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LC GTR Restoration - Price?

Started by _AzzurrA_ , Apr 11 2007 11:42 PM

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26 replies to this topic

#1 _AzzurrA_

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Posted 11 April 2007 - 11:42 PM

Hi All,

Not sure if this has been covered before or not... i did do a bit of a search and couldn't find anything related to it, so if it has been covered, feel free to point me in the direction of the thread!

I'll start at the beginning - Always been a fan of the LC's and LJ's - i was looking at buying an immaculate LC GTR as my first car, but for various reasons outside my control, didn't.

Anyway, i have always had a hankering for them, and at the moment i've got a renewed interest in getting one and restoring it.... one of the reasons is that i want to own one of these cars in my lifetime, and the way prices have been going lately, i don't think i'll be able to afford one in a few years time :(

basically what i want to know, is if i started with an 'ok' base car - i.e. some rust, but nothing over the top, a complete car with all the bits, what would i be looking at roughly in terms of cost of body/paint work, interior retrimming, plus suspension stuff (i.e. replacing bushes/shocks etc?)

basically just to get it to a point where its a nice clean car - doesn't have to be show-winning quality, but it would probably only get driven on the odd occasion either to a meet or on a clear friday night

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#2 LOWS2

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 10:26 AM

hey mate, even the roughest LC/LJ GTR will command minimum $10,000 straight off the bat plus whatever it costs to get her back to a 'clean' state and chase all the hard to get parts.

Thats just what i reckon, the guys who have done more in detail resto's on their cars will be able to help you more.

cheers,
mick

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#3 RIM-010

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 10:30 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com....1QQcmdZViewItem

Something like that?

Tim

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#4 _AzzurrA_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 10:34 AM

RIM-010 - yeah, say i started with something like the one that you posted... or something even a little rougher.....

say, somewhere between that one and this one:

http://www.australia...au/muscle/92524

i just don't have a bottomless wallet - if it's going to cost me the earth, then i may have to put my dream of owning one on the shelf :(

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#5 _HatchmanSS76_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 10:44 AM

Sorry can't give you a $ amount.
To buy one and than restore to how you'd like it will cost $$$$$$. Rule of thumb is what you think and tripple that figure and you'll be close. It also depends on what things you can do yourself.
In all honesty your better off finding a very good one for sale and pay the dollars even thou it might seem alot at the time.

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#6 RIM-010

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 10:51 AM

Yuck.. flares.

Both of the above have most of the original bits, so both are probably alright buys...

It sounds like you're not aiming for a concourse resto or anything.

As for bodywork, it really depends on whether or not you can do the work yourself. Especially rust repairs, you could quite easily run into the $1000's if you pay someone else to fix it...

I'm budgeting about $1000 to do a full suspension rebuild, with standard height bits... This includes bushes, springs and shocks...

Interior retrimming could probably get pretty expensive, too...

Tim

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#7 _AzzurrA_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 10:58 AM

don't get me wrong, i have rough figures in my head of what things are going to cost, i just want to see what other people think its going to cost, and if my guesstimates are way off....

i.e. my rough guesses are around $4000 - $5000 for bodywork (i can't do rust/body repairs myself, but i'm happy to do the sanding, prep work etc)

interior - i have no idea, as i have never retrimmed a car before

suspension - i was guessing somewhere around the $1500 mark - i would be able to do a fair bit of this myself

engine - probably around the $3000ish mark for a standard rebuild?

so as it sits, my guesstimate is roughly around $25,000 to return it back to a 'factory' condition - i.e. not show-winning, but a nice clean car

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#8 RIM-010

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 11:01 AM

$3k for a standard engine rebuild? I'm probably way off, but that seems a bit steep. I suppose if you payed someone else to do it, it'd get up that way...

Tim

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#9 smeer

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 11:25 AM

3k for a properly engineered rebuild is spot on the mark.

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#10 _Ms_Cameo_Gold_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 11:48 AM

My resto cost $10K - without any work being done to the engine/driveline.
Paint $5000, Fully rewired from scratch - new harness etc $700 (cause a mate did it otherwise quotes were around $2000), door skins $500, dash pad $150, carpet $150, original material roof liner $250, Seats $600 but that was a bargain off a mate too - quotes were around $2000, Door rubbers $600 for the kit, New windscreens $300 installed, Grill $200, Taillights $50 but that was a year searching for good but cheap ones - prolly cost an easy $2-400 for a set.
I already had lots of spares like multiple sets of crome, tyres, fuel cap etc. Also all the work was done my Dad, me and a mate who is an apholsterer and put all the interior together, quotes on interior assembly were a min of a grand. And Im not finished LOL still need original steering wheel etc, so add that to your cost LOL.
There is probly heaps Ive forgotton but thats the general ..... Oh and the resto was done Jan 04 - April 04 so prices prolly higher now.

Any questions (like who I got stuff from and resto places) feel free to PM me or Grant (enderwiggin),
Cheers
Kel

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#11 orangeLJ

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 12:18 PM

i paid 2000 bucks for all the bits to rebuild my motor, andall the machining was done for free and we put together ouselves. so 3000+ would be my bet, with no performance bits

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#12 _JBird_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 12:21 PM

25k seems about right...though add another 7.5k for niggly small things. Like rego, light bulbs, a new battery, brake pads etc. etc.

