blazzin1
09-04-2025, 09:50 AM
Hello FFR community,
I discovered this morning that I was already a member of the forum, but only made a single introduction post way back in 2016! I didn't get too far in my aspirations to do an FFR build way back then. But I'm still an FFR fan, and once again considering doing a build, so I thought I'd re-introduce myself. My name is Keith, I'm 54 y/o, and now live in Mississippi. What's kinda funny is I find myself in just about the same situation as 9 years ago....whether to do an FFR build, or attempt to restore an old muscle car? I currently have an all numbers matching '69 Corvette (small block) in the garage, which is undoubtedly a cool car. But this Corvette needs a LOT of work. The frame/birdcage is not rotted out like many C3's, but it is a "project car" that needs a full frame-off restoration. I think I may have bit off a bit more than I can chew on this one! I do have a small shop, with standard jacks and jack stands, but I don't have any kind of 2-post or 4-post lift, and no means to support a hoist to lift the body off. I'm very good at the mechanical stuff, but have no skills in bodywork or paint. Still, the thought of dealing with the extensive teardown, rusty parts, media blasting, and replacing every bearing, bushing, and "soft good" on the car isn't very appealing. Sure would be nice to just put something together that's "all new", or at least "mostly new", without having to deal with the restoration aspect of it all.
With retirement on the horizon in 6-8 years (hopefully), budget is a concern. I really LOVE the '35 Hot Rod Truck, and would undoubtedly go that route if funds were unlimited, but because budget is an important consideration, I thought the more sensible route would be to build a Mk IV Roadster Base Kit with a donor car or at least donor parts. I'm not looking to build a 700+hp SEMA worthy show car, just something cool and unique to drive around. But I'm curious, what you guys think of my options? Obviously, the sky is the limit when building one of these cars, and from the posts I've read, it's quite easy to sink $60-$70k or even considerably more into an elaborate build. But what should I expect to spend on a "budget" Mk IV base kit build? Considering the current cost of the base kit, and a donor car, do you think it could be done for around $30k, or is that just a pipe dream? Or, am I better off just sticking with restoring my '69 Corvette? I know, I know, neither one is going to be truly "budget friendly", but I'm sure many of you have been down both of these roads before, and I'm curious what y'all think about all this.
I discovered this morning that I was already a member of the forum, but only made a single introduction post way back in 2016! I didn't get too far in my aspirations to do an FFR build way back then. But I'm still an FFR fan, and once again considering doing a build, so I thought I'd re-introduce myself. My name is Keith, I'm 54 y/o, and now live in Mississippi. What's kinda funny is I find myself in just about the same situation as 9 years ago....whether to do an FFR build, or attempt to restore an old muscle car? I currently have an all numbers matching '69 Corvette (small block) in the garage, which is undoubtedly a cool car. But this Corvette needs a LOT of work. The frame/birdcage is not rotted out like many C3's, but it is a "project car" that needs a full frame-off restoration. I think I may have bit off a bit more than I can chew on this one! I do have a small shop, with standard jacks and jack stands, but I don't have any kind of 2-post or 4-post lift, and no means to support a hoist to lift the body off. I'm very good at the mechanical stuff, but have no skills in bodywork or paint. Still, the thought of dealing with the extensive teardown, rusty parts, media blasting, and replacing every bearing, bushing, and "soft good" on the car isn't very appealing. Sure would be nice to just put something together that's "all new", or at least "mostly new", without having to deal with the restoration aspect of it all.
With retirement on the horizon in 6-8 years (hopefully), budget is a concern. I really LOVE the '35 Hot Rod Truck, and would undoubtedly go that route if funds were unlimited, but because budget is an important consideration, I thought the more sensible route would be to build a Mk IV Roadster Base Kit with a donor car or at least donor parts. I'm not looking to build a 700+hp SEMA worthy show car, just something cool and unique to drive around. But I'm curious, what you guys think of my options? Obviously, the sky is the limit when building one of these cars, and from the posts I've read, it's quite easy to sink $60-$70k or even considerably more into an elaborate build. But what should I expect to spend on a "budget" Mk IV base kit build? Considering the current cost of the base kit, and a donor car, do you think it could be done for around $30k, or is that just a pipe dream? Or, am I better off just sticking with restoring my '69 Corvette? I know, I know, neither one is going to be truly "budget friendly", but I'm sure many of you have been down both of these roads before, and I'm curious what y'all think about all this.