Feedback on replacing body

[n/a]

I posted this in the "wanted to buy" section" but I'll also take some feedback::


"I've got a well running '70 with floor pan and trunk rot which I know is very minor but it appears a previous owner did some restoration with a hack-shop that replaced all 4 quarter panel skins by rivet stamping them into place and filling the seams with bondo.

Now all those poorly hidden seams and rivets are coming through and my shop guy who is a big time / dollar restorer in my area says to correctly redo the car, the skins would need to be replaced and then major cosmetics done - to the tune of $20 to $30K so I guess I am on the hopeless hunt for a non-worker that I can slip my runnigs into, do some minor cosmetics and blast with a nice coat of paint."

****

Comments? Hopeless??

[ami]

Hello

this is a difficult decision please because you might get rid of this car and find that what you replace it with ( excepting the body of course ) is not as nice as what you have. I dont know if what you have is so amazing that you have to keep it. What I can say for sure is that I have done similar in the past. I once had an old beetle that was such a good car, I mean such a great runner please but was just full of holes and I put a mexican body from a donor car onto it for more money than ditching mine and buying another would have cost, but I had my great Beetle for more years and it was a car I loved. I miss her still ( what am I like?) Sometimes these decisions are about more than money but I would say ( an in my great experience ) that up tp $30000 is a lot of dollars and on top of what the car may have cost already would put you into the "slippery slope" bracket where you just throw dollars at this car not in the hope of getting back of course please but that maybe your car will have cost you $50000 in the end with donor / original / and all the other bits that you will end up doing because you will be right at the top of the "slope". It might be the case that you just jack it in (maybe sell the parts or whole car) and spend your 'hard earned' on a $50000 beauty. You will have more time to drive it then with the top down please. Sometimes you have to let things go and give the project over to someone that doesn't have to ask if this is the right choice ( i am not being rude). I have spent a lot of time and money having cars done and I have not always made the right ones, most of those mistakes have been knowing when to stop . It is often the detailing after the major work that ends up costing the money . Its up to you. I am not being rude by the way.( '

[merrill]

so, I just received the latest issue of the star magazine (MBCA member)
there ar 9 sl's for sale and all but one are under 30K.  for the amount of money your restorer is asking you could pick up another whole car and have a parts car, or part out your mechanicals.

I guess it comes down to what kind of attachment you have with the car.

my sl was my fathers which he bought when we were in germany in 77.  When he passed away I inherited the car.  I am spending a lot restoring the car but the car has huge sentimental value to me.

 



Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

[seattle_Jerry]

Here are my two cents worth...don't spend that kind of money on the repair. Go take autobody welding night or weekend classes and do it yourself it will be a greater sense of accomplishment and pride. Or pay someone to do it on the side. Lastly if the cars appeal is sentimental...who cares if it isn't perfect. Find someone who does decent work for much less...just not show car quality.

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[TR]

quote:Originally posted by merrill

so, I just received the latest issue of the star magazine (MBCA member)
there ar 9 sl's for sale and all but one are under 30K....

Matt
Austin Tx
66 230 sl - "white"
78 300 D - Blue
98 C230

Matt -- Hopefully you may enjoy another recent bit of data.  I received my copy of what I consider an outstanding newsletter today.  It had 45 280SLs listed for sale; top of the range was $85K.

Tom in Boise
'71 280SL 4-spd, signal red w/lt. tan interior, restored/enhanced

[Shvegel]

Hi,
I am in the exactly the same situation. I decided to do the restoration because there really isn't a truly rust free body to be found. There are some out there that are less rusty or less molested than yours but the body is the expensive part if you have a solid one it would cost less than 20-30k to scare up an engine top interior and chrome.

I know the man doing the restoration and I trust him and I know that he will return it back in pristine shape. I alsoo resisted the strong  urge to do it halfway and save money.

For comparison my car was previously molested by a butcher who replaced the fenders and quarterpanels and brazed them on. My friend Rick is taking it back apart replacing the rocker assy's, inner front wheelhouses, upper braces, cowl sides, rear inner wheel wells etc. Should end up around 15k with parts.

[Khurram Darugar]

Maybe you should get a another quote.
Riveting the quater panels along the seams should not recessaraly make them unusable.  An ace restorer will be less willing to accomodate.  With care when removing i cannot see why you would not be able to either fill in the rivet holes or spot weld on the rivet holes, although i will admit i have not replaced quaterpanels on my car.  New skins along will set you back > $4K.  I would ensure that the skins are truely unusable before going "to town".  
New skins are also easier too paint mainly due to the lack of previous fixes and dents.  
Good Luck
Kay


Kay
Euro 280sl LHD Auto.

[n/a]

Very much appreciate everyones $.02 and do not find any suggestions off the mark or rude. I'd love to do the welding myself and believe I could easyile take a coarse but would I know "where to start" once I finished such a class? (then again, I might meet someone who would do this on the side)

I agree that "my guy" is a bit of a perfectionist and known to be very, very costly so I just might look for someone with more agreeable fees.

The CT/NY chapter is hosting its annual car show this summer  alongside another classic show. On top of that, its being held in my home town so I am anxious to bring my car down and get some live feedback and also hopefully pick-up a few referrals to less expensive restorers.

thanks again.

[Rolf]

Where is the show being held?

Rolf
1966 230SL Auto
1992 300D

[Shvegel]

Speaking as a former Bodyman. You are right about there being more to this than taking a welding class. I have seen more than 1 project where someone has replace something structural without properly blocking and aligning the car and when they set it back down on the wheels the body flexed and the doors wouldn't close.

[seattle_Jerry]

There is a body on ebay right now

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[glennard]

Where on eBay?

quote:Originally posted by seattle_Jerry

There is a body on ebay right now

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[n/a]

quote:Originally posted by Rolf

Where is the show being held?

Rolf
1966 230SL Auto
1992 300D

Show will be in Simsbury, Connecticut (about 12 miles west of HARTFORD)