dropTopTx

I've been looking at all the pics of clean cars and am getting inspired.

I know there are a million factors in the equation but ballpark...how much for a complete restore?

62 that runs relatively well today, all original, one very small tear behind the right front tire.

I dont want to just send it off, I want somebody that knows what they are doing to restore this thing with me so I can learn as much as possible along the way.

62fuelie

You could spend anywhere from a few thousand to $30-40K. Do you want to restore it to NCRS/Bloomington condition or do you want a nice driver? It sounds like you need a paint job and a little body work. Four or five years ago, I paid a Corvette shop $3500 for a real nice base/clear paint job with a little body work. (probably 3-400 for the body work, stress cracks and redoing a previous repair that wasn't done quite right). I keep reading about people spending $10K for paint. Maybe so, but they're getting ripped. If the interior is getting tired, it can all be replaced for $1500-2000. You might want to get a pro to install seat covers, but the rest is pretty easy if you want to do it yourself. The dash pad is something that most people can do themselves, but you have to remove the windshield. This can be a little intimidating, but it really isn't that hard.
As far as mechanical goes, you can spend as much as you want on the engine. A basic rebuild can probably be done for $2K. You can spend a lot more if you want. Machine shops and speed shops will sell you anything you need plus as much more as they can get you to buy. The brakes, suspension, etc. can be done for $1K or less, if you do the work yourself. This would replace EVERYTHING. You probably don't need everything, so you can probably farm out what you do need for this figure.
A top will cost $7-800 if you have it done, 3-400 if you do it yourself, including some weatherstripping.
You can rechrome all the bumpers for around $1K if you don't have to have the quadruple plate super whiz bang show stuff. Most of the rest of the trim can be replaced for another grand.
Add up the items you think you need and that will give you an idea. Some otf the vendors like Zip and Corvette Central have on line catalogs so you can look up the parts prices. Most of the prices you can double if you have someone install them for you.

Good luck.
:D :D

Kid_Again

...no such thing as a dumb question - how are you going to learn????.....'though i'd generally agree with the first reply, the cost of a resto is so highly variable becuase it depnds on where you start and where you want to wind up.....................if you have a decent driver and want it to start winning trophies in local shows, i think you should budget about $10K, if you do most of the grunt work.......net of a few major components that i just "had to have" (a tripower setup for the bigblock and a FI unit for the small block), that's about what i'll have into each car.... a lot depends on the condition of the body/paint.......

...in my experience, if you're going to have someone do the restoration, a good ballpark estimate is to double the retail cost of the parts you'll need....however, even that may be low, depending upon whether you take it to a "restoration" expert or a mechanic who has an apprecaition for the old iron - under any cirsumstances, caveat emptor because you'll run into a lot of shops who will charge you top dollar and you'll wind up just having it redone...the best insurance is for you to become intimately familiar with every aspect of your car and make sure your vendors have lots of happy references


good luck


[Modified by Kid_Again, 7:22 AM 2/19/2002]

Mike66

You must also factor in getting sucked into the "restoration vortex". In it's simplest form it manifests itself by the fact that upon replacing/restoring a planned component an unplanned component will now look old and tired. So you end up replacing/restoring that. Then something else doesn't look quite good enough anymore... and it goes on from there.

In its more sinister form, the vortex will ensure that when attempting to remove perfectly good parts they will either refuse to come off or will break. Oops. More time and money. And the simplest things, like removing a bolt, can turn into days long nightmares. Ask me how I know.

Bottom line - Depending on the scope of your project, add 20 - 50% to your best cost estimate for all the unplanned stuff you'll be dealing with.

Mike

Shark01

$22,000.........exactly :yesnod:

Well, thats what my spreadsheet for a mid-year tells me. I sat down with an Ecklers catalog one night and assumed I had just bought an E-bay special, a car where all the parts were there, just nothing worked :eek:

Came to the magical $22,000 which assumed I would perform all labor other than body/paint, engine, and transmission rebuild. If it would help, let me know and I'll E-mail it to you.

58Mike

The "restoration vortex" Mike66 refers to is very real. That phenomenon explains how I've spent about $60,000 restoring my '58. Yep, $60,000! Originally, I just wanted to make a nice driver, but I'm a sucker for, "Hey Mike, don't paint the frame, powdercoat it!"
And, "You're not gonna put cast iron heads on, are you?!?!"
And, "Boy, those old emblems sure look shabby against the new paint!"
And, "That old steering wheel sticks out like a sore thumb!"
And on and on and on.

Now, my costs are admittedly on the high side because I made some really major mistakes, but if I could do it all over again, it would still cost me at least $30,000 to restore this car with me doing most of the work. But the finished car will be a no-excuses restoration. If I knew the headlight bexels were pitted, or the carpet was faded, it would drive me nuts!

- Mike

Shark01

No Mike, the magic number is $22,000 :p:

If you saw two identical cars next to each other, one guy spent $21,000 to restore his and the other guy spent $22,000, which would you buy?.........The $22,000 car of course :lol:

magicv8

I work with a guy who bought a 59 ten years ago and worked with Snelling at MidValley in East Moline IL. He told me it cost him $28k to do the restore well enough to get a Bloomington Gold certificate. He bought IL plates, GOLD59, and drives it around on nice days. He has since worked part time at MidValley and bought and sold 2 other Vettes, but the 59 is the keeper.

Blkblt

"Restoration Vortex".

I like that. :yesnod: :yesnod:

And, it does, indeed, sum up the situation or potential situation for anyone working, at least somewhat, on their own car....

