You have never attempted one before?I think I am fairly mechanically inclined and I can do a lot of the grunt work myself,but I'm no body man,and I'm certainly not a auto mechanic. So here's my plan(of course I've already started,and I'm stressing out a little that this car will never be put back together again) #1:Remove Front and Rear Bumpers for Repair and Re-Chroming#1Cost of Plating both= $ 1050.00 #2:Clean and restore fuel tank:Removed tank,sent to professional shop,cleaned out,checked,new sending unit installed,got back home and cleaned exterior of tank,primed and painted silver RO.,Reinstall with new correct bolts and top pad with reconditioned straps with anti squeak material,new hoses and fittings from tank to steel lines,new correct vent surge with restrictor.Put in 10 gals. of 110 octane leaded Turbo Blue racing gas($7.98gl.:shockStarted her up,smelled like Heaven!#2Parts costs=$ 320.00 #3:Remove interior(some)Seats,door panels,carpet and underlayment,console,sill plates,seat belts.#3Parts cost= $0.00 so far #4:Bumpers back from plating(look great)Restore and re-install rear bumper,fixed broken tail light lens by learning how to plastic weld,came out great,repainted both lens and bezel to factory specs(close enough for me)with help from forum members,new wiring harness,new license plate light cover,new gaskets(not great but will do for now),New #8 chrome bumper bolts,all other bolts and screws replaced with stainless steel,all old hardware saved for the next guy,new bulbs,new reman BUICK emblem.#4Parts cost=$495.00 #5:Replace Body Mounts(this is how I got Hooked)got the 4 done at the rear,came out pretty easy with some tips from the threads, only 12 more to go(I think)Parts cost=$125.00 #6ull Motor and Tranny,never did this before(I'm 54)by myself,outside,in the rain,55 deg. out,(thought I could get it all done the day before,it was beautiful out 65 deg. sunny,got to the last bolt on the motor mount and could not get it off,the mount had collapsed it was getting dark so I called it a day,next day talked to a mechanic friend of mine and got it off)came out like I knew what I was doing motor tranny and all,what a rush that was.Got the trans and motor separated and on stands,took the car and put her in my brothers garage for now.#6 cost=310.00 #7:Transmission Rebuild,took trans to local shop for stock rebuild.#7 cost=? #8:Engine Rebuild,Still researching for builder So what do you pros think? Can I pull this off with some help from my local body and machine shops. Thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts, you folks have been more than kind. Chet
Your thread title mentioned frame off but in your description what you described is frame on. If you want to do a frame off your going about it in the wrong direction. I dont see anything wrong with what you've done so far and your cost are not really out of hand. How you proceed really depends on 2 things. Overall condition of the car and what level you expect the car to be when your done.
you are doing fine.. #7 might cost u upwards of $1000, at least it would be in Windsor, for an overhaul. #3 do u have to replate the console? cost me $645 to my console ('72 gs) replated.
Cubic money. If you can do ALL the work yourself, cut the cube in about half. How big is the cube? Hard to tell; it has to be based on what you have, and a detailed set of pictures presented here to have some patient experts dice them up to the best of their knowledge, without having X-Ray vision, to find the cancer that is sure to be there, somewhere. I can do everything but bodywork and upholstery, and have over $10k in my '68 Skylark California GS, and if someone came by with $2500, they could be driving it home. It is worth that in parts. Of course, that Chebby engine is a kicker...
I know,it started off I wanted to get her back in road worthy condition mechanically wise and do the body and interior later.But the more I thought about it and the more work I did convinced me just to try and do the whole thing.The car has a solid frame,only rust spots found so far are under the battery,passenger foot well,and a few holes in the trunk pan.My thought was to prep the trunk and pass. foot well and hire a company that has done work for Me in the past do the welding of the replacement pans and replace the front cowl with a new one.After that I would like to raise the body from the frame and(of course I knew I would be taking the stuff off I already put back on, but I think that just helps Me to familiarize myself with the process) and go from there as funds dictate.And yes I will post some pictures to let others see what I've got.I know it is a matching #s, all there,right colors,correct options,was running(until I pulled the motor because it sounded like that car in the Steven King movie "Christine" when that kid first drives it to the garage!)not very well,RH manifold had a hole in it and ran with a horrible miss, checked the compression and knew it was time for a rebuild. Now I'm sure to find more rust on the body somewhere and the paint is toast,but I think it is worth putting 20 to 30 grand in,I think I can get that back down the road IF I EVER decide to sell her.That's My thinking anyway.Any comments are indeed welcome.
