I’m thinking Camaro SS

A Convertible is also an option…. But right now I’m looking at really nice looking cars to see what I might want to restore.

If it were you ?

50s era truck.

I have owned this one for over 44 years and just last winter decided to replace all the running parts except the rear end. I may not get my money back but it sure is a lot more fun to drive now!

One of my favorites is a 1966 Chevy 2. The one I'm thinking of came with a 350 engine rated at 350 H.P.

Perhaps you will allow me to diverge slightly from "restore". Lord willing next year I will retro-mod a '68-'70 AMX. It should look stock. I want it to be as quiet as a Lincoln. The engine is going to be a Mopar's Helephant hooked to the transmission Mopar suggest.

1964 Ferrari 250 GT

https://medford.craigslist.org/cto/d/central-point-1962-buick-skylark/7338770643.html

My Dad did one of those a few years ago Fireball.

Neat car.

Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner maybe.

How’s someone else on internet going to tell you? A Camaro SS would be cool. I’d rather restore Chevelle SS or better yet a truck but it’s a losing money proposition either way. Decide what you want and exactly what level of restoration you want and are willing to spend before you start and a ballpark how much it will cost and then do whatever floats your boat.

Car: 1968 VW Beetle

Truck. 1956 Power Wagon

"SUV" 1975 Toyota Land Cruiser with V8 swap and total off-rod rigging

1970 Ford Mustang Mach I with a 393 cubic inch "351 Cleveland" (4.030 bore x 3.85 stroke)

71 Trans Am with the 455 HO, M22, 3.90s, blue with white stripe

Resto-mod is basically what we did to the 56. Still has the original interior, wheels, factory brand paint I had done in 1980 and th plain jane interior of no clock, radio, air etc.

67 SS Chevelle
70 SS Chevelle
Are my first 2 choices. Then it would be a
67-72 Chevy truck
73-87 Chevy truck
Preferably 4x4 3/4 ton

1963 Aston Martin Zagato

68 Dodge Charger R/T

How about a barn find 58/59 Chev big back window shortbed truck?

Right on. '69.

Wife wanted me to buy an early mustang, I tried to get my cousins 1937 Hudson terraplane, but never did.

I have a 64 dodge Polara but it will be a drag car, if I ever get around to starting on it.

Avante

If I were to do a car it would be a 63-64 Pontiac Tempest/GTO. Ive already done this 47 Willys and 71 F100 4x4SB

Liking that AM Zagato a lot - but preference to restore would be a mid-late 60s Lotus Elan.

Damn that's nice. My next restoration will be a '78 Ford F250 - either with a built 5.9 12 valve or a 521 Stroker.

I've got 2 restorations going at the moment - a '63 Studebaker R/2 Superhawk & a '94 E420 Mercedes.

That Zagato went for 14 million at Sothebys in 2016 or so. My Dad has done the upholstery on it a few times now. Took 3rd overall at Pebble Beach in 2019 which is pretty rare for a sports car. One of the judges told the guy he'd have won if it was the original color (white) and the guy says "I like green."

He takes it on road races and rallies. My type of guy.

69 Mach 1 or 67 Fairlane

1965 Mini Cooper S

I've done a few. One I always wanted was a 60"s Jaguar XKE, getting beyond my means now.

Though my 427 Mach 1 is the rocket of the two my 70 Dart Swinger is much easier to drive and still scoots.

Always wanted a 36 Ford pickup! I like the fender, running boards, to fender look!

My 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser.

Hmm. '57 ford. Thunder Road comes to mind. Yeah, that one.

Old school Bronco.

1931 Ford Model A pickup, or my first truck, 1970 white Ford F100, similar to Clint's in Gran Torino.

Dad and I restored Model A's when I was a kid. Learned a lot. "Gimme the 19/32nd's socket!" Learned to drive in a 1930 Model A Coupe when I was 12.

Always liked the 1959 el camino.

So many choices, I would like to have a sixties Olds Toranado. or Coupe Deville

Buick GSX, everyone's got a Camero.


....or a Grand National if I want to crank Motley Crue and toss empty silos out the window

I've got a list of cars that I would like to restore or resto mod, depending on the car I find when I sell my existing hot rod- 66 AC Cobra Replica... First one I find for a reasonable price will probably be the one I will do-
66/67 Nova SS
67/68 Camaro
70/71/72 Chevelle SS
65-67 Corvette
53 Chevy pickup
65-68 Mustang fastback
69/70 Mustang Mach 1

Ask me in a week and I may add a few more to the list... but I can only afford to do one more hot rod right now so I have to choose....

Bob

Studebacker pickup from the 50s.

The 66 Chevy 2 wasn't available with a 350... 350 wasn't available until 68/69 so if you find one with a 350 it has been changed out.... but still a great engine for that car....

