Cost of restoring

[murph2309]

That coupe looks pretty fooked though, no wonder it's £20k panels... Targa paint costs ex vat v similar to mine.

I really lucked out with my metalwork, I think a £20k panel bill would have finished me off at the time.

[Mike]

so Nick, for the targa was that completely all over back to the metal, blasted or dipped or whatever?

[Nick Moss]

We dip all our cars at Envirostrip. I've using this process for more than 10 years without many of the issues claimed elsewhere. The shell MUST be kept very dry after stripping and seam sealed correctly.

[MarkIII]

My car has cost me approx 15k in terms of panels etc plus 700 hours at a specialist, End product is a bare metal shell which looks fab. I had a reasonable idea before starting the project what the car would require to get it to its current state, probably 200 hrs over what I had hoped and an additional 3k in panels.

I think no matter how much you think something will cost these type of projects always seem to creep over your initial hopes/estimates. Wish I had the skills to do more myself but unfortunately I don't. Big respect to those that are willing to go down the day DIY route

Mark

[911hillclimber]

The more 'DIY' you are the more you want to do all the jobs, certainly so in my case.
The compromise is the end result, but I've always been ok with my efforts and only sink a bit when you see a Barry shell with a Darren paint job, but on top of that high-end are all the other specialist actions on engines, assembly etc so the whole car looks killer but at the expense that incurs.

I really cannot bring myself to terms with all these large numbers so must go my DIY route, for better or for worse, the car just isn't worth it.(and I want to do it all)

[coolaking]

All a bit depressing that even if you managed to avoid the quadruple cost of buying a 911 in the last 8 years it now costs £60k minimum to restore a 911t that you have owned for 20 years, it feels like the original ethos of DDK is diminishing day by day...

What happens if values tumble but restoration costs increase at this level...law of supply and demand

[gridgway]

I'm interested in how people view the economics. So I'm schizo. On the one hand I p155 money away on the race track, on the other hand, with my sc project I'm always thinking about the cost of the stuff versus its market value.

How do people on here view their projects?

Graham

PS Graham, rattle cans are shite. Every time i paint the fibreglass bits of my race car, they come back broken next time I go out. Am I doing something wrong?

PPS with a nod to sniffpetrol, I think my race car suffers from Nico-steer.

[sladey]

All a bit depressing that even if you managed to avoid the quadruple cost of buying a 911 in the last 8 years it now costs £60k minimum to restore a 911t that you have owned for 20 years, it feels like the original ethos of DDK is diminishing day by day...

What happens if values tumble but restoration costs increase at this level...law of supply and demand

If you can't afford (and I can't) learn how to do it yourself - you might enjoy doing it

[stretch]

Ditto Sladey. The ethos of DDK is alive and well.

[911hillclimber]

So true is the above!
I have shunned specialists as much as I can and today I only trust one.

£50/hour is a good incentive today, but I was bought up to DIY from pre teen years by my parents by try and try again.

I can afford the £10K paint job, but would rather go to Australia for 3 weeks to the country and GP.

Graham:

I never have painted bodywork on my race car, just good coloured gel-coat but still it gets damaged. Gone beyond caring too much now....

I spend a lot on the racer though it is getting less each year, and I'm guarded on spending on the 911 excessively, hence the frustration about the paint!

I'm retired, and that makes a massive difference....

[Bootsy]

You all sound like a bunch of old women repeating yourselves

[210bhp]

There is no doubt the alignment of the stars has moved for original ddkers and this is reflected in the classic car market as a whole and life in general due to lots of interacting financial changes which have worked through the economy since 2008. There are also fewer 'reasonable cost' early restoration projects available now as most have been soaked up by enthusiasts, investors and speculators leaving only the rust bucket challenges for those who can DIY or cheque book restore. Hence the market moves on to the next generation (as the demographic shift demonstrates) to SC's, 964's, 993's and of course now touching on 996's for a reasonable way into Porsche. I notice most of those markets have now taken off too. Early original Porsche parts have become rarer so restorers (have to) fit Porsche approved or aftermarket parts which then mean (in particular) body panels become expensive 'charge what the market will stand' items. All in all there is a big shift from where we were 10-15 years ago.

I am right in the eye of the storm just now on my own resto so some of the figures in this thread resonate loudly. I am happy that I found a 'reasonable' project even though it took an effort to get it but with the right people doing the work (I am not a body diy'er nor a painter) I think I will satisfy myself doing most of the rest with Ddk's help. At the end of the day you do what your heart and your wallet dictate in your project. I was quoted far less than I'm paying for bodywork and paint by others but in the end I wanted a shell restored by Barry and the best paint job because I am at the stage where I know I will only be doing this once and that's what satisfied me. I am fully aware there were other choices and it's up to everyone to make their choice.

The other aspect of all this is ongoing maintenance and I think this thread has muddied the waters of the two areas of that and full restoration. They are not the same and the expertise and therefore costs are not the same. The confusion arises when a seemingly straight forward maintenance job gets out of hand and develops into more of a restoration. I think you have to be clear what your boundaries are. Gary71 is a great example of self restraint here. His 'jobs' are well defined and he seems to stick to them no matter what else displeases him during his work. I'm sure he's thought more than once 'this car could do with being Barryed but he keeps the car on the road without that expense. Sladey too can see a job and just stick to it. Then move on to the next job. This is all different from having a rusty non running bare shell and deciding what direction to take with it.

Regards
Mike

[Gary71]

I'm sure he's thought more than once 'this car could do with being Barryed but he keeps the car on the road without that expense.

Every single time I wash it

[911hillclimber]

Indeed. Me too.
I bet this 'conversation' is on every classic car and bike forum by marque, even MGB, just as fussy.

I had the paint on my Honda bike pro painted, candy gold with painted stripes this year, came back amazing and certainly helped sell it for a high price, but small beans in comparison.

Been called an old lady moaner before, but I'm not alone.
Bootsy is a youngster, he will catch-up.

[stretch]

Good article here. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cars/classic ... -restorer/