1964-1974 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Holy cow, you bought that for $1000?!?!?!?!?!? Lucky sod!!!!!
Where to start: What I always tell people is, "Have a plan." Decide up front whether you want to try to restore it to original condition, keep it original-looking but update it a bit for more daily-driver convenience (electronic ignition, electric fan etc.), go for a full-on custom or performance build, etc. Don't worry too much about resale value -- you never get as much out of a restoration as you put in, so you might as well do what you want! Also, this isn't like restoring Ferraris for the Amelia Island concours -- there aren't going to be too many snobby Saab purists looking down their noses at you because you had the seats reupholstered in something luxurious and tasteful rather than reproducing the original VW-Beetle-like vinyl...
Once you've got your goal in mind, go over the whole car carefully making notes about what needs to be done, and then prioritize the list. If you want to drive it while you're fixing it up, I think it makes sense to do the safety-related things first (brakes, electrics, structural rust repair, etc.), then drivability things, and finally the cosmetic stuff. If you're going for a take-it-apart restoration, it makes more sense to prioritize according to how things will need to go back together; I've never had the money to do this kind of a project, so I can't give any specific advice about it.
If it were my car, I'd (1) pat myself on the back for getting such a great deal; (2) make up my mind to go the updated-refresher route (full-on custom is out because I'd want to keep the character of the car, but would feel nervous driving a pristine resto job); (3) do the go-over-it-and-make-a-list number; then (4) fix just enough to let me enjoy it the rest of the summer and fall; and finally (5) start implementing the rest of my plan once the prime driving season is over.
posted by 68.13.138...
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