How Far do You Go

[GetX'd]

I bought a wonderful 68 GTX back in 1972. My first car. It wasn't perfect but it was my car. I treated it like a baby and whooped it at the same time. I lived in Minnesota but the X never saw a winter. I stored it when life got in the way and I traveled the country on business, lived in many states etc. for 30 years. I pulled the car out of storage 5 years ago after a nasty heart attack that almost put me under. Time to restore or sell.

i have an older thread on here "Tired Warrior" that many of you May have read. That was the beginning of the restoration project. The X has undergone a great transformation over the last several years. New paint, leather interior, built and stroked motor. she's no longer tired at all. I'm ready to put her back on the road.

My problem is this; I'm a perfectionist and the car will never be perfect without more of everything. I just didn't understand what it was to restore a car to the status of what these cars I see at the shows that are the best have achieved. It makes no financial sense. If money was no object and I would get a reasonable return I could handle it. But I don't see that. I'm not the guy that will spend a $100k on a car that's worth $60k in the end market value.

I could go on and on but won't. I love the car. Feel like I've already spent too much money restoring it But it's not up to my standards in small ways Mostly. I'm not a handy guy so I have to pay for many things to be done. How far do I go before it becomes just not worth it it? The car is nasty from a power and look standpoint. It's mostly smaller things. But how far do you go before its too much as a perfectionist?

How far do you go with these cars?

 

[Car Nut]

How far do you go with these cars?

Until you're happy!

Really, don't sweat the small stuff, get that puppy out and drive it.

Pictures??

 

[Dennis H]

Drive it. Enjoy it. That's their purpose. Park next to me at Fall Fling, you will feel better.

 

[Car Nut]

I just looked at your "Tired Warrior" thread, we need more pictures than that.

My Charger isn't perfect, never will be, never was, but it's a Mopar!

 

[kiwigtx]

Drive it. Enjoy it. That's their purpose. Park next to me at Fall Fling, you will feel better.

Park next to Dennis and enjoy a refreshing Vodka or two. :headbang:

 

[conv67bdere]

Don't sweat the small things - these cars are awesome even if they aren't "perfect" . . . and I'm "trying" to do all the work on mine myself . . . so it won't be perfect - but it'll be done and I'll drive the tires off the thing.

The look, awe. and respect that these cars bring just being on the road is enough for me to want to shoot primer on the car and get it on the road already !

The fact that you've got a driver is awesome - I wish I was at your point - I'd be driving the tires off it and enjoying the heck out of it !

You've been given a second chance . . . take that chance by the horns and enjoy that incredible ride . . . you've got an incredible ride . . . drive it and have some FUN ! !

 

[Ghostrider 67]

I don't see an issue here. These cars are for our enjoyment in many ways both big and small. The satisfaction derived from dreaming up a sheetmetal trick that makes yours a one off and then doing the work to make that happen. The joy you feel when driving the car and you see folks looking and smiling and giving you thumbs up. The pride you have when other builders, drivers, and fans walk around your car at a show and discuss the little and big stuff you did to it and the positive comments they make. If, IMHO, the focus of owning one of these is to make it perfect, then you probably should have a garage and a TV show. We who toil at home should strive to finish and drive, not drive to finish in perfection.

 

[niteshift70]

It's not about how much it's worth on any market. It about how much it means to YOU. The enjoyment you receive from your labor, your sense of accomplishment from your efforts, and the joy of driving something that you have so passionately put together determines it's worth.

 

[Superfreak]

Just drive the damn car and don't worry about how much you've spent on it because if you really love it then it doesn't matter. Keep the car and drive the wheels off of it until you are dead and then the person who inherits the car can worry about what to do with it.
Remember you can't take any of it with you so stop worrying about "how much" and simply enjoy while your still alive on whats left of gods green earth. JMHO

 

[sate70]

These cars were never perfect from day one. Any work done on them has already made them better than they ever were. Money is relative to the enjoyment of owning and driving a car. Be proud to own it and take great care of it as you are. Leave the very very few undriven over restored trailer queens to the magazine editers. No one apreciates that crap anymore anyway.

