hypothetical... S1 E-type value...

[IanF]

I was driving along the road the other day and out of the corner of my eye, I catch the unmistakable nose of a S1 (maybe S2?) E-type... Going by the headlight covers (which are both intact)... pretty sure it's a coupe.

The catch?

Looks like a definite "ran when parked" car... actually, more likely "not running when parked"... which appears to have been some time ago... currently sitting behind a shed...

I'm guessing it needs: Major rust repair, complete drivetrain overhaul and interior... You know... your basic basket case.

Of course, more intellegent folks would run away as fast as possible... but I tend to be stupid when seeing a car like this... Any restoration would be DIY... with the goal of building a fun "driver".

Anyone care to hazard a guess what a car like this would be worth? (I don't even know if it's for sale...)

 

[vagt6]

I don't know what the potential retail value might be, but it would cost a bunch to restore it.

Depending on the condition, of course. If it needs lots of rust abatement AND mechanical work, $30-$40K could easily disappear into such a car.

Or more. :shocked:


Anyone else??

 

[IanF]

Let me reitterate:

Any body work would be DIY... paint included. Interior as well.

Only work farmed out would be the drivetrain if necessary.

 

[MikeP]

I think before looking for thoughts on potential costs and values you need to determine what may be wrong with the car. A worst cast drivetrain rebuild with replacement of unusable parts could cost 15k or more depending on who does the work. And even with your own labor if the floors, rockers, wheel arches, and associated structures need repair/replacement, the wiring and interior replaced, you could drop another 10-15K into doing them right. If the car is a 2+2 for example you have to ask if it's worth up to 30K of you money to do right.

 

[IanF]

Ok... so as a restoration project, it's probably worth next to nothing... As a parts car: a couple of grand or so... I tend to hate the idea of scrapping an old car that's somewhat rare... no matter how far gone... Andi f I want an old E-type, I doubt I'll ever be able to afford one by more conventional means... and it seems like "basket cases" like this one have become rare as most seem to have already been scavenged as parts cars. Hmm...

Like I said... totally hypothetical... I have no idea if the car is even for sale... I don't have a place to put it right now (although since it's been sitting outside for this long... I suppose that matter little). Plus, I have parts of a Volvo strewn all over the place to deal with first...:wh

 

[Deleted member 8987]

If it's parked out behind a shed, and been there for a long time, and it's in the same locale as your profile shows, it's probably toast.
Bring a chainsaw to cut the saplings off that are growing up through the floorboards.

However, a set of Recaros, a 289 under the bonnet, maybe you'll have something you can drive, eh?

 

[IanF]

If it's parked out behind a shed, and been there for a long time, and it's in the same locale as your profile shows, it's probably toast.
Bring a chainsaw to cut the saplings off that are growing up through the floorboards.

Were it a roadster, you'd probably be right... however, while I can see enough of the car to know there are no trees growing through it, I wouldn't have much hope for the floors or rockers either...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]However, a set of Recaros, a 289 under the bonnet, maybe you'll have something you can drive, eh? [/QUOTE]

Now yer speakin' my language... ...although I wouldn't immediately dump the OE mill w/o investigation first. I like the idea of "rat-rod-restorations" (sans the flat-black paint)... basically: do what's required to get the car into safe, running "driver" condition. I never want to own a car that I have to look at the weather channel before I'll drive it.

 

[Bob60]

Interesting that you bring up the value of E-Types. I have been actively looking for a Series 1 FHC, basic driver quality, not pristine and not a basket case; so I have been watching the ads for the past several months. What I have been observing is decent S1 FHC's seem to be around the mid-twenties. There were three that I would have pursued in the past couple of months but I don't like black or red cars and, as luck would have it, two were black and one was red - they ranged from $24K - $27K. In fact one very nice car is currently available for $25k but it's bright red. There is currently a metallic grey car available (which I like), good mechanically but needs serious rust repair for around $23k. Total projects seem to be around $2k - $9k depending on how "total." In fact there is one available now for around $9k but needs a complete bonnet. I saw a reasonably complete parts car advertised recently for $1,500 or B/O. In all cases 2+2's are less. Then, of course, there are the dreamers looking for ridiculous amounts of money - maybe two years ago but not today. It's been my experience that a rusty car, even doing the repair yourself, will quickly escalate well beyond the ultimate potential value unless it's a very special car. Incidentally, I haven't been looking for convertibles, but I've noticed driver quality convertibles seem to be mid 20's to lower 30's.

______________________________________________
'65 A-H 3000, '73 Jensen Interceptor,
'71 MGB GT, MGB GT vintage race car,
'69 Land Rover IIA, '74 Land Rover pick-up truck
_______________________________________________

 

[IanF]

Good info Bob. Thanks!

I would never expect to get back what I'd have to put into it... But at the same time, it's hard to say if I could pull it off for [number pulled out of my butt] around $15K or so... Nor do I think it'd be worth much more than that when I was done.

Oh well.. it was fun to dream for awhile... thanks for entertaining me... :thumbsup:

 

[Deleted member 8987]

Reason I mentioned saplings and chainsaws, is I did that once.
Once.

1950 Ford and a 1951 Ford.
Fordor and a Tudor.
Not open cars.
Saplings through the floor, out the side windows, one had broken the windsheild and was up past the dash and out the top by 20 feet or so.
Had to borrow their small bullbozer to get them fully free, after we cut off the "trees".
$15 each, with titles, and all the small parts was what we were looking for anyway.
Scrapped the rest out.

 

[IanF]

Yikes! Well, from what I can see, it doesn't look that bad... all windows intact, as far as I can tell...

 

[Deleted member 8987]

On the dirt, outside, be prepared for the fuel tank to be toast.
The brake calipers are most likely toast.
Brake lines and fuel lines, history.
Rubber parts, recycle bin.
If it has a battery, it may have rotted through the mount.
Exhaust is rust flakes.
U-joints are probably seized.
Shocks, probably bad.
Floor pan and rockers, a sieve.
Leather?
Don't ask.

Add to that the REASON it got parked in the first place, and make offers based on just getting it running.

Ask them how much they will pay YOU to haul it off!

I remember an XK-120 roadster, used to be red, sitting in front of a gas station east of Barstow before the main freeway to Vegas went in.
Bonnet was gone.
Leather was.....shredded.
Interior had about six inches of sand in it, as did the spark plug gallery.
Car couldn't have been 10 years old, and it was bad.
But, it was DRY!

Probably an easy fix, once you de-sanded it and found a bonnet.

 

[why]

The reality based answer is how much they pay you to tow it away, these are very quirky cars to do that level of even daily driver, not just the cost of new body parts etc, but the strangeness of getting it all back together right. You will rue the day

 

[Bruce Bowker]

$30-$40K could easily disappear into such a car.

Or more. :shocked:


Anyone else??

Easily - based on first hand experince.