Throw money at a project or buy a turnkey car? Options

[HeloMech]

Ok,

So here's the chicken/egg question...

My current car, dressed in primer, is a really solid car. I've got most of the interior worked out. The car has a Ford V6 conversion from the EARLY conversion days. Car needs some minor bodywork and new shocks/struts, seals, windshield, etc. It has 2 or 3 hoods/trunks, complete 4lug front and rear parts as extras, 4-5 lug adapters, extra tail shift trans, etc... It's running and drivable with the ford v6, though needs some gaskets for the valve covers at a minimum.

I've been told that I am on the most recent list for an all expense paid trip to Kuwait. A trip over there is a great source of a bulging savings account. So here's the question.

Do I store my primer buggy and throw money at it when I get home? Or do I sell it before I leave and then pick up a nice turnkey car when I get back. Guessing when I get home, I could spend about $5k on a car, possibly $6, depending on how much I want the car.

So? Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks!

[angerosa]

I once bought a nice car, and then had to immediately travel abroad for a just a month. It killed me knowing I had a really cool car across the world that I had to wait to drive. I couldn't wait to get home. That being said....

I'm recently thinking like you are, wondering if I can trade up to springboard myself closer to what I want my finished product to be for less than it would take to buy all the extras to make mine like I want it and I'm finding both paths relatively close in cost.

[Todd Enlund]

I'm recently thinking like you are, wondering if I can trade up to springboard myself closer to what I want my finished product to be for less than it would take to buy all the extras to make mine like I want it and I'm finding both paths relatively close in cost.

The big difference to me is that if you buy someone else's "completed" car, it's likely that you have no idea what went into it. Did they "fix" it the way that you would, or did they take shortcuts?

Not saying that it isn't a reasonable option to buy a nice runner, but you might not get what you thought you were getting if you don't know the history of the car. My car was a project when I got it... looked like a pretty easy fix ("drop in an engine and go!") until I started tearing it apart. Now, I'm glad that I tore it down as far as I did. Burned wiring, cracked suspension console...