Restoration cost

[Patrick L.]

I'm curious and didn't want to hi-jack a previous thread.

What would you figure the cost would be on a 'correct restoration' that would include doing everything.

[Mitch//pa]

And by correct you mean no repo parts also

[harleynut]

That would totally depend on what that particular car needs how much of the work your capable of doing yourself and to what degree of restoration that you want to end up with...driver....show car......100 point show car...trailer queen......most of the time you don't get back what you put into it money wise. Don't ask me how I know. I do it for a hobby...the simplicity of the Model A...the fun of driving them and I actually like working on them. Most of all, the satisfaction when I have tools and parts all over the place when I'm done and it runs good....stops good.....and looks good.

[apbright]

There are a lot of variables; open cars (roadster) could well be simpler (no body wood, less painting, simpler interior). Also, if the sheet metal has a lot of rust, then sandblasting, patching, and filling will take a lot of time. To go from complete rust bucket to show-room perfection, I would estimate US$20k - US$60k, again depending on body type, and the amount of work needed to fix still, frame parts, etc.

[Patrick L.]

By correct I meant doing everything and not just a quick re-furbish. Original stuff would be nice, but, maybe some re-po would be needed. I guess restoration means different things to different people.
I mean doing the whole rolling chassis, electrics, body, interior. Ending up with an exceptional car, but, not necessarily a 100 pointer.

I was going to wait, but, my figures come out to about $20K, no labor costs. Thats why I'm a cheap-skate when it comes to initial purchase.

[reggiedog]

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A lot of money I have about 9,000.00 in mine now and I'm not even close to being done and for my car I figure that I'm going to have to spend another 5,000.00 to get it all done and that's with some re-pop part's not very many but some.
And I'm doing mostly all of the work myself on the car but what kind of car or truck do you have ????. and what part of the country do you live in reason is it can cost you more in different part's of the country.
Like the paint job is around here is going to cost me about 4,000.00 and that's putting the correct kind of paint on the car for that year lacquer fenders and the rest of the car gets enamal paint and my car was originaly all black with apple green trim put on by hand.
Now that's what's going to cost you a lot of money you will have more in the paint and to re-store all of the original part's like me I'm going to buy the stuff to restore the original part's myself it's to expensive to send it out to have it done.
Depending on what kind of car you have and if you are going for perfect for the guding like it was when it came off the assembling line now that's what I'm going for but then again the car I have has been in my family for a vary long time and when I'm gone it's NOT going to be sold it will stay in the family it's in my will already.
So you have to think of what kind of a car do you want do you want a fun driver car and NOT spend a lot of money on it but if you are going for gudging you will have to spend a lot of money just to get it that way so is it worth all of the money to you.
You got to think these cars aren't worth that much anymore there cheap compaired to other used cars unless u have a A-400 or a car that's worth a lot of money I wouldn't do it I would just fix it for a driver car there fun to drive around but if you make it a gudging car you wouldn't be able to drive it around like a normal car and life is to DAM short why would anyone want to do that I'm doing it just because I'm disabled so I have nothing else to do other then work on the car and I'm doing most if not all of the work myself and I can't drive anyway so to me it really doesn't matter but it gives me something to do and I normaly only buy original part's from Bert's out in Denver.
But do what you want it's your car do as you and your money can best of luck but it will cost you more then 20,000 to get it to off the line condition I wouldn't do it but do what you want it's your car
Reggie

[Logan]

Buying a decent car to start with and building correctly from the ground up probably 40k if you do all the work yourself. If youre paying a shop to do the work you could expect 60-100k depending on body type and how much time they have to spend tracking down parts

[Kevin in NJ]

Too many parameters controlling the costs.

The big question is how well tooled are you and what information resources can you pull from to get the jobs done correct.

Short of plating and balancing a crank my brother and I can do much of the restoration mechanical work with on hand tooling. That includes babbitting, grinding the crank, all the brake work and so on. We have accumulated tooling with a lot of value collected over the years.

My cost estimates of doing a full restoration, but not to points, on my cabriolet is ruffly $20,000 when done (I have a ways to go). This will not be a car that is ready for judging. The chassis is restored pretty much back to factory standards using used, NOS and new parts as available and looking at costs.

If I paid someone to do various sub assemblies the price would double with no problem.

Keep in mind this is for what I call a driver car. You will find rusty headed original nuts and bolts on the car because they were mechanically better then some cosmetically nice original parts.

It is easy to figure out costs. Look at the catalogs and rebuilding shops. Start adding up how much for the various sub-assemblies finished.

A proper paint job would cost several thousand dollars for materials. A generic number I know for 60's cars is figure about $8000 as the low end to have car painted right. Proper body work can cost too.

A durable interior is $3000 to $6000 I believe depending on body.

Repro shocks $900

Again this is all for a driver car that is very close to factory. It will run 60 MPH all day long, stop great and get 20+ MPG and be comfortable. This is a car that you should just get in and go with few if any problems for the next 50 years.

