You have a lot to learn about modern engineered materials that are far superior to most solid wood. Visit Ikea and see why their engineered cabinets have taken over the world.

Old cabinets of that era are nothing special at all. They are not worth keeping unless finances do not permit any other route. If that is the case, then an extreme low budget laminate and sheet vinyl floor, is what the house needs. Do not waste money on putting stone counters and othe missmatched upgrades on them. That will only make them look like and older and sadder pig in a prom dress.

I understand trying to save money. But there is also the idea of throwing good money after bad. Buying new doors plus additional cabinets will cost plenty, and you are still left, after paying all that, with 1980s 40[year-old cabinets. I'd rather save that money and put it toward new better cabinets. Ikea is good to look at to see what is available.

I have had a kitchen in the past that was from the 1980s. Bulky frames with shockingly little interior space. I advise you to measure the depth of the cabinets, especially the uppers, and then go to any cabinet store and see what depth cabinets are sold today. The '80s cabinets are also likely to be too shallow for today's modern appliances like ranges and dishwashers (check the depths of yours). And those big stiles in the centers of each, not good. The uppers are squat and too short. Uppers back then were installed too close to the counters (should be 18" distance for today's designs and heights). The base cabinets are likely not level enough to install today's counters on top of them no matter how much shimming you do. They're 40 years old after all.

You'll also never find "custom made cabinets to match". And you are actually better off buying factory-made cabinets with today's modern factory finishes than "custom made". People think that "custom made" today is an old Amish guy bent over a workbench chiseling and hand crafting. The reality is that unless you are pricing in the stratosphere for top-end custom, most of the custom shops today buy parts and just put them together, and then put a finish on in their shop that will not last the way a factory finish does.

Be careful on here some the pros get snappy. This discussion board either for someone looking for contractors and interior designers.

Anyway if you have real wood cabinets just get custom doors if can afford them. The main thing you need think about is always choose either darker or lighter cabinets/countertop.

Another factor to consider is that drawers offer vastly superior storage compared to base cabinets of the one-drawer-and-a-door type. And new cabinets can come in wider sizes, increasing the total storage - two 36” drawer bases have more usable space than three 24” drawer bases, for example, because less space is lost to the cabinet sides, drawer sides, and drawer slides.

What's the matter with the cabinets as they are, other than being 39 years old?

Is the layout not good? Are they in bad shape cosmetically?

Are they modular so they can be moved around or are they built as larger runs of cabinetry.?

I think a lot of assumptions are being made about the inferior quality of the cabinets based upon being made in the 1980s and no other information. Like, why would cabinets get "unlevel" just because they are 40 years old unless there were structural problems with the floor?

If you want to see what an oak cabinet can look like today, look at Ikea Vedhamn These use European oak with less open grain.

Ilea frameless cabinets would give you more storage. All drawer base cabs will improve function. Especially with 36" cabs where possible.

Cabinet Face can make doors/drawers in whatever size you need. Custom Doors for IKEA Cabinets - The Cabinet Face

"why would cabinets get "unlevel" just because they are 40 years old"

I was the one who mentioned that the base cabinets are likely not level enough to install today's counters on top of them. As to why, either because the floors over the years have become out of level and/or because the oak on its own has any of a myriad of issues - overloading over time, their age, 40 years of changing humidity and temperatures, improper installation, hinges or screws loose or bent. I stand by that, with 100% conviction. The base cabinets being out of level will be a problem for new counters, a sink installed in the new counters, and new appliances. Though perhaps the OP has no intention of installing new counters or appliances. I was providing the OP with several reasons she should re-think her strategy described in her OP, and she can decide which ones might apply.

As an aside @palimpsest, why did you insert quotation marks around "unlevel"? The word wasn't a direct quote, and if you meant literally unlevel, why the quotation marks.

I used quotes because I Dont have 100% conviction that because a built-in is 40 years old that it has become so unlevel as to be unusable for modern countertops.

Fine, whatever, I forgot how some people are on here.

Gorsh my 1973 kitchen cabinets are level and they have been refaced twice.

You are talking about a significant amount of money only to keep your current layout and storage. If you wanted to refinish the boxes, a site-finished finish would also be less durable than a factory finish will be.

I would want all new so I could be free to tweak the layout, and also to get as many drawers as possible. Drawers are much superior storage because you pull it out and see everything in front of you - no getting on your hands and knees to search for whatever got lost in the back of the cabinet. My kitchen's lower cabinets are all drawers except for the under sink and trash pullouts (which are kind of drawers anyway) and the blind corner which also has peanut pullouts after you open the door. The storage convenience is magical - really. I never forget what I have or have to dig for it.

And not to join the bandwagon, but I have an IKEA kitchen since 2015. There have been no issues at all with them. The only thing that would make them unusable would be a flood, which would have you replacing an all-wood kitchen anyway, and should be covered by your homeowner's insurance. And they've lived through two young children so far (first born 4 months after the kitchen was installed) and are holding up perfectly.

I redid the kitchen completely in an older house by buying a used set of cabinets (for $600) that matched the very nice 60s era cabinets in the house. I then mixed and matched to make a new layout. It worked out very well.

Unless you have mad DIY skills and can build your own cabinets, trying to do a makeover on existing cabinets to make them like new cabinets is wasting labor money that could go to better materials. Labor is the biggest part of any quote. Reducing that is what gives you a more economical project. That is why demo and replacement is always cheaper than keeping old and fiddling with them.

My parents recently had a company do something similar in their 1990s kitchen. They removed a desk, replaced it with entirely new base drawers and a trash pull out. Had all new doors (new hinges and hardware), drawer boxes (w new glides), and drawer fronts installed. The doors were factory finished and the frames were painted to match on site, something that I was a bit leery of, but it all turned out nicely. They also replaced the counters, sink, faucet, added a backsplash, and replaced dated lights. The kitchen's layout has not been an issue for them so they did not want the expense of a full remodel and are very happy with the changes. I do not know exactly what they spent but I do know that it was much less than a full remodel.

I think the biggest drawback to reusing the cabinet boxes is the interiors. Unless your father was very forward thinking when they were installed, you probably have mostly cabinets with one short shelf? Drawers in base cabinets really are superior for storage, and ergonomically easier to access, even better that roll outs which you could retro fit into the old boxes. I would guess what drawers you do have are not full extension either. I just ripped out a kitchen that weren't. Good riddance!

It really comes down budget. You can certainly buy new, custom wood cabinets that are not garbage, but it's costly.

I watch ton HGTV people reuse all the time.i did it in my 1960 kitchen.genius.EXCEPT my doors were worst cheap .but that my fault not do due diligence w contractor and budget.they fit.etc.. I'm sure saved me 10k or more.but 5 yrs later I regret..but my cabinets are still great.just doors I hate.