Total $$ invested in restoration

[tinman_local2]

This may be a bit personal, but I'm curious as to how much money it takes to do a decent restoration. Not museum quality, just something to be proud of. I have a '69 K20 I'll be starting work on soon. It's an original Missouri truck, so it's full of rust! Just wondering how deep it'll get into my pocket. Please post your total investment along with an "after" photo. Thanks.

[HO455]

That's a tough one as we all have different skill sets and ideas of "Good enough". In addition most of us don't keep track of the nickel and dime things that always add up to hundreds if not thousands in a restoration. I'm at least six grand into my Burban doing most of the work myself and nothing done on the drive train. Check my Working Man's Burban thread for more information on what I've done.
This link has a good formula for estimating the costs involved.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/atta...2&d=1463943853

[too much stuff]

If you have the money, it will be cheaper to buy one done already. Especially if you are starting with a rusty truck...

[Canuckvetter]

Not 100% if it applies to these trucks. I did a nice restoration on a 71 chevelle convertible. Did a little work myself but subbed out most. My budget was $25,000. After 3 year resto I added up the bills. $55,000.
Like Too Much Stuff said cheaper to buy one restored. I paid for the pleasure, experience and friendships I made. Still believe I got good value.

[James the III]

I like to stay married, so.. no comment..

[B. W.]

Doing a complete frame off resto on a base model truck with a complete rebuild of the drivetrain, with you doing all of the work (no labor costs) $20 -25 is a good ball park. The higher the options, the higher the cost (bucket seats, A/C, tow hooks, instrument panel, etc) If your truck is very rusty it may save money to use two or three trucks to build one! And, as already stated, it's cheaper to buy one than build one. With that said, I'm building one because I want it my way & enjoy doing it. I keep an Excel spreadsheet to track all costs, part #s, vendors & country of origin.

[HO455]

Originally Posted by James the III

I like to stay married, so.. no comment..

Anything you post may or may not be held against you later.

[57taskforce]

Originally Posted by James the III

I like to stay married, so.. no comment..

I hear that. One time I left a receipt out for a couple grand worth of parts I bought.... she gets mean when I "forget" to tell her when I spend money like that! Wouldn't trade her for anything in the world tho.

[rob32472]

As some have said it cheaper to buy one "already done" that being said the only way to truly know what you got is to do it yourself! 20-25k for a regular restoration, 35-40k for a good customized truck. This would be you doing a majority of the work with exception of interior and paint

[dfwright]

Even if you do the work yourself, if you don't have all the tools, big compressors, paint guns, etc, these add up very quick as well as the parts and supplies for the restore.

[jocko]

I don't keep track because I don't want to know. And I haven't even started the restoration yet.

[shp4man]

Over and above the purchase price, I've got $2500 in my 65 so far. This is with a relatively decent drivetrain and no cosmetics at all. And free labor. It is however a drivable, usable vehicle and everything now works.

[67ChevyRedneck]

No clue, had the truck 20 years and redone some stuff a few times.

I did buy a nice 65 mustang coupe that was probably fine as is, but did a full interior redo, new wheels and tires, full front and rear suspension rebuild with power disc brakes and a trac lock, swapped from an auto to a 5 speed, and added vintage air. In addition to the cost of the car I easily have another 7k in "upgrades" and this was a restored ready to drive car...

It gets out of control fast. This was with me doing all the work. I'll be doing a full resto on my dad's old 67 firebird and I already know I need 15k in just parts...

[72 tigger]

Originally Posted by James the III

I like to stay married, so.. no comment..

Saw a quote on here once- "my greatest fear when I die is that my wife will sell my truck for what I told her I had in it". I agree that you could probably buy a nice K20 for around 20K but, probably can't rebuild yours for that amount

[Lanman1972]

I have 14,500 total in mine. Did all the work including paint. All new bed and wood floor. Paid 5K , 1972 highlander, 402, PS, PB, A/C, 77K miles. Needed the usual cab corners, inner and outer rockers and floor sections. 1st pic when I drove it home. Already had the 20's and wheels. Don't have a good pic available of the bed, but it is beautiful.

[tinman_local2]

Originally Posted by too much stuff

If you have the money, it will be cheaper to buy one done already. Especially if you are starting with a rusty truck...

The fun is doing the work myself. I've had this truck since I was 18, I'm 44 now. It's always been a "someday" project.

[tinman_local2]

Originally Posted by B. W.

Doing a complete frame off resto on a base model truck with a complete rebuild of the drivetrain, with you doing all of the work (no labor costs) $20 -25 is a good ball park. The higher the options, the higher the cost (bucket seats, A/C, tow hooks, instrument panel, etc) If your truck is very rusty it may save money to use two or three trucks to build one! And, as already stated, it's cheaper to buy one than build one. With that said, I'm building one because I want it my way & enjoy doing it. I keep an Excel spreadsheet to track all costs, part #s, vendors & country of origin.

