What would you do with this car?

Hey guys/ gals. I just joined gbody last week because I am parting out 2 mid 80 Cutlass's and have tons of parts for these cars for sale. I've been a Cutlass guy for 20 years, since I was 16. I've now owned 7 Cutlass's from 82-87. I currently have 2 being parted out, 1 hobby stock roller for sale, my 85 442 parts car and my 86 rust free tan Texas car (hard to find in the northeast where I live). Anyways this 86 was MINT until an outside cargo port collapsed on it last winter from the weight of the snow. So here's my dilemma. The insurance company gave me $1600 to fix the damage. I've got about $3000 saved up from parts/ and other things I've sold off. The car still has a good value even with the damage of maybe a couple grand. My initial plan for this was a sbc 383 (500hp) w/ a 700r4 transformation. I'm really looking to change the color of the interior to grey or black w/ a grey or black exterior. What do you think the best way to go would be? Should I fix the damage to this one, paint it, change the interior color, and add the HP. Or should I unload it and just buy one in the right colors damage free w/ or without a powerplant. I'm really stuck on this decision because I'm worried about finding another one of these cars this clean. Any advice?

I thought I did alright?? I was nervous they were gonna total it. The appraiser was pretty cool and appreciated how nice the car was when he did the appraisal. How much do you think they should have given me?

patmckinneyracing said:

Come down here and I'll find you 20 of those cutlass's rust free. Glad I moved out of maine, frozen hell hole then dealing with the massholes, I mean people from massachusetts lol jk.

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I am a proud Masshole who moved to NH in 1996. Now I just get to pay there taxes and run my business here!

Anyways, that was really my main question, as far as what to do. I think the car still has good value because it is fairly clean and rust free which is becoming harder to find up here in the northeast. I never had intention of running that doggy 307 (I know I'll piss someone off w/ that). It's not what I bought the car for. I bought it to repower w/ upwards of 450hp w/ SBC and a 700r4. I already have the 8.5 diff in my 442 parts car. What devalues the car outside of the body damage is the way this 307 runs. It's misfiring and I haven't even bothered looking into why, I'm not driving it now so I really didn't care. If I could find a rust free roller w/ grey bucket interior, or someone that had laready built one up, I may be better off selling this one and buying something else. Decisions!!! :evil: