[eschaider]

Depending on how much work is required that might or might not be a good price. If the TLC is just cosmetic you’re probably sitting on a pretty good catch. The deeper the cleanup goes the less attractive the pricing.

Some big expenses you might want to keep on the radar screen until you can discard them with certainty include engine repairs and potentially upgrades. As you discover what the engine really is you might decide to “improve” it slightly . The slightly part is where the dollars begin to rise.

If it is a Classic Roadster, and a bunch of the guys who actually own them believe it may well be, it is a nice replica. I believe the CR’s did not come with IRS but I might be wrong. If they didn’t and you decide you want it, you’re looking at a mid $4K conversion and up. At that point if you really wanted an IRS it might be better, cost-wise, to sell the car and just buy one that originally came with an IRS.

Regardless of the engine (unless it is a 190 hp Mobile economy run engine) the car will be stunningly fast the first year or so that you drive it. No matter the power level of the engine cut a wide respect path around the car. They drive like no other car you have ever driven and they will kill you in the blink of an eye, if you give them the slightest chance — so don’t.

After you get used to the original engine you bought the car with you will want to up the power level to restore that OH WOW! experience when you first drove the car. This is a more dangerous time than when you first bought the car.

When you first bought it, it frightened you enough you believed it could kill you. Once you cross that threshold that promotes the old, ‘if a little is good too much is not enough’ you are in real danger because you have lost respect for the machine — and that’s when it will get you.

Back from the dark side.

Especially if you are good with your hands and fabrication, the car can bring you untold hours of satisfaction. If you are not, then a restoration on a car like that will still consume hours of time but you will be paying someone else for their time and not enjoying it as much as if you were doing it yourself. Did I mention those other guys charge a lot of money?

Clean 'er up / fix 'er up type purchases rarely turn out as cost effective as buying the car you want in the condition you want unless you can and want to do all the cleaning up and fixing up yourself — just saying ...


Ed