T-Series Engine rebuilds going up in price!

[PAUL161]

Just read an article on a MG Y type for sale. The car is stripped of paint and other items, but the engine and transmission have been restored, supposedly as new. They claim the total cost of rebuilding the engine and transmission came to, $14,811.00!! This is supposedly in stock configuration. Somebody sure likes to part with their money if those figures are correct! Half of that would be a more proper figure. Sounds like someone got taken for a ride, without the car! JMHO. PJ

 

[drooartz]

You can certainly spend quite a but of money on a build (I've done it) but it was still 1/2 that cost. T-series parts are more expensive, but not *that* much more expensive...

 

[Sarastro]

Well, I think you can spend any amount of money doing just about anything. There's always someone around who will happily accept the cash from you.

T series parts are indeed expensive, for no reason I can see. They're Porsche-level expensive, or even higher in some cases. A good used tach or speedo will set you back $350. Engine parts are especially bad; for example, a good crank for the engine will be $1500, and bearings are easily double what othe MG bearings cost. And, after all that, it's not a great engine by a long shot.

 

[Brinkerhoff]

I just finished a TC engine this spring and have close to $8,000 in it in parts ( incl. new crankshaft ) , machining and balancing. Not counting the 80 hours of labor cleaning, inspecting,fitting, finishing that I did. $10 grand is not hard to do if you want to accelerate with modern traffic and drive 60 mph .
These cars have all led hard lives often running with poor lubricants and the ones I've been inside of are all worn out. Careful attention needs to be paid to get the best out of them.
I agree , its a lot of money to pay for 54 horsepower but what are you gonna do?

 

[PAUL161]

I agree that the cost of rebuilding these engines is very expensive and one of the reasons these cars are falling into the hands of fellas that can afford to bring them back to life in a respectable manor and not to hot rodders or body choppers. There is one thing for sure and that is I'd never put a $3000.00 crank in a Y type engine, no need for it. $1500 is also a little high for a used reground crank. I have no idea what they are calling a rebuilt transmission, as there are no details. My 1500 engine has about 15/16 hours on it. Not cheap by any means! But, 14+Gs is a crazy price and a little hard to believe. I think there's a little bit of a fish story in there somewhere. JMHO. PJ

 

[Sarastro]

Well, yes, I think for $14K someone either got taken or had some grandiose idea of what needed to be done. Or both.

As for the more reasonable costs, I'd have to echo Brinkerhoff--what are your alternatives? If you are restoring a car, and the engine is toast, you have to rebuild it or find a better one somehow. Either way is gonna be expensive.

 

[PAUL161]

I agree Steve, everything we do restoring these cars is going to be expensive, there's no way around it! Seems like more and more of the T series cars are being found in barns and wherever and most are being brought back to their former glory which makes me happy to see. I'm also delighted to see so many more MGAs and MGBs being restored in the past 10 or so years and other marques as well. Once their gone, their gone forever, but there seems to be a re kindling of interest in saving these old British cars. I hope it doesn't die out. PJ

 

[JSabah]

Having had my 1950 TD for (wait ....I have to do the math) 35 years, I have seen the cost of parts continually goup but unfortunately not necessarily the values equally. Maybe the higher rebuild costs will push up the values....although I did not buy the car for an investment it would be nice....

 

[Sarastro]

Wow, there must be something special about the TD if you held onto it that long. I keep encountering people who have had a T-series MG for an extraordinarily long time. Indeed, mine was owned by one guy for about 30 years (I have documentation of this). Some of the people in the Vintage MG Club here in SoCal take their cars on long trips--which would scare me more than a little. It says a lot about the appeal of these cars.

The parts cost has reached, and in some cases, exceeded, Porsche level. I have a '67 912, and I don't see much difference in parts cost--some higher, some lower, but on average, pretty close to the same. And, frankly, I can get better quality parts for the Porsche than I can for the TD, in most cases.

 

[pdplot]

I completely rebuilt a TD in 1973. New wood, new fenders, etc. Took me 600 hours. I farmed out the rebuilding of the cylinder head and the painting but did everything else myself in an unheated garage. I saved all invoices and when I look up the cost today in my office files, I'll let you all know what the parts cost then. At that point, you can tell me what they cost now. I bought from Abingdon Spares and Moss.

PD

 

[PAUL161]

Now your going to make us feel bad with those old prices LOL! :highly_amused: PJ

 

[pdplot]

Here they are, men. Just a few assorted items. Read 'em and weep:
From Abingdon: Amco 2-bow top- $54.30!, tonneau cover 43.55, side curtain set 58.85, under-dash shield 59.95,front spring 16.28. gearbox parts 14.30, pedal pads 1.60, con rod bearings & piston rings 48.26
From Moss: side curtain strips 22.50, green naugahide for dash 19.25, door hinges 22.00, glove box 9.43, muffler 10.50 (with 2.00 discount!), tailpipe 7.50, choke cable 1.50, 2 handbrke cables 7.20, rear spring 25.00, exhaust pipe 14.40
Fenton Bagley - new fender & wood parts - 360.00
It cost me 45.00 to have a valve job done by a master racecar mechanic.
I paid $1,100.00 for the rusty car, spent about $4,900.00 for the restoration and sold the car for $9,500.00. One month later, the new owner called me. He had blown the new rod bearings (copper lead).
I still have the Moss and Abingdon Spares catalogs from the early 1970s plus a 3-page article on restoring a TD body. Anyone interested in copies send me an email to pdplot2@gmail.com.

 

[PAUL161]

My right rear fender needs a lot of work, no rust, just a very poor dent repair many years ago and 20 pounds of Bondo! I priced a new one, $1000.00!! I know how to beat on tin, so the old one gets redone. No contest! PJ

 

[JSabah]

Wow, there must be something special about the TD if you held onto it that long.

Honestly, I was going to sell several times, but was just too lazy. Finally, after having had it stored in my garage and starting it religiously (monthly at a minimum) for 20 of the last 35 years ( the 1st 15 of which it was driven and restored, then driven again), I met an interested party who came to the house and took it for a test drive. Upon return of the test, my son (then 15 or so) came out of the house and inquired what we were doing. When I mentioned that we may sell the car, tears welled up in his eyes and his disappointment was voiced. Naturally my "buyer" did not want to be the cause of a family issue and walked.

About a year later my son got his license and now has been enjoying driving the car tremendously. He takes it out on dates, to the movies or Starbucks etc. short little rides....but it is at least being used and enjoyed. While he loves the on-lookers and loves to answer questions about the car, it will be interesting to see his level of interest in the car when I let him take (what I refer to as the more drivable) cars out...the Tiger, Daimler Dart or the Jensens.

 

[Sarastro]

Here they are, men. Just a few assorted items. Read 'em and weep:
From Abingdon: ........

Take a look at Abingdon prices today, and weeping isn't the bodily function that will occur....