My 1968 LeMans Is Ruined! What Should I Do Now?

Nothing but bad bad news on my 1968 Pontiac LeMans... Looks like I might be in the market for a new car. What are you guys thoughts on what I should get next?
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[@That_AMC_Guy]

Floors are a couple hundred bucks, another frame could be found.... it's a GM full frame car. You could build one out of a catalog for the cost of lunch at Mc Donalds.

[@wardupyo]

Took the words right out of my mouth!!! If you love the car, don't give up on it!!! Just make it right!!!

[@johnnywallacewallace9421]

It’s an attractive driver. It will never be concourse again… so what. Drive and enjoy it for probably several more years. You may be surprised at just how many cars at car shows probably aren’t much better looking on a lift with a drop light shining on them. Find a guy like me that would love to help YOU fix her problems when you have extra time and money. None of this is that hard. And again. Don’t try to restore it. Keep driving and enjoying in mind when you’re planning. Pay the buddy helping you a little money and let him borrow the car and enjoy it too. It could all work out. Car isn’t junk. A lot worse have been fixed. Just remember… safe driver.

[@jaylarson152]

Drive it, fix it. Drive some more and fix it! Don’t have to do everything at once. Fix the brakes and get some gaskets. Don’t worry about the fiberglass stuff until you’re ready to tackle it. Good luck ! Wish I had one of those! My good friend had a 71 lemans sport. 350 car. It went good enough. The last night he had it( his new1980 Camaro he ordered had come in. We had to have the lemans on the dealership used car area by morning. We were flying down a country highway downhill. Just as we started downhill at a hundred mph. He slammed the brakes, slipped it into reverse and crammed the gas pedal to the floor. Tires were going 90 in reverse, car is still going 90 forward . Until it finall slowed to where we started going in reverse up the hill. We did that a half dozen times. Tired of course went from new to garbage. I know it sounds really stupid. It was. But we used to get the cops to chase us on purpose too! We did it for fun! I forgot to mention this was a small town farming area. Not much going on and a lot of road to cover!

[@stevelueb7787]

Dude, are you wanting a show car or a driver? Your inspection guy should have asked you that question. From what i can see None of that rust has comprised the structural integrity. I'm like the other guys..... I'll take it off your hands. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like you've worked on or have any knowledge (Pep Boys, Macco) about working on cars. you can't afford to pay others to do the work. You've got to do your own work JUST DRIVE IT !!! Is it gonna leak oil? yes like every other old car. Don't worry about it. Put some stop leak in the oil & drive it till it Dies. That car will out Live You

[@michelbedard4349]

The car is repairable but how much will it cost since it seems to have rust camouflage in certain places. If you are not able to spend a large amount of money on this one sell it as a project it could attract several buyers since it is a Lemans convertible.

[@dinsdaleseven1627]

Part it out to salvage every dollar you can. Lots of good parts there.

[@budwhite3570]

Of course a new subframe from a donor or a custom made subframe could be in order...Too many people have given up the idea of taking up actual car rebuilding,...with welders. I had little to no welding experience thirty years ago and tackled similar problems with a lincoln sp100 wire welder, both thin sheet metal mig and thicker gmaw flux cored(for thicker problems). And back then there were no replacement panels like there are now en masse, like I had to make pieces or have pieces bent for bracing. Of course, if a subframe is completely rotten then it has to be replaced since there is really no fixing that generally. I have also been "troubled" with a vehicle that had stuff goobered over unfixable frame rot, and even though I wasn't ripped a huge dollar amount, I like fixed half the problem of that firebird and passed on the project in disgust to a more well funded and motivated hot rodder, after I figured out how much bondo was holding the lower body panels together.

[@budwhite3570]

The only way to get a decent vintage car is to personally rebuild one, since I keep on hearing of folks paying others to do such and getting ripped off. Like make sure it is safe to drive, keep it, get another stripped down, rebuild the body on it, get the body straight, transfer the engine and goodies over afterwards then get started on that one with yer new found welding skills,...what's wrong with that.

