Body off restoration or not ?
 

Guys - I'm trying to decide which direction to go here... I recently purchase a documented, '69 Impala SS... highly option vehicle with paper work going back to day 1. The vehicle originated from the mid west, it's really clean underneath ( floors, trunk, frame etc.. is spotless ), the areas of concern is both rear quarters ( around the lip and behind the tire - very common ) and both front fenders at the heel - very common as well with this year vehicle. I have nos rear quarters that can be used as patches and next month I'll be picking up a pair of nos front fenders. With the purchase of the vehicle came a lot of nos parts ( headliner, carpet, body side moldings, wheel well trim, rocker, scripts etc), I have friends that are telling me to just do a cosmetic restoration, but others are telling me to go ahead with a full body off restoration....I'm kinda at a cross road in which direction to go here... out of the total production of '69 Impalas, they only produced 2455 of the SS version, so I would considered it rare and with all the options that it has, it will only go up in value ( I hope ! ) I'm in no rush with this project, so I have time to look at the different options.

Thanks

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

We need pics..

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

i don't like the thought of cutting up nos panels for patch panels, they must be hard to find panels.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26195-024.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26196-022.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26197-023.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26198-009.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26199-008.jpg

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Here are those pic.... the nos panels are actually the lower section from a 4 door sedan ( my mistake, I should of made that clear ) which are exactly the area that is needed.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

I love this Impala.....however I would say that you will most likely be upside down on this car....as these '69`s just do not bring the money.

Having said that....I would love to see it restored.

Best of luck. Great car. Love the Green on Green [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Dan

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Upside down or not I say restore it. Very cool color and a big block.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Having owned MANY Z24 SS427 Impalas I have a special place in my heart for them. As long as you go into the project knowing first hand that you will be buried in it and that parts for these cars are very expensive I would say DO IT! There are not enough of these left out there and they need to be preserved and enjoyed. I reluctantly sold my 69 Z24 convertible when I moved my restoration business to Illinois and am now considering buying it back. They are just neat pieces of history.

There are several Facebook pages and www.impalass427.com dedicated to these cars and they should help you get your heart pumping again.

He is a Sport Coupe I recently located but passed on due to the cost of the restoration and the fact that it no longer had it's original driveline but still a neat car.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Thanks everyone for the comments, I appreciate it....I have just about everything in NOS to do this car correctly, if I was to go the route of a body-off, ball park figures, what would a project like this end up costing ? ( engine &amp; 400 trans have been already rebuilt )


Thanks

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26206-010.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26207-011.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-26208-014.jpg


Few more pic

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

That really depends on a lot of variables. Concours or driver quality. New interior or use the one you have, etc. If I did the car for myself by myslef using all the NOS parts you say you have, not rebuilding the drivetrain and restoring the chassis and body I would say very easily $40k plus especially when you include bodywork and paint. Keep in mind I never restore anything &quot;just good enough&quot; and everything has to be perfect for me which means it costs more. Sadly they barely bring that if even that but that's why I say if you are doing it for you and not to flip it is a moot point.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Nice Custom Coupe in the garage. Lets see some shots of it too.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Thanks.... I'm looking towards a driver quality car... I seen your youtube, beautiful work ! I purchase that '69 about 11 years ago, came out of Minnesota... all original body panels / interior, paint has been touched up in spots, but to the untrained eye, you would never know.... it had 4900 miles when purchased, it has under 7000 miles now.

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...1352841831.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...green_1969.jpg
https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...file_2_265.jpg

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

I agree with everything Rick said. It isn't always about whether you are upside down. Virtually anyone who buys a new car is immediately under water on it. So what? If you like the car, are you going to enjoy it less because it will &quot;only&quot; bring $XXX when or even IF the time comes to sell it.

If you can do a lot of the work yourself, and you enjoy it, why not?

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

It's definitely a keeper, I've could of went out a purchase a new Camaro, Challenger, Mustang etc, but there is something about the older cars, just can't get them out of my blood lol... I can do most of the work myself, except for the quarter panel repairs and paint.... I rather leave those items to the professionals !

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

A great looking Custom Coupe.....only 7K Miles, very nice.

Dan

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Thanks for the nice comment Steve. Wow! When and where in MN did you find the car? I lived there for 41 years, moved to IL in 2008 and do not remember this car. I tried to keep tabs on Z24's in the area hence my sign on name. VERY nice low mileage SS427!

