Kicking around buying and rotisserie restoring a 68 fastback. Wondering what I would have to put into it and what I could turn around and sell it for - in this day and age.


Let's assume a solid west coast driver in need of restoration, non GT, standard interior, small block J code / 4 speed - brought back to factory specs. Nothing resto mod or radical.


Cost of car - driver quality - factory power steering, power brakes, air, tach.
Minimal metal work.
Paint including red oxide underneath.
Engine / trans rebuild.
New Suspension.
New interior.
Labour for the above.


Finishing up with a close to a number 1 car.


Thoughts from anyone who has recently done something like this - especially those in the eastern States?


All in cost to do this - and compared to market price when done. How close are those numbers?

 

In my experience it is always cheaper to buy one already done, especially if you want a stocker!
With that said I like to do my own work, as a hobby not a profitable buisness venture!
About $40K to do it yourself, buy one done for about $35-$40k done!
You will not get paid for your labor!
I have done several mustangs! 1964-1970
Here is the pic of ny current 1965 fastback, I bought it about 60% completed and finished myself, this one I came out on top of this one but normally that is not the case!

 

I'll let you know when I'm done with my 67 FB which also required "a little metal work" and paint. I lucked out and snagged a GT unbeknownst to the PO. He should have paid the $35 for a Marti report.

 

You speak the truth. Sweet '65 you have there too. I can do mechanical work, install carpet, headliners, etc, but have zero body work experience. I had a '66 Corvair with rust issues that needed restoration and looked into the body work cost...would have easily hit 30-35K, and then I'd be buying all new chrome bits, suspension bushings, seat covers, carpet, top, etc etc.

So, I sold that car to someone who lives in Atlanta and still drives it. I had rebuilt the engine and included hotter cam, headwork, headers and it ran strong for a 2.7L 6 banger.

I ended up buying my '65 for $20K, fully restored to stock. The PO had about 35K in it. Only deviations were the rims and an electric fuel pump. Of course Corvairs do not command the same cash as Mustangs, so I imagine a Mustang would sell closer to the restoration price.

So, unless you have the extra money or can do most of the body work yourself, it will be cheaper to buy a completed one. If you do want to find one to restore, avoid rust as much as possible.

 

What folks said above.

If you are doing it for the fun and joy of the restoration, and planning on keeping the car, go for it. Even the nice west coast bodies will have surprises under the skin; usually accident damage.

If you simply want one to own and drive, cheaper to buy - and quicker gratification, of course.

 

I have a 68 fastback, j code, ac, at, ps car I bought about 2 years ago. I paid $15k. It was a decent daily driver with no rust, but has old, scratched up, peeling lacquer paint, interior was decent and manual drum brakes. I put on 4 wheel disc brakes, flaming river rack and pinion power steering cradle kit and column, tune-up, 4 barrel intake and Holley carb, Yukon posi unit & 3:55 gears, headers,and 17" AR rims and BFG tires. It is decent, but now I have stripped it down to do full restoration on it. The key is if you can do any work yourself. I have approximately $20k into car and was driving it regularly before I decided to do full restoration. This is the second 68 fastback I have restored, the other was a numbers matching J code GT, 4 speed, black/black. That one I had approximately $35k in it when it was done, but that was a full restoration with some mild rust repair. I bartered and traded with friends for some work and parts on that one too, and did a lot of work myself. I have seen people who pay other people to do all the work and invest 2 to 3 times what the cars are worth by the time they finish with it, if they can get one reputable shop to complete the work. Check, double check, and triple check for rust!