[Mitch//pa]

Yes a lot of variables but for a good average
I just finished my Tudor which is a national winner. I farmed out the body and paint work but did all the labor myself, assembly and parts, sheet metal, interior, diff gears, tranny, gears, radiator etc....
i have yet to add up the receipts but I'm in the neighborhood of 45-50k without my labor.incld...
The paint and body work costs 15k and that was a special deal...
Figure in labor and holy cow lets see 2000 hours by 75 a cheap rate 150k plus 50 = 200k
I have an agreed value of 80k for insurance which is low
Anyone want to buy it

[Rowdy]

I estimate I will have close to $23,000 into the delivery when done. That is with a slightly warmed up engine, a 39 style transmission and OD. Payed $450 for the shell of a body that needed alot of work in the back section and $500 for a complete numbers matching chassis. Have about $3200 total into it now including very nice fenders. Long way to go with wood, engine and lots of bodywork ahead. Rod

[Skibb]

Originally Posted by Mitch//pa

Yes a lot of variables but for a good average
I just finished my Tudor which is a national winner. I farmed out the body and paint work but did all the labor myself, assembly and parts, sheet metal, interior, diff gears, tranny, gears, radiator etc....
i have yet to add up the receipts but I'm in the neighborhood of 45-50k without my labor....
The paint and body work costs 15k and that was a special deal...
Figure in labor and holy cow lets see 2000 hours by 75 a cheap rate 150k plus 50 = 200k
I have an agreed value of 80k for insurance which is low

Same here........ With a 1930 Briggs a town Sedan. Mine isn't done yet..... About to put in 3k interior from LB plus labor of 3k.... Haven't added it up, don't want to be thrown of the house. However, I love the process and the car....

[Russ B]

Cost can be anywhere, but $50k and up would be a starting point for a good restoration in my mind. My car is not really a restoration, but will have nearly 3000 of my own hours in it and likely $40k plus for paint and interior. Plus parts. ...more time and $'s if buying good original parts, correct for month of assembly.

More efficient use of my time could cut hours to 2,000, I am sure, but still if you are going through a whole car, thousands of hours is not unexpected.

Cheaper to buy a perfect finished car, but not nearly the fun.

[Patrick L.]

See, been doing this work for 5 decades. The only thing I would farm out is the engine. Thats why I'm looking for another [ preferable another roadster or phaeton] so I can work on it while still driving the other.
As I mentioned about $20K will go into it so thats why I'm cheap on the initial cost. I also know the total cost can't be recovered and its best to let someone else take the big loss and just buy one thats already been done. But, I want to do one. But, to me, there also comes a point of diminishing returns.
This is the reason for this question considering the prices of the below/previous
thread. I just really wonder over the prices I see these old monsters being sold for. I should have bought every single one when I was a kid when they were going for less than the cost of dinner.

Thats for the responses.

[Jason in TX]

You can always buy an already restored Model A cheaper than having one restored.

If you watch ebay and know what you are looking at, you can buy a super nice Model A between $12,000 and $20,000 depending on body style.

Pay more at the beginning and only cry once.


A few examples:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Model-A...-/141709023984

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Model-A...-/161755232454

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181783021806

[barkleydave]

YUP my CCPU 12K in and very nice truck.... plus 5K more and counting making it a dependable touring vehicle.

Current value.... offered 32K and turned it down.

[Mitch//pa]

Originally Posted by Jason in TX

You can always buy an already restored Model A cheaper than having one restored.

If you watch ebay and know what you are looking at, you can buy a super nice Model A between $12,000 and $20,000 depending on body style.

Pay more at the beginning and only cry once.


A few examples:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Model-A...-/141709023984

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ford-Model-A...-/161755232454

http://www.ebay.com/itm/181783021806

None of those cars are in restored show condition... Not impressed at all they are all drivers.
Yes you can buy a freshly properly restored car cheaper I agree but find one.
No marks, scratches, chips, swirls, perfect inside and out, top to bottom, and properly mechanically redone
Good luck

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by Patrick L.

I'm curious and didn't want to hi-jack a previous thread.

What would you figure the cost would be on a 'correct restoration' that would include doing everything.

Hey Patrick,
Depends on whether you are doing the work (most) or having some others doing the work. If you can do so, that would obviously make a HUGE difference in the cost.
And, it would then depend on the condition of the restoration candidate....whether you do the work or whether others do the work...in other words a total junker would costs thousands more to do than an undamaged , no rust original.

Oh, and I take it to you mean...to RESTORE, not driver/touring/modified condition like most cars available. Big money to have restored by others, as said.

[Maclab58]

Got my 68C (my avatar)for 22k. A really nice rust free super straight car. I have close to that in my e28 sport coupe. Look, they are out there

[Ed Wendell]

Patrick,
As has been mentioned above it depends on what you have to do.
I am working on a basket case '29 Murray TS.
We are building a "Touring" car to drive and use in parades.

Engine w/ Snyder's HC head, B cam, Leakless Water pump, NuRex Alternator, Counter weights and balance crank, V-8 Clutch, B carb, all new babbit. New pistons, rods & valves. $6800.

Rebuild tranny with new bearings and gears, shift rails, butler chrome shifter. $400
Cast Iron drums $400
Rear end rebuild $1150
LB interior $3200
Wood kits for 3 doors and header, top bows. $1100
Blast frame and body & fenders, splash pans, running boards, wheels. $500
Radiator $693
Glass $700 with shipping.
Mark will be doing my painting (he did Dean's A495). I have no clue what that will be, other than expensive, but worth every penny.
New tires and tubes, metal valve stems. $700
Will have over $400 on nickel plating.

And that's just the big items

Ed

[glenn in camino]

Never count the money. It spoils the fun.