The 'E' Type Forum

Hello,

My name is Chris and I'm an alcoholic, oops wrong day, sorry!

Anyway, I always loved e types and am considering making the leap and buying a series one or one and half convertible.

I'd like to buy an unloved car and restore it to my own colour and spec but have heard that this can be financial suicide.

Can someone give me an indication of how much it would cost to take a 15k 'shed' and turn it into something a bit special.

Thanks

Hi Chris

As with everything in life it depends on who you use and the quality of job. A proper job would cost about ?60-70,000 depending on how much of a shed we're talking about. The cost would be cheaper if you do a lot of the work yourself or more if you do nothing yourself.

If you would like any guidance on this I would be happy to assist.

Cheers

Harry

Don't make the mistake that some do and that is to buy a half resonable car with the notion of restoring it.

Always cheaper in the long run to buy a car thats already had the money spent. Having said that you have to know what you're looking at.

Good luck with your search

Harry

I noticed that E type Uk are restoring a series 1 roadster!!!

Any chance of posting a few pictures on its progress for us to view!!!!! and may i ask how much!!!!

I am very interested in the detailing on the suspension as this is a future project.

BevanIMP

Hi

There will be some updated pictures put on the website shortly, the suspension included. I have'nt cost the final price yet but its likely to be ?85/95,000.

I'll keep the site updated with the cars progress.

Harry

Hello Chris,

It's always a pleasure meeting another 'Friend of Bill'

From my experience, whatever you pay for your 'fixer-upper', plan to invest 4 to 5 times as much in restoration!

IMHO, it's actually cheaper to purchase one already restored at 'fair market' value. In most cases, the PO who did the restoration never gets an even return on there investment, unless they keep the car for a couple of generations before selling.

Example; I purchased an E-Type in 1971 for $!700 USD. If I had invested $10,000USD in restoration to bring it up to nearly new quality .... think what it would be worth on todays market?

Hope this helps...

Cheers,

Hi
I'm in the middle of this and it is expensive. I've done the mechanicals my self -stripped the body etc. It's at the body shop now and the price just keeps on going up. I'm currently at about $25K can. probably $35K by the time I'm done. Rust is the problem with these cars and it's amazing what bondo and agood paint job can hide. I will have $70kCan into it and it may be worth about that.Remember these are very fast cars so brakes suspension etc have to be restored too but you can do that yourself if you have any mechanical experience plusthe manuals parts lists good bank account and supportive mate
In my view unless you are interested in doing the work as a hobby project the cheapest thing is to find a good restoration and have an expert on body work check it carefully
Best of luck
Duncan Paterson

Welcome to our community hotdoc.... :D

look foward to see some pics of your restoration in the gallery

C;ive

Here is a car that has had ?165,000 spent on it!: http://www.sherwoodrestorations.co.uk/p ... p_i=448237

Gives you an idea of how it can run out of control.

For what it's worth, I'd buy as good a car as you can afford and try and find one that has at least had all the body done. Even then budget to spend the same again on the mechanics. They may be a pit but maybe not quite bottomless!
As a cautionary tale, I did just this last year and bought a S1 2+2 that had had bills for over ?22K spent mainly on the body. Although it looked (and is) good bodily, I have so far spent almost the purchase price on a rear end overhaul and a complete engine rebuild. The rear end I had budgeted for as the car had done very little mileage since restoration and the brakes and all the seals were shot but the engine - well, I suppose I could have lived with 20miles to the pint of oil but not for long!

Oh and DON'T buy one at auction. Buy privately and have it inspected by someone you can sue if it all goes pear shaped.

Oh and of course I'll probably have to keep it forever as it's unlikely ever to be worth anything like what I've spent on it - good job I love it to bits!!

No fool like an old fool!!!!!!!!!!!!