Restoration Price

[mikestang63]

welcome. You have a nice car and a good starting point, Great to see you kept it all these years.

The bottom line is you can spend whatever your budget and tolerance level is. Some guys on here have well over $40k in there car and are still not done.

In general a good paint job with the body work you are needing from the pic is an easy $5k
As far as the rest-brakes, suspension, engine, cooling, tires, interior, etc. I suggest figuring out what your goa is- daily driver, weekend toy, show car, street strip car, and then how much you want to budget. Know that you will spend 2x your budgeted for. As a reference, the parts alone to do a resto on the interior- seat covers, carpet, door panels, trim, weatherstripping, headliner, etc is an easy $2k, New shocks, springs, control arms, bushings, an easy $1k. Brakes- do you want to stay stock? 4 or 5 lug? Anywhere from $500 to $2k. engine- sky is the limit same for transmission, rear end,,, you get the idea

What happens usually is these projects tend to spiral out of control easy as the deeper you get into it, the more you decide you want to "improve" or "restore". The good news is guys on here have done this for decades and can help with pretty much anything you can imagine doing.

My advice is go to some sites like LMR, American Muscle, Steeda, Maximum Motosports and price out what the parts will cost for what you want to do. Then take that total and doubel it for the labor. Then add another $5k or so for the price. Then add another 20% . Then you may have a ballpark estimate unless you are the type to scour craiglist, ebay etc for used parts.

 

[Davedacarpainter]

I looked at the pictures you posted. If you would really want help with the paint guesstimate, I will need better photos.

Here's what I see from what you posted. The handles, lock cylinders, trim, etc... have been painted over. I would assume this was done on the car.

I can't tell how bad the rust is on the bottom of your door from the picture of the door jamb, I would need a better photo for that. No idea on the hatch rust, not really shown.

You say you don't have time to do any of the work? Do you have any time to hunt down parts (like the doors and hatch, if needed)?

Everything you make a shop do, you'll pay quite a bit more than if you did the different tasks yourself.

If you mean to say that you want to drop the car off as it sits and have a shop do everything you want, including safety, suspension, drivetrain, interior, and paint and body.....I think you would have to expect $20K +.

Then, if you want to upgrade the drivetrain or the interior? It gets to be where you should consider buying a new mustang. I'm not kidding.

If you want to try some of the work yourself, or all of it really. Talk to us, we'll help.

I think you should keep the car and just start restoring it on the fly. What I mean by this is that you keep driving your car and do weekend projects as the funds and time are available. It'll take at least a couple years, but you'll have a fun car to drive in the meantime and won't have to justify to your wife about the great big expenditures.

Save the paint for the last, that'll be costly in itself. But if your wife sees the work you've done over a couple years to make it a nice car, she probably won't throw as big a fit as she might right now if you tell her you want to blow $5-10k on a paint job.

Are your kids old enough to involve in the work yet? It's a nice thing when you work together with them and it teaches them the value of doing things themselves.

I say do as much as you can yourself, start with safety issues. Brakes, then suspension. Unless you have a rotten subframe, then that must be taken care of first. Then you are kind of free to hop around to whatever you want after that. If you want new seats, then do that. You want to upgrade your engine with an HCI swap, then do that.

Make it safe and then just have fun with your car.

Of course, if you can afford to have someone else do these things for you, then....

I understand having someone else do the work for you if you have time and relational restraints though. I'm not a purist that says you have to do that to take pride in your car. I just know the satisfaction in doing some of the work yourself.

Good luck on whatever you choose, keep us posted on what you choose too.

Pictures, pictures, pictures, we are picture whores. We will want pictures.

 

[89oem]

I agree with both the above, we are picture whores, lol

Seriously though, even after all the heavy lifting and my ride being more than I imagined, there is still more to do,
for example the entire interior work is me, change ups I didnt think about during the restor, me.... it can be a blend and work out well.

Again either way everyone here has deep knowledge and is super helpful, stay active on the forum as you go through your thought process, you'll get the info and support you need....