Hi, im new to the forum and was unsure where to post this. I am looking at purchasing a 1969 camaro ss as a project car. The car I'm looking at has flood damage and im not sure if that is a worth while purchase. how difficult is it to repair a flood car especially for a noob? any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

It depends on the how deep and if is was clean water or salt water or muddy water. Remember an insurance company only totals a car if the cost of repairing the car correctly is greater then the value of the car. I have heard the "the carpet just got wet" but the insurance company totaled it way more then is possible.

The first and constant issues will be electrical. Most connecters are water resistant but not water proof, meaning you can splash water on the an they are fine. Hold the connector under water and it fills up. These type of electrical connectors will not drain well on their own and even if they do there is still a good chance that the connectors will corroded over time. If the dash was under water just plan on all new wiring switch's and gages. Mud or salt in the water will make these issues worse.

Second big issue is the body. With clean water it should not be too bad but could cause issue because water has gotten into places it was not designed to go but if it was muddy or salt then you have build up in places you can not get to. Imagine what 2 inch's of mud sitting in the door would do to a car over time. Imagine it the cowl or worse a coating of salt in those same places. This is the real reason why 80K Porsche sitting is 30 inch's of muddy water it totaled. Wiring harness, switch's carpet and seats, can be replaced but 3 years from now when the fire wall pulls apart from rust the insurance company is still on the hook.

I am not saying a classic should be discarded but I do not think it would be good for a beginner. The car should be stripped down and holes drilled in the trunk drops, cowl, rockers and several other places to check for water, mud or salt. so with a little luck you are into a full restoration but with only minor metal work.

There are two happy days when you buy a flood car. The day you buy it and the day you sell it.

 

Gorn, thanks for the advice. im wanting to do as much of the work myself as i can. 1. to learn and 2. to have that pride in my car. when i saw the price wasnt sure if getting it that cheap was worth the trouble. $2200 by the way has the engine but doesnt run.

 

$2200 wont buy much these days, so I'm very curious how complete it is, and what condition the shell and frame are in? If the car was stripped out, and none of the electrical, or running gear were there, it would still be a bargain at $2200 for a solid, straight body that's complete.
Remember, if there's flood damage, you're looking at a complete drivetrain rebuild or replacement, as all the components could be full of water. Still worth it, if it's a solid, straight body.

 

thanks. i saw the price and got excited. i have about 9000 to get strted. i know its not much but ive been saving for a while to start out and i think im finally ready.