mgs
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Body Shop vs. Restoration

To: "MG List" <mgs@autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: Body Shop vs. Restoration
From: Max Heim <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Mar 1999 16:41:11 -0800
>At $4,000 to $5,000 for body work, invest in a new body shell at $4,995.

Hi Listers-

My 66 B is in similar shape (as the one under discussion), and I've 
considered going the body shell route, but...

...how many hours of disassembly, cleaning (!!!!) and reassembly are we 
talking about to swap everything over to a new bodyshell? Could anyone 
stand to bolt all that rusty, greasy stuff to a fresh shell? You wouldn't 
put those old saggy seats in a new car, would you? New top, new chrome 
bits, carpet, fasteners... And you've still got paint on top of the 
price. My guess is you'd drop another $3,000-8,000 "while you're at it". 
You'd wind up with a fully restored car but I still don't know that it 
would pay $$$-wise (just in satisfaction, envious glances, peace-of-mind, 
I suppose).

Has anyone on the list done it (the body swap)? Care to share your 
experiences?

At any rate, you'd want a two-car garage (to get the donor and the 
recipient side-by -side out of the rain), so it's out of the question for 
me until the "termite trap" comes down and is reborn as a real shop (with 
a floor and electricity and all mod cons).

Cheerio!



--

Max Heim
'66 MGB
runs great, looks scabrous
mountain View CA


<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>