Barn Find vs. Grain Elevator Find; - Cost to Restore??

[grj]

Figured this out 30 years ago. Chassis cost is basically the same. Body varies on condition. Better to restore the more valuable vehicle that may have some higher cost depending on what is missing. G

[roccaas]

Georgia Tech would like to bid $1 for the SC for parts for the 'Reck!

[Mike V. Florida]

My first impression based on the pictures is the Sport coupe. There seems to be parts missing from the pictures and I assumed missing all together when I based my decision. The sheet metal seems to need a little more work as well. I guess the hardest part of the decesion was the wording "significantly".

[peters180a/170b]

Well , i am looking at it this way.... left rear fender on Sport coupe is shot and or both rears ! and missing deck lid $ 560.00 [ handle/parts???? price] and $400.00 fender right off the top for repro. metal .and not counting maybe floor pans another $100.00 and the rear pan where the rear tire mount is....WE ARE NOT GOING for FINE POINT JUDGING here, so Tudor headlights and all will be chrome plated repro.'s like most of the restorations are done on these cars....Like i said i had a 1930 Sport Coupe and what fun is it having a SOFT TOP that does not GO DOWN? The sheet metal over the 2 doors on the Sport coupe and under the top covering ROTS out.. to like Swiss cheese. I had to make both pieces and there is a long bead in that piece from front to back with a angle. Become a tin knocker or find a good one.I'll stick with the Tudor with 4 seats and a top better to deal with then the Sport C..To do the job on the S.coupe is more cost.

[Forker]

Very interesting discussion, I can't say with absolute certainty because I haven't been up to the farm yet to see the Coup, but I'm willing to bet that every part of the car is there, just not visiable in the pics my wife took. I say this because her family never threw anything away...heck that's what they have so many storage barns for

Seriously I will be very surprised if the back cover isn't laying right there by it. Condition is always another question, but I expect it all to be there.
george

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

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Originally Posted by peters180a/170b

Well , i am looking at it this way.... left rear fender on Sport coupe is shot and or both rears ! and missing deck lid $ 560.00 [ handle/parts???? price] and $400.00 fender right off the top for repro. metal .and not counting maybe floor pans another $100.00 and the rear pan where the rear tire mount is....WE ARE NOT GOING for FINE POINT JUDGING here, so Tudor headlights and all will be chrome plated repro.'s like most of the restorations are done on these cars....Like i said i had a 1930 Sport Coupe and what fun is it having a SOFT TOP that does not GO DOWN? The sheet metal over the 2 doors on the Sport coupe and under the top covering ROTS out.. to like Swiss cheese. I had to make both pieces and there is a long bead in that piece from front to back with a angle. Become a tin knocker or find a good one.I'll stick with the Tudor with 4 seats and a top better to deal with then the Sport C..To do the job on the S.coupe is more cost.

It is always fun to debate you Pete, ...especially when I am winning!!


BTW, new rear fenders for that Coupe are $600 for a PAIR and they fit pretty well. Take a look at that L/R fender on the Sedan! Good luck there!!

If we are going for inferior repro chrome lights and shell on the Tudor, then surely a home buff job on the Coupe's stainless headlights & shell would be cheaper, I'd think.

I didn't think personal preference or favorite bodystyle was part of the poll.

[peters180a/170b]

"O" Brent ,,,,you are correct on the price of rear fenders...I am use to paying more for having a Deluxe Phaeton [and people who have TownCar's].The sellers always see us coming... 180A fenders are $355.00 plus shipping and not like $300.00 plus shipping ...remember i pay retail and not restoration shop price. Lets talk about radiator s/s shells ..... Split under crank hole ?? splits on both side of bottom of shell ??, and polish it out...What did Doug Bruce charged you for the last shell he did for ya??? $ COST well above a 29 repro shell $160.00...p.s i like to see your HOME BUFF JOB...that's why Doug turns down work...maybe to busy.... has something to do with it... There is no cowl band on the 29 but a restored or repro. band on the 30/31,,,$125.00 /$80.00....Maybe i should be pricing out your restoration jobs,,,,, I love as you know Brent [LOVE to break your grommets]. LETS ALL FACE IT ,,,BOTH cars will cost MORE then their worth ,,,but then again MOST CARS ARE. Jeff you are totally right !

[Special Coupe Frank]

BASED ON THE PICTURES PROVIDED, to my eyes, I would expect the Sport Coupe to cost more in resto, based on the evident rust, wrinkled fender, missing decklid, etc.

Agreed, chassis & running gear costs are likely to be the same.

So, the variables seem to be in restoring the coach-work and interior.

