Thinking of jumping in but...

[FETorino]

Originally Posted by BBBluey

50Gs is out of the question. I'm not looking to make this car a Pro-touring type. I just want it clean, nice looking and running so I can drive it everywhere just as if I lived in the 70s.

$50k will get you Brian's shaker scoop on his 71 Seriously with you doing NONE of the work a ProTouring build will be $150k+

Originally Posted by BBBluey

All good points.
I fully intend to do my best at getting the cost down but I'm pretty sure he won't go that low. He'll put it on ebay before going that low and then I'm certain one of you will buy it. Lol.

I seriously doubt you can find a 71 Bird in similar condition for that money. I've searched craiglist like a madman. There are 72 & up, but not 71s.
Am I way out of the park in thinking $10K will get it looking and running nice?
My guesstimate is ~$5K in body work & ~$3K for interior and ~$2K in motor/misc expenses. Again, not show car or street racer but respectable and dependable.

I saw a 71 Formula for $3500 a couple months ago on OC CL. I see a clean white car on SD CL asking $19k which could likely be bought for less.

The fact that you think the engine and misc will be less than the interior shows you are walking into a wall.

the motor in that 71 is junk. It is topped with a crapy air cleaner full of dirt that has been sucking down the carb. The waterpump has been weeping on the front cover, I'm sure the valve seats are screaming for lead and need to be replaced and I'd bet the motor has a nice nylon timing gear just waiting to skip a tooth and eat some parts.

You can't pull and reinstall the motor and even the cheapest rebuild with a PAW kit or some other junk from a shop will be $3500+. That's low end for a pull/install and junk rebuild. Trust me it will cost you way more than that for a proper rebuild.

You aren't even taking into account the worn out rubber bushing in the suspension. Those are cheap until you pay someone to install them.

You trust the brakes in a car that has been sitting and looks like an abandoned soup can?

Try at least a grand for a shop to just go through the stock brakes that are on there to make them safe.

I posted the 455 car as an example of a desirable numbers matching non TA car because #s matching was a statement you made.

#s matching is a term that you worry about for something rare and collectible. A Formula 350 is a cool looking car but a Formula 400 with a manual would be collectable.

The white car looks like a decent start. Beg one of the local SD members to go with you and look at it. At least everything on it is well kept and they painted the motor the right color.

Replacing the carpet would be a great first project for someone with no skills.

Project managing a complete restoration with no real knowledge is a recipe for disaster. I see you trying to talk yourself and all of us into paying to much for that 71 but if you do you will regret it.