ClassicCar

I would very much like your opinion on what to do with my 1976 4-door Oldsmobile Cutlass S. I am the original owner. For the past few years my Olds has been parked in my garage and not driven. It has a good deal of rust on the undercarriage, needs a new paint job, vinyl roof and seat covers, and of course will need engine work (hopefully just a new battery, carburetor , etc).



I have a sentimental attachment to the car for several reasons of which I will not bore you with. The car is fun to drive and although the gas mileage is about 10-12 mpg, maintenance is generally quite low plus it gives me a multi-car discount on my insurance.



There appear to be four options: (1) restore it, (2) donate it, (3) sell it, or (4) make the decision later.



From the research I have done and the book I read on restoration, it seems that most of the cars (1950s thru 1970s) that are restored are convertibles, sport cars, etc. Although my Olds does not have any of the usual collectible qualities, I've not seen very many 4-door versions.



Another thing I should mention is I will not be doing the work myself but will pay to have someone do it for me. If I restore it, I thought I would do it over a period of three years. Year one – get the engine up and running, two – exterior restoration, and three – interior restoration.



So my questions are:

1. Is it worth restoring?

2. If I restore it and spend $$, will it still only be worth what it is now?

3. If I donate it, will they send it to the clunker farm or will its parts be removed and sold off?

4. Do you think anyone would want to buy it and restore it?



Thanks in advance… S