Full Nut and Bolt Restoration

[chevyandpontiac]

Figure around $100,000 plus.

[napa68]

Originally Posted by mhm1966

I purchased this car because it had the original drivetrain and all the original components. I did all the rebuilding on the drivetrain and restoration on all the components. The shop got the body, suspension, and all the glass. They disassembled the car did all the body and paint work. I have been restoring Corvettes for over 40 years and I got to a stage in my life where I didn't want to do another restoration. The car has been at his shop for almost four years and most of the work is completed except for the front and rear glass, interior, wire harnesses, radiator and shroud. It just seems like the amount of money I paid this shop the car should have been finished long ago.

I am of the opinion paint starts at 30k and goes up from there (assuming the body does not have any major needs). That does not include chrome, stainless, bright work, etc.

There are a ton a variables that are unanswered. As you may already know, the choices in parts, the missing parts, and choices made all along the path affect the outcome as well as the final number. Fitment of so many reproduction parts just suck, to say nothing for their operation. That drives expense.

I will agree with Paul (Canuck), unless the shop is marque specific, I don't know how they can quote a price. I'll also add you may be fighting significant inflation in the last 5 years. Does the shop have help problems? While that should not be your concern, it definitely will affect the outcome.

Was there a set price and that number has been exceeded? That is a great reason to be sentenced to paint jail. Is the shop a production collision shop or restoration shop?

I feel so many times that last 5-10% of a restoration is the most challenging and expensive.

[1967 4K]

Very difficult to answer this question. Too many variables.

[CamarosRus]

What do I know...............................

[X66 714]

The big question is how much can you do & how much will you have to farm out? How much do you need to buy? Of the pieces you have to buy, how many will be aftermarket & how many do you want to bite the bullet for to get NOS or refurbish assembly line original pieces. Since I own 2 1st gen Camaros & I bought them between 1976 & 1981, I put away whatever I could with my paycheck early in life when all the hard parts were going obsolete, so I had most everything to do the 69 ss396. I did all the disassembly. All the reassemblies. Did all the suspension at home. The engine had about 20k on it. Sent the trans out & the seats. Had somebody else do the vinyl top. Paint work was 18 months & 26k, single stage urethane. With everything I mention, it still cost 50k, but my labor is cheap on my own stuff. I would probably say 100k plus (cheap) depending on what you want & what you can do yourself....Joe

[Canuck]

I have used the same restoration guy for 30 + years and he has done 12 cars for me. The only estimate He ever gave me was when doing my 68 Charger in 2005 he realized getting the quarter panels right for black paint was going to ad about $1000.00 per panel (blocking,sanding,repeat,repeat) about 8 hours each plus materials. Car turned out beautiful..
Mark did a 71 442 convert for me in 2005 and my latest one finished this year. I called the cars BC1 and BC2 , BC stood for basket case not British Columbia. The cost difference over 20 years was 2.5 X. Paint alone had quadrupled, wait times for parts had expanded from 10-12 weeks to 10-12 months ( interior). Chrome,let’s not go there. I had another car done about 2 years ago, decided to use a local shop, knew the place well. The car was a no rust eastern Washington State car, body work was mostly fixing small dents. I was planning to spend $15,000 to $18,000 (not looking for show quality). Final bill was $42,000. Job was done in 60 days.
Not to discourage anybody from doing a restoration,you just have to be open minded and realistic.

[mhm1966]

I am way North of $150,000. My next payment to the shop is going to be closer to $200,000. I wasn't too long ago when I restored my last car a 1967 Corvette Coupe. It was a full nut and bolt restoration and everything came in around $100,000. Could prices have doubled in five years? I can answer any variables since I am very involved in the restoration of my 1969 Z/28.

[luzl78]

It is a lot cheaper to buy the car of your dreams already done but a lot of us like the chase and don’t have the whole nut at once to pay for the 75,000-100,000 car. It’s probably cheaper to put some money down and finance the rest instead of paying for the extreme high prices of restoration. I’m gonna make a 70 Monte into a convertible. I have the donor convertible but I’m looking for an original big block 70. Probably cheaper to buy a 67 impala ss convertible and be done with it. Love convertibles!

[COPO]

From a strictly financial point of view, it never pays to pay for a nut and bolt restoration on a muscle car short of it being a ZL-1, Yenko, etc and even then only if originally purchased at a very reasonable price.

If starting today and using a professional shop for the work, it's easily $100K on low side and about $200K or more on the high side.

Concourse or close to concourse level car restoration is only for emotional reasons / love of the hobby such as restoring your first car, or your fathers or grandfathers car. It virtually never makes financial sense and probably has been that way for past 10-15 years at least.

[napa68]

Are there detailed / itemized billings to back up the numbers?