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Bob Stringfield
United Kingdom
854 Posts |
 Posted - 22/02/2012 : 18:20:37
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The VSCC forum's Ebay thread was discussing the 'barn-find' J tourer recently on 'an internet auction site' and mentioned elsewhere.
The received opinion seemed to be that restoration costs would exceed £50,000.
Was this realistic or hype?
Bob. |
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Onno
Netherlands
1044 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2012 : 19:14:05
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I hope not!
That would not make the outlook on my D restoration very good!
I think it all depends on what you can do yourself.
If you need to pay someone to do all the work that may well be the price as labour is not cheap.
I know for a MMM engien with steel crank and rods you can budget around £8000,-
That would leave £42000,- to do all the other work.
The result would have to be to a superb level!
Onno "D" Könemann |
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greg
United Kingdom
833 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2012 : 19:18:20
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I know Somone who could restore it for under £10 000 and it will look very good. If you don't do much work yourself and buy all new parts like the body and body work. If you rebuild the engine properly you could spend that kind of money (50 000). I think my j will end up costing me about 25 000 to restore + the price I payed for the car. I have already built the chassis up. I will do everything else myself apart from the engine which is ready, spraying and seats and hood.
When a dealer is selling a j or p for 35000 etc. People moan an say it's expensive. I think they are cheap. They should be twice that for what they cost to build and all the work what goes into them. |
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rodb
New Zealand
260 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2012 : 19:51:17
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Can we get from members an actual price per hour that is charged by restoration workshops and other associated workshops. I imagine there will be differences but a spread of actual hourly rates will be a good guide.
Total prices for a vehicle restoration reflect the hourly rate charged and how many hours are spent, and the cost of parts needed, and the cost of the vehicle for restoration.
We would get a clearer picture if we can break down these costs.
Rod B NZ |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6119 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2012 : 21:00:41
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Hmmm....I'm not sure I'd care to admit to how much my J2 will have cost me, although I have been keeping a record of expenditure over the last twenty years or so. Let's say that the total cost doesn't come to the 50K suggested by the VSCC thread although I will admit that some of the expenditure, such as the body, was incurred 10 or 15 years ago so current prices would likely be higher. But at the same time, I think it's fair to say that no expense has been spared so a figure of 45-50K if one were starting from scratch today and wanted a car that was absolutely right in every way isn't too far from the mark.
But what is interesting is the proportion of expenditure on various aspects of the rebuild. Broadly speaking the split has been as follows:
- Engine and gearbox (the full monty with Phoenix crank and rods, etc., etc.) 30%
- Body, including new wings, bonnet and fuel tank, paint, trim, chromework, radiator and instruments 30%
- Chassis and running gear, including suspension, steering, axles, etc., 12.5%
- Labour, i.e. the sort of work that most of us might be able to do if we had the experience, time and facilities 27.5%
But when I look back at the costs incurred, it's hard to see where substantial savings could have been made (other than, potentially in the labour costs) as my car was a pretty incomplete wreck when I bought it so a lot of new parts had to be acquired. But having said that, had I had most of items, they would probably have to have been replaced anyway so the saving mightn't have been that great. The eBay J2 while pretty complete, would probably need the same amount of new parts as my car did.
But whatever way you do it, it ain't a cheap hobby!
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bahnisch
Australia
674 Posts |
Posted - 22/02/2012 : 22:12:57
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| Not really Triple-M but I recently restored my daughter's MGC GT and because she was paying the bills I kept an account. I did virtually all of the work myself (eg body, painting, etc) and the car was in quite good condition (engine only really needed rings and bearings but worn crank and cam, etc) and the bills came to $20,000. Plating and interior were probably the most expensive items. The car won its class at a recent MG National Meeting. |
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spyder
United Kingdom
14 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 17:34:17
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I have been offered, and am considering buying, an almost complete project (supercharged J2) and wonder how much I would need to budget in addition to finish it off? I have been told that, apart from missing a bonnet (which would have to accommodate a Brooklands exhaust)and painting, restoration has been carried out and "it only needs screwing together" with sub assemblies like dashboard and drive train ready, engine bench-tested,full trim kit provided, etc. I don't have the facilities or skills, yet, to undertake this myself - although I am looking forward to learning to maintain it afterwards - if I go through with the purchase. So, any idea what would be charged to undertake to an acceptably high standard what's involved (preferably VAT-free)!? |
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Jonathan Elliott
United Kingdom
75 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 18:31:49
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Hi Spyder,
the problem with 'it only needs screwing together' as I have found, is that this is seldom the case! The easy part is restoring all the different bits, the head scratching starts when it has to be bolted together. But that shouldn't put you off and I would encourage the work to be done in house by yourself. This has 2 great advantages that it's free to do and that you will know how to repair and fettle the car when it's on the road.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Cheers
Jon |
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rossk
United Kingdom
495 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 18:44:23
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We restored a PB in 2008-2009 the car was already rolling and had a new body (clad in aluminium) it took over 400 hours this also included painting.
