My dad has lost it.

Or found it, depending on your perspective. He just bought a '61 Bel Air 4-door basketcase / non-runner/ recent driver. Relatively straight and not too rusty, but still 50 years old. Probably not a big deal for some of you, but an ENORMOUS first project for dad- a lifetime observer of hot rodding, etc., but infrequent/rare/minor participant. Reportedly a stalled restoration of a car that was until recently on the road and driving. Definitely needs brakes and a radiator, possibly some transmission work. I can provide moral support and very occasional assistance, but I'm 4 hours away, so it's 99.99% on him.

Pray for the old man, he may need it.

Go get 'em, Pops! Gotta start sometime/where.

I will forgive him if it's got three-on-the-tree.

Probably 283/ powerslide.

In reply to Woody: Alas, powerglide.

Guys gotta have fun, right? I suspect, if he's like my Dad was, it wasn't about finishing the project, more like having something to do.

Did he watch the build of Red Sled on MuscleCar?

I did, he didn't. My idea of cool would be to veer towards the lowrider/kustom end of the spectrum, I think he's looking more towards just OEM or OEM+. He also said he's not really looking for long term, and that he might just get it assembled/painted up then attempt to sell on in favor of something else.

I did point out to him yesterday that if he's taking this on as a learner project, he would easily, easily be doubling his investment in the car itself on tools and such, a lot of which he doesn't have, at least not all in one place. Over the last 30-40 years he's probably bought every wrench anyone could ever need, but they get spread around working on old tractors, get lost, etc. Just for example, he wanted to borrow my compressor to shoot paint at it, but mine doesn't make enough air for that. That's just one of a hundred things he'll need but doesn't have.

Looks, though, like I have easy father's day and christmas presents lined up for the next little while- so that's a good thing. that aside, im about 51/49 split on "go dad!" and "this won't end well."

Payoff or carnage pics will pop up here, eventually.

At Dad's age he could easily be into a Mr. T starter kit, cheap toupee and hang around bars ogling college girls. Leave him alone.

Besides, you inherit all his tools.

While a four door Bel Air will be a fun car, since it's not a two door or an Impala its resale value is going to be pretty low - so, tell him to a good time with it but don't go overboard on restoration costs.

914Driver wrote: At Dad's age he could easily be into a Mr. T starter kit, cheap toupee and hang around bars ogling college girls. Leave him alone. Besides, you inherit all his tools.

heh!

Really, I just wish I was closer to help. Should be fun, just worried about biting off more than he can chew. We'll see.

About 30 years ago, someone "gave" my father a '65 Chevy Bel Air 4 door sedan. He was thinking he would do a "rolling restoration" also. Of course, that meant he was able to drive his ONLY 15+ year old car with minimal outlay..if he so chose. He drove it a few months, no one else in the family was willing to drive it, and dumped it when the transmission went out and he didn't want to bother rebuilding it. As a 4 door sedan, it didn't really have much worth, then(?), so he wasn't out much money. He was in his early 60s at the time. How old is your Dad?

What is his plan for it? Does he want to go a full out restoration or just getting it running and driving well and then clean it up and looking nice?

Dad's 64. He's retired as of a couple years ago, so he's looking for something to do. The idea on this is to have something to futz with, I think, and the goal is just to get it back together and use it as a learning experience/ something to mess with with the sons/grandsons (of which there are suddenly many).

Everybody keeps referring to the low value, we're all aware of that- copy/ paste from my email to him yesterday: "Collectible? Nah. Not ever going to be worth a mint so don't spend a mint on it." Good news is that he doesn't have much in it- if he can keep things on the cheap side without too many surprises I think he'll be able to get it respectable and running for under Challenge money, all in.

Quasi-related: Looking around the web the last few days, I am wondering when the muscle car/ "collector car" market just completely implodes. A lot of the folks who are deep into it are aging, the economy is terrible and shows no signs of improving, etc...

My old man retired and proceeded to take apart his house and rebuild it at 68. Then he bought a 35' boat and proceeded to take it apart and rebuild it at 70. Now he's taken that boat on a 8000 mile journey, he just turned 72. When he stops doing projects like this, I'll know it's time to order his casket. Help him when you can, support him when you can't. Be glad he's got enough get up and go to get up and do something other than watch the world go by and play golf.

Besides, it's a good kind of crazy.

Yeah, my dad is 65 and is now DDing a 69 bug we picked up for $500. I spent a month doing the basics to make sure it was good but he's been doing his best to learn and maintain it since then. And despite the old adage that you can't polish a turd he has that thing shining, even where the paint was worn through to primer he's made the primer shine.

He's going to buy a new car at the end of the year but mom and I are both encouraging him to keep the VW as a toy, it's been a really good activity for him.

Speaking as an old guy (60), I'd say his behaviour should be encouraged! And maybe even take a lesson from him.

I bought a project-MGB a few years ago, and now it's my "summer-car". I'm driving it to work today, in fact. At my age, it would be easy to buy a new [place appropriate mid-life crisis vehicle here]. But what fun is that? I bought a solid, $200 MG RWA Midget last month. That'll keep me away from the remote and off the couch this Winter.

In two weeks, when my 30-something kids will be staying home watching ball-and-stick events on television, Mommy and I are going racing at Watkins Glen. Not all of us are ready for the nursing home quite yet.

Ha- the "old man" was in the "my old man" sense- Dad's the original 13-year-old trapped in a 64-year-old's body. I'm glad to see him doing something, don't get me wrong- he's been kinda at loose ends the last couple years, I guess after 40 years of work, knowing what to do with oneself can be a challenge. It's a problem I'd like to have, but I guess I'll have to wait my turn like everybody else.

I'm waiting for my dad to grow up. He's talking about a rolling resto on his 52 Ford tractor. He's only 80 and his father only lived to 103. We live next door to mom and dad andjust this weekend I cleaned their chimneys. I keep the stuff to do so at my house to keep dad off the roof since he has crappy kneesand has no business on the roof. Gotta love him.

I'm waiting for my dad to grow up. He's talking about a rolling resto on his 52 Ford tractor. He's only 80 and his father only lived to 103. We live next door to mom and dad andjust this weekend I cleaned their chimneys. I keep the stuff to do so at my house to keep dad off the roof since he has crappy and has no bidness on the roof. Gotta love him.

One of my friends' grandpa is like that, he comes in our store alot and constantly asks us if we want to buy a car. He's 78 and is still really spry, crawling in and out from under old cars and whatever. I love that ole hot rodder like he was my own. They don't make em like that anymore.