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TR4/4A Pricing a TR4 project car

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Alfred E. Neuman

Alfred E. Neuman

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Found an early TR4 near me that's all original. Runs and drives, but needs a complete restoration to be what I want.
Test drove it last Saturday and it runs strong (needs tuning), transmission felt tight with no weird noises and no tendency to jump out of gear. No other big red flags.
No rust at all to speak of. Rockers and all floors looked solid. Usual spots behind the front wheel wells and the seam along the rear fenders/body are clean. I'm going to get it on a lift tomorrow for a good look underneath.
Only issue I really saw was the eyebrow over the right headlight has taken a lick. Doesn't look like accident damage, just like something fell on it or it got backed into. Pretty good dent and split in the eyebrow. Not sure how I'd fix this. First thought was to make a template of the curve on the good side, and make a buck out of hardwood to fit and form a repair piece for it. Or just get a used bonnet on the ebay.

How would you price a project car like this? They want $15k, which seems steep. I think it's worth in the ~$10k range.
 
Sounds somewhat similar to my 4A. I was preparing to sell it before problems came up that need to be dealt with and hoping for $12k.
 
Thanks for the replies. I think 10k will be my soft ceiling. This will be a frame off job over the next couple of years. Should be a *relatively* straight forward project due to the lack of rust repairs, but it's still a full restoration to make it into a usable club touring and rally car for us. The fact that it's right here and I don't have to ship it gives me a little bit of wiggle room.
 
Got a nice look at the car on the lift today. It's absolutely devoid of rust. Small dent in the right of the front valance with some bondo showing through the holes they drilled to pull the valence back out. I think the hood would be much more of a hassle to fix the dented/split eyebrow than it's worth. I'd source a used one with less issues.
Right rear took a small hit and dented the fender at the tail light. Fixable with hammer and dolly but will take some shrinking to get it back straight once the metal is moved back where it belongs.
Paint is a mix of original and poor respray. Numerous dents in every panel. Easy fixes, but A LOT of hammer and dolly work and probably a fair amount of shrinking to get panels are smooth.
A PO absolutely COBBLED a radio install and mangled the brace, so I'd have to source one. Other than that, it's just a solid original TR4 that doesn't need too much to be a DD, but would need a full restoration to get it up to the car I want. Not to mention sourcing an OD trans.
I'd say Marv is right on the money. I'd really like to have the car, but it doesn't make sense to overpay for a car that's coming apart anyway.......
$10k is my firm ceiling.
 
Me, a tune up could mean other things invisible. Depending on where rust spots are, you might find a useful piece on an otherwise crappy body part. Either way, though, i wouldn't go over 8,500. G'luck with that
 
Having restored dozens of Tr's over the last 50+years, I can say that I have seen more people
buy a crap box, then a good car. If you are crazy enough to NOT put a potential buy up
on a lift for a serious rot check, may God have mercy.(the tin worms do NOT).
Todays restoration of a good example will run past 20K faster than you can write checks.
For major mechanical add 10K.
I once saw a 66 Tr4a that looked fine on the dealers show room floor, IT needed a frame and
had fiberglass rockers held in place with plumbers tape.
Mad dog
 
Marv has his finger on the pulse. I would just add that, since we lost The Roadster Factory, prices elsewhere seem to have gone up a lot. So too has paint, but the cars themselves do not seem to be appreciating. But if this is a car you intend to keep and enjoy, go for it!
 
What’s the old line, you make money when you first buy the car and not when you sell it? Lots to be said for a rust-free car, but it seems like it has a lot of other needs. And with TRF down for the count, lots for you to decide! Best of Luck!
 
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