VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Makes Me Want to Cry

for all the wrong reasons.......

'32 Chev on ebay

Buy it and Bring it Back... be the HERO !!

!! You Can Do it !!

The saddest part is after spending $25000 on an original restoration it would be worth around $20000 at best. Put that much in to it as a hot rod and you have a good chance of doubling your money. Also it's a lot easier (and cheaper) to find parts for a 350 engine than a 194. A friend and I just picked up a GOOD pair of heads for his 350 for $50.00 total. Compare that to the non-existent 194 head that would sell for over $1000.00. The best thing that could happen with that Craigs List ad is for someone to call the owner and ask what the status is of the removed drive train and other parts.

I have heard the claims for decades that the money spent on restorations would not be recovered if and when the vehicle was sold. In the majority of cases that is true particularly for the more common cars. However there are numerous cases where it is not true. The category "when the top goes down the price goes up" it often is not true. Roadsters, Phaetons, Cabriolets, convertibles, sporty or performance models, etc. routinely bring 2-5 times the prices of a 4 door sedan. Take 1957 for example. What are the prices being paid for a Bel-Air 4 door and Bel-Air convertible? Hardtop? Nomad? 150 two door? The restoration costs are not that different between them. There are also exceptions when the major part of the work is done by the owner of the vehicle even for a grandma car, 4 door sedan. If a vehicle is restored, even a 4 door sedan well kept and maintained for a number of years and then sold, might bring as much or more than the restoration cost. I have seen it happen.

I have also heard that money spend on hot-rodding a vehicle is much more likely to be recovered when sold. My experience is that it is hardly the case particularly the further it deviates from its original appearance. The more it deviates the less likely it will appeal to a large pool of buyers. As the buying pool shrinks so does the value. The biggest problem with recovering the cost is with age. As the years pass the popularity of a modification declines. The "look at what I have" appeal goes away and so does the value. That is not as likely with an original restoration.

Yes, a 1932 head may cost $ 1000 to some folks. It may cost much less as well depending on where you find it. There are whole engines that only cost a fraction of that. What is the cost of a big block Chevrolet aluminum head? A dual four barrel '57 head? And there are two of them!

"Blue smoke is burning oil". See how many understand that?

with Chipper. Now that I’ve done a few cars, both for myself and others, the initial purchase price, condition, parts/completeness, already chromed items, etc., will make a huge difference in a restorations cost. When I purchased my 31’ basket case it was 100% complete including extra parts. All but the headlight bar was rechromed and a NIB HC interior was included. Including purchase price and all monies spent to restore I came in under half it’s restored value but now am spending about $3000 to put a fresh engine in it. Still, I’m way,way ahead on expense versus resale value. Now, with my 32’ Olds convertible, that adage Chipper mentions comes to play plus it’s rarity all contributed to its initial cost. I paid about as much for the Olds as a barn find as I have into my 31’ Chevy finished ( minus the new rebuild)! Now add in $20,000 for chrome. Yes, that much because there is virtually no such things as repopped parts for the Olds even though it shares many of its parts with the 32’ Chevy Cabriolet. Even with its rarity (mine will be only 1of 3 known with wood wheels), the lack of Oldsmobile followers will keep its value down. With me doing all the work minus the engine rebuild, the cost in this restoration will be right at its maximum value to the right buyer. With that said, I’m not restoring this car for its possible value but, I’m restoring for the enjoyment I get now, will get later, and to preserve a rare piece of automotive history, even if that history doesn’t matter to many.

Just a reminder that for many people nothing matters unless it appears on a screen (smart phone, tablet, laptop). Even a few of them will grow to appreciate ancient history and the fact that back just after the stone age they actually powered vehicles with fossil fuel.

I think the financial side of the restoration causes many to miss an important and maybe a more valuable aspect. The value of enjoyment. Enjoyment in terms of learning. Enjoyment in meeting new people and making new friends. Enjoyment in searching for and even swapping parts and information. Enjoyment from diversion of mind from all the background noise of life’s other challenges. Enjoyment in eventually accomplishing victory over each and every problem related to the restoration. And finally, the enjoyment once the job is done! As some here know I have been restoring a ”˜46 Chevy 1/2 Ton. It is nearing completion after about 9 years. I have done a lot of the work myself, learning, doing and often redoing, sometimes somethings multiple times. Recently, I was enjoying a challenging moment on a task and frustration was beginning to bloom, I stopped, took a deep breath and started looking at the project. It was the first time in very long time I’d just stopped, stood back and really looked at it. What I saw, and I mean this as most humble as possible, was pride in all that had been learned, done and completed thus far. That was and is worth a bundle in itself.

I'm on my 4th restoration, and I look at it this way: Restoring cars is my hobby. All hobbies have costs, in this case the cost is the difference between what I spend restoring the car and what it can be sold for. I figure each car I've restored (all open cars) costs me about $10,000, that's how much I'll lose when I sell the car. Each restoration takes about 3 years, so that's $3,333 per year for me to pursue my hobby about 20-30 hours a week, or about $3.00 per hour. Try playing golf for $3.00 an hour!

That's my story, my wife buys it, and I'm sticking to it.......

But…you are not going to play golf, or hunt, or fish, or whatever tickles your fancy 20 to 30 hours a week. I think working on old cars is more of an addiction!

I do have to point out that I have some friends who easily spend more than 20 hours a week on the golf course or in the club house or in their woodworking shop ...... so ours is not the only addiction.

All the Best, Chip

Addiction, yes, but I also tell my wife that working on my trucks is my therapy.

Luckily, she's addicted to reading and watching sports on TV

;-) Dean

A big part of me restoring cars for others is the enjoyment and knowledge I get. I don’t charge a lot of money ( I don’t think) because I also believe most would never put $50K+ into a car that might be worth $20k tops and the thought of these cars being sent to their demise truthfully bothers me. When I figure a bill out at the end, I always take money off just because it seems right to me but I will also say that everyone that I’ve done a car for has been fantastic to work with. I’m lucky I haven’t had a bad customer yet, maybe if I do, I won’t feel so bad and not lower the final cost. An average restoration runs $25-35k and that is a full frame off, rotisserie paint job, chrome, interior, roof, and some mechanics. I feel if I can stay at this area in costs, more people will save their cars and at least get some work done to keep them on the road. When the car gets passed down, if it’s in good enough shape to be serviceable, it just might last another generation.

I do it cause I love it, something to do, challenges me and keeps me busy.

Hobbies are not to make money, that's why there Hobbies NOT jobs.

Well said 37blue and others! I am a newbie and just starting a "rescue" restoration on my '32 5 window coupe. This chat is just what I need to keep going. I am having fun and learning something new every day and you can't put a price on that.

On cylinder head prices, has anyone checked out the price of a replacement head for the car they have in their driveway? I bet if I needed one for my Van it would cost $1500-2000 new and half that from a junker. I am lucky as I have a good head on each of my 29s and one NOS GM replacement head just in case but if I needed one to get either ride moving I wouldn't balk on price if it was checked and crack free.