"Ok. I'll just replace the kick panels. Well, gee...the carpet looks a bit shabby, so where is Al Knoch's number?? And...poop, the shifter is pretty loose...I might as well put in a new Hurst while everything is off. Man...the seats are out, and they could use some work. Ok...I might as well pull the consol and do the gages...they will look a lot better."

Sheesh...lets just body-off this sucker...... (no, I've stopped short of THAT, anyway!! :yesnod: )

Careful................................. ... :rolleyes:

********************

********************
Jeff
Ô66. Modified L72
ÒThe Silver BeastÓ
Keep on :cheers: :cheers: :seeya :flag

careyj1inalamo

Mike, great question. I just restored a 62 vette. It took 6 years, a law suite, tons of my time on the phone, traveling to see the vette(it was out of state, which was a big mistake), and $45,000 (just for the restoration). I should write a book on things not to do and things to watch out for during a restoration.

Rair67

Perry,

Personally, if that '62 is all orignal, and the car your dad bought brand new, no way would i do a complete restoration on it. To me, that car would have too much sentimental value, let alone having an original car, to do such an extensive restoration that it would be indiscenible from a restored basket case someone bought for $5k.
I would do things like paint, new top, etc, but try and preserve what you can- there is too much history there to lose it all by replacing everything with repro parts.

Just my .02

Good luck. :cheers:

allenz

All the previous posts are right on the money....having very recent experience with that specific question of how far to go....all I can say is ask yourself this question, 'are you in love with your car?' If the answer is yes or I could be if.....then consider going for it. If the answer is no or I do not know....take more time - look at other restored cars, decide if this is how you envision yourself.

In my case (and as others have said, this is a very personal decision), my first car was very nice, was a second flight car, but I just wasn't in love.

The car below was love at first sight.....saying that, I started off doing a moderate body on restoration centered in the engine compartment.....then the body came off and....well, lets just say I am not adding up the receipts any more. It really is a vortex.

Good luck, have fun.....

Allen

58Vette65

Like I told my wife, it took over $25,000.00 to restore her foot after a car accident a few years ago and it still isn’t like new. It only took $18,000.00 to restore my ’58 and it is better than new. Looks like I got my moneys worth on the Corvette and :D

If you would like to see what was done go to http://www.vette58.com

tuxedo

Perryth, I see your in Katy, tx. I used to live in Houston and would encourage you to dirve that car by the Nabor's brothers garage at 5111 Ashbrook in Southwest Houston. Rice/ Chimney Rock area. Their number is 713-392-9678. There are two brothers there Ken and Gary. They have been helpful to me in the past. They will have various body off resto's in various states of repair. You will see what you will be getting yourself into and the bucks that you can spend. But they do Bloomington Gold qualtiy stuff so you will see good work in one location. But be prepared to see many mid years in pieces and also old one's waiting to go under the KNIFE. And they should have a few PATIENTS in post surgery waitng for their owners to arrive with checks in hand.

SBR

I also recommend Nabors Corvette restorations if you do not want to do the work yourself. They do excellent work but are not cheap, I would say 45K for a complete restoration.

waynec

careyj1inalamo, I'd like to read that book after you get it written!

Actually, there IS a pretty decent book on the subject entitled "Corvette 427: Practical Restoration of a '67 Roadster" by Don Sherman, $18 softbound. I haven't read the book, but I did read some articles he wrote for the AutoRestorer newsletter while doing his restoration (he expanded upon the articles to write the book), and his experiences with his chassis duplicated my own, right down to repainting the frame a second time because it didn't turn out right the first time. The difference between him and me is that HE went on to finish that restoration, while several years later I'm still procrastinating on mine!

tuxedo

I have read that Don Sherman book and recommend it. It show's him doing all the work that he "can" by himself. Also explains the costs and where he went to have things done.

76rich

Perryth,
First off let me congratulate you on having a Sateen Silver '62.
There is not a better looking car on the road...Don't let some of these big numbers that have been thrown at you, scare you into not improving your car. Having said that, I will ask you what every shop wants to ask you, and some will even come out and say it out loud.
HOW MUCH MONEY HAVE YOU GOT OR CAN YOU GET AHOLD OF?
Seriously though, if the cars didn't mean so much to us, we wouldn't be doing this. So whatever you decide, spend what you can afford and have fun. I keep records of what I spend on my cars and you would never believe how much it comes to. I should be an owner of stock in UPS. You will send back one third of replacement parts due to poor quality and have to accept some just as they are. But nothing compares to the smile on your face as your driving around with the top down and wind in your face.
Good Luck,
Richard

1964Redrider

I'm tempted to start the tinkering process myself. My hesitation is that I want it all quality original parts and I don't feel I know the restoration scene enough to proceed at this time. So in the meantime, I'm meeting a lot of forum members, going to a lot of cruise ins, and asking a lot of questions. I'd hate to rip something out and find out my replacement made it less valuable. It's a big market out there with many different viewpoints. I was lucky enough to find my baby in very good condition to begin with so I don't mind playing the waiting game.


:)

dropTopTx

WOW! Talk about inspiring!

Its great to get so much feedback and see all these incredible cars. I grew up cruising with my dad in this thing and dreaming about how great it could look with a little time and money (actually a lot!) . Unfortunately we didnt get a chance to fix up together but I did learn a lot from him along the way and it instilled a love for the car in me.

I'll put some pics up very soon. Im already frozen in the "vortex" because there are so many things to do and it seems that they are all connected so you cant hardly do anything small!