average restortion cost

[Mr Joe]

I maxed out 2 credit cards and never started the bodywork. It adds up very fast.... :'(

 

[Buckin74]

$ 35 -40 Grand at the last count. I now quit adding the bills up

 

[73explorer]

here's another little catagory to throw into the mix....all the equipment and tools you will have to buy to do all the work yourself. now some folks might already have $3-5k worth of quality tools, grinders, welders, sandblaster, paint gun, air compressor, etc, etc...but i didnt. i had a $49 sears craftsman tool box, so i have spent the first year of my restoration buying all this stuff....now i can FINALLY START on the dang thing....yet i still dont have a decent garage to work in....that is another story.

people forget to count all that stuff, cause they may use it to fix the lawnmower too...but i wouldnt have bought a set of snap-on tools to fix a lawnmower.

as a side note, i debated about going for the snap-on stuff...but believe me, i am NO mechanic, but those snap-on tools have amazed the hell out of me, i have gotten rusty bolts off that other tools wouldnt even budge.

 

[BoltBuster]

Paid $600 for mine and it was running. Aleardy had lift and newwiring harness.

So far,

$1700 in bolt ons and drive train.(also a Donor vehicle with C6 and NP205,)
$500 Brakes and Brake lines and parts
$500 body parts (floor pan, etc)
$1800 prep and paint job
$1200 Rims and tires
$600 dual exhaust
$8.00 sticker from ClassicBroncos.com

I expect total of 10k to 12k with in the next couple of years

 

[PS]

I've got quite a bit into mine as well, north of 30k. I've done the motor (full custom 302, carb'ed), trans (nv3550), body (down to bare metal frame-off), frame, power steering, power disc brakes, bumpers and interior. Still to do: front and rear diff's, tires/wheels, winch and new wiring harness. I actually kept track of the time it took for my Bronco body and frame resto alone: around 400 (!) hours. You can multiply that by whatever hourly rate you want, then add materials.

It's still cheaper than a car that will depreciate the second you sign the purchase agreement.

Here's my story...

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58343

...and I'm stickin' to it.

 

[TheCopperCowboy]

Who sent you? My wife? I'm still a frame off and have a 'Binder just as naked. The Bronco, to date, is about $7000.00 and counting!

 

[NicksTrix]

I've got quite a bit into mine as well, north of 30k. I actually kept track of the time it took for my Bronco body and frame resto alone: around 400 (!) hours. You can multiply that by whatever hourly rate you want, then add materials.

It's still cheaper than a car that will depreciate the second you sign the purchase agreement.
QUOTE]

PS~thanks for the realistic comments.the 400 hrs is very, very real. having just finished a full custom build, i can relate. figure if you had to pay a shop rate to do all that, what would that factor into your total?
get into some major custom fab and it takes time. good quality work is not cheap. parts are not cheap.
paint materials are not cheap if you use good grade supplies. my body guy was telling me the otherday, as we where figuring cost on my next project that clear is over 400 a gal right now.takes over a gallon to do a complete.
add all the various things needed to do a full paint, you are looking at close to 2k in just paint materials alone.want to get really trick with your paint choice, better sit down.

to do these builds takes 2 things. time and money. if you can't do it yourself, you are going to pay someone else's time. the more you want done, the more it is going to cost.

i've had one of my broncos since 81. i quit counting the dollar input once i hit 25K. that was doing the majority of the work myself other than having motors and trannies built.

bottom line guys. if you enjoy it you will put the money into it. some people more than others. we all have different income levels to tap into.
if you didn't enjoy the bronco, you wouldn't own it.

sorry if i was long winded
nick

 

[hackyrat]

For many years I did not put much of anything into mine. The last 5 years though have been different, especially after finding this site. I would guess I have about $10,000 into mine and doing all work myself.

But I have had the rig since 1985 and if I figure payments of a newer rig it does not sound all that bad to me, what I have spent. Besides it is alot of fun. Never seem to get tired of it as I do a regular vehicle.

 

[73stallion]

i've put about $15,000 into mine over the last 3.5 years, and that's doing 95% of the labor myself.

i'm restoring one for a guy who has about $60,000 in his.

