I have been and avid reader/seldom = contributor to the list since 1998 and now need an objective opinion....
 
It's decision time.  My westy = has 101,000 miles, an exhaust system that resembles swiss cheese, a dead front = defroster fan, surface seam rust below the water/electrical connections, bad = ball joints, bad front shocks, dry rotted tires, stained pushrod tubes (ie = leaking is around the next corner) and  I need belts and a tune = up.  Did I mention the scratches down the driver side and the flattened = fender flair?  That is another story but needless to say the parking = garage pillar won......
 
My question is this, I estimate = the costs to get back into great shape at:   (with my mechanic's = help and he is very good)
 
ball joints           &= nbsp;$200
front shocks        $300
Tune Up              $100           &nb= sp;  All OEM
Exhaust         &nb= sp;    $1200/1500    OEM
Tires          = ;         $500              Mich = MX4'S
Belts          = ;        $100
defroster    =          $600              pull out replace with OEM  =
AC conversion     $130
 
   This ends up being $3000 = to $3500, I figure a decent paint job/rust clean up to be $3000 and now I have a = "new" westy with an engine that has over a hundo on it.  Do I do it?  It = might mean selling my 1965 fire engine red Mercury Monterey convertible.  = We are talking about a convertible as big as a Suburban (with 2 count'em 2 doors.)  This thing has more chrome than I know what to do = with.  Seats six ( good for a guy with 4 kids) and is the perfect summer = toy. 
 
Any and all help is = appreciated...
 
Mike