Re: IML: 70 LeBaron body work

I agree with all the previous opinions to keep the 70 going. I know you sometimes will feel like you are throwing money into a bottomless pit. Remember a newer car would mean car payments and they somtimes need nonwarranty repairs too. I have found a car is part of the monthly budget no matter what car it is. i hope you will soon reach that point where reapirs have reached a comfortable daily driver level and you are practicaly driving it for the price of gas and insurance only. How many other people today can say their daily driver is an Imperial? That is the goal i have with my 71. If there is somthing better than good wine, song and Imperials, I have not herd about it. I am glad you have a body and paint man with 32 years experience. That alone is worth more than you know. I expect he knows a great car when he sees one and will do an "Imperial" job. I'm sorry it pulls the Imperial out of service so long. good luck with the neon carpool. you and the wife can laugh about it later while crusing in the Imperial.

david norris, Eastland TX, 71 the "gold brick"

----- Original Message -----

From: kmoore12@xxxxxxxxxxx

To: mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2005 9:23 AM

Subject: IML: 70 LeBaron body work

Hi everyone, I am looking for opinions!

   A week ago I took my 70 4-door to a body and paint restoration specialist named Rudy. He works out of my friend Kevin's dealership (who specializes in restoring and selling muscle cars - particularly mopars). As you can see, his overhead is low. He worked up a qoute for my car which inludes: Replacing sheet metal around the rear wheel wells where the rust has made a hole down by the rocker panels; sand-blasting all rust off the entire car; refinishing the seam where the quarter panel meets the roof (the vinyl is already removed); and finally, primer on the whole car. I may have forgotten a couple things but the whole car will be straight and rust free. All that for $2000 which does NOT include paint or vinyl. I should mention that he has 32 years experience in the field and I have inspected several phases of his work on a pick-up truck which is superb.

    My Imp is a daily driver and I mean daily. I have rebuilt ( in the past 2 years ) the ENTIRE ignition system; cooling system,except radiator; and I rebuilt the transmission, except the valve body. I am struggling with this because it is my only car. When it breaks I drive my wife's old neon. I cannot afford to maintain a garage queen or beat it up (after dumping all that money into it) as a daily driver. Considering the daily driver part, I picked up the latest issue of Hemmings which has a 70 charger with 404,000 miles on it!!!

   So anyway, the bottom line is: Do I keep it and pay for the work or sell it? I'd rather keep it. I would ABSOLUTELY NOT sell it to demo derby dummies.

   I apologize for boring or annoying anyone with this long e-mail.

    Keith,

Hauls like ass,

looks like ass.