If it were me, I would restore my fathers car unless it is past reasonable repairs. Even if you build an exact copy, its just not the same.
Think of them as Tribute cars You guys are getting hung up on the clone thing. As long as a car is not misrepresented I see no problem. The replica AC Cobra's have hardly diminished the value of a real deal Cobra. If anything they have helped improve the recognition of the originals. When you say respect the VIN, are we also saying don't change interior and exterior colors? Keeping those engines stock and original? No Go-fast goodies? How can a severely rusted car be considered original if it has had 50% of its sheetmetal replaced? I still say take your Dad's good parts and put them to good use. Put them to smart use, I get the sentimental thing. My Dad would have been disappointed if we had kept the old house because it was his. My Father was thrifty and practical. He wasn't a penny pincher, he was a penny stretcher. Those are the values he and my Mom taught us. I would take that rear spoiler and write his name on the bottom, and rub my hand over it every time I walked by the non-rusted car in the driveway.
i call B/S on that. i personally have a '72 GT for sale and almost cant give it away. with it's options and trim, i'd say it's probably one of the rarest comets around but the market just isnt there for our cars like people think. i have $1500 in this car but can't even get $1000 out of it.
I had the same exact GT about 10 years ago mine was red on red...when i went to sell it 80% of everybody that came to look at it ... told me they were looking for a Grabber.... i tried and explaned that Gt's are even more Rare... for some reason Maverick Grabbers are what people want... and Comets are a little harder to sell.... makes no sense.
my dad filled a lot of rust with all metal filler and is starting to peel.i now have good doors and fenders for it
i don't know, unless there is a whole lot of something I am not seeing in the pictures and there very well could be because the car has certainly been painted, but unless I am not seeing a whole lot of something that red Maverick Grabber is very nice car and in good shape to start fixing up
if it was me, i'd just build that car. unless it has a frame rail completely rotted out, it looks like a good car to restore
it may take me some time but i have decided to fix it.the car means a lot to me as it was dads last car.