 

[440roadrunner]

It's not about how much it's worth on any market. It about how much it means to YOU. .

Just drive the damn car and don't worry . JMHO

These cars were never perfect from day one. .

Pretty much. I'm getting old, 67. I've got severe arthritic problems, and it is time consuming and painful to work on my car. I HAVE to stay with it, because if I don't I tend to sit around more too much.

I LOVE for critical people to say things like "Why doncha.........." I just rub my fingers at them and tell 'em to "get out their checkbook." "If you have ideas on what I should do to my car, you can pay for it."

Fix the important stuff. Get it drivable. Don't worry about the little things. Make it safe to drive, steer and stop, and make the drivetrain as reliable as you can.

So far as "not handy," you have the entire internet for information. I did not HAVE that when I had my first many cars. I bought my first Mopar, a 69 RR in '70. I went down to the dealer and bought a factory shop manual. "Help" was other guys who did and maybe did and maybe did not "know more" You have HUGE advantage in today's "info" age

 

[RT K_line]

Just drive it, as you almost found out life is to short. Enjoy it while you can and let others see it and enjoy it also. Mopars are usually the minority any where you go so let others see one in person and not have to look to magazines to appreciate mother mopar at her finest. Just my opinion.

 

[Cranky]

I'm pretty much in the same boat as 440roadrunner so I've decided to not worry much about the body work and just get it running. The sheet metal on mine is in pretty good shape though and has very minimal rust damage so at least the car will be pretty straight. The wife doesn't like the idea of it looking like a rat rod but I guess she's just going to have to live with it.

 

[cdr]

my advise is DRIVE IT!!! don't ruin the joy of owning an AWESOME car for your self,I have to tell myself when i look at my cracked dash pad,, IT"S JUST AN OLD CAR I can fix it later, but for now i'm gonna drive it.

 

[Bb70charger500]

I go as far as resale will let me. When I'm building to sell them they always turn out nice enough to make someone very proud.
When it's my car and I'm not selling it that's a different story. I build it exactly how I want it .
No regard for funds or resale doesn't mater if someone wants it bad enough down the road they will have to pay up to get it and I'll just build another
I got way more then my charger will ever be worth invested in it already and were not even half way done .
I wanted a bad *** small block and that's what I got I wanted a stock 4 speed (built to handle the extra power) that's what I got I wanted 4 wheel disc brake bought it. Yeah I could of went 440 and a t56 6 speed but I didn't want that . Build it how you want it and don't sweet it .it takes time good luck

Let's see some pictures

 

[moparker]

You didn't keep it all those years to resale it. You kept it for what it meant to you. Put an under dash 8 track in it and become 17 again! Drive the hell out if it. Don't go to shows. I don't for the reasons that was stated earlier. Everyone wants to critic your car. Meanwhile they are there in a Corolla.

 

[GetX'd]

Thanks for all the insight FBBO Brothers! I'm really a bit torn because of this perfectionist streak in me. The thing I need to keep in perspective is all of what you guys say above - and the fact that I literally have not had the car in my garage or personal possession for something like 35 years at least. I lose sight that now I can take the time and keep fooling around with it doing little things that bug me. I've spent most of the $$ that I'm going to spend. I know I'll never get it out of the car. I guess that's the way we play the game. It's not an investment it's an expensive hobby. The X takes the place of the son I never had. I need to keep loving it, driving it and enjoying it vs. seeing all the defects that get under my skin. I'll get used to them after a while and pick away at fixing the ones that really bug me. You guys are right - I'm lucky to have the car and quit obsessing over the trailer queens. My GTX is a damn nice piece of iron and I'm proud of it - even if it has a few warts - they're my warts.

Thx to all for your replies and support!

 

[Car Nut]

You're Mopar family and we'll always be here for you.

 

[moparker]

A shot and a beer helps once in a while also.