There's this chevelle I always pass on the way into town, up on the mountain where I live. It has sat there for 8 years through the rain, hail, and Colorado snow. Never been covered. I do believe it was drained before being left there.

The paint is horrible, the racing stripes are either rusted through or peeling. The body is in very good shape. No imperfections anywhere, just a little bit of surface rust. The only bad thing is the grill is broken. Still has the "Malibu 350" and "Chevelle by Chevrolet" tags on the grill, on the sides, and on the rear of the car.

It needs new tires. It needs a new windshield, it was either hit by a small object or shot. It needs covers for the front bucket seats and covers for the back, though the back bench isn't torn at all. The carpet probably needs replaced, as well as the headliner. The dash is in decent condition and can probably stay. The door panels have a few small rips and will need to be replaced, but they still have the "Malibu" emblem on them.

The guy tells me the engine is in there but I didn't have a chance to pop the hood and look. I imagine it's in rough shape after sitting for 8 years. I'm not sure if it runs, I'll probably find out this weekend (which brings up a good question, what would a complete 350ci engine run me considering I have no knowledge of how to build them?)

I can do the sanding myself. I can install carpet and headliner myself. I can find seat covers and floor mats. The paint is gold with black stripes and I'm thinking of repainting the car those colors because if they're not original it has been painted like that for most of its life. That, and every autoshop sells black/gold chevy accessories!

My only problem is I don't know what the guy would want for the car. I'd like to pay under 2,000 for it, especially considering he didn't care for it that much letting it sit in rain and snow for 8 years. Think I could get away with paying that much?

After sitting for 8 years the car is worth nothing to the owner, unless he/she sees it as a lottery ticket. Its also likely to be in much worse shape than you think it is. Rust can hide.

Maybe go talk to the owner, look over the car from underneath and the normal (and abnormal since a sitting car rusts funny!) rust points, realize that while attractive, a 72 isn't a very popular car, and perhaps isn't worth more than a few hundred. Let the owner start the price game.

Research where the rust normally is and check everywhere.

The car was parked for some reason. Assume the motor is scrap. That said, it might be ok after a careful startup with many things fixed like a carb rebuild, total tuneup (that's alot of stuff), fluid change, gas tank flush, all rubber parts replaced. Same with the brakes. Expect electrical problems.

Not to scare you away, but expect lots of problems and work in the first 6 months if you think you'll drive it.

That's what I was thinking about the price, it must not be worth anything to him. I talked to the guy, he says it's his friend's car and he has always said he'd restore it. But, that was 8 years ago. I'm thinking just cus it's a Chevelle with classic plates he'll want more than a few hundred... but if I can get the car for under 1,000, I could afford a brand new Chevy 350 and not even worry about the crappy engine.

I'll look for the rust like you said. Unless it's horrible it'll just take some bondo, right?

i dont like to rain on a parade....get it as cheap as possible....if its sitting low ball him and go from there.....it sounds like a real project....doing the work yourself you can expect to pay out above 10k.....and thats going cheap on everything...say if you want it to come out really nice....dynacorn panels if needed and ppg paint not macco....your talking more than 5k in the body....it done right.....you priced an engine but the tranny or the rear could be bed....how about brake lines...and all of the small tings....you want disc brakes.....it may have drum and under a budget you can convert to used items for a couple hundred...1k will give you a new pui interior unless you want top quality then big bucks...spend the money on the body...if anything go all out on that...the rest can be replaced...im not saying dont do it im saying if you are on any kind of budget then dont expect to see it on the road for at least a year.....the average restoration lasts about 2 years....good luck and remind him muscle cars are getting hard to sell and his is going nowhere fast unless you restore it......

That's what I was thinking about the price, it must not be worth anything to him. I talked to the guy, he says it's his friend's car and he has always said he'd restore it. But, that was 8 years ago. I'm thinking just cus it's a Chevelle with classic plates he'll want more than a few hundred... but if I can get the car for under 1,000, I could afford a brand new Chevy 350 and not even worry about the crappy engine.

[I'll look for the rust like you said. Unless it's horrible it'll just take some bondo, right?]



I have done a few of these cars, and I will agree with what has already been said, an also stress that you will always find much more wrong with the car when it is in your garage, and it will cost double than what you usually think to do it right. As for it just taking some bondo, not where there is rust. The only way to remove rust it to cut it out, and install new sheet metal. Otherwise the rust will continue to draw moisture through your new paint job and will blister within a year. Sounds like a $1,500 car to me, if you plan on restoring it, and making it a driver. You will easily drop $10,000 plus, into this car to bring it back.

