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Old 07-07-2018, 04:47 PM   #21
Jwilli
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

How much money do you have. It will cost twice that much.
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Old 07-07-2018, 04:56 PM   #22
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

Professional paint job by a good shop in the SF Bay area will be close to $20K if they do all of it with modern technology and correct colors. (Plus or minus big numbers)
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Old 07-07-2018, 05:55 PM   #23
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

I'll go with George, $90,000.00. You cannot do a complete restoration on a model A for under $100,000.00 if you count your time as being worth more than a nickel an hour.
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Old 07-07-2018, 08:43 PM   #24
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

I have over $60K in my recent 190A restoration accomplished as I state in the initial post. The maximum my insurance company will insure the car for is $45k. There is no way a reasonable restoration can be done within the selling price of a Model "A."
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Old 07-07-2018, 09:12 PM   #25
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

If you have done another car in the same manner as you stated in your initial post, you have a much better idea of the probable total cost than our estimates.

Why did you ask us?
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Old 07-08-2018, 06:34 AM   #26
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You guys must be made of money. Everything on the list, 488 points MARC Touring Class, 20K.
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Old 07-08-2018, 07:04 AM   #27
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You guys must be made of money. Everything on the list, 488 points MARC Touring Class, 20K.
Nice looking car!
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Old 07-08-2018, 07:28 AM   #28
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

It's the same with projecting how long a task will take. My wife said that she would take the time estimate I gave her, multiply by 2, add 1/2 and not be disappointed when it is not finished on schedule.
I am so happy that I have misplaced a lot of receipts along the way. As Sergeant Shultz would say, "I know nothing!"
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Old 07-08-2018, 09:22 AM   #29
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

I'm insured with Hagerty and they work on a agreed value on the car. Then you pay per thousand. That way you have replacement cost instead of market value of the car. As per your original question 80,000 - 90,000 if a restoration shop is doing the work. A Body shop will paint the car when they have the time and the details won't be there. Body Shops do Collision work, Restoration shops restore cars. My way of thinking.
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Old 07-08-2018, 09:29 AM   #30
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

The intent of my question re cost of a restoration is to rank the cost of mine with others. I think that the $60K plus cost of restoring my Victoria is not extreme, and I did all of the work myself except for the body work, paint and short block engine.



I started with a running car that had a poorly done prior attempt at a restoration. The cost of my restoration includes the purchase price of the Victoria which was less than $7K. Also the original wood in my car is in excellent condition, so it was not replaced.


Unfortunately, a bout with cancer prevented me from doing the body & paint work myself. That likely would have reduced the restoration cost maybe $10K.



I agree that it is wiser to buy a car that is restored in lieu of doing a complete restoration on a barn find. I also conclude that investing money into restoring antique cars is generally not a smart thing to do unless the car is extremely rare in some manner. I would also advise anyone planning a restoration to find out how much the finished product can be insured for.


Thanks all to those who contributed figures.
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Old 07-08-2018, 04:18 PM   #31
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You will be upside down faster then two shakes of a lambs tail.
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Old 07-08-2018, 07:37 PM   #32
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Then after all is said and done,you take your hard work,labor love /money pit and give to somebody else to render their opinion of it and give you 'points'...It boggles the mind why any sane man would do that.

From the lowest rat to a 500 point car they all have one thing in common...their owner is proud of their car..it serves the brotherhood to honor that pride,respect the artist even if you dont like his art.I believe the hobby is evolving,the next generation will bring different goals and desires..but one thing is constant,the car will endure.
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Old 07-08-2018, 08:37 PM   #33
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

Depends on many things and what challenges you face along the way. My biggest expense is parts. Paint can be bought cheaply if you buy returned paint (either the unused paint or paint that was tinted the wrong colour) and tint it to suit your needs. Upholstery, well in the past i've been lucky enough to find the fabric I wanted in junk stores or the last meter or so roll at a upholstery shop that they wanted to get rid of ect.
Checkbook work, as in rolling up to a shop & paying someone to do everything normally costs as much as a deposit on a house.
Doing it yourself, maybe as much as a used car.
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Old 07-08-2018, 09:51 PM   #34
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You will be upside down faster then two shakes of a Lambs tail.
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Old 07-09-2018, 09:23 AM   #35
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BILL WILLIAMSON View Post
I NEVER added up my parts INVOICES (SCAREY!)--Partly because I always ordered DOUBLE quantities---REALLY!
Bill Cheap



Not so sure about buying double quantities but I agree NEVER ADD UP THE INVOICES!
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Old 07-09-2018, 09:50 AM   #36
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

to start: a proper brake & hub / bearings rebuild will cost $3000 in parts.
normally: you will spend $30,000 on a driver rebuild... and can't sell it for more than $15k.

it's just a BOAT (Break Out Another Thousand )
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Old 07-09-2018, 10:11 PM   #37
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

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Originally Posted by TomballMottershaw View Post
to start: a proper brake & hub / bearings rebuild will cost $3000 in parts.
normally: you will spend $30,000 on a driver rebuild... and can't sell it for more than $15k.

it's just a BOAT (Break Out Another Thousand )

$3000 in parts and you rebuild it yourself or $3000 ready to install?


