QuestionI was recently left a 1980 Spitfire and won't lie it's in horrible shape. The man who owned it before decided to take his stress out on the car and let the elements have at it for about a year and a half but regardless it's mine now.
So I was wondering, about how much would a complete restoration run?
And I mean: Complete.
I've been looking around and can't fine any deffinate estimate on how much that would cost but since it's such a nice car I don't have the heart to scrap it right away.
And on a side note: How much does the average Triumph cost?
I know they're all different but any range would help.
AnswerYou will never make money restoring a spit. Someone who does a cherry restoration might expect 5k+ if they are lucky, but most spits will go for 1-2.5k.
Complete frame off restorations are expensive, and depending on whether you do the work, or someone else does, expect to pay $5k to $15k to do it right, for parts, paint, labor.
If you are just looking to replace the interior and top, parts are probably <$1k, if you include items like new seats, new carpet, rewiring, etc..
Other than that it is hard to estimate a restoration unless you know what specifically needs to be replaced.
Most parts needed are available in reproduction. If you have no rust, then it is probably worth restoring if you really wanted a spit. If you have rust, (rocker panels, fender wells, front frame outriggers, floor pans) then the car is only worth parts; they are common enough that people will take 2-3 spits to make one good spit, and it is usually driven by how much rust on the frame and body.
A parts car for sale, depending on condition, will go from $100-$1000. If you have an Overdrive in the car, those are sold used from $600-$1200 depending on whether it is the "season" (spring) for someone to tinker with their car.
