kaiser
Rover Fanatic
worth his V8 in gold!
Posts: 136
|
Post by kaiser on Sept 21, 2014 5:11:44 GMT
Hi All.
I have restored a couple of cars over the years, and I have a P5B Coupe from 1970.
A friend of mine has asked me if I want to do his 3 litre coupe from 1964.
I have now looked a the car, and it is very rusty, the interior is fair and has been done at one stage, but the front flooring is damaged by water.
Inspecting the car from outside mainly, there are serious rust at all corners of the roof, you can stick a hand through. The doors are gone top and bottom, the D post, the posts, the sills, lower parts of the fenders, the bonnet all around the double skin and the boot lid as well. I haven't even checked the floor and the underside of the car yet. The car has not run for about 10 or 15 years. The chrome on the bumpers is still there, but no steel behind it, so new bumpers all around!
New boot and bonnet would be sensible, and can be found from a normal P5. However the special parts for a coupe cannot, as this is the only three litre in this country (South Africa) to my knowledge.
I am confident that I can save the car, but I am certain, that it is not a thing that my friend will be able to pay for.
I have looked at body spares from the UK, and that would cost me about 4000 to 5000 Pounds before they would arrive here. I have tried to estimate the amount of hours required to strip, cut, repair, weld, paint and re-fit, and I in my best guesstimate come up with about 300 hours, including preparing for paint, but not the spray job itself.
Has anybody here tried to keep track of the time spent restoring a car? and can anybody tell me what their time spent has been.
I can find a saloon in much better condition, but I am unsure if "just" transferring windows, roof and glass will do the trick. I notice there are some differences in posts, sills and other body parts below the waist from the saloon to the coupe.
Lastly, I have estimated the value of a P5 Coupe 3 litre to be about 6000 maximum 8000 Pounds when finished. I think the cost of labour and parts will far exceed that.
I don't want to lead my friend down the garden path, but I don't want to scare him unnecessarily either.
In order to post pictures, do I really have to upload to a host, is it not possible to just retrieve and post from my computer??
|
|
|
|
Post by Warwick on Sept 21, 2014 6:09:20 GMT
Welcome Kaiser, I'll leave it to the experts to answer your questions. You may find these links useful: roverp5.proboards.com/user/571/recentThis South African owner, Almanac, hasn't logged onto the forum since January 2010. roverp5.proboards.com/user/1803/recentAnd this one, Jaykay, hasn't logged in since November last year. Warwick P.S. I like your avatar signature, especially when read with a German accent. |
|
dfinn
Rover Rookie
Posts: 8 
|
Post by dfinn on Sept 21, 2014 8:43:57 GMT
Kaiser,
I’m just finished the restoration on my P5B after 9 months. The first thing I’d say to you if you’re patient you’ll get all the parts you need if not through contacts on this board, I’d suggest eBay, Wadham’s etc. What are the “special parts for a coupe” you mention that cannot be found?
In my opinion you have grossly under estimated the amount of time it will take to restore this machine. I’d up your 300 hrs to 1,500 hrs doing all the work yourself.
Increase parts cost by another K2, excluding any work which may be required on the engine. Depending on the quality of the finish the car could fetch up to K30 don’t sell yourself short when it comes to selling the car.
I have two perfectly good bonnets surplus to requirements after my restoration.
Regards
Dan.
|
|
|
|
Post by enigmas on Sept 21, 2014 9:19:44 GMT
Kaiser, this little diatribe is for your friend who probably needs to understand what he's asking of you. Restoring classic cars is not for the faint hearted or for anyone following a whim. It can become an obsession and almost at times a lifestyle. If you intend to have restoration professionals do the work for you then have a very deep cheque book. Otherwise learn the skills, take your time and work systematically through the car over a number of years. This is what most classic car enthusiasts do. Hopefully it's not your daily driver. Having a friend do the work is not the best way to maintain the friendship unless you really know what's involved in a particular task and understand that quality body work (let alone mechanical repairs) takes time and resources. Don't assess restoration work times against times charged by you local mechanic for a quick repair on your modern vehicle.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 17:07:21 GMT
I agree with enigmas,there have been many more friendships lost during the restoration of a car not belonging to the restorer than have ever been formed by it.
|
|
kaiser
Rover Fanatic
worth his V8 in gold!
