R2 GT restoration cost

By the time you are finished (which is never during a car restoration) it will be in the new Lexus 430 territory.

stupid me! I only charge $25.00 / hr for labor, but the economy is a bit slow in the toenails of the blueridge foothills

I'm a bit surprised at some of the labor costs. However, having said that, I would add that there are many shops who will take advantage of unknowledgeable owners. For example, I recently say a magazine article where an individual had a Studebaker restored in Orlando. The restorer charged the owner for over 1000 hours of labor!!! That's insane (unless every sheetmetal panel had to be replaced including floors and trunk floor, and the replacement panels all had to be worked and repaired before installation). That would be about $45,000 in labor without considering materials, bright work, etc. I once read an article where a shop built a custom grill for a customer and claimed it took 400 hours. My brother built a custom grill for his radical Auburn Phantom and completed it in 40 hours). When we talk about these kind of occurences, we ask "what's and hour??" John is not entirely right. I doubt if too many individuals are going to spend $500 on a paint gun to do their car, or several thousand dollars on a MIG welder to replace the sheet metal. Where are they going to learn how to replace panels, work sheet metal, and paint?? HOWEVER! If you want to have your car restored, here are some guide lines. Seek out some restored cars that you like the looks of. This will also satisfy you level of expectation. Ask the owner what he paid to get the work done. Have him break the costs down as best he can: 1)mechanical,

2)parts, 3) paint and body. A full blown frame off every nut&bolt restoration could cost $45,000 on a rough car. Customizing (different engine, add electronic fuel injection, different rear end, modify front suspension, add disk brakes) could add considerably to that when you factor in the components. You should also know, or befriend someone who knows a little about cars. My brother just finished a '63 Corvette for a guy (car was rough as a cob with an aftermarket '67 front end . The car had been stripped and there was no gel coat. Other Mickey Mouse modifications had been made as well) The owner came in to inspect the finished product and dropped the hood. He then launched a tirade because of the star in the hood. He accused one of the employees of using a prop to hold the hood opened an punching the star. The employee who is an extreemly meticulous fellow and who has been with my brother for 12 years was so upset he almost quit. My brother said he would fix it. While fixing the star, he noticed that the bail on the aftermarket dual master cylinder touched the hood when the hood was closed. My brother called the guy and said he wasn't going to fix the hood until the m/c was replaced with one that would clear. The owner didn't know what a master cylinder was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Holy crap. He knew how to accuse someone of wrong doing and completely show his ass, but he didn't know what a master cylinder was or how it could make the star in the paint. I told my brother that when the car left the shop, he should tell the owner to never come near his shop again (there are plenty of other mechanical issues needing repair). BTW, recent cars he has worked on were, deck lid rinish on a 300SL, overall on a Shelby GT 500, Touch up hood and fenders on a '35 Dietrich body Packard Victoria, total resto of a '56 Packard Clipper 2-dr HT from a car that arrived completely disassembled in a container, AND Michael Float's 1958 Studebaker Golden Hawk. Mike's Golden should be in West Palm at the October meet. Bring your cameras. So, its not rocket science. And its not only for fat cats.. But it does take some common sense and just a smigeon of knowledge.

"John Poulos" wrote in message news:Q7GdnQRM5ZCxUjbbnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com...

Where's your brothers shop located?

Bo

That's a BIG Amen.. I was lucky and run mine through my brothers and cousins shop. Got a big discount..Paid $35 a hour. Still costly but well worth it. Regular price is $50 a hour. You also have to pay what is due at the end of the week or out goes the car. Too many others have the money and are eager to get them done. There is a two year wait even now.

Dave B.