COST OF RESTORATION

[Sparkie]

Hi all, am well on the way in completing my FC.Up to stage of chrome plating .Have had bumpers and other metal parts done[cost $1700] now the diecast parts are to be done [quote over $3300] so $5000 plus just for chrome .Wondering what others are spending on their resto,s without labour [hundreds of hours there] with rust repairs, front ends ,engine mods,paint ,resto parts ,interior ,wheels etc the list goes on and whether they think that the parts cost alone is able to be recovered if vehicle was sold,i feel at the moment,it is getting out of hand.If anybody has added up their costs it would be interesting Gary [Nelson Bay NSW]Also anybody knows a cheaper chrome plater I also would be interested

[ardiesse]

Gary,

You need deep pockets for this game.  I spent $5000 on chrome for my Standard . . . a Special would have been even more.  The interior was about $3000, and I fitted it myself.  Side glass and a windscreen was about $1500.  A full set of body rubbers was getting up to $1500.  I did all my own mechanical and electrical work, so it was mainly the price of gaskets, oil seals and bearings.  To get the brake and clutch hydraulics up to scratch was several hundred.  Memory is getting a little hazy, but I think I spent over $3000 just on materials for the body repairs and paint.  And I fabricated a lot of repair sections myself.

No, you never get your money back, even if you do all the work yourself.  I would suggest that after you finish the car, you keep it for at least ten years, and drive it often.  Get the maximum enjoyment out of the time and money you have sunk into the project.

I stopped off in Coonabarabran yesterday on my way home from Narrabri, and got talking to some guys who were doing a roll-in drive-out restoration on an EH.  Labour included, they were up to $50k.

Rob

[FCRB26]

On the off chance my wife looks at an open forum im def not putting any figures down here 


But your def on the money and you get what you pay for in most cases.


Although pedros chrome will be intresting to see how it lasts as his was the cheapest i have seen to date.

[vivan]

Cheaper crome platter , be careful . I've just finnished an fc wagon that I don't keep receipts for as too sad price wise, but when I done my ek panelvan I got the bumpers done at a good price . Problem is they had rust bubbles before it left the shed. Had never been wet and I'm in Canberra . Electro platting technology in queanbean is great from my and my friends experiece . Might cost though . Think it was $300 for bonnet emblem on fc alone . Good though .

[FCRB26]

In saying that mine was pricey and was done at cardiff chrome 10 yrs ago and it was rubbish has big bubbles under it and looks horrible.
So im unsure who to try now i was told canberra chrome and also am thinking of a chrome plater out west at barraba NSW  they specialise in cast.


Pedro,s looks especially good on the cast so we will see.

The chop shop had all the FB stuff done at 2 shops in sydney great finish so we will see how long it lasts.

Pete

[FC427]

I had some GT bars done at Cardiff and were very poor to say the least had to get them redone BlueStar redid them and they come up very nice  ......FC427......

[fink]

Hands up,anyone that has had work done on their car,eg;chrome,interior, body,or mechanical work,not to mention some repo items.Now how many are completely satisfied after handing over hard earned money only to see the chrome  bubble or peel or leave scratch marks from bad preparation.Then you pick up your interior,looks great until you put it in and realize the lines arnt straight,your trimmer will give you some lame excuse,as usual,and it goes on and on with body or mech work as well,we have all been there! There are exceptions,but they're rare,some of us,like me,have been using the same companies for years and put trust in them as they know what our expectations are.
The Phrase''you get what you pay for''InMyOpinion,should be flushed down the loo,if it doesn't apply to the Majority,it shouldn't apply at all!

[Sparkie]

thanks for replies,Hamilton chrome have done my bumpers and recommended electro plating technology in ACT who gave me quote today for diecast chroming .A good guy to talk to and happy to spend time with me on phone ,feel that he is genuine and would do a good job.My problem is after the hundreds of hours put in and over half way with build its time to spend thousands of dollars to finish and I am not a person to keep cars for very long... Gary

[Sparkie]

Also wanted to ask about door handles as quote didn,t include these [I think he said about $140 each]Hamilton chrome said to go with rare spares handles at $72 ea,has anybody bought these handles ?Gary

[RET]

anybody bought these handles ?Gary

Yes. The FE-FC Holden Car Club of Victoria were instrumental in getting the repro handles made in the first place, and were heavily involved in the testing and quality assurance. You can buy them with confidence.

cheers
RET

[Wayne]

Hi
I am getting my car a full respray stripped back to bare metal and all panels that need repairing done if they have been done before are getting redone.cutting out panels and welding in new.The whole car has been rubbed back to bare metal by hand.I drove the car in and will drive out all for $14000 with no increase in price unless ask for some major changes.I am also getting all the inside done as well.The person who is doing it keeps you up to date by emailing photos of the work he has donehave almost 200 photos already of what he has done.Takes him around 4 to 5 months to do the whole car from start to finish.
I just had some chrome redone 2 panels of the rear bumper boot lock suronds tail light chrome (2) special script on side panel (2) front indicators (2) all for $520 and done very good. This person is in Liverpool
The person who is doing the car is at Tahmore near Picton would highly recommend
Wayne

[Sparkie]

thanks Wayne for your input ,some of you blokes are certainly not holding back,i am 62yrs old and only wanted to do up a car like I did when 18,way back then it was a backyard paint job ,lowered with 6" widies ,extractors and some carbies ,a chrome glove box [mirror]and you were pretty cool and ready for the drive in[the missus has said the Greta drive-in is out Gary

[Harko]

im about to send off one peice bumpers without over riders , standard head and tail light surrounds .
these dont need to be stripped of chrome so id imagine this is a big saving considering i had some camaro bumpers stripped of chrome to paint them once ,and the stripping cost almost the same as chroming..
but all in all im scared of the price.

[surferboy]

Hi Sparkie

Total receipts for everything with the wagon rebuild
$35,000 
we went "slightly"  over budget
( could have spent this on a shiny new hot commodore... but wouldn't that be boring  )

I didn't lift a finger,   Flames did everything over 12 months
Trimmer did interior. used existing mechanicals, swapped some bits of Cathys "ugly duckling", customised some bits and polished existing chrome ( have had bad reports about every plater in Perth !)

Drive it daily, rain hail or shine
and have no intention of ever selling it

(see withdrawal symptoms in build section for details)

 

[Harko]

i remember being converted from the save good original chrome to the get it rechromed type when i was enjoying a good detailed look ovrr john rappinettes car at all holden day a few years ago.
it was a few years old already and was parked next to a fresh rebuild fc with repolished chrome and the difference to the quality was truly worth it in visual effect.
the other looked like an old lady with a new shirt but faded jewelery.

john if your tuned in ,where was yours done and hows it holding up.

also ive been told if somethings already pitted it takes quite a few dips to get the oxygen out before chroming and its not always succesfull , the same results with one dip saving time with the chromer but the pits come back later on.
my mate had some extremely badly pitted a40 door handles done succesfully by linishing off the damaged surface and reshaping the handle.