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Buy it Done or Restore It ?

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Dave Richards

Dave Richards

Jedi Knight
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Say you have a nice Austin Healey driver that you can tinker with and enjoy and were doing just that.

Now you want a second Healey, maybe older, maybe newer, than the one you have. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

All things considered, buying someone else's work, vs. doing your own, the time, the money, the money, the money, with all of your collective experience, your friend's opinions and your wife's temperament, do you find a really nice car and plunk down the money, or do you peel back that tarp, look at that rusted shadow of faded glory and roll your sleeves up?

What would you do?
 
I picked #2 but it was really a pick for a low-milage unmolested original and then do a "symathetic restoration" to get the mechanicals in order. Leave the patina for all to enjoy!

Cheers,
John
 
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/savewave.gif

I Picked #2 get it all right up front from a known restorer, you can tinker on the otter one.OH! I forgot get a BJ8! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif---Keoke. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cowboy.gif
 
My pick, No 2, easy choice...life's short. But your choices are too limited. Either 1 or 2 amounts to some serious coin, soooo, you can also add...
addition on the house.
one year of college at an ivy league school.
first class around the world trip.
full cosmetic smile makeover.
legal fees for a messy divorce, forget the marriage councelor. Afterall, you already drive an Austin Healey...need I say more.
 
You know, the third option was just a joke! Who picked it???Riding together in the Healey is therapy!
 
I picked 2 and thats exactly what I did 8 years ago.

The real question though is what do you really like doing best. Driving or restoration. Theres no question there are a lot of talented guys out there who like the restoration part as much, if not more than the driving. The guy who sold me my car was one of them. 3 years to repair it and then he sold it after 18 months. I'm glad there are people like that. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
If you have to ask this question, you should probably go with #2. I'm in the process of restoring my Healey only because I've had it since it was new and "The Healey" is part of the family. By the time it get finished I wiil have more money in it than I would have spent on a good restored driver and even being retired I still can't find all the time I would like to work on it.
 
I've gone both ways, unintentionally of course. I restored an MGA from the ground up. That was intentional. It was a fun project with not too many surprizes. At age 34 it was something I wanted and was able to do. Fast forward 20+ years and substitute a Healey for the MG and this time I opted for a "done" car. One can only survive so many knuckle peelings you know. Of course, the lesson learned (there's always a lesson) is that if you are going to buy a "done" car, have it thoroughly inspected by a respected Healey expert with a written report. Being the trusting sort, I did not do this and ended up back in the #1 category. It took more than a year and double the price of the car to get it sorted to where I wanted it.

Parts and labor costs for Healey restoration today are stratospheric, even if you do much of the work yourself. I guarantee, you'll be upside down when you're done. Buy the car well sorted, feel the pain once, and you'll never look back - that's my opinion...

Randy '66 BJ8, '68 E-Type OTS /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
feel the pain once, and you'll never look back - that's my opinion...
Randy '66 BJ8, '68 E-Type OTS /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/driving.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Say Doc. I am having this chronic throbbing pain. It seems to come back every time I find a cool new widget or correction. I am expecting it to happen again on Sunday.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
 
I picked '2' mainly because I did '1' some years ago.

Restoring from the bottom up gives you a great sense of achievement and makes that first ride out something never to be forgotten. Probably also the cheapest way, if you don't count your time. And you know exactly what you've got.

However, in my case, it took 3500 hours of spare time and if I value that at even a fraction of my local garage rate it still makes it one heck of an expensive car.

So on reflection and with 100% hindsight, I'd go for a '2'.


Richard
 
I picked 1 because that's what I'm doing-68 etype OTS. It's down to the tub having new floors and doors. Everything else seems OK. I've been at it 18 months and it'll take at least that much more so I'll pushing 70 when I drive it again and it will not be much or any cheaper than an already restored car.So unless you LIKE restoring as a hobby my advice is to go with 2. However remember that all these old classics very quickly become rustbuckets which 'experts' can conceal with paint etc. Make sure you get the advice of an acknowlidged authority, not a friend or relative who may be well meaning but unskilled
Duncan
 
#2 is the only way to go unless you have lots of time, money, garage space, mechanical ability, lots of talent and about two years to wait to drive the car. If you start with a V.W. or another easy car that's different. Healey restoration is another thing. A bad fix on a V.W. isn't too bad. A bad build on a Healey is....ah...really sad. Let someone else do all the work unless you have absolutely nothing else to do. Just my humble opinion.
 
Is it just me or do all three choices say 100% /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazyeyes.gif
 
I've had mine for bout 25 yrs, and I'm still updating it, isn't that the fun of it. Unless a little healy is different(ha). I think that every one of these cars are made for driving, and to start with the best car (and value)you can afford is the ultimate answer. You will put the money into it anyway.
 
Keep an eye on your wrench to ride ratio.

Like many of us, I have had several cars. The most work was our totally basket case 1949 Plymouth Woodie. 5 years, $35,000, and 2000 hours of work. Would I do it once? Yes. Would I do it a second time? No.

The least work was the 1959 Bugeye I bought last summer. Award winning, magazine cover car from day one for me. The other guy did all the work--for a woman who left him. I'm sure there is more to that story than I will ever hear. But I am the beneficiary of work far finer than I would ever be able to perform, and just dumb luck timing too.

I don't think I would ever have the ability or time to do an extensive project again. At this stage in life I am careful to watch the wrench to ride ratio. One has only so many days, you know.

The easy way:
https://www.beachcitygas.com/lolo1.jpg

The hard way:
https://www.beachcitygas.com/49plymouth/49plymouthsf.htm
 
I don't think the percentages apply, it would make sense if there was more than one choice per question, but the percentage feature stays in place, I'm guessing, even if there is only one choice per question.
 
Re: Keep an eye on your wrench to ride ratio.

[ QUOTE ]
Would I do it once? Yes. Would I do it a second time? No.

At this stage in life I am careful to watch the wrench to ride ratio. One has only so many days, you know.

[/ QUOTE ]I agree with Brian. I've done many time & money consuming projects over the years. At my age, time is more precious than money. For those who choose #1, it is a lot of fun if you are not in a hurry. I wish you the best.
D
 
Re: Keep an eye on your wrench to ride ratio.

[ QUOTE ]
For those who choose #1, it is a lot of fun if you are not in a hurry.

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/iagree.gif

I enjoy the challenge... and its a nice distraction from the day job... and everything else....
 
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