Had a 64 Lemans 326HO Aqua-marine, was my highschool car. Didn't do big enough burnouts so I swapped in a 389 4bbl with a turbo 400 replacing the powerglide. Tons of bottom end, but lost about 20 mph on the top end.

Mt 74 Challenger will hopefully be ready to swap the 360 for a mild built 440 this fall. already has a 3:55 Suregrip.

Back in the day I had a '62 Skylark, yellow w/white vinyl roof, 215 ci V8 engine, 4 barrel carb, 3 speed standard trans, column shift. Cool little car but those engines didn't hold-up very long. Had an odd two piece driveshaft with a solid one peice cast iron 'link-yoke' in the middle. If / when it broke you had to replace the entire drive shaft as none of the parts were sold separately.

57 chevy pickup would be a blast for me. Not too high to fall out of and not to low to get stuck in.

Sucks getting older.

Friend had a Chevy 2, 2dr hardtop.I think his was around a '64-'65. The original engine had been swapped out for a beefed up 327 ci Corvette engine and 4 speed standard floor shift trans. Was really quick, sounded great with headers and cam but too much HP for the stock cooling system, though, and over heated every time he fired it up hard.

My personal favorite body style for Chevy 2 was the 1967.

Had a blue '64 Tempest, 2 dr sedan w/326 Powerglide trans. Really liked that little car and the 326 engine but those engines had fiber timing gears which were prone to shaving off gear teeth.

I've got a '64 3.8 Mk II I'll sell u for cheap. Shoot me a PM if yer interested.

Pard was in the middle of an Avanti resto when he passed.

Working on a 1945 Willys MB that was my dad's hunting rig in the 60s. Have a 40 Packard 110 ragtop that has been sandblasted and I need to put together.

Thumbs All The Way Up!

With you part of the way...now imagine that with 4x4 front diff, v8 diesel, six speed manual, power steering, aircon, fully upholstered, hardwood tray, and a bull bar.

NOW you are on to something.

my son and I are in the middle of having restoring a 1968 Mercury Cougar.. 289 V8 with a 2 barrel carb and C 4 trans.

a Doctor's wife sort car from the mid to late 60s. it only has 59K original miles on it.

2nd generation camaro. i owned a 71 and always loved those cars.

i wouldnt do a a complete restore on anything,but i would build a streetrod out of about any early chevy

I like restoration but like street rods also nice cars guys I did à 34 ford pu fenderless and am working on a 38 chevy coupe. My pick though would be a 33/34 ford coupe. Loved them since watching the California Kid. We older guys had cars we wished We still had.

Daytona Charger / Superbird. Had a chance to buy one, complete original vehicle, for a project in 1990 for $13K. Passed because a mouse had destroyed front seat upholstery while it was in storage.

Still shake my head about that…

The 65 Impala 4-dr hardtop that's been sitting in my garage for the last 20 years or so. Almost a clone of my first car but this one has a solid frame and body.

Haven't tried that stuff in years. Lost money on every one I fooled with.

The 67 blue Mustang sitting in the garage I bought new in May of 67.

Buy the way, I miss Northern Dave's posts.

For me....a Datsun 280Z.....I so miss the T-tops. I have a 300Z in the garage that is so much faster.

'68 Camaro SS was first thot after reading your Title before opening.

1971 Chevy Blazer 4x4

g

I made a living....made money on everyone.....also retired early at 50 years old.....for my self only did 50-60's Corvette's always made very good money.....

57 T-Bird, or a 62 Vett.

'66 or '67 Austin Healy 3000 MK III.
Bob

‘68 Mercury Cougar. Like my first car. Red, black vinyl top. As a restomod the 302, 2 barrel carb and auto transmission would all go.
Running gear from a Mustang and a slightly tuned Coyote V-8 w/6 speed automatic.

For body sryle only, the ones I'd think about:

67 fairlane
67 galaxy fastback
65 impala
69 mustang
66 chevelle
65 gto or lemans

I could think of others, I'm sure. Obviously, I think the mid to late 60s was the Golden Age of automotive styling.

I love fast cars and I'd like to restore something like a '69 Mach 1, but I'd also like to have something like a Ford Country Squire station wagon. You don't see many of those. They are totally a different era and while sports cars are still made, SUVs just don't get it as a substitute for stations wagons. I loved the rear-facing back seats where you could wind down the back window and bounce pennies off the road.

Here's a nice one -

early 90's Toyota Land Cruiser

https://landcruiserhm.com/

[quote=m_stevenson]‘68 Mercury Cougar. Like my first car. Red, black vinyl top. As a restomod the 302, 2 barrel carb and auto transmission would all go.

