My barn find, preserve the patina or full out resto?

So, I stumbled on a barn find, a rare Pontiac. You don’t see many of these anymore. Full interior, most of the exterior trim, even the original wheels, so I’m thinking it’s worth $30K or more. Anyway, since this is a survivor I’m wondering if I should preserve the well-worn patina or do a full out concourse restoration. From the extensive weight reduction evident, it might be one of the Superleggera models!! If that’s so, I might look into that Eastwood product that you spray on to preserve patina and let the next owner sink $100,000 into the restoration. Barrett-Jackson here I come!!

wow!

It looks like that car was sitting VERY close to a fire or something!

In reply to DrBoost:

Is that a period correct license plate as well? It's been years since I've seen a solid blue one.

Grtechguy wrote: In reply to DrBoost: Is that a period correct license plate as well? It's been years since I've seen a solid blue one.

Good eye!! I think it has a period correct evergreen tree air freshener

I had the 4-door version for awhile. They did rust that badly. (I called mine the Gran-Dammit) The only reason I miss it, NOT GIVING A BERK. Traffic could be like the parting of the red sea...

Is that a 1987 Pontiac Tetanus?

In a Michigan/Ohio classified ad, that car would be listed with just the slight mention of, "some rust."

It's only original once. That said, yes, there's only minor surface paint bubbling shown in the picture, but the larger concern is the rust you can't see. I suggest you sweep up all the original parts from the barn floor and just preserve it as is. A car like this deserves a proper restoration, but that won't be necessary unless some serious corrosion becomes evident.

Is it bad that I think the looks of it are an improvement over how it looked the day it came out of the factory?

I would much rather drive that than what it once was.

Put a Honda GX160 motor in it.

VW Stance kids could only dream of rust like that.

Does the air conditioning work?

Does it even need to anymore?

When your door cards keep the weather out, your car might be rusty.

Vinyl wrap is all you need.

Hmmmm, bet there are a few recycled Vega's in that.........

Spray paint it yellow. Call it the big cheese. LeMons race.

Ding Ding Ding......I think Katie has a winner there. Just for fun, put a mouse on top.

trucke wrote: Vinyl wrap is all you need.

Clear vinyl wrap so it will be like an insect encased in Lucite.

It doesn't appear to be collapsing on itself. That's pretty impressive.

The skin on some of those 80s FWD GM cars did rust that bad, oddly, a lot of them are still pretty solid structurally. I have a friend with some medium size late 80s buick like that (it's his "always starts" beater, iron duke and a three speed), rockers, floors, etc. are all there and clean, but it's only 5 or 6 winters from looking like that. The later ones just rust all over, nice and even, usually the rear subframe mount points go and the trailing edge of the subframe hits the road.

I REQUIRE TRAHNSPORTAATION.

bmw88rider wrote: Ding Ding Ding......I think Katie has a winner there. Just for fun, put a mouse on top.

And keep Curmudgeon away from it

I heard is that FIAT had been wanting to merge with GM. For the life of me I couldn't figure out what the two companies ever had in common. But I think I get it now.

Thats impressive. Amazing, even.

Apis_Mellifera wrote: It's only original once. That said, yes, there's only minor surface paint bubbling shown in the picture, but the larger concern is the rust you can't see. I suggest you sweep up all the original parts from the barn floor and just preserve it as is. A car like this deserves a proper restoration, but that won't be necessary unless some serious corrosion becomes evident.

I may be wrong, but based on the pictures there would not be much rust you could not see.

So many viewing holes available.

That thing needs to stop hanging out with delinquent Toyota Pickups. They're a bad influence.