Do not bother with thinking you will get more than half of what you put into the project if you ever sell.... Just stop counting the $ and do it how you want to then hope you don;t have to sell it. Post up some pics of the paint.... Might be worth leaving it and driving it, as you said you do not have a garage to store it in.... Look no further than Finishline for the engine, they are in your area and will do a great job...
Frame off's are now so expensive they often exceed what the car is worth. Do it only for yourself. Do not expect a profit if you decide to sell.
I read an article in the "Riview" (ROA mag) That talked about restorations and to sum it up the writer said you would be money ahead, way ahead, to buy a car that someone else has already done for 1/2 of what it will cost you to do your own.
Chet I was in your same shoes! I decide to begin my rebuild of my 71 GS350 in 2005 and it ended up being a frame off restoration. I was in the final stages in getting estimates for minor body and paint work but the numbers I was getting was not worth it for me since my son is in second year in college and soon another one to follow. I did the frame, uncarriage, rear end, new suspension, new gas tank, new brake and fuel lines, power coated many parts, rims/tires, engine and trans done, clutch, gardner exhaust and now putting it all back together to finally driving it again! BTW since my car has the original paint with no rust and very presentable, this is the way is staying but its under carriage is all new and will be fun to drive again. I am in the last stages in getting the front fenders, hood, bumper, and grille back on and hopefully diving it in March of next year. Here is a photo before having the fenders on and also with the fenders on. Good luck, George
Here's a thread you can reference tracking a project very similar to what you are contemplating. One post sumarizes dollars and hours spent. There will be little to no body / paint work done but damn near everything else. Note the work is being done by one person who has a lot of automotive experience especially with 68-72 BUICK's and all the necessary tools and ample garage space. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?262701-1970-Skylark-Garage-Find
Well that thread certainly opened up my eyes,along with the other comments.I had a hunch I was WAY over my head on this project(Dream really) cash wise maybe(and that's a BIG maybe)but time and know how and tools and place to do all that,in one word,for Me personally"IMPOSSIBLE". At least now you folks have given me a realistic view of things,so I think what I'll do is get the motor and trans done and put back in the car,take the car and have the interior done by D@N Upholstery in Blissfield MI.,they did great work on my "72 LTD Conv.Make sure all the important things are good like brakes,tires,suspension,etc;and drive the car,because for Me that's the thrill of a 455 GS in the first place! I'll worry how it looks down the road.Thank you all for your honest opinions and wish you all a great Holiday season,and when I get her back on the road I,ll post some picks of burning rubber!
Sounds like a realistic plan! A frame-off is a huge undertaking and it's too easy to get in over your head! I'll suggest only tackling one portion at a time....don't disassemble anything else until you get one area completed. For example, engine/trans first, and concentrate on refinishing all the brackets, small components, hardware, etc, before even thinking about disassembling the rear, or interior or... It's easy to disassemble a whole car, lose momentum, and end up with an overwhelming puzzle that could take another decade to reassemble. Concentrate on getting it drivable so you can enjoy it. Cosmetics can come later. One thing at a time, steady as she goes! A simpler option to the frame-off resto is the firewall-forward resto. Remove front clip, engine/trans, and suspension. Sandblast and paint exposed frame. send suspension components, rad support, inner fenders, and misc out for blasting and powdercoat. Rebuild engine/trans. Detail all the other underhood stuff and reassemble. If you keep at it, it could be back on the road within a year..... while a full frame-off could take many years or even decades!