One of my neighbors has a Cougar in his car pile that I've thought about talking to him about, but my dream of a 1957 Dodge 4x4 wagon keeps me from it. I'd put a Cummins and a 6 speed in it and set it up for off grid camping.

i would like something that looks like a POS but has a race chassis and HP drive train. primer, dents, rust, crusty chrome and a stroked big block putting out 500+.

I would have to agree with you on those cars, especially 65 GTO and 67 Fairlane.
My Dad bought a new 1966 Impala SS396. It was a 4-speed car and was Marina blue. All options except power windows.

A friend of mine restores 67-72 Chevrolet pick-ups and he easily sells every one he does. He made about 8 grand on the first one, a 72. The others have been more.
Now people bring them for him to restore. I think he charges $45 an hour plus parts.

Oh yeah, I’d restore either an 67 Chevelle SS or a 64 Mercury Comet Cyclone.

For me in American cars it would be a total original stock restoration of a1960 Ford Galaxy Sunliner, preferably Turquoise blue w/white top and Interior.

Foreign cars, also a total stock original restoration, early 50's MG T-type in either British green or white w/brown leather interior.

Have asked about a 73 vette sitting in the weeds now and for the past number of years, 3 times. All intact with factory rally wheels. Someone painted it purple years back. No crash damages or busted up glass.

Ole dude that has it says, ‘lemme think on it’

1950’s model IH crewcab 4WD pickup.

make sure to look at the frame

It's in the garage on the family farm in KY awaiting my retirement and having a place to do it next year.

My Uncles 51 Ford. It's been there since 71 after suffering some unknown malady up on the mountain. They drug it down with the tractor and it's been under cover since sitting, essentially in mid-air on a raised wood floor. 19K miles and even the paint is still decent. I see a big clean up and getting it running and it being me the dog, shotguns and flyrods transport in the wilds of NH.

1963 Falcon Sprint.

i knew a guy who had the ranchero version of that with i think a 289. he called it the goat roper. that thing was dangerously fast.

A 55 T Bird I foolishly sold. I stored this car for several years after the engine gave up. I was planning on rebuilding it.
Finally lost interest and sold it. Hasbeen

1965-1968 Mustang Fastback, 65-66 would be first choice.
Ford or Chevy pickup 1967-1972
1967-1972 Ford Bronco

You going to do the work yourself or hire it all done? It takes allot of resources to do a good job yourself, not to mention skill. Well worth the effort though.

69 AMX ,just because

From the eye appeal standpoint, excellent choice - and road performance is very good. Owned one for a while in the 70s - maintenance/repair aspect was a downside, occasionally a near nightmare..

I've got a 1986 K5 that I would love to drop a LS engine in.

Nice !!!.

My Grandaddy’s 53 Chevy pickup he used on the farm. After he died my crackhead cousin got it and promptly sold it to raise funds for his favorite pursuit. The rest of our family came close to shooting him over that act of stupidity. I should have gotten it anyway since my dad got it for my granddaddy.


Damnit


Damnit to hell.

I had one of those, my first new car. It was a 350 HP, but it was a 327 cubic inch. Wish I still had it, or the 57 Chevy I traded in on the Chevy II.

From the eye appeal standpoint, excellent choice - and road performance is very good. Owned one for a while in the 70s - maintenance/repair aspect was a downside, occasionally a near nightmare..
The 66 Toronado is one excellent car - interesting mechanicals, exceedingly durable, nice body style, great road car for travel. I had two daughters learn to drive in mine because it seemed safest - and they loved that boat. It had a few "advancements" in that GM seemed to try out new ideas on the Olds models while deciding whether to incorporate in other brands/models. Ten years old when I bought it in Tucson, absolutely rust free, and it was in high demand when I sold it after moving to Maryland/DC area. Drove it about 50k miles and doubled my money when selling it. Not easy to do that with most cars.

Yes - maybe their classiest design.

Laguna S3

Corvette

Over time and with experience, I have come to the opinion that the 327 is a bit better balanced and flexible that the 350s - and have owned a bunch of both.- not a knock on the 350. With not much effort/cost, you can stoke up a 327 quite a bit (like the 327ci/365 HP Corvette version) and still have a "correct' engine for that year.

Be careful cleaning it up. I bet be under cover that long it will make a cool patina finish truck.

Posted this a couple weeks ago when I purchased new tires. There is still a tons of things I need to do to it. Biggest project would be to convert to disc brakes and 5 hole wheels. It has power drum brakes now. It has a 350 with a Turbo 400. I pulled the 283 someone installed in it and sold it. I do not have the spid tag. It was obviously born as a v8 auto PS PB long bed light green truck.

There always something to be done on old cars/trucks.

'58 Chevy truck.
late 1930s Chevy sedan.

That is a really nice truck. Have a 68 Suburban the same color. Converting the front drums to discs a good idea and not too costly/difficult. Why go to 5 lugs?

