My restoration was a 4 year, multi-vendor affair. No vendors will be named here though. I did a lot of the dismantling, parts hunting and decision making. Alas, I am not a mechanic and prefer to leave body work to those who can do it right the first time. I ignored no part of the car, although there were times when I decided to leave well enough alone. I only replaced that which needed replacement. I fixed and detailed everything else.
Like my house remodeling, the job was done one project at a time. Body and paint were done by a No. Calif. vendor recommended by a high-profile Healey restoration house. The owner of the company was supposed to honcho the job because I couldn't drive 2 hours each way very often. The job was largely botched because this "expert" did not do what he promised to do. In fact, he was down right sloppy and careless with my car and I would never recommend him to another Healey owner. The body and paint issues were eventually resolved and I am quite happy with the end result. Lots of blood, sweat and tears tho. Nuff said about that.
I had my interior custom crafted by Heritage. I did some of the easier work and had the tough stuff done by a local auto upholsterer who specializes in classic cars. The detail work was done largely by me. Although I hate rusty bits and replaced all I could find, I chose not to re-chrome major components preferring instead a bit of patina - I mean it is 43 years old.
The engine and drive train have been sorted out by my mechanic/friend who has cared for my E-type for years. His work is as good as any around and, other than a long wait to have work done and some hefty bills at the end, my satisfaction level is high in this regard.
My Healey has been largely completed since 2002. I drive it infrequently and keep it well sorted. The total cost of restoration was well in excess of $30k, spread over 4 years. Of course, that does not include the cost of the car initially.
I spared no expense because I wanted a top-level "driver" with no bugs or surprizes. She isn't a true show car (I never wanted one) but would (and has) hold up well against pretty much any other Healey out there. Cheers!
Randy