How long shoulkd a restoration take?

Merrion

I've just realised that my Triumph (misnomer, or what) has been at the restorers for 18 months. Any ideas as to how long this should take?

ds20prefecture

Merrion wrote:

I've just realised that my Triumph (misnomer, or what) has been at the restorers for 18 months. Any ideas as to how long this should take?

I would start to get antsy after 6.

A friend recently had his Tatra professionally restored in the Czech republic. It took 4 months, but I don't think it needed much. Another friend has had a DS at the restorers for 12 months - nothing has happened to it, because the guy is too busy and the car is a big project.

How much has to be done?

lomb

um whats the story with the czech republic. is it significantly cheaper there?

ds20prefecture

lomb wrote:

um whats the story with the czech republic. is it significantly cheaper there?

Apparently so - i've heard €50 per day for quality work, with lots of capacity. Hungary is supposed to be similar. The challenge is the language and the risk of managing it remotely.

I reckon he did it there because the he bought the car there (he's in America).

lomb

do they overhaul mechanicals like gearboxes and the like? a guy who has a bentley r type might b very interested in a czech restoration. thanks.

Silvera

Merrion wrote:

I've just realised that my Triumph (misnomer, or what) has been at the restorers for 18 months. Any ideas as to how long this should take?

It really depends on -
- how much work needs to be done,
- are you getting preferable rates (i.e. cheaper due to longer period),
- did you specify a time limit,
- did they specify a time limit,
- are they having difficulty getting parts,
- did you specify new parts only,
- secondhand parts only,
- a mix of both new and s/h

...........I could go on !


I worked as a spray painter for 7 years and people outside the business really have no idea how much time it can take to do specific jobs.

For example, a person could leave in a car for a wing repair and repaint and expect to collect it that evening when it may need a lot of work to repair the damage PLUS a longer period for paint to dry (if 2 pack paint) etc.

Now when you get into restoration territory, it's an even more time consuming job especially if a top class restoration is required.

I'm not saying that it should take 18 months - but bare in mind the above factors when considering time periods.

camarobill

must b a nut and bolt restoration?i know it takes time to do a good job and if hes been working on the car all that time on and off,his costs could b more than the cars value?get on the case fast,or take it back and finish it urself

ds20prefecture

lomb wrote:

do they overhaul mechanicals like gearboxes and the like? a guy who has a bentley r type might b very interested in a czech restoration. thanks.

I believe so. I will enquire of my friend and get some substance to the rumours.

lomb

thanks a million.

ds20prefecture

My friend reckons that there are a great number of rip-off artists in Czechia, and that he found an exception in the guy who did his Tatra. Unfortunately he only works on Tatra 603s. He knows of another guy having a very hard time of it with a T77A in a different restorer.

He also says the Czech Koruna is rising against the Euro, so the value is not so good anymore.

So I reckon I gave you a bum steer, or while you may get work done cheap, the risks are great.

Sorry

Dave

lomb

hey no problem its not my car!restorations are dear, a good restoration on a bad car may cost 50 -100 grand. the moral of the story is buy a good one and look after it.

Alfasudcrazy

Irish restorers are a waste of space and rip off artists IMO. The UK is the only place I would have any restoration done. A lot are professional and quick - but of course they charge accordingly. Lets face it restorations are not cheap and rarely will make economic sense in terms of the overall value of the car being restored - I had my TR6 tweaked (virtual mechanical rebuild - except engine) (by Enguineity, London) in 2001 and it was done in four weeks. Car has been singing its heart out since

lomb

Alfasudcrazy wrote:

Irish restorers are a waste of space and rip off artists IMO. The UK is the only place I would have any restoration done. A lot are professional and quick - but of course they charge accordingly. Lets face it restorations are not cheap and rarely will make economic sense in terms of the overall value of the car being restored - I had my TR6 tweaked (virtual mechanical rebuild - except engine) (by Enguineity, London) in 2001 and it was done in four weeks. Car has been singing its heart out since

how much did it come too?
thing is my knowledge of it is that discovery program yer man spent 120000euro to fully restore an etype 4.2 cabrio to brand new from a rusty tub. everything was rebuilt, motor, transmission, new wheels, panels, full interior, new hoot, respray, electrics, basically brand new, but 120000euro, the car isnt worth 65000 euro???????

Alfasudcrazy

lomb wrote:

how much did it come too?
thing is my knowledge of it is that discovery program yer man spent 120000euro to fully restore an etype 4.2 cabrio to brand new from a rusty tub. everything was rebuilt, motor, transmission, new wheels, panels, full interior, new hoot, respray, electrics, basically brand new, but 120000euro, the car isnt worth 65000 euro???????