Posts: 136
|
Post by kaiser on Sept 21, 2014 17:15:45 GMT
Thanks, so my time estimate is conservative, which I also suspected. Nevertheless, the scale of the problem is imaginable and my friend must see what he would like to do. The journey is possible but not easy!  My signature should e read as you do! I have a modern 75 V8 and there aren't many of those around! I think the option forward is to get as much as I can locally from P5s, especially the hard to make parts like the bonnet and the boot lid. The cost of parts in the UK is just unimaginable with the exchange rate at the moment. I will look up the links and study carefully, thanks for all replies. |
|
|
|
Post by eisdielenbiker on Sept 22, 2014 8:06:40 GMT
Hi kaiser,
why doesn't your friend just import a MOTtted Coupe from the UK in good working condition? If he insist on LHD the Netherlands is an option too. The buyers market is fortunate at the moment. That also would probably cost a lot of money and time but the outcome is far more definite. I wonder how outside the UK a car can rot to that extend described. Has it been parked at the sea shore ?
Regards
Mark
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2014 9:25:07 GMT
Hi kaiser, why doesn't your friend just import a MOTtted Coupe from the UK in good working condition? If he insist on LHD the Netherlands is an option too. The buyers market is fortunate at the moment. That also would probably cost a lot of money and time but the outcome is far more definite. I wonder how outside the UK a car can rot to that extend described. Has it been parked at the sea shore ? Regards Mark A much more sensible idea.Sometimes a car just isn't worth restoring unless it has a family history or some other unique feature. |
|
kaiser
Rover Fanatic
worth his V8 in gold!
Posts: 136
|
Post by kaiser on Sept 22, 2014 15:39:09 GMT
Importing a car might be an idea. I will look into that.
The car has been standing in Port Elizabeth, which is right on the coastline of the Indian Ocean, so the rust is pervasive and behind everything.
It can be fixed, I have just seen the efforts by the Dutch chap on the forum, which are truly amazing, but it will be work of that magnitude.
After this, it will most likely be better than new, because it can be cavity treated and hopefully be sprayed with better materials than when new.
we will see he must think the problem through carefully.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2014 17:38:04 GMT
Kaiser,
Listen to what they are saying! When we buy a P5/B it is the rust level that is the biggest factor in determining the price to be paid because the restoration costs are huge. You say that you can stick a hand through your roof but why stick a hand through your friend's bank account?!
There are a couple of perfectionist restorers (of their own cars only)on this forum. The Dutch chap (sorry Peter!) is one.
You may not be?
If you do not charge your friend for your time you may wind up hating him, the car and yourself. Plus have no free time. If you do charge then he may run out of money and you both hate the car and each other.
Warwick is right! Why choose the name Kaiser? Or is there something you need to tell us?!
Regards,
Peter
|
|
kaiser
Rover Fanatic
worth his V8 in gold!
Posts: 136
|
Post by kaiser on Sept 22, 2014 20:38:49 GMT
Kaiser, Listen to what they are saying! When we buy a P5/B it is the rust level that is the biggest factor in determining the price to be paid because the restoration costs are huge. You say that you can stick a hand through your roof but why stick a hand through your friend's bank account?! There are a couple of perfectionist restorers (of their own cars only)on this forum. The Dutch chap (sorry Peter!) is one. You may not be? If you do not charge your friend for your time you may wind up hating him, the car and yourself. Plus have no free time. If you do charge then he may run out of money and you both hate the car and each other. Warwick is right! Why choose the name Kaiser? Or is there something you need to tell us?! Regards, Peter |
|
kaiser
Rover Fanatic
worth his V8 in gold!
Posts: 136
|
Post by kaiser on Sept 22, 2014 20:58:48 GMT
I simply ask questions to try and make up my mind. If that is not fast enough for you or if you think I don't understand, I apologize. |
|
|
|
Post by Warwick on Sept 23, 2014 3:09:36 GMT
Warwick is right! Why choose the name Kaiser? Or is there something you need to tell us?! Hang on a minute Peter! I was referring to "Worth his V8 in gold!" ... said with a German accent. |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 23, 2014 7:52:40 GMT
...and the Kaiser bit didn't influence you?! I read V8 every time without that problem but you've probably changed that forever! Had to laugh.
|
|
