Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Peter_L]

I am going to show some ignorance of facts here. But isn't 18K more than the cost of a 1974 good condition "runner". ?

What would be the cost of removing the HT Coil from the inner wing ? another hour at £35 ?

[Rick]

Do you have any photos of it before work started?

If a vehicle is being restored for sentimental reasons, then sometimes the financial outlay can be overlooked - even when it runs above budget (nearly all budgets run over ££ or by time), for a while at any rate.

Evidently this example must have been in a very poor state.

The SLC is, as far as my meagre understanding of MB values goes, one of the less valuable versions of the W127 series.

If I was the customer, I'd have hoped to be advised by the restorers that the spend could, and most likely would, run some way over the car's final value, and could very likely run over the projected spend. I'd also expect to be kept informed of spend vs budget as time went by, in case they were projected to be wildly at odds with each other - before it happened.

Factor in a quality paintjob once all the work had been completed, and new trim if the end result was to look at its best, and I doubt you'd have seen much change from £40k+ by the time the project was complete, probably more knowing the price of MB parts. Inevitably there would be more unforeseen expenses waiting around the corner. The factory make many parts still for the classic Mercedes models - at a price.

Again, if it was being restored for sentimental purposes, or was a long-held dream to see this very car resurrected regardless of cost, then it might still be worth the expense/aggro. But if it's just to get behind the wheel of a nice 350SLC, going down this route - paying the pros to do the work, beginning with a tired example - had the potential to become expensive.

As a final point, once you're in to a project for a lot of £, you end up having to spend more on the remaining jobs (eg chromework) just so that the end result justifies the total funds invested already. It's a vicious circle sometimes.

I employed a company to restore a vehicle of mine, as long-termers on the forum will be bored of hearing about (sorry). I went through a similar experience. For me, it was a long-held ambition to see it done. The journey was far from plain-sailing, and I too learnt a lot along the way. Not least have everything in writing, query everything, visit regularly (often unannounced), and remain business-like throughout.

As you're this far in, is there mileage in sitting down with them and agreeing a maximum labour charge, ie excluding parts etc, to see the car finished?

RJ
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[Peter_L]

Rick quotes from the "Book of Experience". Rick's project could not have a similar vehicle guideline value because it is unique in its history and almost unique as a vehicle.

It is easy to have the answer sat at the computer screen miles from the actual expense. But for me.. I would bite the bullet and walk away. If what the photos show, is a wreck that has an £18k price tag, with completion maybe (again Ricks guesstimate) another £22k down the road.

the 22k would buy a nice vehicle. But what price sentiment ? If you were conceived in the vehicle, or it has the bullet holes where your family escaped from the Mafia, then there is no price. But if the seats are replaced and the bullet holes welded over what is the point ?

I would sell it off for a few £'s.... and get on with life.

Like the guy who spent $5's buying Geromino's original war axe.

The handle was broken and it cost him $500 for a replacement and the head fell apart so he commissioned a $1000 replacement.
When questioned about the sense in spending so much money, he replied.

"It's because I am the only person in the world who has Geromino's original war axe."

[Bryson]

It's all sentimental. Well, kinda of.

The owner bought it new in '74, first new car he could afford and it was the start of a very successful business carer. The only one he didn't sell on. Early 80's he helped my parents out with a loan to buy their business. He entrusted the car with us when he left the country. In all honesty, he probably cares little about it. But my parents want to be able to return it to him pristine, after over twenty years rotting on a driveway.

The restorer hasn't informed me of the escalating costs above about £15k. We had budgeted for about £20k. Looks like it's going to be ~£35k + uphostery + trim. I just got report from an independent assessor who quoted there had been about 125hours of work on the car "if the garage possessed the correct equipment". We've been billed for nearly 500hrs. Assessor believes there is about 225hours to go, the restorer quotes another 500hrs which he's now agreed to hold to, still double what it apparently should take....

All for a quote that started with £8,800.

The advice to visit often and not trust the company are excellent ones....

If it were my car, frankly, I'd scrap it and take legal action to recover costs. Or move it to another garage and sue the original to pay for reworking and added costs. I've never sued anyone before, and normally look down on the practise, but this has me rather annoyed.

Peterwpg - that anecdote is known as Triggers Broom in the uk! I suspect yours predates it.