What make a car a good donor?

I've got a 62' LeSabre I've been trying to unload. I thought about using it as a donor for a rod after I waited 8 months for a ***le. Now I have the ***le and cant find a buyer. So it may end up being a donor after all.
Which is exciting to think about.
I think I may come out ahead as well after taking what I want and s****ping or selling off the rest.
I also have to suspect with my limited experiece, that it will be a whole lot easier to peice things together on the project seeing them in place in a functioning vehicle.

 

It depends on what kind of car you're building. When I built my track roadster I bought a '72 Pinto off of ebay for $300. It had a rebuilt engine. I used the motor, 4 speed transmission, pedals, drive shaft and radiator and threw the rest away. It made for a very reasonably priced build and fun car to drive.

 

Yes Joe, that is my current project (since Feb 07).

 

I guess I should have mentioned that the z-28 was VERY wrecked on the lower p***enger side where the door closes. The p***enger door was held shut with some huge screws. Believe me that the picture makes the car look much nicer than it actually was. I even offered the car to a couple of circle track friends I knew and they did not want it. The buyer was / is a Camaro lover and neither of us believe in s****ping rebuildable cars.

 

use the slant 6 dude! if it runs good its a great choice plus use all the wiring... and sell the body and trim parts to help fund the project.

 

i feel better knowing that!

 

On my '50 Buick I bought a '73 Limited 4dr HT with a 455 for $350 and drove it home. That gave up the engine, ******, steering column, brake booster and pedals, and radiator. I was given a Trans Am light roll over after the owner had taken the engine and trans. That gave up its sub frame and rear end.

I love donor cars.

 

I don't think that there will be a way to achieve this (attached) kind of stance with an inline 6. I'd have to recess the firewall about 4 inches... and then I'd have to be able to drive the thing!

- Joe

 

hey maybe use a plymouth grill out front
personally I think a early six is futile a banger setup would run just as good and be easier to obtain n fit
all sixes are going to be to long to fit the
rpu in the picture and they dont have that much room to start with in the ****pit
look for something else good 76 mustang on egay loccally for $500 2.3 plus automatic can use the rearend sell the front end W/rack n pinion steering n maybe some of the body parts come out cheap
I had a 34 pickup with that setup as a daily drive r for about 5 years
go for it
Ken

 

That's not a 62 Comet. You could use the rear end, engine and trans. Idahno if you'd use much more than that.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

I'm a huge fan of sacrificing 60's and 70's Imperials and other full size Dodges and Chryslers. 300s make great donors. You can get a B or RB, ranging in size from 361 to 440, which are all winners. Pre-smog year are winners for sure. You get the bullet-proof Torqueflight and the 8 3/4" rear too. You can even use the power seats in your vehicle, provided it is wide enough. They can usually be had really cheap

 

I'm pretty sure that it's a '66 Fairlane - or whatever the Merc version is..

 

The stance of this '29 is dead on - with an inline. I spent the better part of this evening studying the words and pictures in this issue of the Rodders Journal.



I need to think.

- Joe

 

Not to be a stickler, but I think they just got the year wrong. It looks to be a 65 Comet.

Thanks,
Kurt

 

1 more question... Part of the stash that I have put together includes a complete '40 ford front end. I was thinking of using disk breaks. Is there a donor that I would be able to swap these parts from?

thanks for all the advice guys.
- Joe

 

used engine and trans from an 80 chevy pickup longbed,no one wants a long bed and it kinda ran, used an old 8 inch ford rear end.

 

jaguars are good .Guages seats front and rear ends ,shifter wheels