Classic car guys, I’m thinking about buying this

[Peegoo]

There are plenty of negatives, but do not let all that stop you.

I mention this because if you are the sort of guy that's happiest when covered in grease and oil and getting roach burns from the MIG torch while laying on your back under a car, then this may be the car for you. There are more than a few people who undertake projects like this for the journey--not for the end result and the expected payday at the end.

Parts for these Chebbys are all readily available, including the body panels. Yeah, it costs money, and yeah, you won't make any money on it. You'll be way in the hole, even if you do all the work yourself.

But is it challenging and a whole lot of fun? Hell yes it is.

 

[Happy Enchilada]

For years I played poker with a bunch of guys my age - one of which was a dyed-in-the-wool hotrodder. He was the kind of guy who finds old Model Ts in barns, cleans the chicken feathers out from under the hood, and makes them into racecars.

About 20 years ago I suffered a midlife crisis and was bent on getting a car like my first, a '68 Olds Cutlass Supreme convertible with a Rocket V8. After an exhaustive and prolonged search, I found a likely candidate. Family car since day one, sitting in a garage in Houston since the late '70s, had all the trim and parts - and cancer in all 4 wheelwells. Plus it needed a new top and doubtless a busload of stuff you just can't see from the road.

My hotrodding buddy gave me the contact info for his favorite body man (great work, brother-in-law prices). Without seeing the car, he estimated north of ten grand just to address the cancer and paint it. <sigh>

About a week after that I was passing a local used car lot. There sat a bright red 2-door Explorer Sport. I stopped and checked it out and ended up buying it - for less than it would have cost to do the body and paint work on the Cutlass. I drove that hard-nosed little Explorer for 16 years and put 200K on it. God only knows how many Scout campouts and hunting and fishing trips it went on, and I taught two sons to drive in it. It became a beloved member of the family and I teared up when I let it go.

By contrast, the Cutlass would have been a colossal moneypit, draining every penny and weekend I had until it was up and running and presentable. And then it would have required storage so it wouldn't go to seed again, which I'd have had to rent. Not to mention it never would have gone up a deer trail and come home with two muley bucks stuffed in the back, or any of the other countless memories the Explorer made possible.

So I'm really not the guy to ask about sinking a fortune into a car so you can "be cool."
Besides, every musician knows cool isn't something you buy - it's something you either have or don't.
And that little red Explorer was way cooler in my book than any shiny hotrod ...

 

[uriah1]

Buddy of mine has SS caprice he takes to shows.

 

[dougstrum]

I've built a few bikes and cars over the years. As an old hot rodder there is no way I would want more than one project taking up garage space

 

[Gardo]

Little over a month ago I met up with a guy I used to work with to buy a small block Chevy off him. He said hey I’ve got an old Impala I want to sell if you wanna come look at it. Long story short he inherited this after his uncle died last year or so.

He has the original title since his uncle bought it new in 65. It’s a true SS 327 four speed car he says and as far as I can tell it seems unmolested and legit. There’s some numbers I need to run when I go look at it once more this week.

After some minor homework there was up to ten motor options for 65, the 327’s have two options for that year, a 250 horse or 300 horse. Now as far as the four speed options for 65 it could be two. The tremec four speed or the old Muncie rock crusher.

The car does have some wheel well rust, beyond that the quarters and fenders are solid. The floor pans are solid after crawling under it. The trunk pan has some minor holes. The interior isn’t perfect/kinda faded but appears to be all there. The original bias ply spare is still in the trunk. He also has the original SS poverty caps stashed away for it.

Car doesn’t run, he’s not really mechanically inclined but said he stuck a battery in it and it wouldn’t start. One thing I heard is these cars were bad about the frames rotting so I need to go back over with my Jack and Jack stands and get it off the ground, crawl under it with my flashlight and investigate a bit deeper.

I already have my own project and don’t need another, that said my mom in her early 60’s and hopefully retiring in the next handful of years has been has been after me to find her a “muscle car” to play with like her youth. Her ideal car would be a first Gen camaro but that’s setting the bar pretty high!

While I personally don’t consider these old impalas a real muscle car I’ve always kinda liked them. When I showed her the pics she was all about it but said it needs those boomer wheels called Cragars haha.

I know what’s he’s asking, I think it would be worth more if I got it running and driving again.

What would you value something like this????

View attachment 1058363 View attachment 1058364 View attachment 1058365 View attachment 1058366

I love 65 Impalas, especially the taillights.
This is a long term project for someone who also loves them. I’m too old for that anymore, sold my car because of lower back pain . If you have your own garage and tools you could have something really great . But they are without a doubt a money pit.

 

[Jaysmay]

Strictly speaking for me, I bought a 72 750 GT Ducati in the mid 80's it barely ran but only had 8000 miles. Paid $2500 for it. Put 2 yrs and $3000 in it. Sold it for $3000 in 1990 at high end of the market for these bikes then.

If I buy a classic car I'll buy it at the restored level I want now...it will be cheaper than doing it myself.

