Chris I think your estimates will give you an idea of what you should do
with this car. Living in California you should have no problem finding a
rust free car. If it were up to me (which it isn't) I would forget trying
to restore this one and just drive it as is. The body is only the start of
your problems. Get a good body and throw the money into things that were
ment to be replaced (motor, suspension, interior etc.)There are too many
good cars around and too little time to drive them to be fooling around
with a "project". Let someone else spend the time and money and then you
pick up the completed car for 1/2 of what the previous owner sank into it.
...Art
On Mon, 8 Mar 1999, Chris Attias wrote:
> Well, I'm about to take the plunge and get my '64 MGB bodywork
> done--replacing rusted panels and repainting. It looks like a complete
> strip of the paint, some sill and fender metal replacement (rear panel
> damage, rust--hope it isn't too bad under the part I can see!) and paint.
> I'm really tempted to wait until I've gotten a little summer driving in
> before starting this project. I'm not going to do much of the work
> myself--the HOA gets testy about bodywork on the driveway. I'll stick to
> stripping and reinstalling parts.
>
> I took the car around to two local body shops and one small specialty
> British restorer for quotes, and it looks like $4000-5000 to all of them.
> Some interesting things I learned were:
>
> *I live in a small town/county--there aren't a lot of choices as far as
> people who know British cars.
> *Body shops are busiest in the winter, when people here in California are
> skidding into each other and letting the insurance company sort it out.
> *Body shops as a group don't like to do "restoration" work--not much
> experience, hard to estimate up front.
> *The restoration guy is busiest in the late winter and early spring, as
> people get ready for the summer show season.
> *Estimated time of completion from 1-2 months, which could be shortened
> somewhat, depending on the depth of pocket.
>
> I'm very much inclined to go to the British restoration guy, though I
> haven't seen a lot of his work. I like this approach because he knows MGs;
> I like supporting people who have the skills and experience.
>
> The down sides are:
>
> *He's a one-man show--if he gets hit by a bus, or goes bankrupt
> mid-project, bailing out could be an awful problem.
> *He pretty much sticks to one paint type--PPG Deltron. I don't know the
> various paint systems, and would like to have another choice if it is
> appropriate. Don't know what his primer of choice is.
>
> Big questions are:
>
> *What kind of paint to use.
>
> *Does anyone know good bodyshops or resrtorers in the San Jose-Monterey CA
> area?
>
> *What are the pitfalls of body restoration?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Chris Attias
> '64 MGB
>
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