Yes - but those programmes are very misleading in that no account is taken for labour charges which forms the bulk of any restoration expense.
My TR6 had not just a virtual mechanical rebuild but the body work was also lacquered, it had a new hood fitted, halogen headlamps with bulbs fitted, and was made ready for passing the NCT which it had to do at the time. In general loads of little problems with it were fixed. Total price €6,000 :eek:

Merrion

So far the GT6 restoration has come to stg.12,500
Much more than it is worth...excpet that it is mine and deserves to share my (relative) wealth having carried me through post-university penuary.

JohnBoy

lomb wrote:

how much did it come too?
thing is my knowledge of it is that discovery program yer man spent 120000euro to fully restore an etype 4.2 cabrio to brand new from a rusty tub. everything was rebuilt, motor, transmission, new wheels, panels, full interior, new hoot, respray, electrics, basically brand new, but 120000euro, the car isnt worth 65000 euro???????

A pristine e-type should fetch 65,000 easily enough.

He also made no bones about the fact that he bought anything that could be bought new as new, very little effort was made to re-condition parts and just as good a job could have been done for a lot less parts spend.

lomb

JohnBoy wrote:

A pristine e-type should fetch 65,000 easily enough.

He also made no bones about the fact that he bought anything that could be bought new as new, very little effort was made to re-condition parts and just as good a job could have been done for a lot less parts spend.

id say parts are cheap, its labour thats the dear bit. in fairness the chassis and tub were rotten, and basically he was building a new car

stratos

In my experience buy a restored car. or buy an original car and restore it partially as you drive it. axle stands are no fun. driving is !!!

Merrion

axle stands are no fun

My Y chromosomes would disagree....

bbsrs

Merrion wrote: »

I've just realised that my Triumph (misnomer, or what) has been at the restorers for 18 months. Any ideas as to how long this should take?

Is it finished ?

swarlb

Alfasudcrazy wrote: »

Irish restorers are a waste of space and rip off artists IMO. The UK is the only place I would have any restoration done. A lot are professional and quick - but of course they charge accordingly. Lets face it restorations are not cheap and rarely will make economic sense in terms of the overall value of the car being restored - I had my TR6 tweaked (virtual mechanical rebuild - except engine) (by Enguineity, London) in 2001 and it was done in four weeks. Car has been singing its heart out since

There are plenty of 'restorers' in the UK that are as much a waste of space, further away, and tear bigger rips than some over here. Just as there are restorers here of repute.
By law of averages the UK would be better, as they have a history of car manufacture, and more qualified people, notably in the field of bodywork.
But there are some talented people here. Lets not tar everyone with the same brush.

Avns1s

bbsrs wrote: »

Is it finished ?

After 9 years, I'd hope so!!

Tzar Chasm

Nine years is long enough for it to rust apart again

Bigus

Merrion wrote: »

I've just realised that my Triumph (misnomer, or what) has been at the restorers for 18 months. Any ideas as to how long this should take?

Call in every week and moan, Afterall "the squeakyist wheel gets the oil" also pick a date that the car must be ready for , anniversary or daughters wedding or something that can't be moved.

Merrion

No - it is not finished - what happened is after considerable time it became obvious that the restorer was not up to the job and was not reliable at all so I took it back.

So - I'm still on the hunt for someone reliable. Anybody?

H.E. Pennypacker

What does it need?

Merrion

It needs rust repair in the usual places - front of the bonnet, top of the wind screen, the sills under the doors and the rain-channels on either side of the windscreen. Some dents and a respray wouldn't go amiss. Replacement of the webasto roof and the headlining inside... quite a bit, really but I do have the budget to get it done.

H.E. Pennypacker

Marty Lane in Kildare prepped and painted my VW - he's got a genuine interest in working on classics and is very capable.

http://www.lanes.ie/Gallery.html

He also painted the Audi 80 featured here:

http://www.irishvintagescene.ie/retro-classics/retro-classics-autumn-2011/

Better pic here:

http://vagdrivers.net/forums/lofiversion/index.php?t69357.html

kev1.3s

Merrion wrote: »

No - it is not finished - what happened is after considerable time it became obvious that the restorer was not up to the job and was not reliable at all so I took it back.

So - I'm still on the hunt for someone reliable. Anybody?

Typical story, almost exactly the same thing happened to me except when I went to buy my project I rang the guy I had lined up to give him the low down and he told me that " anything was doable" so after 5 years of "yours is next on the list" conversations and watching car after car bypass it in the line I decided to take it out of there last year and bring it to Alex Hynes near Fearns. Although it cost a bit more than originally planned it is just about finished now.