 

[getbent]

$1500 absolute tops

don't buy this car to restore. buy it to flip. if you can get it for 1K or 1500, great. Then, the only energy I'd put into it is to get it to run and stop (a little) and then clean it.

then sell it for 6-7K and you are on your way to your camaro.

 

[David Barnett]

There's a VW Beetle restoration guy in the Hudson Valley area, who charges about $60K-$90K for a full body-off restoration. He tells you right up front that you'll lose about half your money if you resell the car.

 

[imwjl]

It has been older cars but I've done some restoration and work since I was a teen. A lot of it is not rational and requires deep pockets. You have to be honest with how much time and money you have.

One thing that comes to mind is knowing some vehicles like Model As, Mustangs and popular pickup trucks have far more after market, remade and just general options to get parts and pieces. I have no idea for that generation of Chevy. That availability matter will make a huge difference in how expensive and easy the task will be.

 

[Hodgo88]

I'm with the "hobbies don't come with built in financial returns" crowd.

If you got the cash, I'd say this is worth 3500-5000 to get into. Budget at least 20-25k more to get it in mom-can-drive-it shape, assuming you do a lot of the work yourself.

 

[NC E30]

don't buy this car to restore. buy it to flip. if you can get it for 1K or 1500, great. Then, the only energy I'd put into it is to get it to run and stop (a little) and then clean it.

then sell it for 6-7K and you are on your way to your camaro.

Flippers are what's killed the car hobby.

If the frame isn't rusted away, it would be a fun car to restore the mechanicals and drive. Reminds me of the Crusher Impala that they did on Roadkill

 

[M2roadwarrior]

You can buy a beautiful, running classic from maple motors from 12-20k, if you spend 30 you can get one with a beast motor too!

 

[stormsedge]

Looks complete…a big plus.
-Hardtop fast/slantback a big plus.
-OEM four speed car a big plus.
-If I were after an SS Impala, this would be the model I’d want.
-Check the frame close.

But, I’d pass on it because I do not like bodywork. If you like/do bodywork, this one might be for you…some panels look like replacement are in order.

BUT…if the frame is good, it would be a cool rat rod with a little drop and some rims. I’d probably lose interest at ~$3500 purchase price with a rat rod goal in mind.

 

[McGoldTopp]

I’m looking at 30-50k to restore my non molested 60k original mileage garage kept 65. That’s pretty much just new wiring, frame off, rubber, disc fronts, paint, interior. Engine already refreshed.

Currently worth 10-12k, and worth 25k after restoration.



You are looking at 10-20k just to get that on the road.

Free or under 2k purchase on that one.

 

[Lowerleftcoast]

I am a car guy. I understand the acquisition syndrome.

Either make it drive-able and flip it or pass.

Momma is gonna want certain things and she will spend at least ten grand over the purchase price to get it that way. That is with you doing a lot of the work that you want to spend on a different project.

$15,000.00 is better spent a different way. Be realistic.

 

[boris bubbanov]

Lots of negatives, but it is a manual coupe. If you have the passion I wouldn’t discourage you.

Umm, depends on your age and your shop facilities. If you have capacity, there's probably some better projects (that could be turned around faster). This will tie up space for a couple years, unless you obsess over it.

Also, remember, these full sized Chevies do not handle that well at all. I drove a '63 Impala wagon a lot and it was pure treachery and I owned a '64 Impala four door sedan for 3 years and the handling was far and away what made me sell it.

That car, somewhere in the range of $ 2,500, for the right buyer. And a serious future budget, of course.

 

[posttoastie]

Friend had 64/65 in 1971. It was a stock 4 speed 327SS that had a 411 Posi traction rear end. That thing was very fast for a big car.

 

[itstooloudMike]

I’d think $3K to $4K would be fair. I’ve started out resto’s in worse condition. The big plus is that everything seems to be there. If the frame rust isn’t a problem, and the engine isn’t locked up, it should not be hard to make it a driver. Making it pretty would get expensive. My last “project” was a ‘71 Chevy short-bed pickup. Bought it for $1500, put another $10K into restoration, then sold it for $6500. Lot’s of fun though. But I like working on old cars, and can do my own body and paint work. You can’t touch one of these if you have to pay somebody else to do the work.

 

[schmee]

Never was a big fan of the Chevy big cars after 1964 when they became Coke Bottle shape. But the 65-66-67 are popular now days. That one needs a total restoration and of course that would take years and mucho $'s.
But it seems to have the right stuff, Super Sport, 4 on the floor and the 300hp 327 may be worth some money. Easy to work on, the engines are super easy to rebuild. It may just need tune up parts etc. Hard to say, but you can have the heads off those in half an hour!
You can tell if its a 300 hp by the casting marks on the front of the heads where they meet the block.

327's are very fun engines, they wind up fast and great. make it a rat rod, black primer is cheap!
Find out if the engine will turn over at all so you know it's not froze up.

Strange... that car with all it's options doesnt appear to have power brakes....?

 

[boris bubbanov]

Heh. They don't have any brakes at all.