Good luck with your decision. I stopped keeping track of cost after the first car I did. Verry few people make money on a car restoration even if they keep track of there hours and pay themselves a decent wage. I know I do it for the satisfaction of knowing I did that or, I too it from this level to This level. I wont pay for a completed car for Budgetary and other reasons. If you do attemt a frame off restoration have tons of work space for parts and cars, A supportive family and a few good Car Buddys with some skill can realy help. Tony
I've done a bunch of frame offs and can offer my advice. You need protected space for both car and parts, 2 car garage at minimum. Before removing a single bolt you need a solid plan on what you are expecting to end with. Doing it yourself you can save beaucoup bux but there are major obstacles involved and doing a show quality frame off in your garage and it is a real challenge for lots of reasons. However, doing a frame off restification is a much simpler task if your end result is a fun driver and cruise night show car. Never plan on making money on a frame off unless you a professional with access to professional tools, materials and parts. Frame offs done right cost a fortune , even in your garage. Restifications however, you can turn a turd into a fun car to enjoy and it will presents well at the local cruise and looks fantastic and the resale is reasonably good. you should be able to get your money back and depending on the car, you could turn a slight profit. but all mine have been labors of love that came out great and are a blast to drive but if I tried a judged show It be a different story with non factory appearing metal repair on the undersides .I could spend more time hiding the metal work but I personally don't see the point in spending months hiding metal work to satisfy a judge. I build em to have fun with, don't have patience to make a trailer queen, but I don't begrudge others that make those flawless show cars.
You just took every word outta my mouth! I'm doing my first frame off (verrrry slowwwwly) and its a challenge (and expensive) but getting to touch every nut and bolt and turning it into the car I want is worth it. Just as stated above, my intention is a fun cruise night car so I don't have to sweat correct head stamps on bolts etc, but for those capable and ambitious enough for that type of resto I applaud them. But its nothing you can't handle with enough space/tools/time (PATIENCE)/ and of course $$$$$. Just be sure to keep it fun, when you get frustrated (and you will at times) walk away, and dont hesitate to take your time and enjoy the project as much as possible.
Chet , Look no further this this forum to see 5-10-15 year uncompleted projects . In the past 4.5 years Ive done 1 rotisserie and 4 Extensive frame on restos . And a second frame off in progress .. On the frame off I have over 1000 hrs MY time just in details , plating , some labor ect . This is in addition resto shops time $$$$ . I strongly suggest just getting her back together or perhaps front clip resto as mentioned if you have the space & some helpful friends . I think I missed what year and model car you have ? But as Dave mentions even starting with a highly desireable one its hard to come out . Regards, DL
Thank You for the comments folks,I really did not understand what it takes you Guys to pull off these amazing restorations,I Just know I've been dreaming of owning a Buick GS in that condition most of My life.A short story you and the other Buick lovers might like to hear,My Fathers best friend Walter Procknow owned the oldest Buick dealership in the country right here in Ann Arbor Michigan(look it up)it was called Ann Arbor Buick.The history behind that dealership is one of the most amazing stories of the car business bar none.I'll keep this short but it goes like this.Walters Father started that dealership in 1928 and died shorty afterwords because he had gotten gassed in WWI.So His Mother! took over the dealership and ran that place like a fine tooth comb until she lost her mind to dementia in the 1970s I think.She was The first and ONLY FEMALE BUICK DEALERSHIP OWNER IN THE COUNTRY for a long time.I think she lived to be in her 90s God bless Her but that dam disease robbed her of the last 20 of it,any way it's a hell of a story and that's how I got hooked on Buick's because Walter would shop in my Dad's Grocery store every week and he ALWAYS drove the latest and greatest Buick's on the road! Yours Trurly Chet
Do you have a plan with this yet? It all starts with a dream, then a plan, develop a budget, build a schedule based on those two constraints and then sticking to the plan within a reasonable tolerance of it and the budget. Weather you do some, none or all the work, it has to be in the plan and budget to get done. This thread should not deter you but help you focus and help provide guidance to reach your goal.
One thing to consider very carefully is body work and what all it involves. If you know someone that has a reputable restoration shop that is one thing but if you have to rely or unknown body shops you could easily end up in Bodyshop hell. I do not know the history behind your car but where it was the first twenty years could give you an idea of what is under the paint. A very skilled body man could take a look and give you a reasonable idea as to the extent of the repairs that you need. A lot of times there are still surprises. Wait until you take a nice item in to get blasted, go to pick it up and say where is MY item. Because the one that you are looking at is full of holes and or repaired. Whatever amount you can figure you would be smart to figure another 15% on top of that. There should not be any material between the tank and straps. If you put a spray on that you do not see that is another thing. Reinstall with new correct bolts and top pad with reconditioned straps with anti squeak material, new hoses and fittings from tank
