Advice : Rebuild or scrap T-Type

K

Kaine Beedenbender

Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
As you may have read i bought a gnat clone t-type in pretty rusty shape. No frame damage but rust everywhere. I have 3 things i can do, bear in mind i paid 3k for the car.

(1) Frame off restore, needs a bit of metal work (lots of time, effort, and major money)
(2) Pull drive train and place in good condition regal body (But it wont be a real turbo regal)
(3) Just sell or scrap car (dont have time to part out)
 
I think you've already made up your mind Kaine. A HA car (according to the "experts") will never be worth as much as an IC car, but there are fewer of them, and getting fewer every day. The other issue is finding a clean body with no issues that you can put everything into without having to do basically the same thing you'd need to do with the car you've got now. Personally, if you like the car you've got now I'd start looking for a parts car so you can get what you need to restore the one you've got now.

My 83T was missing the bottom of both rear quarters and now it's not.;) My frame was rotten and I got another for a case of VR1 20W50 oil. Now it's been modified the way I wanted but still not in yet. It's a balance that you've got to figure out for yourself. Keith (Turbonut85) did a full resto on a HA car that took years and his is gorgeous, but it took a while. It's now running on E-85 and will surprise you. Was it worth it to him in the end? He loves the car and it's in better shape than when it came off the factory line.:D
 
It would save allot of headache swapping into a good body for sure. The issue i have is, it wont be a t-type anymore. I guess the biggest thing is i have the drive train and that is what matters. Of course the interior and trim parts help as well. I am leaning towards the most cost effective way, a body swap. I hate that it wont be a real T-Type though. Bothers me for some reason. Maybe its not such a big deal since its an 85 anyway.
 
it's nicer than 90% of the cars that i've ever owned from the pics and descriptions that you've posted here...

just drive the damn thing, enjoy it for what it is, and fix a little here and a little there. before too long, you will start to notice that it's less horrible than it was before and you will be picking up tools and skills along the way... just try to plan things out so that the car isn't drivable for more than a couple of weeks at a time because then it become really easy to lose interest in it..
 
well i bought a GN for 7 grand with a healthy motor and interior. the outside was pure garbage with tons of rust on the roof, pillars and by the rear and front windows. but all in all it was well worth doing the repairs to bring the car back to life.
 
You have asked questions on my post so i think you have at least looked at some of it . 3 years, one part at a time,lots of late nights in the garage. could have been sooner but job,family and life all happen.
As you stated you don't have time to part it outand you wish it to be a real turbo regal. Anything other than a daily driver is a passion and never for profit. Have the car you wish and don't cut corners Restore the one you have or purchase the one you want. the price and time will be the same in both cases.
 
novaderrik said:
it's nicer than 90% of the cars that i've ever owned from the pics and descriptions that you've posted here...

just drive the damn thing, enjoy it for what it is, and fix a little here and a little there. before too long, you will start to notice that it's less horrible than it was before and you will be picking up tools and skills along the way... just try to plan things out so that the car isn't drivable for more than a couple of weeks at a time because then it become really easy to lose interest in it..
Click to expand...
I'd have to agree with novaderrik. I too looked at the ebay photos and your description in your other post and I think you're being a bit tough on yourself. I'd get the mechanicals sorted and drive it and fix it little by little. Use it as an experiment for later projects and learn as you go.
 
It's a hard call but the resell value is just not there for 84/85's. I would not want to pump 10 or 15k in a car that won't even resell for half of it.
 
Thank you all for your very valid points. I am not concerned about resale so much as i am putting money into something that i can buy for cheaper. I bought it because it brought back memories of my Monte SS and always wanted the Grand National. This is second to that but not far away. I have seen some incredible custom work done on these. I need to figure out what to do. I am still completely up in the air. Already im into it for 1k because of a bad turbo and lots of bad or malfunctioning parts. Where does it end?
 
I'm with Grumpy on this one. being from the midwest that's about all I see is rust repair When it came time for me to buy another t i flew to la mesa az. to pick one up just not have to deal with rust.No I don't think it ever ends. If it's not rust the heat has cooked the interior wireing briddle there 20 years old there will allways be issues.In my case its a labor of love being able to do the work my self for my self .If I had to pay someone I woun't even be able to own one of these cars.
 
