1973 Ford

No worries, It's not being nosey, just being curious!

Are you wondering how the car ended up scorched, or what is happening to it right now?

The scorching came from a fire at my mechanic's garage, and I'm waiting on money from his insurance on it.

As for what it is doing now, It is sitting in storage until he gets his garage rebuilt. Once he has a shop again, he'll try to open the hood.

The hood release cable melted, so we can't open the hood to check it out yet, so we really don't have any idea how extensive the damage is.

We've talked about it, and if wiring has melted, I will probably not be trying to fix it. To get a replacement wiring harness from the firewall forward, hoses, belts, new front end, paint job, and tires I'd be looking at spending way too much money for a car that isn't that desirable.
As much as I'd hate to see it happen, this might end up being a derby car.

 

A donor car would have everything you need to fix this old girl and since the shop is really liable, you ought to be able to work out a deal with the owner to do the labour of installing the parts at no charge to you. Paint etc would not be excessive at that point.

 

If the outer cable 'melted,' then you should be able to access the steel inner cable to pop the hood. I've done it several times on wreck or fire damaged cars (even one of my own) by grabbing the inner cable with Vise-Grips and pulling. If it doesn't work inside, pull the grille, and cut the cable sheath to get to the inner cable there.

 

The problem with this idea is, again, cost versus benefit. The shop is liable, which is why I'll be getting money from the shop's insurance. After I receive my money (around $2000) Why should the shop owner do the work for no cost?
Finding a donor car would be an option, but I'd still have to buy the car and have it transported to the shop, and I don't see that happening for anything less than $1500. Then, the cost of the labor repairing the car, I'd probably be looking at spending the $2000 I got from insurance, plus another $1500 for paint, and that's only if I don't have the rust worked on.

By that time I'm looking at spending $5000 to make this car a daily driver that I could sell for $6000, if I'm lucky, maybe. It's a little hard to justify spending all the insurance money, plus an additional $3000 out of pocket just to make a $1000 profit at best.

I can't fix the car and keep it, I don't have the space or ability, and the car really isn't rare enough, or optioned enough to justify a full restoration.

As I said, I would really hate to see it become a derby car, but it might have to go that route.
We don't know what's under the hood yet, and we won't make any decisions until we do see how extensive the damage is.

Unless, of course, someone here wants to buy a 73 ford wagon that needs work...