ZiVvmO

i was just wondering who has done their own resto (as opposed to paying someone else) and wondering further what kind of cost and time investments went into said restorations.

Nomad78SA

I have done my own frame off resto with plenty of modifications along the way. I did pay someone else to paint the vette though. I have been at it for over 2 years. It has been at Mikes house the painter for over a year and will be coming home next Sunday....finished or not...
Cost is unknown at the time but over 15,000 to include the paint job.
I am getting to old for this stuff for sure..Just got back from the power tour though and driving that 93 supercharged vette makes all my work worth while. Can't wait to get the 78 rolling.
Neil in Tenn

Dalannex

I did and am doing mine. 10K in the first one. Will probably be around 15 in each of the next two.

-Justin

BUGGSY1970

I have put a lot of time and money into my car. I have done it because I enjoy it not because I want a return on the time and money spent. You have to be wary of your intentions. If you want something to play with, to take apart, and put back together, to spend countless hours in, under, around and through then get a car and restore it. Lots of satisfaction and fun if that is what you are into.

If you want an investment forget it. There are a lot easier ways to make money. Most restorations do not bring back but a fraction of the money invested let alone the time. If you are paying someone for the work you have no chance of recovering what you put in it.

The best investments are cars that have been completely and professionally done. They look it and they can be purchased for a fraction of what the owner has already paid. Then you can enjoy the car for a while and if lucky sell it for close to what you paid for it but still enjoy driving it.

Buy the most and best car you can afford unless you are like some of us who just enjoy tinkering with these beasts.

ZL1powr

I originally restored mine back in 92 with new interior, drive line, suspension, paint, etc. All done in my garage by me. No one else has worked on it since I have owned it. I have continued to modify and restify over time including two additional engines ( a 454 HO crate and the current ZL1), different rearends and different transmissions. I have accumulated over 125,000 miles since the original restoration. I have all the receipts but have never added up the total investment. Although I know I have saved money by doing the work myself, that was not the motivation. I get a great deal of satisfaction out of working on and driving my 71.

ZiVvmO

really my purpose for asking is just for comparitive between having someone do it, as to do it yourself.

mine, having a third party do the resto was in the 18k vicinity and took 2 years. but i couldnt be more happy with the finished product. :yesnod:

killain

I did my own frame on resto. 8 years and counting. :yesnod:

BAD 99

:eek:


i will start mine , this summer , i hope to do it all,and in 2-3 years

BeachinVette

It took me just over a tear to do mine. See my link in my sig.

Bob

gary6696

Bob - great pics and great work!

I'm at this point after about six months and $6k:

mapman

Like BUGGSY1970 said: "I have put a lot of time and money into my car. I have done it because I enjoy it not because I want a return on the time and money spent. You have to be wary of your intentions. If you want something to play with, to take apart, and put back together, to spend countless hours in, under, around and through then get a car and restore it. Lots of satisfaction and fun if that is what you are into.

If you want an investment forget it. ......"

If you don't want to do most of the work yourself, then you are MUCH better off just purchasing the car you want. Restoring the car yourself, and especially farming most of the restoration out, is going to cost more than just purchasing the car you want. I'm restoring mine because I want to take it apart, and I want to put it back together, for my own enjoyment. Parts alone are more than the car is worth.

This is not an investment or a business with me, it is a hobby. Nothing "better" or "worse" about either approach. If you are doing this an investment, your actions should be to make only those repairs and modifications that will produce a profit. (Minimize expenses while maximizing profits.)

If you are doing this as a hobby, costs (especially your time), are of little concern - it is a hobby. But as a hobby, you can NEVER expect to get "paid" for all the labor hours you have spent. As a hobby you can "putter around", spending countless hours making a part "just right". As a business, you are expected to slap it together and press on to the next job.

:)

keith72

We've been working on ours (it will be my son's) a little over a year. Not a restoration, just a rebuild back to a daily driver. Got about $6K in it so far, counting 2500 purchase price. Should have about 10-12K when we finish in the winter. Pics are on our website.

Its been fun.

yellow 72

I did every part of my restification myself except the machine work on the block :smash: I stoped keeping track of cost at around 9500.00...

Mike :cheers:


[Modified by yellow 72, 9:43 AM 6/9/2003]

81' Corvette Guy

Have done most of the work myself..granted, having only 54k miles on it helps too..lol. Just trying the keep the vette well maintained..hasnt seen a day of rain since I have owned it. 2nd owner here..so hope to keep it nice and maintain as we both grow old together! :lol:

Paul 75 L82

I did mine, in a 2 car garage.

Twin_Turbo

Working on mine, progress is slow.. :(

Daniels

I'm doing the frame off restoration together with a friend. You definitly need somone to assist you, it makes fun, it's handy and the time just flyes. So far we've worked about 7 weekends, disassembled the whole car (from early in the morning till late in the night) Sandblasted the frame, suspension parts, etc. Spray painted everything and started assembling everything together.

There's no bolt, plate or sheetmetal that we haven't dissasembled and blasted. It makes fun and you know at the end what you have. It's your call at the end if you want to exchange parts or leave them as they are.

So far, the bill is getting closer to the 10K and theres still all painting and interior to be done... good luck

mayberg

I've shed a few tears too!

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

mayberg

I'm glad it worked out. How about giving us an idea of the scope of work - what exactly got done for the 18k? I'm sure it was more than paint and body work, right?

NHvette

All time and little money for me. I've restored or made from scratch many of
the parts in my restoration. I'm in about 2 years (one year with good effort)
and about $7000 including original purchase of 75 for $4500 and 70 chassis for $1200.

I'd like to keep it under $10000 total - but the paint may tips the scales.

:seeya