I'd like to have a Jeep CJ5 with straight six and manual shift. A CJ3 would be cool as well. Both in factory configuration with no apparent mods to be used for summer/street only.

Something like this .....

The single most important feature of the 350 that would be my reason for choosing it over a 327 is the larger main journals. Not that there's anything wrong with the 283/327 or that they are particularly weak...it's just that I tend to want the *more bulletproof* stuff when choices are to be made.

Fact is, though, if I were going to be doing anything at all with a small-block Chevy, I'd build a 377.

67 gto
69 gto judge
70 chevelle
Early bronco

Sharp truck. Tastefully done. Hard to beat how good the Chevrolet Rallye wheels look on that body style. I had a '72 K20 in (roughly) the same color. It had a bit more rust though. Just a bit.

1959 Ford 4x4 would be nice.

The reason for the 5 lug conversion is it broaden's the choice of wheels. most good looking wheels are set up for 5 spokes and or 5 lugs.

71 Cuda with shaker hood would be one I would like to have again. I should have never gotten rid of mine. 383 with a performance upgrade and slapstik automatic.

1968 Jeep Gladiator ... because I have it, and it needs it.

You guys are giving me some really good ideas - nice cars !!

That 427 Mach 1 is smoking …

I was thinking a Vet was shooting too high - but hey l… WTH.

This was the last one for me. It was featured in a book called Post War American Classics by Nicky Wright. Great car and a really great era.

I’m not really a “restore” kinda guy. Love cars and trucks from nearly every era and make, but would never try to restore one to original, or near, condition.

I’d love to have a 65 or 66 Mustang with a modern v8, transmission, a suspension/brakes etc....

Always like the 928 Porsche. Would make a killer sled with some minor flaring of the rear wheel well for bigger tires and a solid engine.

I’ve talked to the Factory Five folks a couple times about their Roadster. Be sweet to build a car like that with modern components.

Fantastic car. One of my favorites from Mopar.

61 or 62 Corvette. Love the first gen front end with the ducktail rear that carried over to the 2nd gen cars.

Again, I’d want a restomod type build with some modern running gear and a modern v8.

Those are some of my favorite styles and you have a dandy!

‘63 Pontiac Grand Prix

1969 Dodge Dart 340 swinger!

"One of my favorites is a 1966 Chevy 2. The one I'm thinking of came with a 350 engine rated at 350 H.P."

You couldn't get a 350 in any Chevy until 1969. You could get a 350 hp 327" engine (option L79) in the '65 Chevelle)/El Camino or Corvette. In '66 GM didn't offer the L79 engine in the in the Chevelle/El Camino but they did offer it in the Chevy 2 (made (5481 of them) and Corvettes. In '67 GM only made SIX L79 equipped Chevy 2's because they didn't like the cheap lightweight Chevy 2's outrunning the Chevelles and Corvettes at the drag strip. GM kept offering the L79 engines in the Chevelle/El Camino and Corvetes in 67-68. They all came with Muncie 4 speed transmissions and would outrun most stock big block cars of that era (not counting the cars with the high performance 426" or 427" engines).

'51 Ford two-door of any persuasion with std/trans...we had one when I was a kid...my old man hated it!

\Oh, Flathead V-8 of course...

Studebaker?

Would like to do a restomod on a fj62.

Money losing proposition for sure.

76 T-bird.

Chevrolet Camaro

79 Land Cruiser I have here in the shop. All original except an updated ignition system.
I may put a new frame under it before I hand it down to my son, original steel in those was so bad.

Osky

Someone in this thread referenced wanting to restore a 60s jaguar. I went looking for the jaguar posted locally on Craigslist but it is a 73. Now I can’t find the post referencing wanting to restor the Jaguar. To that person- there is a 73 sitting in the weeds for $10k in MT.

I am in the loosing money camp and not sure the millennials will have much interest in classic cars but 60s Vette with LS would be fun. I have been watching for a 70 wagoneer as a little more practical.

When you get it done, and if you want someone to throw some line with, PM me and I'll meet you over there. Or you can drive it over to the Adirondacks and I'll take you around. We can talk fishing, hunting, airplanes and I'll introduce you to a couple of friends/relatives that are body men and would love to look your truck over. One of them is building a '30s something truck into a 4WD fishing/hunting theme Rat Rod.

Looks like my 1964 CJ5. I'm the second owner. All original except for a few things (the roll bars, alternator, starter and I ditched the points for electronic ignition) Paint and seats are original too.

15 yrs of daily driving CJ5s.
My spine can't take it no mo'.

Fun rigs in the woods. If I get a CJ it will have a coil conversion.


Don't see many, but I like the old '73 Cutlass 2 door, black, w full black vinyl top.
Theyre all rotted away around here.

Not fast, not really special, just good looking old car for normal driving.