 

[joser]

I bought mine for $5300, in good shape. And have another $12,000 into it.

I have done the following:

Power steering conversion, flaming river steering linkage, flaming river tilt column, Truck Avenger carbureter, new 2.5" lift, entire rebuilt D44 front axle w/ HD axles, Detroit lockers F & R, 4.56 gears, HD rear axles, wheels & tires, body lift, clutch rod extension, heater rebuild, rhino lined interior, family cage, beard style seats front & rear, new seat belts F & R, CB radio, proto fab rear tube bumper & tire carrier, tuffy console, new ignition, tons of little stuff (belts, hoses, wires, exhaust hangers,

HOLY CRAP, I DID NOT KNOW I HAD DONE SO MUCH TO THIS TRUCK!!!!!! Thanks for asking the question so I had the chance to review the work done to this point.

Still to do: New wiring harness, engine rebuild, front bumper, C4 trans swap, tera low gears, CO2 tank, new 3.5" lift, new shocks, new fiberglass hood with scoop, twin stick for D20, H4 headlight upgrade, 23 gallon rear fuel tank...

 

[NicksTrix]

i'm restoring one for a guy who has about $60,000 in his.

let's see some pics! what are you doing to it in the resto?
nick

 

[Gummi Bear]

I'm a little over $20K into mine, and nowhere near where I want it to be. I've changed my mind several times, built it, broken it and upgraded stuff here and there.

Keep in mind that this is the third coming of my rig too. (I've had it for nearly 9 years) This will be the most expensive build to date. I threw down nearly 2 grand on it last month, and practically none of it is visible...

Presently I'm taking more stuff off of it than I'm putting on. ;D

 

[teqoso]

I do not want to admit that I am over $20 k into mine, and I know that I still could easily put in another $10 k. I did a frame off years ago(of which I regret that I did not document), now I am chasing all the things that I didn't replace with new. I have a list of all the things that I have left and probably a few that are still floating around in my grey matter. I never thought that it would go this far, but once things get started and the desire to do something different can take you over. The good thing is that I keep liking the changes.

No wto get back under the body.....

 

[2badrotties]

Restoration work is something everyone should sit down and think about ahead of time. Don't just jump in, come up with a game plan. Hours can add up really quick when repairing rust, dents, or just repainting something that is already done. Everyone here knows just how long it can take just to get some rusty bolts out at times. How nice do you want it ? Really good work takes time and there is usually more than one way to do anything. It is pretty easy to spend 4, 5, or six hours repairing a panel that could be replaced for right around the same amount. It is VERY easy to spend a couple of hours just block sanding a panel before painting it. Figure 2 hours per panel for 2 fenders, 2 doors, 2 quarter panels, a hood, a tailgate and you have 16 hours of sanding alone and at $40 per hour that is over $500 just to sand before painting. Bodywork is extra depending on what is wrong, time to tape, paint, buff and you are really getting into some hours. MATERIALS are just crazy now days. Paint is $200 - $300 per gallon, clear is $100 - $300 , primer is $100 per gallon, and even bondo is getting expensive at $25 - $40 per gallon. Who would think that ONE stinkin gallon of lacquer thinner would be over $20. Buying parts is another expense when you add in shipping and shipping can killl you on some big parts ( I paid $160 shiping just on a hood ).

I can see why people want to try and do it themselves and a lot of it CAN be done at home if you are determined enough to stay with it.

 

[Rustytruck]

Right now I am on the other end of the coin. I bought my Bronco in 1978 with 10,000 miles on it. It looked like new then and now looks like it needs alot of help. I have upgraded stuff and matained everything myself in all these years not counting gas, insurance and registration stuff, I average about $1,000 bucks a year fixing what i broke and repairing stuff that needs fixing. This includes junkyard conversions like disk brakes and used parts like roll bars and building my own bumpers and tires. in the 27 years i have owned it there have been only about 30 days total i havnt been able to get in and drive it away. So if you dont have the coin to go big bucks and pretty, dont get discouraged just get in your truck and go some place. Enjoy the time outside in this great country of ours and think about all these guys banging away in their garage. To the guys in their garages when its done come by the fire and suck a suds you deserve it. We'll keep a chair waiting.