The paintjob seems to be right, except thats only if it was a paintjob. If the car has rust (and it most likely will) finding someone who will do a "rust" job is hard and the ones that do want a lot for it.

Ebay is your best friend finding thigns on the cheap e.g door trims etc. Try finding stuff YOU can install. Suspension and what not is found on Ebay a lot. Save up money for the paintjob - or alternatively find a shell that has already been painted.

And I hope your considering a GTR mock-up, otherwise you are looking for a fair bit of "start-up" capital. I wouild (and am) building a mock-up because I will drive to enjoy it and not as an investment. <Thats how I can justify spending money on it and go to sleep at night>

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#13 RIM-010

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 12:40 PM

JBird, it sounds like he's looking for a real GTR...

Tim

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#14 _AzzurrA_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 12:52 PM

Yeah, i'm looking for a real GTR

i don't see the point on spending all that money on a Mockup when it will be worth 1/3 of what you spend on it, whereas the GTR 'should' retain its value

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#15 _Ms_Cameo_Gold_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 02:40 PM

Forgot to add in my last post that the suspension, exhaust, clutch, diff etc were all relatively new so didnt need replacing, all that stuff can add up. My resto was mostly cosmetic.

As for value, Ive had my car valued and is now insured for $25K. The insurance companies had no probs with that amount as its an original, but if it were a mock up Id be lucky to get $15K covered.

I also forgot pics last post of cars condition so here are a few.

The day I bought it:
Posted Image

Being pulled apart:
Posted Image

Finished:

AMC 2004 Torana Nationals:
Posted Image

Cheers
Kel

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#16 dattoman

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 02:44 PM

Send me $30k and your busted GTR and I'll return it to you in 12 mths finished

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#17 _LH SL/R 5000_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 02:48 PM

VERY nice car Kel!

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#18 lakeside

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 03:47 PM

You couldn't a good panelbeater for under $10,000, and you will wait a year for him. It cost $20,000 to get the averge lc/lj body shell spot on. You will get a rough work for $10,000. Most beaters aren't good enough to do a good job on one.

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#19 LOWS2

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 04:57 PM

in terms of engie rebuilds im getting a 202 rebuild (very mild) its costing me $1,500 plus unleaded converstion to head around $250 (my uncle is doing it). So $2,000 shoud get you out of the woods on that.

But as others have said bodywork is the biggest cost and trying to find a Panel beater that would screw you around. I know a few good shops round my area in Taren Point NSW - Parraweena Smash & Andy's Restorations - but not sure where your located.

Anyways best of luck.

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#20 _gtr161s_

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 05:12 PM

i picked up my lc gtr as a matching rolling shell for $1200

gathered ever part needed to turn it back to original along with replacement panels. Its rolling on brandnew front and rear suspension and body is 80% comp with only the pass door rear light panel and pass 1/4 to undercoat, and ive spent easy 12k.

mine needed alot of resto work, panel beater would want me to morgage my house to do what i did, the only parts i cant do is the engine machining and triming

havent started on the interior & engine but i figure around 5k for those bits.

not cheap but there appreciating faster than you can spend money on them.

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#21 RIM-010

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Posted 12 April 2007 - 11:56 PM

http://www.gmh-toran...=0

What about that? Sounds alright...

Tim

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#22 _AzzurrA_

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Posted 14 April 2007 - 12:18 AM

another thing... is one of these cars (GTR or XU1) worth anything/as much if it doesn't have the original engine (i.e. the one that it came from the factory with) but has a replacement engine from the same model?

i.e. there's a shell for sale at the moment, but it doesn't have a gearbox or engine with it.... now, there just happens to be another 161S from an LC GTR for sale at the moment as well... obviously the car isn't going to be an 'all numbers matching' car because the block/head # will be different, but will it still have any 'value' to a collector in the future?

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#23 rodomo

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Posted 14 April 2007 - 12:27 AM

The "go" seems to be that while you are doing up the car you source an engine that is close but earlier than the build date.

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#24 _MRNOS_

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Posted 14 April 2007 - 09:19 AM

Being able to do things yourself helps alot. My cousins car-LC GTR-1 of mine that I sold him-currently we have all the interior-bought from a forum member-we have the motor and gearbox-efi 5lt and supra-diff borg warner disc brake lsd etc etc, to start with the body wasnt to bad, i'm doing all the panel and paint for him which will be around the $2000-family rates including all materials, all up this car-not including the wheels that he wants, should be on the road with the 5lt, 5speed and diff, with the rest of the car looking like a stock lc gtr, including the purchase price-again at family rates, for about 11-12k, so if you can learn to do anything on your own car, it pays off in the end :spoton:

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#25 _dave720gtr_

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Posted 14 April 2007 - 11:21 AM

As mrnos said it depends on how much you can do your self?

Allso the prices on a full gtr repo trim door card front /rear seats. hood linning resto consol ,carpet. dash .with all original material can blow out two $3000 or more !

my paint and panel was only $2000 doing it my self and a freind sprayed it for free
but it had no rust so that saves $$

I recon $15000 if you start with a good car !

Edited by dave720gtr, 14 April 2007 - 11:24 AM.