3 replies to this topic

[Johno]

Anyone got a rough idea how much it would cost to take an LX torana engine bay back to bare metal and respray it in a paint matched yellow with clear?

Would also need the battery tray cut out with a new rare spares battery tray section welded in, and a few drill holes welded up in the engine bay.

Otherwise the engine bay looks ok.

I’d be looking for a finish that’s good but doesn’t need to be show quality.

Just after ballpark figures here.

[4dabush]

I’m just thinking about how l long mine took to do. I’m not a tradesman, but not a novice either, I reckon I spent best part of a week on a sandblasted engine bay in a completely bare shell. So, say 40 hours at $100 hr =.$4,000 add your materials, primers, paint, booth time, sand papers, welding gear, grinding discs, fillers, wear and tear on tools, shop time and space. Now if your engine bay is full, add time for it being harder to work in, harder to work around a motor, wiring, brakes ect. It’s going to make a dent in $5,000 IF you can find someone to do it. I don’t know where you are, but in Cairns, the resto game is very small and everyone is very busy, so a fiddly job would take a lot to get anyone excited. Being fiddly, on an old car, compared to an easy insurance job, smash repair, I reckon you might simply struggle to find someone willing to take it on.  Hence why I do it myself, and why you will see so many threads on here where people do it themselves.  Hope that helps a bit? 

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[yel327]

I can echo the above. I did this to my LX hatchback back in the early 90's. It was probably an easy 2 day's work just to get the bonnet and hinges off, wipers off, cowl off, radiator out and engine and front subframe out. Would be a lot quicker if you have a 2-post hoist. Then strip it of booster, all brake lines and prop valve, pull the wiring back, remove all clips, brackets, heater box, wiper motor etc, etc. Take all clips, brackets, bonnet catch etc to Cad platers. I also removed the front guards, nosecone and headlights as the car was being painted afterwards. There is another at least 4-6 hours in that. Took 2-3 days to cut out and repair rust in the battery tray area, in the cowl area, under the bonnet hinges. Then many hours of sanding, filling, priming and prepping for paint. Mine was done in burgundy metallic so needed a few coats plus clear. 

 

Then probably 2-3 weeks working on it most days to get the subframe back in, driveline, radiator, brakes, wiper motor, harness, and everything needed to get it running minus guards, nosecone, bonnet and cowl as the panel shop fitted those. Afterwards still work in getting the headlights, horn etc in, changing out all the temporary bolts one at a time with Cad plated ones, fitting the wipers, cleaning all the panel shop crud out that had got into the engine bay etc.

 

I reckon $5k would be cheap. Might even cost closer to $10k.

 

It'd be a lot cheaper just to get the rust repairs done, strip it of easy to remove stuff (like harness, clips etc), tape up other stuff and give it a coat of off the gun gloss black. This is something you could do yourself to get the attention to detail right, and avoid overspray on the subframe, suspension and engine.

[Cook]

Hi John. As per the others I reckon the $ mentioned is in the ballpark. It's the time cost that is the killer. If you are inclined to do the prep work yourself I would do that, find a local welder that can do the patch-up work. You should also be able to find a painter willing to paint it in a hired booth.  Cheers Ron