Projects Stumped on what to build... Opinions please

So I now have 3 potential projects... The plan is to build a hot rod the family can enjoy.... Heres what I have... a '58 chevy 4 door wagon, a '56 4 door wagon, and a
57 4 door... Which o which should I do...

the 57 has a hood, and i have trim and bumpers...
the 58 has a parts car

I was building a 63 falcon... I got it in primer, than someone around here found out I had it and needed it more than I did... haha... So back to starting from scratch...
'

 

57

 

wagon

 

pick the one needing the LEAST amt. of bodywork. get it on the road as quick as possible for all to enjoy. then take your time to build the next one. from the pics, it looks like the 56 is the best, bodywise.

 

Build the 56 Wagon!

Doc.

 

One of the wagons.

 

sell them all, save some money up, and buy something that's closer to being useable.

 

Yup. If you don't have strong feelings about any one of them and let others make the selection for you, you won't finish the project. Do what squirrel suggests, sell all three and put the money towards something you do care about - and something that's a little further along the road to completion.

 

,,,,as said, start with something better,,,that you have a "feel" for,,,,,,,,

 

Sell them all and buy in higher up. Those are pretty big projects to get good enough for a family to ride in. But if that's not an option, sell the wagons (they should bring the most $) and do the 57.

 

From my point of view..don't base your time or money based on a pole.

If you like one of these cars,build it if not send them down the road and find something you want to build.

FWIW,If these were my only choices I would go against popular opinion and build the '58 wagon,I don't remember seeing any of them around my area, HRP

 

Longroofs are cool. Personally, I would go with the '56 Wagon, but hey, that's just my dumb opinion.

 

I'm on board with sellin them all and finding something al little closer to being complete. You don't wanna spend all your time building something and before you know it, your family is grown and don't want to spend any time with you! and you'll be all alone in your big wagon...just sayin.

 

This makes a bunch of sense !!
Look for a more complete 58 though

 

I'd rule out the 58 as parts would be the hardest to find.

 

heh....I spent 15 years getting around to finishing my 57 suburban, by then the kids were all gone....

Then again, my brother is getting ready to head out on a ten day trip in his 58 chevy wagon, towing the pop up tent trailer, with his wife and kids. He got the car in driving condition, and has kept it going all these years. It looks like **** now, but it goes down the highway fine

 

IF I had to choose one of those, it'd be the '56. But I'm on board with sellin' 'em all and starting with something more substantial.

 

Of the three shown, I'd always go for the wagon if I went 4 door.

 

Obviously the '57 is the easiest, they are the '32 Ford of the fifties-more repro parts than you'll ever need and more repro parts than ever built from the factory. No challenge there. The '56 is the same way-too easy...!!! There may be repro parts for the '58, but that one is the rarer of all three...that one is the challenge...IF you're up to it!!!

R-

 

Doesn't really matter if all those repop parts are available, if you don't have the cash to buy them.

 

Thanx squirrel, but that wasn't the question, besides, the man asked for opinions on which to build...you read mine, I guess that's yours...

R-

 

'58. '58s are cool. Wagons are cool. If you're going to build 4drs, make sure it's a wagon or at least a 4dr HT.

 

If I was going to build one I would go with the 58 wagon. Sell the 56 wagon. And if the 57 four door sedan was mine I would start searching for a couple of nice 2 door sedan doors and do a 4 to 2 door conversion. Couple of threads here on how to do it.

To me the four door sedans in most any model are only cool if you have a hard top version. I only grew to like 4 door wagons after having kids and grand kids.

 

The '58, it seems to have all the windows.

 

R.Jetter X2. Despite a post to the contrary, trust me when I tell you 58 parts especially for wagons are hard to find. I've had a 58 and can tell you after market and repops are almost non-existent for a 58 wagon. Tri 5 parts on the other hand are everywhere.
BTW, what vendors sell all these 58 Chevy wagon reproduction parts? I'd like to know.

 

ive seen some very nice 55 56 chevy wagons thats got my vote

 

I see missing gla$$ on the 56 and lots of ru$tout on the 58. build the 57. looks to be the most solid. very popular, lots of parts available.

 

Having built a wagon that doesn't have any aftermarket parts I know it takes more creativity and spending a lot time on the Internet looking for parts,but it payed off in the long run.

Building a car is not always about coloring inside the easy lines..just my opinion. HRP

 

Gman, I did not state there were after-market parts available for the '58...wait, here let me show you what I posted in that thread : "There may be repro parts for the '58, but that one is the rarer of all three...that one is the challenge...IF you're up to it!!! "

I simply said in the first part of that post: "Obviously the '57 is the easiest, they are the '32 Ford of the fifties-more repro parts than you'll ever need and more repro parts than ever built from the factory. No challenge there. The '56 is the same way-too easy...!!!

Why don't you go back and re-read what I wrote just for your own confirmation (Post # 19). There was no inference in that statement that '58 parts were available in reproduction or there were LOTS of wagon parts available in reproduction...I contend you misread what I wrote. I also said the '58 would be the challenge (simply BECAUSE of there being no availability of parts).

I'll accept your apology...

R-

 

All threee of those project choices are dedicated builds. If you choose to sell and wait for the right car to come along your kids could be gone also. I say the 56, gl*** might be tough but can be had, but part of the excitement is the build. Seeing what ya started with and than the end.