YouTuber's MGB GT restoration costs
Discussion
I occasionally watch this chap's YouTube channel. His MGB GT was his first car and he's had a lot of restoration done on the car and is running through the costs in this video. It sounds like he didn't do much himself and the cost breakout isn't always easy to follow. Total cost was about £17k. He say's the engine rebuild was £440 (ish), but I am assuming that's parts alone. He doesn't mention machining costs, if any. He also says total labor was about £3,500 (ish).
The bit that got me was when I read through the comments and a lot were surprised at the £6,000 for body and paint work. Many comments were saying he'd been stiffed on that figure. Without actually seeing the paint in person and close up it's not easy to judge. But in this day and age with classic cars and painting I'd have thought it not too excessive?
Mind you, it sounds like the first trimmer was awful.
Thoughts?
https://youtu.be/uXBNGp5SK5I
The bit that got me was when I read through the comments and a lot were surprised at the £6,000 for body and paint work. Many comments were saying he'd been stiffed on that figure. Without actually seeing the paint in person and close up it's not easy to judge. But in this day and age with classic cars and painting I'd have thought it not too excessive?
Mind you, it sounds like the first trimmer was awful.
Thoughts?
https://youtu.be/uXBNGp5SK5I
The engine 'rebuild' was probably just an unleaded head for that sort of money.
As for the paint and bodywork, I think it depends how far they went. They replaced the two front wings because of rot and once these were removed it's normally the case that the trumpet sections and the front part of the sill are rotted through as well. Maybe that price included a bit of metalwork. Re the paintwork, if it was a full stripdown bare metal jobby then you're talking a fair few quid. Having said that, he said the trimmers right at the end had to touch up chips to inside of the tailgate.
Funny how most parts for these are as cheap as anything, yet it soon mounts up.
As for the paint and bodywork, I think it depends how far they went. They replaced the two front wings because of rot and once these were removed it's normally the case that the trumpet sections and the front part of the sill are rotted through as well. Maybe that price included a bit of metalwork. Re the paintwork, if it was a full stripdown bare metal jobby then you're talking a fair few quid. Having said that, he said the trimmers right at the end had to touch up chips to inside of the tailgate.
Funny how most parts for these are as cheap as anything, yet it soon mounts up.
Xcore said:
Depends how much welding was done. I was quoted 2.5k per side for sill replacement a while back.
The MGB sills are pretty complicated compared to other cars. Nowadays they are six piece kits and you have to know what you are doing. That still sounds like a high price though. Did it include paint?https://www.ukmgparts.com/product/mgc-midcat-11-su...
I lost a packet on a 1967 BGT I owned for year back in the 90s. It was rotten everywhere and I must have spent over £6K back then just getting the shell back to perfect. I spent loads more on the mechanicals and sold for a whacking loss. Still don't like thinking about it even though the loss was nothing compared to new car depreciation. Just checked the MOT history and I see it was put back on the road but has been off road since 2018 so maybe in store. It had the potential to be a show stopper with all that bodywork done.
andyA700 said:
The MGB sills are pretty complicated compared to other cars. Nowadays they are six piece kits and you have to know what you are doing. That still sounds like a high price though. Did it include paint?
https://www.ukmgparts.com/product/mgc-midcat-11-su...
A lot of 50s and 60s cars weren’t designed for longevity but roadsters in particular need strength in the sills, sunbeam alpine also have inner/outer/central panels so make repairs difficulthttps://www.ukmgparts.com/product/mgc-midcat-11-su...
£6k for body prep & spray seems cheap, £10k the figure I'm usually told about on a nice job.
At the other end of the scale, body only- so not in door shuts or in bonnet boot etc v rough & ready spray jobs I've seen advertised at £1500, be fine for a race car etc.
I seem to recall Mclaren were £100k if you wanted a mac F1 sprayed!
At the other end of the scale, body only- so not in door shuts or in bonnet boot etc v rough & ready spray jobs I've seen advertised at £1500, be fine for a race car etc.
I seem to recall Mclaren were £100k if you wanted a mac F1 sprayed!
Apart from libel laws etc, there is no onus on youtube channelists to tell the truth.
whatever gets the most clicks.
Much the same as TV.
Not commenting on this particular vid, haven't watched it, but there is a lot of fiction in the blogosphere.
That, as the song goes, is entertainment.
whatever gets the most clicks.
Much the same as TV.
Not commenting on this particular vid, haven't watched it, but there is a lot of fiction in the blogosphere.
That, as the song goes, is entertainment.
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