[@johnloar6008]

thats a full frame car. its not a firebird. basically same as a chevelle

[@archieguitarz4700]

Painful experience for sure, but take this as an expensive learning opportunity. There's nothing flippers won't do to sell sketchy cars for big prices. Many of us classic car people have had similiar experiences. In my twenties I got attached to a rotted out '74 Roadrunner and sunk a small fortune into bringing it back only to have to sell it for a loss the following year. Probably best to sell it off for what you can or part it out if you have the time and ambition.

[@vettegreaser6590]

Love the look of the 68’ LeMans. Buy an after market chassis and a new engine, or just give her to me 😎

[@BlastingSupercars]

Maybe 🤷‍♂️. Just an expensive lawn ornament atm lol.

[@73ac39]

Search for another better body,swap everything. Do yourself a favor. Pay a guy to inspect/appraise before buying. That's a shame. Feel for you.

[@wendwllhickey6426]

First problem is you went to pep boys,they want you to sell it to them.

[@wendwllhickey6426]

Sell for a project car won't get what you payed

[@BlastingSupercars]

@@wendwllhickey6426 I went to pepboys when the oil leak issue 1st happened just to get eyes on what it could be. Then with that I found a classic car shop. That shop is the one in the video saying it's toast. Not pep boys.

[@SuburbanDMV]

Take that body off the frame , look for a 95-07 GM frame or another F Body frame (might be hard to find) & mount that Lemans body on top. Then take that frame to the scrapyard. Also maybe salvage the engine & trans to be sold. But def keep that car & put that body on a new frame. Probably gonna need some new quarters as well , but there cheap from Year One. Good luck o7

[@BlastingSupercars]

I'll keep that idea in mind

[@johnloar6008]

its not an f body car. Idiots keep saying f body, f body is firebird and camaro only. You need a frame from a t87, tempest, lemans, or gto. Also iirc olds cutlass is the same.

[@Xocolatben]

Part it out, use the funds on a new one. Carry a fridge magnet and a screwdriver when looking at finished cars.

[@RealGenX]

Leave it alone and enjoy! Fix only safety issues as they arise

[@BlastingSupercars]

I like the sound of that. Miss driving it already

[@chrisdroblyn]

Give Derek @Vice Grip Garage a shout. He may be interested in a ride like this.

[@BlastingSupercars]

Will do!

[@randymusik]

Beautiful car and totally fixable. You should find someone local to help you fix it

[@johnloar6008]

I agree, those idiots are pointing out stuff needed to bring it back to showroom condition. Fix a little at a time, this is what welders are for.

[@williamaguiar14]

Thats is wild to hear that they’re talking like that…that’s I’d have that floor pan and braces replaced in 4 days New qtrs in another week

[@williamaguiar14]

Well when he said the next car options are c8 ,r8 , 68 charger those all cost way more than it would cost to repair the car. Speaking from a restoration perspective if you like something that much fix and save it. I don’t believe e in fixing every shit box on the road but if means something it worth fixing ​@@freechagosislandjohnpilger

[@williamaguiar14]

Geezus maaco auto repair? Pepboyz for repair quote

[@BlastingSupercars]

Marco and pepboys.... bruh you don't take this kind of car to those places

[@danielbock7562]

Bro if you don't want it I'll take it..

[@johnnywallacewallace9421]

Hell. Make viral progress videos and post them here. People watch that stuff like crazy. Make some of the money for repairs by doing that

[@BlastingSupercars]

Maybe. No clue what I'd be doing but figuring it out would be the fun of it

[@FromYoursTruly]

68 charger

[@BlastingSupercars]

I like the sound of that

[@wardupyo]

I really saw nothing that can't be fixed... I think your problem is you took it to a mechanic, not a body guy. If you are unable to do the work yourself and save some money, by all means, buy a different one. Or get the wrenches and the welder out and teach yourself to do it. Remember, no one knew how to do anything... until they tried and learned.