Good information. I'm sure it will end up costing more than I want, but it'll be worth it in the end. Hope to do most all work myself including the paint and body work.

[RANDY COX]

Yep I've always said that too, always cheaper just to buy one already done...but when you can't afford to do that then do what you can when you can atleast that's what I do..
But some people don't like driving around with a truck half-way fixed up, but that's what I have to do..I just don't have the funds to do it all at one time being I'm the only one bringing in Income, So my bills come first then if there's anything left...here lately it's been getting worse...them bills just keep piling up...I think I'm just going to live under a bridge somewhere...of course I'll have a slide in camper on the back of my truck....Oh well

[tinman_local2]

Originally Posted by Lanman1972

I have 14,500 total in mine. Did all the work including paint. All new bed and wood floor. Paid 5K , 1972 highlander, 402, PS, PB, A/C, 77K miles. Needed the usual cab corners, inner and outer rockers and floor sections. 1st pic when I drove it home. Already had the 20's and wheels. Don't have a good pic available of the bed, but it is beautiful.

That's a good looking truck. Love the color. You did a real nice job and kept a low budget.

[Myoldtruck]

Its a black hole for money. So buy the very best truck up front, even if its a few thousand dollars above your budget. I just bought mine a year ago for 4200.00, inspected and somewhat drivable. I have another 3000.00 into it, so its a reliable every day driver. This is my regular car I drive. I still have a long list of things to do to it. Really I should of waited and just bought a 15k truck, but im a car person.

Also depending on your age and home life, do you have 10-15 extra hours a week to work on a project, besides all your other time commitments to everyone else. Its so much easier to buy a completed truck and make payments on it.

[Coley]

How much....wow, what a great question.
First as the guys have said....don't do it...lol, instead buy one, definitely way cheaper.
Here is my advice:
Take $8-$12k and buy a nice truck, quite solid (absolute very minimal rust) and close to what you want in model and options.
Drive it for 6+ months so you start to love it.
Then put another $10k into it...that puts you at about $20k or close.
You will probably be very close to exactly what you wanted all along. You won't be hitting Barrett/Jackson but you will be at all the show 'n shines and proud of your ride.
....my two bits.
All good
Coley

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

I figure around 34K for my 71. It was in great shape to start wit, and doesn't require a transmission, rear end or engine rebuild. Other than that it's a full restoration, and me doing most of it - less the body/paint anyway.

[sherm6413]

I don't see how some of you got to your numbers but if you say so... MY biggest expense was body/paint work, that was all metal replace by me except for one fender bottom. I did everything else myself besides that work and have a little over $15k in it. My 69 swb rolling frame with cab was $1200, good fleetside bed bought separately was $600, and good front clip separately for $500- so my basic starting truck was only $2300. From there i redid everything down to bushings, body mounts, etc. Not everything on mine is original GM or NOS stuff butt some is like grille, and a lot of smaller stuff so there is a price difference there. I also bought a 5.3 from a salvage yard employee for $450 and a 4l60e for $350. I did save some money by buying parts trucks to rob stuff like 5 lug disk setup, 5 lug rearend, autowire harness, and so on and then sold other stuff and the trucks when i was done to basically pay for some of my parts or very close to it.
My truck in total at 15k is very good in my opinion as it has been frame off restored, newer LS drivetrain with overdrive, and is just what i wanted but without spending $25k plus... Depending on your skill level it can be done for far less than some are saying in my opinion, and my truck was appraised at 25K by a classic car appraiser.

[LongBox]

Originally Posted by sherm6413

I don't see how some of you got to your numbers but if you say so... MY biggest expense was body/paint work, that was all metal replace by me except for one fender bottom. I did everything else myself besides that work and have a little over $15k in it. My 69 swb rolling frame with cab was $1200, good fleetside bed bought separately was $600, and good front clip separately for $500- so my basic starting truck was only $2300. From there i redid everything down to bushings, body mounts, etc. Not everything on mine is original GM or NOS stuff butt some is like grille, and a lot of smaller stuff so there is a price difference there. I also bought a 5.3 from a salvage yard employee for $450 and a 4l60e for $350. I did save some money by buying parts trucks to rob stuff like 5 lug disk setup, 5 lug rearend, autowire harness, and so on and then sold other stuff and the trucks when i was done to basically pay for some of my parts or very close to it.
My truck in total at 15k is very good in my opinion as it has been frame off restored, newer LS drivetrain with overdrive, and is just what i wanted but without spending $25k plus... Depending on your skill level it can be done for far less than some are saying in my opinion, and my truck was appraised at 25K by a classic car appraiser.

All good points here, but I am left wondering how many hours of labour you have invested in your truck, and what value you place on that time. And, I do realize that there was probably an enjoyment factor involved in this project.

[RenoKeene]

About $30K in this one. $8K in body and paint.