Kaine Beedenbender said:
Thank you all for your very valid points. I am not concerned about resale so much as i am putting money into something that i can buy for cheaper. I bought it because it brought back memories of my Monte SS and always wanted the Grand National. This is second to that but not far away. I have seen some incredible custom work done on these. I need to figure out what to do. I am still completely up in the air. Already im into it for 1k because of a bad turbo and lots of bad or malfunctioning parts. Where does it end?
Click to expand...
Owning and driving a Turbo Regal is an very expensive hobby to begin with, it really never ends.
 
You can buy a decent or even pretty damn nice 87 for less than what you will have to spend to make the current car nice. You will not have to spend countless hours working on it and tracking down parts for it. I bought a nice driver 87 10 years ago on a 3 year loan and even with bank interest I'm not upside down in it like most frame off resto guys are. There's a lot of stuff I've never had apart on it and quite frankly I'm damn proud of that fact. That's time better spent elsewhere IMO. I'll do a frame off resto when my kids are grown and the wife is finally tired of me. And when I do take that plunge, it won't be a g body that I restore. These things are NOT national treasures! Flame me all you want but these cars aren't worth that kind of effort. Buy one that's had an easy life and don't regret it.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
 
INEEDAGN said:
These things are NOT national treasures! Flame me all you want but these cars aren't worth that kind of effort. Buy one that's had an easy life and don't regret it.
Click to expand...

These cars are basically the same as the original 55-57 BelAire Chevy. They may still be fairly plentiful right now but how often do you see an original 55 sitting in a field any more.;)
 
charlief1 said:
These cars are basically the same as the original 55-57 BelAire Chevy. They may still be fairly plentiful right now but how often do you see an original 55 sitting in a field any more.;)
Click to expand...

hmmmm.. got those "beer goggles on a little early tonight" ?? :p
 
Grumpy said:
hmmmm.. got those "beer goggles on a little early tonight" ?? :p
Click to expand...

No booze here Dan, just pointing out that when I was in high school you could still find older cars that were unrestored at resonable prices. I remember a barn find GTO I should've bought at a swap meet. 66 tri power 4 speed car at $500 with title. This was in the mid 80's. Try and find something like that now and see what happens.:p
 
Redo it. Dont make it a parts car.

Posted from the TurboBuick.Com mobile app
 

Attachments

  • 1374970580739.jpg
    1374970580739.jpg
    80.1 KB · Views: 73
charlief1 said:
No booze here Dan, just pointing out that when I was in high school you could still find older cars that were unrestored at resonable prices. I remember a barn find GTO I should've bought at a swap meet. 66 tri power 4 speed car at $500 with title. This was in the mid 80's. Try and find something like that now and see what happens.:p
Click to expand...

that was yesterday and yesterday's GONE . Get over it. I am out of the old junk except for 2 cars here. BUT to dive into a 20 year project .... wellll Ill be dead before it's finished :eek:
 
Grumpy said:
that was yesterday and yesterday's GONE . Get over it. I am out of the old junk except for 2 cars here. BUT to dive into a 20 year project .... wellll Ill be dead before it's finished :eek:
Click to expand...

True that yesterday's gone, but this is the new day and with inflation he paid about the same as I or you would've in the 80's for one of those barn finds.;) They're getting rarer and more expensive Dan so sooner or later the ones we've got now will be just like the 55 Chevy, just more expensive.:(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N2BUICK
Autopsy of a accumulator/drier
Replies
0
Views
362
N2BUICK
N2BUICK
M
1987 Buick Regal Turbo T
Replies
7
Views
2K
Big H
B
Mr URL
  • Locked
3.8 stock block rebuild
5 6 7
Replies
123
Views
13K
Chuck Leeper
Chuck Leeper
X
Looking for Opinions on clones and Swaps
Replies
3
Views
943
Mr.Spool
M
T
  • Locked
  • Sticky
TSM 2024 Official Rules
Replies
0
Views
699
Tweeked6
T
Top