Is EB worth restoring from rusted hulk with expectation of breaking even

[OX1]

Got "our" 59 bird for 8600 and maybe have about 12 total into it.
There is no way I could have restored it to where it is for that kind of coin.
(It "might" be worth 15 to 18, tops). I don't think there are many vehicles out
there that can be fully restored, and then get your money back.

So if you do all the work yourself, except engine machine work and paint,
what does it cost these days to restore one to lets say a Hagerty 2 (or 3
maybe) grade? (and not starting with some smoking deal from some old lady
you've known for 50 years that didn't know what they are worth);D

 

[sprdv1]

Welcome back Brother..

 

[charlie6976]

I think it depends on how you figure your TIME/LABORE involved in the project.
Is it free? You can estimate the cost of the parts needed.

 

[OX1]

Welcome back Brother..

Thanks.............

I think it depends on how you figure your TIME/LABORE involved in the project.
Is it free? You can estimate the cost of the parts needed.

I'm considering that "free". Just wondering from parts/material standpoint.
And assuming you could do most of the body work, can weld, and are a
pretty seasoned wrench.

As mentioned, if I was to do one, I would only not be doing paint and engine
machine work (including a refresh of cyl heads, machine work).

 

[Blue Bastard]

I think it is safe to assume it would cost 15-20 in parts and paint/engine work.
Plus your time in addition to the original purchase price. That’s what I spent on this restore.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ep67bro]

I think its is doable but... you would have to restore it to original kind of specs, Those are the trucks that are bringing the most money now well those and Icon type builds.

But the "free" labor as you know can really add up and the time to do one right can get stretched out. Hell I have had my new suspension for my 67 for over a year and I just got done installing it, work, life and other things got in the way.


To do a total resto to try and make money or break even I think is the wrong reason to do it, you do it because you want to make the truck right again and make it yours, something you built with your own hands. Not to make a buck. Just my opinion, it your money and time you do with it as you please.

 

[1strodeo]

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It looked good before you restored it!! ;D

 

[pipeline010]

Of course you can make a buck doing it! Otherwise, why would so many shops be doing exactly that!

Living where we live (NJ) makes it tougher due to shipping costs. Honestly, making a trip to a vendor with a massive uHaul to grab everything you may need may be reasonable.

Would you enjoy the process and the work? That's what others are getting into above...there are easier ways to make a buck than restoring a Bronco. But if you enjoy the time you spend, do it all yourself, and do it right...hell yes, you can make yourself some good coin.

After 100s of hours spent you'd be better off financially bar-backing at a local rodeo if $ is your only goal, though. If all that matters is dollars per hour spent well the big guys have it all streamlined and they still struggle and often fail to make it worthwhile.

I enjoy the work (sometimes). If I could weld with a high level of skill there would never be a time I wasn't restoring a Bronco to sell. Anything else I can figure out with time, but the welding is an insurmountable hurdle...I just can't commit the time needed to get great at it.

 

[OX1]

I think it is safe to assume it would cost 15-20 in parts and paint/engine work.
Plus your time in addition to the original purchase price. That’s what I spent on this restore.

A lot less than I thought, but as mentioned, that looks like a 6-8K bronco
when you started, no??

I think its is doable but... you would have to restore it to original kind of specs, Those are the trucks that are bringing the most money now well those and Icon type builds.

But the "free" labor as you know can really add up and the time to do one right can get stretched out. Hell I have had my new suspension for my 67 for over a year and I just got done installing it, work, life and other things got in the way.


To do a total resto to try and make money or break even I think is the wrong reason to do it, you do it because you want to make the truck right again and make it yours, something you built with your own hands. Not to make a buck. Just my opinion, it your money and time you do with it as you please.

I didn't ask because I am thinking of trying to make a buck.
I was trying to figure out if it was worth it over just buying one done.
I think the EB is one of the few vehicles it is still
worth doing yourself, as the finished prices are insane........

It looked good before you restored it!! ;D

Yeah, much nicer than I was thinking most will start with these days.

Of course you can make a buck doing it! Otherwise, why would so many shops be doing exactly that!

Yeah, I was asking more along the lines of if I wanted
a nice stocker. My 70 was not "restored" correctly, bodywise
(IE, 1/4" plate on floors, etc..) and I don't care as I want to
wheel it lightly, drive it in salt/snow, and actually use it.

But I worked a lot of OT in past 9 years, so it would be
possible financially, to get one or build a nice stocker.
It would be cool to me (and cheaper I'd guess) to build
one along the lines of an original roaster.

 

[904Bronco]

Your time is because you like saving something from the past, you are not going to get paid for it... Add in research time on the internet, runs to the hardware store or local suppliers, fuel, and shipping costs are lost...

But the satisfaction that you did this... with your own hands... Priceless.

Here is my 71, I paid $4k for it, 2.5 years later this is the end result. At last check I have over $45k in it including the purchase price. I did everything except the paint and Body work... Lots of missing pieces, but I certainly cleared out my stock of take off's and looked for other's take off parts as well...

I don't think anyone can really make $$$ doing restorations, unless you get the Bronco for free, do most of the work yourself/in house, and charge appropriately for time and labor.

 

[904Bronco]

I looking at your last post, yes in the long post it would be cheaper to find one done to buy.

But finding one built the way you like it, with paint, interior, drivetrain, stance, the list goes on... Can be difficult.

And then there is the quality of the build, does it meet your standards? Are you going to dump more $$$ into it because of the PO's shoddy craftsmanship?

 

[67RT]

Of course you can make a buck doing it! Otherwise, why would so many shops be doing exactly that!

Living where we live (NJ) makes it tougher due to shipping costs. Honestly, making a trip to a vendor with a massive uHaul to grab everything you may need may be reasonable.

Would you enjoy the process and the work? That's what others are getting into above...there are easier ways to make a buck than restoring a Bronco. But if you enjoy the time you spend, do it all yourself, and do it right...hell yes, you can make yourself some good coin.

After 100s of hours spent you'd be better off financially bar-backing at a local rodeo if $ is your only goal, though. If all that matters is dollars per hour spent well the big guys have it all streamlined and they still struggle and often fail to make it worthwhile.

I enjoy the work (sometimes). If I could weld with a high level of skill there would never be a time I wasn't restoring a Bronco to sell. Anything else I can figure out with time, but the welding is an insurmountable hurdle...I just can't commit the time needed to get great at it.

Most shops would rather take my money as it is much more profitable and less risky then buying and building a project. With overhead it is difficult to make money that way.

 

[half cab]

I'm kinda off topic here but isn't it funny that one of the Modified and abused 4x4's in history(or vehicle of any kind) is now one of the most restored or brought back to life and truly one of the most costly.

 

[904Bronco]

I'm kinda off topic here but isn't it funny that one of the modt abused 4x4's in history(or vehicle of any kind) is now one of the most restored or brought back to life and truly one of the most costly.

Nope.

They were thought of being disposable, they were used for what they were intended for... a Utility vehicle to serve the needs of the Family, Farm, Ranch, Business.
Kind of like the Hot rods of the 60's-70's, they were built and bought to flog them at the Track/Streets... Heavily modified, used up, and then sent to the scrapper.

Who knew the value that any of them would command today?

 

[PickleJar]

I of course am in my beginning stages, but my research points to the 15-20 range like some of you have said.

I'm trying to do as much as possible on my one. With the garage and tools I have access to, there are a lot of things I can do.

That being said I am more of a jack of all trades and master of none. So certain crucial things, such as "some" body work, and for sure paint I'm willing to pay to have a professional do it. For me it will be cheaper in the long run, because I know I can't spray as perfect as I would want it, or be able to make sure everything is perfectly aligned.

So I guess what I'm saying is, from my perspective Ill have 15-20 in mine because I'm farming out some of my work.

On a side note, one thing I have found out from redoing the K10 my father in law and I just finished. We had a hard time finding paint shops at a reasonable price, and the reason being, most people didn't want to work on old stuff, they all want collision work. I feel like some of the quotes we got were purposely high to turn us away. Im talking quotes between 15-20K. This was a shortbed single cab K10 that needed minimal body work. We finally found a guy who had worked for other shops for years, and had just started his own. He did it for 7.5K, and we were very pleased.

 

[AZ73]

Top rate Restomods and well done original restorations are getting good money. Good, clean fixed Broncos with upgrades are getting less that what's put into them. If you're doing this to make money, you're probably not going to be.

I could have cleaned mine up and made it very nice for about 1/3 of what I put into it, and lost money still while doing all my own labor. But once you start adding disc brakes, A/C, upgraded engine, all every little detail, it starts to add up.

 

[pipeline010]

We had a hard time finding paint shops at a reasonable price, and the reason being, most people didn't want to work on old stuff, they all want collision work. I feel like some of the quotes we got were purposely high to turn us away. Im talking quotes between 15-20K. This was a shortbed single cab K10 that needed minimal body work.

absolutely this.

I've spoken to a few body shops about my minimal rust repair:
1. new drivers side floor pan, (ez)
2. two outer rockers, (v ez)
3. the two standard flat spots on the interior of the engine bay, (v v ez)
4. and the two kick panels - the only really potentially problematic issue.

Everyone throws numbers OVER 25k at me and wants to keep it for a year while barely glancing at it. Body shops want quick turnaround insurance bucks and restore shops up here are jammed to the walls already.

 

[ep67bro]

Yup Paint and body are can take big money. I had a 1996 full size bronco that I wanted repainted stock color and wanted he rust above the rear wheels fixed. (note this rust was very minor in the world of above wheel well rust). This truck was very straight and the original paint really wasn't that bad. They quoted me minimum price of $8K. They said they could easily add another 2K to that if the rust took more time than expected. Had another shop tell me $7500. I ended up selling the truck before I did any paint work. I have painted two broncos and they came out OK . Great for a driver/wheeler but not show quality. Think I spent on paint, filler, primer and supplies about $1,000 on each of them.

 

[rydog1130]

you said rusted hulk? I did this and I was about 30K into my build, I did have to pay some highschool kids to help me out so that's factored into it. If I could've done all the work and paint myself I could have knocked about 9k off that price...

http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249119