Hi, I need advice ...I've got a Statesman Caprice HJ (see my profile pic, which was taken 10 years ago when I bought the car, and it looked emmaculate!) which is now looking very sad ...roof rusted under vinyl, rust spots and holes over body. I cannot decide whether it is worth doing up, or selling and buying another. I can't afford much, but am told it will cost about $10,000 to restore! I love my car, and really don't want to sell it, but people (mechanic, boyfriend) think I'm mad to spend money on fixing it. The rust in the roof is bad ...needs new metal welded in, the other rust is around sills, a couple of tennis-ball size rust spots/holes under rear-quarter panels, and some small rust spots/holes along sides and around one wheel guard. The interior is quite ripped, but the engine is great. The car still drives like a dream. My main concerns with buying another is: trying to get a RWC, hidden problems, expense of paying someone to change over (from old car) stereo, hands-free kit, speakers, WB mirrors, towbar.

Does my car sound like a lost cause?? Its been a very attractive car, and even with the rust, it still turns heads, and gets lots of compliments.

Thanks Cloudy. That sounds like some good ideas.

I know of one for $5000, that has some rust (not as bad as mine), but it's ugly (faded maroon, with red interior). It would still need money spent on it to get it to how I need/want (maybe about $3000-4000 plus a new paint job (how much is that??)

I found another online for $7500 that looked like new, but then I wonder ...what is under that brand-new paint job?? My car looked like new when I bought it, and a few years later, all the rust spots surfaced.

My boyfriend just had a big argument about my car with me. He has never approved of my car (or me getting another like it). He says I'm wasting my money either way. His attitude is, I wouldn't even get 3 cents for my current car! I have no friends/family to back me up on my passion for old cars, so that's why I thought I'd try a forum ...talk to like-minded fanatics.

Chrissie,
I used to turn away from cars with rust ... until i found someone who could actually fix them properly !
email me at [email protected] as I might be able to put you onto a couple of people who wont "just bog it up" ...

cheers

Gary T
Steel Bumpered Auto Promotions
www.hdhrholden.com
www.oldsmobilesdownunder.com

to be honest something like that has to be done your self, if you pay a shop it will most probally be a wham bam thank you mam job two years laiter out comes the rust.
if i was to do it i would strip it back to a bare shell sand or soda blast strip then make a rotissery stand then give it to a good beater or do it my self with the help of a panel beater (panel beating is a fine art like everthing now days) some guys can do it depends on the job you want.
My hk monaro chewd up $10,000 worth of panel beating when you think at $60 an hour thats not much.
people take there car in for the 3000-4000 dollar paint job it comes back with runs scrathes in the bog or all sorts of imperfections they whinge panel shop says what did you expect for $4000
some guys here have the time and patience to get the result of the experts but im sure there are just as many disasters.
pete.

To get an understanding of what you'd be getting yourself into, have a read of this excellent thread:
http://www.fastlane.com....topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22408

My opinion - buy yourself a little $2000 runabout car, take the stato off the road & fix it right up.
You'll learn a whole heap of new skills, and get immense satisfaction doing as much of it as you can.
By having a runabout, you won't have deadlines to get bits done by, and you can take your time & do them well.

I recently finished a partial resto on my Brock Commodore - rust repairs, welding up holes, partial paint, rebuilt suspension, engine, gearbox, tailshaft, dash & electrics - and you can't buy the feeling of achievement you get when you take it for the first drive, nor the fun of driving a car you "created" with your labour.

Best of luck with it - but then again it's not about luck, more the patience & time to do it - your skills will develop as you work away at it. Just making the first step is the hardest, then one thing will lead to another & you'll be right.

Cheers,

Mick
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Judge a successful man not on how he treats his peers, but on how he treats those less fortunate.

hate to rain on your parade but 10 grand wont go very far these days .i think it was dr terry's quote calculate what you think its going to cost then double it then you are closer to the truth

Peter,its just an indication for her not to get ripped off,she said she hasn't got alot of money
so thats what I think will help her.I doubt she'll be buying a lead filled english classic.
(cloudy see what I mean)

Jim in Adelaide..

Peter,Some pics would be nice for us all to gauge,kinda hard to
know the condition ,whether to save or not.Thats the problem here.
The less you know about "fixing" cars the "bigger" small problems get...lol
I ALSO think she should keep the car, or buy another one similar age in better condition.
I have also done a full strip down and it does start at$10,000(even if you can paint)

Jim in Adelaide..

Oh whoops ...I only just realized there was a 'page 2' of more replies (thanks guys!).

Thanks Jim, I will take some close-up pix of my car and post them on here asap.

(Finally got my profile pic working ...if you've got a magnifying glass, or a super-sized monitor, you may get an idea of what my car looked like when it was in good condition).

quote:

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Originally posted by playwme
From the sounds of it you should keep the car and change the boyfriend.

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Hahaha, good call, there'd be a line of blokes a mile long looking for a girl who's into great cars.

Luckily my wife is right into cars, so we get along well & do a lot of stuff together. A number of my mates in the HDT club (who are single) have asked if she has a sister...

Cheers,

Mick
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Judge a successful man not on how he treats his peers, but on how he treats those less fortunate.