All of the mechanical works was undertaken prior to us taking the car in and found a lot of poor workmanship so had to do a lot of the work again.
If you are going to buy a car that someone else has already worked on I would go over it all again to be on the safe side.
It takes the same amount of time to tighten up a bolt on a £5,000 Austin 7 or a £500,000 K3!
quote:
Originally posted by spyder
I have been offered, and am considering buying, an almost complete project (supercharged J2) and wonder how much I would need to budget in addition to finish it off? I have been told that, apart from missing a bonnet (which would have to accommodate a Brooklands exhaust)and painting, restoration has been carried out and "it only needs screwing together" with sub assemblies like dashboard and drive train ready, engine bench-tested,full trim kit provided, etc. I don't have the facilities or skills, yet, to undertake this myself - although I am looking forward to learning to maintain it afterwards - if I go through with the purchase. So, any idea what would be charged to undertake to an acceptably high standard what's involved (preferably VAT-free)!?
Ross Keeling |
Edited by - rossk on 01/03/2012 19:01:18 |
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Robin Macmillan
United Kingdom
415 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 21:24:43
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I would suggest £25000 for screwing it together will be the going price...............
PB 0527 |
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Simon Johnston
United Kingdom
6119 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 22:06:59
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Using Ross's figure of 400 hours, and applying an hourly rate of £35-40 (which is what you'd be aiming for as that would potentially keep the labour costs under the current VAT threshold of £73,000 a year or about £1,500 a week) gives a figure of around £15,000. Add to this the cost of parts and materials and it would be easy to run up another £10,000. But if the work done to date is OK, and all the bits are there, you might get out for around £20,000. But for sure you are unlikely to find anyone to give you a firm price as much depends on what work needs to be redone (and you can bet that there'll be plenty that needs redone!) and who knows what nasty surprises lurk underneath a nice shiny surface! (Speaking from bitter experience? Moi?)
And I'd certainly agree with Ross that since the provenance of the work done to date is unknown you're best to bite the bullet and get it stripped back to the chassis and put together again. That way you know what you've got and whoever is doing it knows what they've taken on. And you'll find that the cost of doing that (apart from any corrective work that needs to be undertaken) is comparatively modest as the guys who do this sort of work (and do it properly) can strip a J2 to the chassis and build it up again in a startlingly short period of time. It's making good the bodges of others that takes time and costs money.
Good luck. |
Edited by - Simon Johnston on 01/03/2012 22:08:22 |
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bahnisch
Australia
674 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2012 : 22:42:34
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| One advantage in owning an "old" (ie interesting) car is that they really don't depreciate in value. Just about any new car will be practically worthless after say, ten or so years, whereas a restored prewar MG will almost certainly hold its value (or even appreciate?). |
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spyder
United Kingdom
14 Posts |
Posted - 02/03/2012 : 07:18:50
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Thanks for all the helpful replies which have given me an insight. Just to put a little more flesh on the bones, the work to date has been carried out by specialists with bills for drivetrain (£25K), dashboard (£2.5K), body by Gilbert, interior by Collingborne. So it sounds like a sound basis. It was the cost going forward I was keen to have. I have been here before with a Riley kit which I bought for £3,500 with chassis, engine and virtually everything there but ending up costing £45K to get on the road --- and that was in my distant past!
Much obliged for your estimates. To those who have kindly Emailed, I am grateful and will respond personally once I am back at base (Wiltshire) after the weekend. One thing is sure, if I do go ahead with this project or another, the forum and Register appear to offer enthusiastic and kind support...
great |
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Rodney Collins
United Kingdom
424 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 12:08:10
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When I restored my PA the engine rebuild Steel crank etc plus white metel bearings etc £14K! total cost bearing in mind I did the some of the basic work myself, about £44K including the price of the car £13K. It come complete with and MOT which must have been gotten by payment of a very large back hander!
Rodney |
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