Full-size convertibles are great. If you happen to be on the taller side, they offer comfortable accommodation that isn’t available in their more petite counterparts. For those of us who don’t come anywhere near threatening six-foot, they’re still a tempting option allowing scope for the owner to take the whole gang on a drop-top adventure. This 1970 Ford XL Convertible is a perfect example of that vehicle type, and its cosmetic needs mean that its buyer could have it shining like a new penny before the warmer weather arrives. Located in Albany, New York, the XL is listed for sale here on eBay. Driveable project cars don’t come much more affordable than this, with the seller setting a BIN of $3,600.

The first photo in this article demonstrates where this Ford has spent most of the past fifteen years. There are few better environments than a dry storage facility with nice concrete floors. It has allowed the Convertible to remain rust-free when many similar cars have been beset with problems. The panels look clean, and the underside shots are equally encouraging. There’s dry surface corrosion, but nothing that appears ready to chew holes in the precious Ford steel. The Dark Maroon paint is well past its prime, leaving potential buyers with decisions to make. The lack of rust and significant panel damage would allow an easy and relatively inexpensive repaint that could conceivably be completed before the warm weather arrives. Alternatively, the buyer may elect to treat the car to a thorough clean and enjoy it through summer largely untouched. They could then tackle its cosmetic needs during the following colder months. I can’t think of many nicer ways to spend a cold day than in a warm workshop returning a classic car to its best. The White soft-top is shredded courtesy of vandals, but with replacements costing under $500, making the vehicle weatherproof will not be expensive. A couple of trim pieces are missing, but what remains looks acceptable for an original survivor.

The same vandals that destroyed the Convertible’s top have wrought havoc on the interior. The carpet and most upholstery look like they would respond positively to a deep clean. However, the dash pad and seat covers have seen better days. This is where buyers will need to make choices. The most affordable option would be to fit slipcovers over the seats and a cover over the pad. A set of decent slipcovers will cost around $140, while dash covers retail for $45. The ultimate answer for the seats is new upholstery, which sells for about $650 a set. The pad could prove a challenge. Various online forums suggest that reproductions are unavailable, and I’ve had no luck locating one during a brief search. Therefore, the buyer will need to continue scouring internet resources, hoping a good secondhand pad appears, or tackle a restoration with a product like Polyvance. The latter may prove the more cost-effective approach because forum feedback suggests that an uncracked pad will generally start at $700. The interior would present acceptably for a driver-quality classic with those issues addressed.

While the owner supplies no engine photos, they provide plenty of information on the car’s mechanical specifications and health. Lifting the hood would reveal a 351ci “Windsor” V8 producing 250hp. That power feeds through a C6 automatic transmission to a limited-slip rear end. That combination has enough clout to send the 4,164lb Convertible through the ¼ mile in 17.6 seconds. That’s hardly earth-shatteringly fast, but it’s worth remembering that this Ford is more of a comfortable cruiser than a fire-breathing muscle car. The owner admits that the buyer will need to supply a battery, but it appears that it has no other needs. It runs and drives well, meaning that if the buyer wants to experience classic motoring pleasure immediately, this could be the right car for them.

If considered purely on a dollar-per-pound basis, this 1970 Ford XL Convertible offers unbeatable value for money. However, as a project car, it holds enormous attraction. The buyer could push out the boat returning this classic to a factory-fresh state, but other options are worth considering. If the next owner added a new soft-top, threw some slipcovers on the seats, and treated the car to a thorough clean, they could hit the road for a spot of top-down touring for less than $600 on top of the purchase price. With warmer weather fast approaching, that would maximize the chance of extracting the most enjoyment from this classic. So, restoration or the “shabby chic” option? Which would you choose?