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Rick - it's actually a small block 327 car ( I wish it was an SS ! ) I found that car on ebay, back in 2004. It was located up in Audubon,Minnesota..... the original owner was located in Wayzata, outside of Minneapolis.

Steve

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

If the original selling dealer was Village Chevrolet in Wayzata MN. I have your dealer emblem. Earl

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

WOW - That is the dealership.... I have the original owners name with the data card &amp; dealership name. I have a service sticker in the drivers side door jamb with the Village Chevrolet listed from 1980.... I contacted the dealership by email last year to see if they have any service records for the Impala, but the records were gone.

Steve

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Steve, Send your mailing info via PM. I will send the dealer emblem to you. Earl

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Earl - PM sent.... Again, Thank you !!!


Steve

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Nice gesture Earl!

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Duh! I knew it was a small block and was thinking about your other car when i responded. I looked at a green/green 69 with 1400 miles on it for sale at classic car dealer west of Mpls back in the late 90's if I recall the date correctly.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BJCHEV396</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nice gesture Earl! </div></div>

X2, this is what it's all about [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/worship.gif[/img]

Dan

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Door Jamb....

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...-door_jamb.jpg

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Not the first time Earl has done that one for someone and I speak from experience. One of the good guys in the hobby for sure.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...29-sticker.jpg


Hard to read from the photo, but the mileage is 1010 and the date was October 1980..... makes you wonder why the car was only driven 1000 miles in 11 years ?

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Question for you guys, before I start the restoration on the '69 SS, I need to invest in a 4 post lift to give me more room in the garage.... any suggestions, there are so many out there!

Thanks

Steve

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Steve: Lots of opinions on lifts. I went with the Atlas lifts from Greg Smith. They include drip pans, jack tray and casters in the base price.

Mine are just for storage, although I do some very light work from time to time. You will see a few dissatisfied customers, but the only ones I saw were guys who purchased for a shop type environment, and expected them to hold up like a $10,000 commercial lift.

Sherri and I put these two together ourselves. Other than needing a cherry picker or overhead engine hoist to get them off the trailer, we needed nothing but hand tools and a floor jack. First one took about 3 hours, the second about two.

Instructions are crap, but you can figure it out.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Hey, that new garage is looking good Lynn! A place for everything.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Thanks Lynn for the reply.... After having both knees operated on, I'm assuming that most of these companies would deliver and set up the lift for an extra cost??.. all I need to do is mess up my back and the wife will put me out with the trash....lol


Steve

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Greg Smith offers the benchmark for economy lifts. Basic stuff, but decent and has been in business selling import lifts longer than anyone I know. They will not instal but have a network of subs to help you on that end.

I recommend contacting a sub or locating your own lift guy to see what they recommend. From Jason at Back Yard Buddy, Complete Hydraulic and several other lesser known companies the saying buyer beware is more critical now. Recommendations I made on products 5 and 10 years ago are not relevent today.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Thanks Sammy.

Steve: What Paul said. I am sure you can find someone to do the install. They usually have a package deal so that you can have the lift shipped directly to the installer.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Love the IH truck Lynn!

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mockingbird812</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Love the IH truck Lynn! </div></div>

It isn't IH. It's a Studebaker farm truck. Runs great and the dump bed still works.

It will eventually be my car hauler, but I got to do something abut that 6.56:1 rear gear. Not sure why they bothered with a granny gear. I can put it in low, dump the clutch, jump out and run around the truck and get back in before it moves a foot.

My apologies to Steve for the hijack.

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Thanks for the info guys, I appreciate it.....Cool looking truck Lynn....must be rare

Steve

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Just an update.... I went with Greg Smith lifts and had it install by a sub contractor that works directly with them....it turned out great, best decision I made ! Thanks guys for the input, I really appreciate it..... I'll post some pictures later on.....


Steve

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Photo....

https://www.yenko.net/ubbthreads/pics...741-lift_1.jpg

Re: Body off restoration or not ?
 

Did they lag it down? The previous pictures looked like no lags?

I have been involved in some exciting machinery relocations and you would be surprised what will move that you do not want to move if not fully secured:-(

Lags are good!!

Ryan