Aye thanks for the quit reply!!
The grill may be from an 85, I’m not 100% sure. Everything that’s on it now, was on it when I bought it back in 1999. I just want it to look clean again & run It like an everyday car. I was thinking a 350 crate engine, But I do want to take it down to the frame (I haven’t seen any kind of leaks, but I’m sure it’s rust damage somewhere), especially by the sunroof. I’m a disabled vet & my hands are all jacked up so I plan on to taking it to a shop. Because I’m very limited as to what I can do on my own. But they need to see it (understandable) in order to give me any info on prices. Any suggestions on getting it to crank up (if it’s possible)? I know I need a new battery & drain the quarter of gas that’s left…you mentioned NOS parts, do you by chance have a steering wheel if mines can’t be repaired & dashboard?
First off, welcome aboard, and, thank you for your service and sacrifices.
Second I hate to say. When you're paying someone for work... if they're any quality it's going to be $$$. Make it
$$$!!!!!!
Be careful of a number of shady types, especially on Facebook, who will sell you repaired pieces that claim to be original at a high price. Same.guys sell 'new'parts that are refurbished.
You sort of need to sit down and look at your car. Ask two questions: do I want this part restored, or, do I want this part rebuilt. Restored is taken to factory or better condition. Rebuilt means basically taking it back to around what it was like when you bought it, a reliable presentable driver. And the price tags are very different.
You need to decide between "correct" and "just nice quality". So if the car was an 87 you'd need the euro header, harness, bumper cover, emblems... just the header panel would be about $1500 in parts and labor to handle paying someone. You reuse what's there, it's not correct, but, can be very nice. That's the difference.
You have a brougham interior, meaning some different trim parts. If it follows a regal limited vs regular regal it may be a thicker carpet pile than base level cars or 442s. It's also something the aftermarket does not reproduce, not to the same pile depth. So, if your carpet is stained and cannot be cleaned to your satisfaction, you will need to decide whether to replace the lower door panels, or, replace the carpet on them, to match the lower thinner pile of a base cutlass/reproduction carpet. Then again, it's been a long time since I sat in a brougham. Maybe it didn't get the regal limited treatment.
Lots of us like to brainstorm and help others spend money. Where youre from may make a difference with sources on parts and shops.
But like I said... look at and think.about your car. Did it come undercoating? Do you want it to remain and/or be touched up? Expensive (labor) for someone to do for you to remove and scrape away. You mentioned engjne... unless it's a Canadian 305 car a 350 needs new mounts, likely different (not rebuilt) transmission unless yours is a random dual pattern one. If a powerful 350 you need to think rear axle upgrades, not just a regearing. How's the suspension - going with what kind of frame to body bushings, what kind of control arms, will you change the front control arms, are you altering sway bars, steering box....
It's what we call project creep. Down the rabbit it hole we go. So what I like to do it go to the project, notepad with me (or, depending in your hand issues, voice assistant on a android phone to type what you speak. Then list out loud each piece you see that either you want to know options on what could be done, and/or, ideas of what you might like to do.
As a ballpark, paying someone else for all the labor (and shop rates vary wildly across the country as well) if you did a full paid, full on restore, without rust or hidden accident damage to fix... and a complete mechanical rebuild... paying parts and labor... $40,000 or more wouldn't surprise me.