.... Sounds like a $1,500 car to me, if you plan on restoring it, and making it a driver. You will easily drop $10,000 plus, into this car to bring it back.

That is something else to make note of... Do you want a full project? Are you wanting to learn to rebuild engines and tune them, etc etc?

Repairing stuff gets real expensive when you are paying a local shop to do everything...

You can buy one heck of a nice & driveable 72 chevelle for $10k... I've seen decent driveable projects for $5k.

If you are looking for the project, then go for it- But if you just want one to play with- look a little harder and save a little more $$ to get something that is already driveable.

my $.02

what kind of 350?

Why would it cost 10,000+? I don't want to show the car, so the interior will just be seat covers, carpet, and headliner all for a ~500$ total. I'll just color the dash, no need to replace it. I'll sand and prep the car for painting myself as much as possible and get a paintjob that appeals to me, not critics.

I can get it painted for 2,000 or so and get an interior kit for what I mentioned before. Worst case scenario I'll spend 3,000 making the car LOOK good.

I'm hoping the engine will fire up after cleaning. I hope the transmission isn't shot. I believe this car is all original... it still has the ugly brown interior.

I will want to learn to rebuild the engine somewhat. I want to take it apart but with no engine lift (I have a stand, just no lift....) that'll be tough. I want to do as much as I can myself. Even if it isn't perfect I'd really like to fight through it. Headliner will be tough... engine and tranny work will be tough... I can do all of the lines myself.

As to what kind of 350 it is, I do not know. Probably whatever they came with stock.

Why would it cost 10,000+? I don't want to show the car, so the interior will just be seat covers, carpet, and headliner all for a ~500$ total. I'll just color the dash, no need to replace it. I'll sand and prep the car for painting myself as much as possible and get a paintjob that appeals to me, not critics.

I can get it painted for 2,000 or so and get an interior kit for what I mentioned before. Worst case scenario I'll spend 3,000 making the car LOOK good.

I'm hoping the engine will fire up after cleaning. I hope the transmission isn't shot. I believe this car is all original... it still has the ugly brown interior.

I will want to learn to rebuild the engine somewhat. I want to take it apart but with no engine lift (I have a stand, just no lift....) that'll be tough. I want to do as much as I can myself. Even if it isn't perfect I'd really like to fight through it. Headliner will be tough... engine and tranny work will be tough... I can do all of the lines myself.

As to what kind of 350 it is, I do not know. Probably whatever they came with stock.
You can do it and have a real decent "non show car"

How much do you think that'd cost?

What kind of work would have to go into it that I could do at home?

dont forget the sheetmetal.....you can sand the car but what will you find?i know this guy who has a 67 camaro and it looked great until we started samding and there it was brazing and bondo....i put money on it that your going to have to hang new metal.....my chevelle if you look looks like it only needs quarters but it actually needs like 2k in metal alone.....granted mine is going to be a show car....im shure we would all hate to see you in over your head......so expect the unexpected and dont cut corners on the body.....

Dan, some other thoughts on items to spend money. You will need to make sure the entire brake system is safe. The front-end and suspension will probably need to be replaced.

What about the radiator and cooling system?

What about the rear-end?

What about the exhaust?

When bondo is used (especially by amateurs), it usually looks bad after a short time. Then you will be paying someone to do it correctly. More money.

In my area, a $2,000. paint job doesn't buy much of a paint job. It will look like it needs more work, after it's finished.

As stated above, you can buy a nice malibu for under 10k.
And you can enjoy driving it now instead of working on it for a long period of time.

Dan, some other thoughts on items to spend money. You will need to make sure the entire brake system is safe. The front-end and suspension will probably need to be replaced.

What about the radiator and cooling system?

What about the rear-end?

What about the exhaust?

When bondo is used (especially by amateurs), it usually looks bad after a short time. Then you will be paying someone to do it correctly. More money.

In my area, a $2,000. paint job doesn't buy much of a paint job. It will look like it needs more work, after it's finished.

As stated above, you can buy a nice malibu for under 10k.
And you can enjoy driving it now instead of working on it for a long period of time.

:yes: It adds up fast. Oh and don't forget the "while I am doing this I need to..." factor. When I do it again I am going to buy a more finished car to start with to keep some of the costs down.