Since the Tudor was stored in a granary, who knows how much hidden damage has been done by rodents / insects. I would bet less than the Sport Coupe has seen...

If both bodies required complete re-wood, which one would cost more ?

I'm am a little surprised by the opinion that rusty, pitted tin would not be appreciably more costly to restore than stuff that still had good paint on it, assuming we're talking about original Ford sheet metal. But, I would have to defer to Brent's experience, as he does this for a living and I do not...

I think given the choice between the two cars, I'd take the sport coupe for free, do a thorough evaluation and go from there...

[Terry, NJ]

Very good question! The tudor is the easier to get what parts are needed, However, we don't know the true condition of either one. Does the Tudor have a cracked block, does the Sports Coupe have a bent and/or twisted frame and a cracked block? How complete are they? What has to be replaced? All things being equal, I would say the Sports Coupe
would cost a little more. Yet I haven't a clue how much.
Terry

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Originally Posted by peters180a/170b

"O" Brent ,,,,you are correct on the price of rear fenders...I am use to paying more for having a Deluxe Phaeton [and people who have TownCar's].The sellers always see us coming... 180A fenders are $355.00 plus shipping and not like $300.00 plus shipping ...remember i pay retail and not restoration shop price. Lets talk about radiator s/s shells ..... Split under crank hole ?? splits on both side of bottom of shell ??, and polish it out...What did Doug Bruce charged you for the last shell he did for ya??? $ COST well above a 29 repro shell $160.00...p.s i like to see your HOME BUFF JOB...that's why Doug turns down work...maybe to busy.... has something to do with it... There is no cowl band on the 29 but a restored or repro. band on the 30/31,,,$125.00 /$80.00....Maybe i should be pricing out your restoration jobs,,,,, I love as you know Brent [LOVE to break your grommets]. LETS ALL FACE IT ,,,BOTH cars will cost MORE then their worth ,,,but then again MOST CARS ARE. Jeff you are totally right !

Pete those fenders right now are $300.00 each, -not $355.00! Look HERE

A repro 28/29 shell does NOT fit. It is incorrect in shape & color. Therefore it ain't no different than a home-buffed shell that has a split or two. Now if we want to discuss Doug Bruce quality, is that really comparing apples-to-apples comparing his craftsmanship to the repro shell, (-which BTW is $195 + extras, ...not $160 as you suggest).

One other thing that I have based my assessment on the Tudor is from the pictures it appears that car has had a lot of '60s & '70s reproduction parts installed on it. They were junk then and by today's standards should be discarded and better replacements purchased. Therefore is it really a better car than the Coupe that might be missing a few original parts?

For years I have tracked hours logged on a restoration and with the exception of counting wood fabrication/installation, all bodystyles will be very similar (within 10%) in time to do a complete restoration. Where the variations in price ALWAYS comes in is the quality of work someone expects, and the level of restoration each component gets. The 'quantity' is always very close.

One thing that you have shown, and I see this often is when someone asks how come a frame-up restorations cost so much, ...and when I respond a few will quickly say they can buy one already restored for ½ that much. On several occasions I have had the opportunity to inspect one of these "half the cost" Model-As that are supposedly restored. After inspecting everything with them and noting sagging frames, Bondo-filled bodies, worn steering systems, sucky brakes, noisy transmissions, etc. they start to realize that when they add up the cost to repair those items too, they quickly realize they are not really comparing apples-to-apples.

[peters180a/170b]

Please Brent don't get you blood pressure up... and slow down on your reading on my post... I stated the 180A Fenders are $355.00 plus shipping and i said you were right $300.00 plus on coupe fenders...I did say the 180A and [TownCar people pay more as a joke [sometimes] .Brent i get my prices out of Brattons... and the crappy upholstery that makes your balls itch if you sit on it long enough [cartouche] price for the SPORT Coupe TOTAL is $2,827.00 w/rumble seat ..The price for a 1929 tudor is $1,729.00 again Bratton's price from last year... I only use LB. Upholstery [except the 180A [ Bill Sturm only!] p.s. delivery in 2 weeks for my 1935 Chevy standard business 3 window coupe... If it was a FORD i would need to pay 5 + times what i paid. I guess i woke up the old boys and they Awarded my 180A with the .A.A.C.A 1928-1931 Ford Award...l.o.l. proof is in the pudding.

[stainless steve]

If thats the sedan in an elevater in Illonios it has been kept very dry and complete but it is over priced I looked at it in 2012 but imo it would be a wash they both need completes ....he also had a victoria up there .

[grapp]

I agree...both cars would cost about the same... I've done plenty of restorations...the time and material and parts for both cars will run the same...regardless if the sedan looks better