[@BlastingSupercars]

I think that would go something like this: Welcome to my new series - "Fixing the LeMans myself"... annnnd I broke it more. Stay tuned for the next video🤣. But in all seriousness I appreciate the comment. I still have it and still debating what I might do with it, I've just had life get in the way the past couple months so it's been on the back burner. But more to come...soon..ish

[@strykerentllc]

Cut your losses and walk away. To build it correctly, you're looking at over $70,000 in parts alone. The Roadster Shop frame is $13,000 to give you an idea of what the foundation is going to cost. Labor? It'll be priced out by the hour...

[@BlastingSupercars]

Oh yeah. Was 1 hour of labor charged to look at the car and give me the bad news and that was $134 for an hour 🫣

[@chevelle-pi1bn]

Just tear it down and fix it

[@jimcollier7869]

Part it out.

[@BlastingSupercars]

An origional numbers matching LeMans. Would prefer to see it saved

[@jimcollier7869]

@@BlastingSupercars I hear you. But, it seems unsafe, unless you fix it's bones. What if you found a good body and chassis, that was missing the engine, trans and interior? I'm sure you'll find an appropriate avenue that makes sense.

[@louiemorales518]

Your Mechanics are on something . Very fixable and very worth fixing. Maybe they hope you will junk it to them.

[@BlastingSupercars]

That was my initial reaction, but they didn't try to buy it or anything. Majority of comments agree with your view too so idk what ima do atm. Just stewing on it

[@tonyrhoton6613]

Junk yard its a death trap

[@paulparks4073]

Don’t sell it… restore her

[@BlastingSupercars]

😬 I'd love for someone to restore her..

[@jeraldwells-oo2dv]

Sorry for your losses ​@@BlastingSupercars

[@danielbock7562]

Again I'll take the car if you don't want it and I'LL FIX IT...

[@danielbock7562]

Sounds like it's time for you to learn more about cars so you are not getting Screwed anymore.....

[@BlastingSupercars]

Ur not wrong...😅

[@danielbock7562]

@@BlastingSupercars Yea Bro I hate guys like that lol. I didn't have ALOT growing up so I learned real quick BECAUSE OF GUYS LIKE THAT. There was actually a guy in Fairmont I caught cutting a spot in my momma's fan belt and had already put a little hole in the Radiator hose Mom called the police when I got her and he had to FIX the car for free and I believe they shut him down.. I was 13 At the time...

[@BlastingSupercars]

@@danielbock7562 Jesus that's wild

[@HoosierDaddy_]

Oh lord. I've got cars I drive all the time worse than that. Here's the thing I'll tell anybody that wants to own a classic car or an off road rig. If you don't know how to work on it yourself L, don't buy it. And your mechanics are terrible. They could have said that it was more than they wanted to tackle, but nobody has the right to tell you it's not worth fixing. Please sell this to someone who knows what they are doing. Quit ruining rare things because some shitty mechanic told you it's junk.

[@BlastingSupercars]

Yep. That's why I don't wanna part it out. Origional numbers matching LeMans. Would like to see it saved in a perfect world

[@HoosierDaddy_]

@@BlastingSupercars * please sell it to someone with a passion for working on those beautiful cars. A young person with the drive to fix all of that. I was once that kid. She can be enjoyed for a very long time in the right hands.

[@garyburchgb]

Someone would have to really like lemans, or in this case, lemons, to fix restore this one.

[@BlastingSupercars]

🤣🍋

[@johnloar6008]

these were 10 times the cars of unibody and torsion bar junk chrysler was building at the time. and that goes double for ford. if they had same condition as this a pot hole would have broken them in half.

[@danielbock7562]

And another thing he's talking about separating the body ??? YOU DON'T DO THAT WITH A UNIBODY CAR IT DOESN'T COME APART LIKE THAT AT ALL HE'S A PURE LIER ABOUT EVERYTHING I WOULD NEVER TRUST HIM...

[@mattfritch6375]

Except the Lemans is a full frame car and not a unibody.

[@SuburbanDMV]

I owned a 72 Lemans , it was a full frame car. This isn't a unibody car.