How much are you guys spending on restoration?

[tones2SS]

Interesting thread.
Will be following closely as I hope I will have a '69 Camaro for a pro-tour treatment.
I know I will need more that what I am originally thinking it would cost.

[cluxford]

Live in Australia and try to build a high end Camaro....

Car US$9,000 = AUD$16,500 landed and sitting in my yard
My car is incredibly custom
I have over $100,000 (AUD) just in parts in it.
Mind you there is $15,000 (AUD) just in shipping and tax and duties fees
I haven't worked out exchange rates fees but probably another $10K+ in those

All that and we still have only JUST started paint prep.....

and I thought I started with a realistic budget ($180K AUD). I will exceed and on forecasts by about $20-30K.

Note I do absolutely NONE of the work myself, everything is outsourced for 2 reasons (but adds a LOT of cost):
1. I have absolutely no show quality skills and I want this car to be killer quality
2. I have pretty much no time, I work very long hours

But all up, I wouldn't have it any other way, this is a once in a life time dream for me, building this car the way I wanted it from the age of 12 !!

[96z28ss]

okay mods need to delete this thread incase significant others read this!!

[rogue]

People always dance around in these threads, I assume because people are afraid of admitting how much they have into their cars...

I have just under 50k total into my car, including car price, all labor, all parts, everything in a spreadsheet. I don't do much of my own work except for the small stuff.

Started with a 69 z28 with a missing DZ302
Mods/Parts for the car:

ZZ502 Deluxe Crate Engine
Window Rollers Repair
Rebuild Gear Box
Electric Fan
Slotted Front Brakes
Holley Fuel Pump
Chrome Alternator/Brackets
Rewire Engine Compartment
Install Kill Switch/Shiftlight
Install Steering Wheel
New Horns
Misc Hardware/Brackets
Holley 4150 850cfm Carb
Mcleod RST Clutch
Hooker Headers
Modo Innovations Pedal Covers
QA1 Coilovers with Adjusting tool
Hotchkis Sway Bar
Window Crank Kit
Rosewood Steering Wheel Kit
Rear View Mirror
Moroso Solid Motor Mounts
Lokar Midnight Throttle Pedal
Lokar Throttle Cable Duo Pack
Driveshaft Safety Loop
Aluminum Radiator
Recaro Speed S Seats
Seat Sliders/Brackets
Schroth 5 Point Harness's
Subframe Connectors
CCW Classic Wheels/tires
Rear QA1 Shocks
Hotchkis Leaf Springs
MSD 6AL Ignition Box
MSD Pro-Billet Distributor
MSD Blaster 2 Coil
Scott Drake Convex Side Mirror
Rear Drum to Disk Brakes
Dick Guldstrand Control Arm Mod
Dick Guldstrand Track Alignment

So here you have it, a 50k pro-touring 69 camaro on somewhat of a budget.



Keep in mind, my car hasn't been 'restored' cosmetically and I don't see why many people feel the need, especially if the car is driven as hard as they're built it to run. I'll be happy with a driver paint job I don't have to worry about while spinning out at Laguna Seca.

[z4me69]

lol i quit keeping track the day i ordered all the dse suspension quadralink minitub speed kit 3 connectors everything and thats the same day the budget went out the ol window. i'm just lucky enough to be able to do it all myself that saves a bunch .

[Bryce]

im currently at 28K, needs paint and interior needs finishing. And i still need to build my rear suspension.

built 289
built C4 auto

i did all the work myself. except for engine machine work. It has also been a 9yr project

[ironworks]

I think these topics are loaded questions, That cannot be answered on a level playing field. Or the guy with 10 billion dollars into his car, becomes the no talent jack ass that everyone says they never want to be like.

So here is my take, The worst thing you can ever do is find out what true quality and craftsmenship is. Although it is great and fabulous, Sub par products become junk. The more detail oriented you are the more things have to be right. I remember when I could go to a local car show and be absolutely excited about just seeing custom cars. Now I go and can spot misaligned doors from 10 miles away and I constantly say things like that car is nice but. I don't go out there to knit pick everybody stuff, but the flaws just stick out more as my eyes more and more trained.

Now before I get slung up on the cross and everyone thinks I'm an snob over other peoples cars. Let me give you and example. So lets say I'm raised in a home where my mom cooks dinner every night, and for the first time when I'm say 15 I eat my first meal out side the house and it is the most amazing food. For 15 years I have though I knew what good food was, sure I had never seen or eaten anybody elses food, but the food mom cooked was good, I thought. Well I eat this first meal and I go back home and eat a meal cooked by mom again and all I notice is what I'm not getting in the food I knew and thought was so good for all those years.

Cars are the same way, once you see good Chrome work up close, Your screwed, once you see a straight black car, your screwed. Once you feel true Horsepower or torque, your screwed. Why do you think you see so many young kids driving hondas with not yet painted barely hanging on ground effects and they think they are "IT" cuz either they have no clue or don't care. Well you not a true car guy unless you care.

So to answer your question, you can spend as little as you want or as much as your pocket book will bear. There is no preset spending guide line. Some guys spend more money on the engine then others spend on a painted and one car that they think rules the streets.

Can you build a bad ass 69 camaro for 2000 bucks, I suppose

Can you build a bad ass 69 camaro for 2 million, I would hope so.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Ok 2 cents is over.

[69496]

I have spent 10k already and you can't tell where it went. Doing a little math I need about 20k more to finish the car with comprimises. If I don't compromise on anything I am probably looking at 40k more. Sounds like alot but my car is still a very basic build with mostly bolt on stuff. I have the body and frame seperated now and am dying to get it back together. I should of listened to my buddies and kept it running and made my upgrades one at a time until I had it done mechanically and tested. Then tear it down for ground up redo.

[TreySmith]

Almost $500 and it is nearly ready for paint.