I see Mikes has ready to install brakes, hubs, bearings ready to install $2280 all four corners.
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Old 07-10-2018, 08:26 AM   #38
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

Having a clear vision of what you are building coupled with a little skill and a whole lot of luck keeps the cost down. Quality used 'once restored' parts are out there,and can be picked up for a fraction of what the vendors charge.
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Old 07-10-2018, 08:34 AM   #39
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

Hi Mike V. Florida,
re: $3000 for brake parts... Mikes' has "most parts" for $2280....

I guess you have not rebuilt or viewed the video's available on A brake jobs.
there are a lot more parts to a brake rebuild job than the 4 corners.
pedals, linkages, cross shaft, front link arms are $100 each...
not to mention E-brake parts.
& for Mikes deal:....you have to ship your 4 "cores" back to him too: another $200

so if you budget $3000... you will make your budget, that's success.

... and the $2280 does not include shipping... that's normally +15% of the cost.

but $5000 for brakes is cheap, compared to have your head pushed into the dash via the hole in the steering wheel, and legs around the gear shiftier.
... as most of our health insurance only covers some stuff, after $10,000... of ER bills.

The goal it to drive them and stay alive:
Just make sure your brakes can lock up your tires.... and practice panic stops, at speed so you know how well our car performs.
& if you won't do it for your own safety... please, to reduce my insurance costs & make it easier on your loved ones, wear a seat-belt.
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Old 07-10-2018, 05:48 PM   #40
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Default Re: Cos of A Restoration

I'm not sure from your question if your car is a straight windshield or slant window fordor - the slant window would obviously represent a lower cost project (I have helped my nephew some on his slant window fordor, in return for his help on my straight windshield Briggs Town Sedan). I finished my '29 Town Sedan in 2015, having completed the restoration in a series of "on again - off again" starts and finishes for the ten year period prior to that. I did powder coat all of the running gear and all other "black" castings, and had a high-temperature coating applied to the exhaust manifold. I also sandblasted the body, primed it myself, purchased a partial wood kit for about $800, and with the exception of the wood in the doors, replaced all of the wood with the help of my nephew, and then primed and blocked the body four or five times before turning it over to a professional painter for completion. From there, I purchased all new fenders, hood, splash aprons, running boards, headlights, cowl lights, radiator shell, stainless bumpers, etc. I also wound up purchasing another cowl section and cowl band in order to conver this car from a standard fordor to a Town Sedan (good re-usable cowl bands for '29 cars are also getting extremely hard to find), and had any remaining plating one to include the dome light, door latches (I know, these were not originally plated, but...), etc. As far as mechanical parts go, I rebuilt a "B engine" so as to get the heavier crank, used all new transmission gears, rear axle ring and pinion gears, all new races, bearings, and seals, all new steering sector and worm gear, new cast iron brake drums and woven linings, and Flathead Ted's brake parts, an original re-cored radiator, all new glass, stainless muffler, etc., etc. I used PPG single stage paint, and paid the painter another $5,500 to do final blocking, and finish the paint. As for the interior, I purchased the Bedford Cord from Lebaron Bonney along with new carpets, seat springs and top materials, and used another supplier for the remaining interior headliner and door panel materials. Although I was quoted a much lower price when the upholster began, the final labor charge for installing the interior package wound up at $7500, plus another $500 to install the top (exclusive of materials costs).

I built this as a tour car that I would feel comfortable driving most anywhere that I would ever care to go, but I also appreciate having a nice car. So far, it has never failed to draw a crowd given the care and detail that went into the restoration of this car. With that said, I would estimate that doing a car along these lines would run something in the $30K+ range, exclusive of the car acquisition costs (which is perhaps another reason why it took the better part of ten years to complete).

Since completing this car, I have purchased a '31 slant window cabriolet. This car is a nice original car that I acquired from the family of the second owner, but it will still need a thorough cosmetic restoration and brake work (the engine is quiet and runs well, and engine rebuilders in the area have told me to "leave it alone" until it develops noises or starts to show other mechanical deficiencies) and I will still plan to go through the transmission and rear axle (- not necessarily all new gears and bearings this time though), as well as the front axle and steering. I also plan to use Concept on the running gear this time rather than powder coat everything underneath. I figure that if I paint the car this time myself, that I may be able to do a nice cosmetic restoration for something in the $15-20K range, inclusive of an estimated $6.5K+ for top and interior (LB top and interior for this car are something less than $3K).

I hope that this will provide some insight into my experience with my fordor. Again, I went way overboard on a number of items, but there were absolutely no short-cuts taken during this restoration. In retrospect, I am quite certain that I could have wound up with a very nice car for a good bit less.
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