New to the forums, and new to the Restoration process. I am a mechanical guy, although my working car knowledge is limited. I guess I'm looking for some info about what is a "walk away" from trans am issue. I have the support group that would be able to help. (Body guy/engine/resto guy) Although it is a , some say yes, some say not my cup of tea, everything from beyond their own project when I show them as they don't know trans am, to a "everything can be fixed"guy.
I've always wanted to do a77-78 trans am, and things so happened where family member, unbeknownst to me happened to have one after I was going on about it. This would be first attempt at restoration, but I may have a different idea/expectation of what it takes to restore a car. (read naive) I feel that I went in to it expecting a real piece of s#^*, and then being initially happy with what I saw, I have thought about it enough to be wary/cautious when the naivete start to be lost. ( Thanks to this and other forums) I have not bought the car yet.
I am currently I am looking at a car that has been stored/rotting for lack of a better term, away in a farm shed . It is a 1978 gold Trans Am Auto (not Spec Ed or anything, checked Vin/cowl) Has original running Pont 400 and trans,at first look outer body looked alright, but has dings, kinks or rust on every panel, but not much, but enough where the Front/ rear panels/hood will have to be replaced. Inner wheel wells are ok, but the outer skins are rusting away around wheel. In the Rear quarter panels at least the lower needs to be replaced. Car is an automatic with Fischher Ts. Nose cone is shot because his wife backed with the hitch into it when it was sitting in the driveway
In crawling under the car FR/Rear subframes are ok, still has coating on it, no flaky spots or holes throughout. Roof is ok. tick of bondo on Passenger side front corner (where it meets the pillar, and back about 4 inches), t tops seals are hard as a rock and trunk is rusted through on Drivers side. The interior (velour)is actually "ok" upholstery wise other than being barn stored with mouse s#^* and the interior door panels are just shitty/rotted/wore out by the elastic pockets. Doors don't sag at all. The interior other than being dirty on the upholstery isn't worn. So foam is prob alright but fabric needs replacing, call it OCD, but I would feel that I would smell mouse s#^* even if it wasn't there, just from knowing that. This car basically rotted in place, ODO says 41K, but who knows.
Other than the body panels another issue comes in with the floor pans and rockers. Floor pans are gone, multiple holes through out front and back. I know floor pans can be a pain in the a**, but not that terribly expensive to do. After my initial looking at the car I went back and got below it with 2 of my friends that are more into the hotrod/restoration scene. The rockers are rusted where they meet the rear panel, so also must be replaced. Of the guys the looked at it, one is a glass half full guy and one a half empty. Where one sees 2k car and 15k restore, the other one would spend 15 on the car and 2k on restore. One Yay, One Nay, to be expected. The half empty guy did say he doesn't see anything heinously wrong, just not his way of doing things
Long and short what am I looking at as far as what is "walk away damage"?? I know the things I've seen/read to be aware of are dash rot, rot below the rear window and pillar rot as things to just walk away from. Does anyone have pics of this so I know what I'm looking for? The $1250 price is tempting in that reskinning outside of the whole car, with complete floor pan and inside/outside rockers and trunk, and hood, running engine and matching nums is about 3-4K in parts(ecklers which may not be the correct outlet), so still ahead of a 6K starter ? Don't know please advise
In terms of what my plan would be?
car ( car above) cost $1250
4-6 years
15-20K total
Due to Wedding this year, and home purchase I cant throw up money for a 5-8 K starter. I'd probably store it/disassemble for first year. BUT......I'm totally Ok with walking away, I just don't know what is doable and what is not. As far as my tolerance goes I'd rather find out it needs an extra 1,000-3,000 than find out it is unsalvageable and be s#^* out of luck on $1250. ($1250 is $1250)
I know a lot of you know your s#^* and have been through the process, but what is "unfixable"and what is cost prohibitive? I'm not a rich prick or anything, but would like to know what is realistic. The price is right at the moment for me, maybe too good, or bad, for what it is. Yet I don't want to be at a complete loss either. (I know there is stuff, unexpected that always come up) Just don't want to start from a doomed point.
Any help or wisdom would be greatly appreciated.
JWisc
Thanks in advance for any info/opinions
PS cowl tag only seems to have half the s#^* it should. Looking at this forum and other it seems this tag should have more info/lines of info?
TL:DR What constitutes walking away from a 78 F body?
