Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Rick]

Would you buy a fully dismantled restoration project? Or simply hold out for one that was all together at least, even if a wreck?

I can't help thinking that buying a car that someone else has dismantled, will make the job that much harder. Knowing how something came apart, for when the time comes to put it back together again, has to be a real advantage. Plus, if you take it apart, you know for sure which parts are missing from the outset.

The only time I can see this being less of an issue, is when there's a fully complete car nearby to refer to, or if you've had experience with this type in the past.

RJ
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[Rootes75]

I bought one years ago, the chap said it was 95% complete. More like 60% complete once all was turfed out the boxes.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Ashley]

And all the bits that are missing are difficult to find and expensive.

I'm fitting a rebuilt BJ8 engine in my BJ7 and it uses HD8s instead of H6s, so I needed various bits go linkage and they've cost a fortune. Mad really because the engine in the car is really smooth and torquey and doesn't use oil.

[ukdave2002]

The MGA was all but dismantled when I bought it, it had the least amount of mechanical bits on it to make it a rolling shell !!:


All the big bits were there and the chap I bought it off specialises in MGA's gave me a parts book and loads of advise during the restoration. It was still expensive and time consuming to get all the "little" bits odd brackets and the like, and had it been an older car without a fully illustrated parts book it would have been very difficult.

Dave

[Ray White]

My wife's Uncle passed away in January this year, leaving a completely dismantled 1930 Austin 7 Swallow saloon in the garage. The car has been in bits for 50 years or more and even the Ash frame has been dismantled. I imagine this would be something of a jigsaw puzzle to restore but at least there is a stack of seasoned Ash some of which has been shaped in readiness for the rebuild. The original rear wings have been truncated, the fabric roof has been roughly panelled over and many of the nice original and unique 'Swallow' fittings - like the side lights - are missing. On the positive side, I have collected a few spare parts over the years and reproduction parts are more readily available these days.

I may or may not take on the challenge. As Rick said there is an advantage in having the same model and year of car to use as a reference but although I have this advantage and some experience of restoring my own car, I am not sure I want to devote a large part of my life to it. Then again we only pass this way once and this would be a once in a lifetime experience.

[ka]

I picked the Morgan up from the original owner, in Hemel Mempstead. It came in three tea chests of bits and bolts, the chassis in sections, a radiator in an old seat cover, four wheels, and a complete, if tired engine that had been 'borrowed' to use in a trials car!
It took six months to rebuild including a new Ash frame and rolled body.
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KA

Better three than four.

[peppiB]

I bought a van load of bits and this





and 10 months later ended up with this

[DanH]

It doesn't only apply to cars, but anything that you choose to restore. Starting with something that is complete it much easier. However, having said that, knowledge and experience is power. Its easier to deal with a basket case if you know you have the parts available to fix it and have the experience to know how things go together and how to identify where things are missing.

For example, a couple of years ago I brought this assortment of bits:


And using my stock of parts, reference books, help from friends and experience, ended up with this: