Alfaholics GTA conversion
Discussion
200Plus Club said:
Oh absolutely I'm not querying their labour charges you can see how much work went into it.
I'm a bit shocked at £10k and £20k for built bare engines to be honest knowing what you can get out of a 2 litre Zetec when done right but you are correct to point out that Labour costs are a major part.
Fair play to them for finding their niche and doing it Well, they deserve a good result for all their hard work over many years.
It gives me ideas for what is a favourite classic car shape and what could be done, potentially, on a lesser budget perhaps. Who knows a lottery win may happen and I'll be straight on the phone :-)
Anyone know what nicely sorted cars fetch generally after a standard type restoration rather than one of these beauties?
A decent Bertone coupe can be had for about 20k, but you can easily pay double or more for a really good Car. The modified ones tend to go for similar money to a good original. There is no doubt the GTA r are a masterpiece but any tastefully modified 105 Coupe is a superb classic.I'm a bit shocked at £10k and £20k for built bare engines to be honest knowing what you can get out of a 2 litre Zetec when done right but you are correct to point out that Labour costs are a major part.
Fair play to them for finding their niche and doing it Well, they deserve a good result for all their hard work over many years.
It gives me ideas for what is a favourite classic car shape and what could be done, potentially, on a lesser budget perhaps. Who knows a lottery win may happen and I'll be straight on the phone :-)
Anyone know what nicely sorted cars fetch generally after a standard type restoration rather than one of these beauties?
If you have the time and the skills, project cars still crop up for 3 or 4 thousand and the vast majority of the parts are available.
fblm said:
Back when this thread started;
Yep, things have moved on a bit since then. Inflation on European sourced components (thanks Brexit) and spec changes mean they start at 120k now.Mound Dawg said:
... the GTA-R cars start at £65k...
Which I actually think is quite reasonable for such a lovely thing. Do they still start at 65 or has there been a step jump up across the board? What does 65 get you?Back then we were offering an "entry level" version with fewer mods but when we got to a three year waiting list we decided that there was no point so the minimum spec has moved up. People weren't buying the specced down ones anyway, they were ticking all the boxes! We're now at four years so late 2021 delivery if you put a deposit down now which probably answers the question about "would anyone buy one"! Plenty of people take them on track, there were three customer cars out at our last track day in June.
Oddly, there's no "Singer Tax" at all in these, we can probably build them cheaper than someone else could (for equal standards of finish) because we're primarily a parts selling operation so of course we don't pay full retail price for the parts on them. Yes, we price them to make a profit but we have to be conscious of the "but it's only an Alfa" brigade.
15k for a properly built 200 horse TS will be about right by the time it's in the car. You can't compare an 8 valve engine designed in the 1950s to a modern 16v engine like a Duratec. Try getting 100bhp per litre from a Jag XK engine reliably and see where you end up
200Plus Club said:
I can't do bodywork or paint but we can do builds :-)
I'm keeping an eye out from now for something Nice!
Is there anything specific forums wise for these?
Probably the most technical knowledge is on the mainly American based AlfaBB, though they can be a bit anal.I'm keeping an eye out from now for something Nice!
Is there anything specific forums wise for these?
The Alfa Romeo Owners Club Forum is excellent too, though growing ever quieter with the spread of facebook. Its members only, but if you are serious about a classic Alfa its worth it.
Alfaowner.com is better for moderns, not all that good for the classics, but is still very busy.
Mound Dawg said:
Yep, things have moved on a bit since then. Inflation on European sourced components (thanks Brexit) and spec changes mean they start at 120k now.
Back then we were offering an "entry level" version with fewer mods but when we got to a three year waiting list we decided that there was no point so the minimum spec has moved up. People weren't buying the specced down ones anyway, they were ticking all the boxes! We're now at four years so late 2021 delivery if you put a deposit down now which probably answers the question about "would anyone buy one"! Plenty of people take them on track, there were three customer cars out at our last track day in June.
Oddly, there's no "Singer Tax" at all in these, we can probably build them cheaper than someone else could (for equal standards of finish) because we're primarily a parts selling operation so of course we don't pay full retail price for the parts on them. Yes, we price them to make a profit but we have to be conscious of the "but it's only an Alfa" brigade.
15k for a properly built 200 horse TS will be about right by the time it's in the car. You can't compare an 8 valve engine designed in the 1950s to a modern 16v engine like a Duratec. Try getting 100bhp per litre from a Jag XK engine reliably and see where you end up
Points noted and appreciated. The Zetec is a much more modern efficient 16v design.Back then we were offering an "entry level" version with fewer mods but when we got to a three year waiting list we decided that there was no point so the minimum spec has moved up. People weren't buying the specced down ones anyway, they were ticking all the boxes! We're now at four years so late 2021 delivery if you put a deposit down now which probably answers the question about "would anyone buy one"! Plenty of people take them on track, there were three customer cars out at our last track day in June.
Oddly, there's no "Singer Tax" at all in these, we can probably build them cheaper than someone else could (for equal standards of finish) because we're primarily a parts selling operation so of course we don't pay full retail price for the parts on them. Yes, we price them to make a profit but we have to be conscious of the "but it's only an Alfa" brigade.
15k for a properly built 200 horse TS will be about right by the time it's in the car. You can't compare an 8 valve engine designed in the 1950s to a modern 16v engine like a Duratec. Try getting 100bhp per litre from a Jag XK engine reliably and see where you end up
Glad to hear your order books are full. Your car has really set my imagination running riot having seen some race cars recently at Donnington and Silverstone classic events.
Realistically if someone were to build a "homage" to your GTA R what would a solid base car cost these days that may have had bodywork restoration ? I'm looking at your build pics and noting how they cone to you looking reasonable but the media blasting reveals all :-)
Fabulous cars, fab videos.
Mound Dawg said:
Yep, things have moved on a bit since then. Inflation on European sourced components (thanks Brexit) and spec changes mean they start at 120k now.
Back then we were offering an "entry level" version with fewer mods but when we got to a three year waiting list we decided that there was no point so the minimum spec has moved up. People weren't buying the specced down ones anyway, they were ticking all the boxes! We're now at four years so late 2021 delivery if you put a deposit down now which probably answers the question about "would anyone buy one"! Plenty of people take them on track, there were three customer cars out at our last track day in June.
Oddly, there's no "Singer Tax" at all in these, we can probably build them cheaper than someone else could (for equal standards of finish) because we're primarily a parts selling operation so of course we don't pay full retail price for the parts on them. Yes, we price them to make a profit but we have to be conscious of the "but it's only an Alfa" brigade.
15k for a properly built 200 horse TS will be about right by the time it's in the car. You can't compare an 8 valve engine designed in the 1950s to a modern 16v engine like a Duratec. Try getting 100bhp per litre from a Jag XK engine reliably and see where you end up
Thank you. Should have bought one then! (FYI Contrary to popular opinion EURGBP has been at the same level for almost the entire period post Brexit as it was in 2013 so I'd drop that line and stick with the more credible increased spec!)Back then we were offering an "entry level" version with fewer mods but when we got to a three year waiting list we decided that there was no point so the minimum spec has moved up. People weren't buying the specced down ones anyway, they were ticking all the boxes! We're now at four years so late 2021 delivery if you put a deposit down now which probably answers the question about "would anyone buy one"! Plenty of people take them on track, there were three customer cars out at our last track day in June.
Oddly, there's no "Singer Tax" at all in these, we can probably build them cheaper than someone else could (for equal standards of finish) because we're primarily a parts selling operation so of course we don't pay full retail price for the parts on them. Yes, we price them to make a profit but we have to be conscious of the "but it's only an Alfa" brigade.
15k for a properly built 200 horse TS will be about right by the time it's in the car. You can't compare an 8 valve engine designed in the 1950s to a modern 16v engine like a Duratec. Try getting 100bhp per litre from a Jag XK engine reliably and see where you end up
With the recent publicity I think your waiting lists are about to get a whole lot longer again. Good luck!
200Plus Club said:
Realistically if someone were to build a "homage" to your GTA R what would a solid base car cost these days that may have had bodywork restoration ? I'm looking at your build pics and noting how they cone to you looking reasonable but the media blasting reveals all :-)
Yeah, if you were doing all this sort of stuff you'd want to pay at least £20-30k for the base car (depending on what it is), anything less and you're looking at a potential shell restoration a few years down the road. Mound Dawg said:
200Plus Club said:
Realistically if someone were to build a "homage" to your GTA R what would a solid base car cost these days that may have had bodywork restoration ? I'm looking at your build pics and noting how they cone to you looking reasonable but the media blasting reveals all :-)
Yeah, if you were doing all this sort of stuff you'd want to pay at least £20-30k for the base car (depending on what it is), anything less and you're looking at a potential shell restoration a few years down the road. out of interest, do you run any owners day gatherings (i think i noted a trackday just gone?)
Mound Dawg said:
Difficult to comment on two pictures of a wonky looking car.
Presumably there's an advert somewhere?
And 50s?
Really?
Yea bit overkill! Front end looks "used"Presumably there's an advert somewhere?
And 50s?
Really?
I'm sure there are similar cars about that are clean and tidy and road legal. What do you think a budget might need for a "normal" car compared obviously to one of your specials?
This was the advert. With it being a racer I thought someone would know the car perhaps.
http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C887156
Maybe feasible to put something like that back on the road it was just an idea.
http://m.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C887156
Maybe feasible to put something like that back on the road it was just an idea.
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