whats it worth?

My new rule is to imagine what a finished complete car would cost, then subtract what it would cost to get the car you're looking at to that level. I figure a really nice newly built decent (not show quality) Shelby-esque "restomod" '66 coupe with an EFI 5.0 and AOD (or 5 speed) can be had in the mid teens to $20k range. So, figure $6k for putting a drivetrain (crate motor and new tranny) in it, $3k to $4k to finish paint, glass, and body (assuming all major rust and panel replacment has been done), then miscelaneous (you know, all that stuff we take for granted like hoses, lines, engine dress, brake bits, etc.) for another $2k, plus assembly labor to put what's left to do together for another $2k. Do the math and that's $14k. Subtract that from $17,500 (right in the middle of the range of buying a completed car) and you're looking at $3500 worth of car. That is only if you completely believe that you won't have to touch or redo anything that has already been done. And if you think about it, $3500 seems about right for what you're going to get, which is basically a straight body with some decent bonus parts and a straight body.

Now, sure, you can argue with my reasoning, saying that you'll save tons of money by doing all the labor yourself and doing the paint and body stuff yourself, but you asked about "whats it worth". For me, this means what it is worth "on the market", which means within the context of everything from rustbuckets to completed cars. The better off you start the more you'll save in the long run, which is why folks lose money on rustbuckets. But You can also buy a killer car for less money that is in it. It's all about getting the most for your money, right?

Hope this helps...

I'd say between 4-5k.