Hi Everyone - I'm asking for help/advice/referrals. My husband caught a glance of a '69 Camaro as we were passing a local 'yongue' here in southeast TX, and has decided that he wants to buy it and restore it (and you guys think women are impulse shoppers). Not having the heart to destroy his dream (after all, he didn't cry too much when I decided to start showing and breeding Maine Coon cats, and now when I bought a '78 Datsun 280Z to restore), I offered to check to see if it would be feasible in the long run to just save and buy one in *much better* condition.

In a nutshell, this Camaro has front bumper/driver side fender damage that has in turn tilted up the hood; will need a new windshield, need lock for trunk, the dash looks original, but will need upgrades such as radio and a/c. The car DOES start, albeit with the Yongue owner starting it by hotwiring it (and swears that he has the clean title for the car and that the frame is straight). The car is a 350, V-8, and does sound really nice. Outside of what looks like a real small aftermarket air filter, the entire engine looks unmodified. The rear has been lifted and over-size tires are on it. It's an automatic, but the shifter-thing is out of the car though apparently it can be replaced (since the Yongue owner says the shifting 'needs to be adjusted'. It has the requisite amount of rust. Not sure if it's a SS, Z28 or whatever, but the only emblem on the car is the chevy bowtie on what's left of the front end.

IF we had a garage, I'd be the first to have it home, but my husband is a merchant marine who is gone for months at a time, and I'm not even sure where to start for parts and replacements for my husband. He's a ship's engineer, and knows when he's out of his league with cars, and has access to a great mechanic who is assisting in the restoration of my 280Z, but whily my little car just needs a dash and bumpers to be complete, I'm not sure where or how much it will cost to get this one on the road. We're not going for showroom status since we both believe in driving the cars we own, but wonder in the long run if it's just less aggravating just to cough up the cost-of-a-small-house price for a completely restored one.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Brandy and Danny