There are plenty of things I've learned along the way. for starters, yes indeed it's better to buy one fully restored than to fix up a project. These cars are expensive to restore because (1) repro prices are higher than the same
parts for Mustangs or Falcons -- because there are fewer cars to divide the costs with, and (2) the car is actually a Lincoln, built with the concept of "Why use 3 moving
parts when you can use 47?" Then when all is said and done, the finished car is not worth as much as that Mustang. Why? It's a head scratcher. BUT -- take it on a drive, take it to a car show, take it anywhere, and it turns heads. The general public doesn't look at auction results, they love the cars!
As for restoration, you should ask yourself -- are you doing a total rotisserie restoration, or are you fixing it up as you go along? This makes a difference as to what to do first, or how far you should dig.
In my case, I bought a basket case of a car -- sitting in a field for years with rodents living in it, formerly owned by some mountain boys who knew how to rig it up with bailing wire and chewing gum, and
parts source being another Bird in the backyard on blocks. I made it a rolling restoration, and although it still is a bit rough around the edges I've had years of enjoying it.
One major piece of advice: before you drive it anywhere, replace the brakes. I'm talking cylinders, brake shoes, flex hoses, steel lines, everything. ESPECIALLY the steel lines and hoses. Rotten hoses can let go, and even good-looking old hoses can swell up inside, making the brakes feel sticky. The steel lines can
rust, and the rear one is notorious for rusting inside a plate, where the line turns and goes under the driver's door. Use new stainless lines and you're good forever.
As for body, first chance you get, remove the carpeting and the carpet backing, and hang it out to dry. Trust me, it's soaking wet, and rusting out the floor. It rained one day in 1969, and some water got inside the car, and it's still there. That carpeting feels bone dry until you remove it -- and yuck!
Looking for a good shop in your area? Go to some local car shows and ask around. Don't go with the shop that sets up a booth -- well, you can, but only if you have 10 other people telling you this shop does really good work. Some are ripoff artists. I've had my own bad experiences, and I've heard stories from others that are even worse. I know a shop in Bradenton (FL) who disappeared in the middle of the night, taking several customer cars with them. These cars were later found in North Carolina, picked apart. But there are plenty of good guys, and you can find them by asking around.
That's about all I can thing of at the moment. Good luck!
