Cost of restoration

[runamoc]

[Airheated]

This is my father's '71 coupe a couple years ago when it first landed in my driveway, ready to begin the restoration. Currently I am easily over 20k into it, and that's doing all the work myself. The only thing that's been outsourced so far is having the flywheel machined at local machine shop. There's no way in hell I could afford to have a specialist shop do the level of "nut and bolt" restoration I'm going for.

The chassis, engine, suspension has been completely (over)restored, and the bodywork is just beginning (body is all sanded/etched/epoxy coated). I have all the new sheet metal panels/heater channels and that good stuff taking up space in the basement. I still haven't bought a single interior piece, I need all the glass and door rubber, and haven't bought any actual paint yet for the final color coat.

Hope this gives the OP a good idea of the cost. Important to note that every step is expensive is you want the car to last...meaning I'm not using ay cheap Walmart rattle can paint, every surface is stripped to bare metal, trying to avoid the cheap seals/bushing etc. Buy once cry once. I learned a lot of awesome skills along the way so far, like how to electroplate and yellow chromate at home.

I stopped counting costs because that process alone gets crazy. The consumables alone add up...things like paint cups, cleaners, sanding pads. Places like Harbor Freight help keep costs down for tools you won't use everyday, like pneumatic metal hole punches, sandblaster gun, etc.

Long rant but figured there's a few guys out there that may need the info. I'm a single father so time is the hardest thing to come by. At least my direct neighbors don't mind the years of banging and metal grinding.

-Sam

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1971 Karmann Ghia Coupe