Finish this Sentence, you can't restore a car for less than.
 

Doing some figuring, comparing projects to done cars, whats the better buy?

So lets take a complete tired old car, minimal but usual rust, and lets say all the OEM parts are there. So no searching out any hard to find parts. What would it typically take to bring it to a nice show/ number 2 car that gets driven on nice days.

Lets say the car is something rare or sentimental to justify the expense.

So you cant restore a car for less than?

Lots of variables involved but I'll throw out 25K.
Always seems to be more cost effective to buy one already done.
Just my $.02

I know rag tops cost more to do.. Like I mentioned, usual rust in the usual spots, wheel lips, fender bottoms, floors and trunk are clean. Im talking doing a typical car top to bottom

40K doing most of the labor yourself.

80K and up paying a competent shop to do everything.

If you did the restoration "top to bottom" you have better than a #2 car. See this link for someone that just completed their restoration.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=545434

b-man is probably right on with those numbers and they could go higher.

You can check out my thread in the 66-67 tech forums. I have kept a running account of my 67 GTO convertible restoration. The last update on money is on page 69 a little over halfway down the page. I still have to finish the A/C but that is the last big cost I hope to face.
http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...545434&page=72

Arby's and I must have been typing at the same time!

Who is doing all of the labor and if it is someone other than yourself, what is their labor rate?

I did all that I could which consisted of taking the car apart and refurbishing what parts that could be saved. I did not do any paint or upholstery. I did strip the paint from 90% of the car. I didn't have a break down on Outside labor and parts so I put them together. I figured my labor at $20.00 an hour just to give a rough estimate of what it would take to do what I did.
I think my bodyman charged about $40.00 an hour. I may be able to go back and look at my receipts to see what the shop charged me to install the interior and top. But, I think it was about the same.
I recorded this so that folks could see what it does take to do a car. And, my car is not a concourse restoration. At most it is a very nice local show car. I did not want a car that I could not drive and enjoy.

I think fyrffytr1's number is pretty realistic. Also, remember the hourly rate for body men or machine shops will vary depending on where you live - it could be $40/hour, or $100/hour.

The things that are always killers:

1. Body work and paint. Never, ever believe what you are quoted. Triple that number, then multiply the answer by 2. And it still won't be to the quality of work they told you..
2. Nickle and dime pieces.. Again, multiply what you think you'll spend on those little parts by 5. 'Oh, headlight adjusters should be cheap and a good match',etc.. LOL
3. Chrome and brightwork.. need I say more?
4. The 'missing' screw, nut, bolt, fastener....

So, I would say if you started out with a complete, but 'crusty' (northeast crusty, not pacific west crusty) GTO.. $30,000 + cost of the car for a 'nice' driver.. $50,000 for something 'better', $70000 for a show car.

Now, if you have the time, patience, room, mental fortitude to do much of the work yourself (strip, bag and tag the car, restore/ rebuild the rolling frame, restore the interior, send out the bright work/ polish bright work/ replate bolts/ etc, then assemble the car), you will save a large percentage of those costs.. PLUS have the satisfaction of accomplishment :).

And this is the real reason to do it yourself because we all know you can buy a finished car much cheaper then you can restore one.

Whatever number you come up with, double it and you'll be in the ballpark.

Jim

You can't restore a car for less than you can buy one that is already done even if you only value your time at $10/hour.
Yeah, there are some crappy restorations but there are also many good ones. Not saying that doing Resto work isn't rewarding, if that's what you like to do.

It depends a lot on what you are starting with - buying missing parts piecemeal can add up fast...not to mention the time drain finding "correct parts".

It also depends on how much you can do yourself. I read a lot of articles in magazines that mention the owner doing "all the work themselves" and then later on in the article it mentions how paint/machine work/upholstery/etc. were farmed out and the owner basically put the restored pieces together.

I will say on my "decent" #3 '65 that the biggest individual expenses were drivetrain ($1200 for purchase and driveway refurbish of engine/trans), chrome (about $1k) and paint (about $600 for materials).

*IF* you do indeed do all the work and are starting with a complete car *AND* have all of the tools you need *AND* do all the work yourself @$0/hr (and don't involve possible "opportunity costs"), I would think you might be able to properly restore a car to #2 for $10-15k in parts/materials.

May I ask what materials you got for about $600? I spent about $900 just on the clear for the 66 I am doing right now. Not counting the base coat, epoxy, primer, sandpaper etc. Maybe I'm buying at the wrong place. I'm not doubting you, just curious what was included in the $600.

Went with Valspar base/clear as PPG jobber in town wanted $800 for a gallon of Iris Mist basecoat that wasn't even an exact match. Found a Valspar dealer online (no longer in business - not sure what I'll do for my next car) and got 1.25 gal (unreduced) base and clear including thinner/hardener in exact color match for $410 - just checked the reciept). Was a leap of faith but match was dead on.

1 gal Kirker epoxy and gallon of NAPA (sherwin williams) high build were each roughly $100/gallon at the time (6 years ago).

I should have been specific that the cost was just for paint - probably have $50-100 more in sandpaper and other consumables ($20 for gallon of NAPA filler on sale, w&g remover, thinner for cleaning guns, etc.), although I do pick up a lot of thinner/sandpaper at estate/garage sales for next to nothing.

If you do some research you can find good deals on decent primers/clears pretty easily. Quality basecoat in the color you want at a decent price is always the challenge, IMO.

Four times longer than you expected - twice what you were promised.

It all depends upon how far you want to go. I had about 12k into this one when I sold it & that included buying the car.

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...6&d=1363643933

..the price of a good parts car"