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 title. Now I have the title 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 scrapping 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 passenger side where the door closes. The passenger 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 scrapping 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, tranny, 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 cockpit
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