has already told her mom that there was not enough room in the vette for 3 people. I think she has some kind of car bug in her.