reconditioned shells

For the cost it would be to make it worthwhile doing for an enterprise (say ?2500??? or whatever) I simply don't think there's people restoring their Mk1 with that kind of cash to spend all in one lump payment. Yes, it makes restoration 10x easier and might even be cost effective but I don't think its a viable business, otherwise it would have been done already. By all means if you want to set yourself up in business and try it though……

Thing is… MG B GTs are worth the same or less than tidy Mk 1 GTIs

And most GTIs are now approaching 30 years old. They're in the price bracket that the best ones are going to be the playthings of wealthy, successful people who remember wanting one as a lad - just like the MG was 10 years ago.

Whoever gets into shells first by remanufacture may well find a surprising market for them. The firm that can do it - VW's classic parts division - may well have a retirement plan for the Citi Golf line.

Reshelled MGBs can fetch ?12-15K compared to ?2-5K for "restored" ones. If they're done properly. People will pay good money after being frustrated by a string of inadequate attempts to relive their youth; maybe not now, but possibly in a couple of years.

This cannot be a project for "restoring" - people will not be interested. It has to be a brand-new shell, made from new panels, and finished as per factory. Then it would justify the costs. If someone's going to get a restored shell, they may as well have their own car repaired. Heritage shells are not restored old ones.

Finally: You can scoff, but can you imagine the demand for say, remanufactured Type 3 shells? What if someone had the tooling to remake the Razoredge? How much would the aircooled crowd pay for that, given the amounts even Bay buses are changing hands for now?

thats exactly my point!!!

using original panels and good metalwork skills, (I do have a link for a guy on retro rides doing a vauxhall victor who makes his own panels fairly quickly and they look factory. you would honestly not know the dif,)
you could make them nigh indistinguishable as atm mk1/2 shells don't need quite the work an mg shell would.

needs research into how the law would see remanufactured shell, but in a few years I'm sure it will be wanted.

Jon.

I can recall (about 15 years ago) nissan begging for Datsun owners of 240zs to sell there cars in exchange for cash. nissan refurbed the shells, eng. etc and sold the cars on at a big profit. So money can be made, it's not just about new shells.

Just read this post from start to finish…. :lmao:

I can't believe people seriously think you can have a refurbished shell for a couple of grand :lmao:  :lmao:

Dream on! :tlc:

The guy that said 8K is probably nearer the mark for a business to supply you a proper job.

Your looking at 1500 just to get it dipped and electrophoretically primed.

http://www.surfaceprocessing.co.uk/CTM-paint-stripping-acid-dipping-bare-shell-car-restoration.html

As far as producing new shells go, I'd say the golf MK1 shell is at least 3 times more complicated than cars from the 60's which currently have new shells available.

This post has made my evening  :lmao:  :lmao:  :clap:

They can dream but would come down to earth with a bump if they actually went ahead with the idea.

deffo cost a good few k to do it properly if it is an old shell & what looks good at 1st when you get the grinder out your chasing holes and rust about.

tsr used to ask a lot for a full resto and that took a long time.

spent more than 4k on my good shell this year just tidying it up, fitting the bergcup stuff & painting it 4 colours.

So is any 1 here planning on doing up shells & selling them
 :dontknow:
Would be great if some 1 does. :wink:

it's not dreaming, so much as a thought. it doesn't have to cost that much to do a shell. it does because people charge a lot for man hours.

I know the initial overheads are large, but once set up, and with the right tools it wouldn't be too bad.

And the comment about golfs being more complex, have you tried welding a mini???? A-pillers are a nightmare to get right due to the seam.

Old cars were either welded or seamed together. the golf has a fair amount of glue and spot welds which are easier to align.

plus theres less room, and more curves. and lead-loading if we're talking mg's etc!  Golfs are generally alot easier to get panels that fit straight, plus the reference points are easier as are the areas that rot out!

plus the average british classic restoration takes a lot longer than a golf does!!! hence the reason for there being new shells, coz 4k for an mg shell is a damn site cheaper and quicker than getting one restored lol

My mates dad has done several, including my mates mini.  Talking to him he agree'd that to make mine a mint shell would cost about 200 in panels and about a day and a half welding.  then theres another day of grinding back and another to prime.  Although he did say ideally it'd need acid dipping before welding so yes that will ramp up the cost.

He also said that to do a dolomite of similar age and condition would cost twice in time as well as panels!!!  trust me, the newer the car the simpler the design as they are made by robots and it cuts costs to simplify. rather than using 3 panels with both spots, seams and bolts, the golf will have one panel with pressings and spotwelds/seam sealer.  old vauxhall victors have about 6 different shape panels under each wing, all to reinforce the scuttlepanel/door hinge mounts

wont happen until the cost of a restoration before paint goes above the 2.5k mark, which a lot don't at the minute. but then again a lot aren't done to the standard they could be!!!


Jon.

if it happens i will eat my underpants

get them washed then just in case.

?200 in panels and a day and a half welding, yeah right! Not a hope unless the shell was pretty much OK to start with rather than needing a proper resto in which case the shell won't be cheap.

Nothing wrong with the idea, I've thought about it, but for the sort of price you reckon you could do it for it would be more like charity work than a business. Timescale, is way off all you have to do is read some of the project threads.

I've helped restore a Mini in the past, it wasn't a complete basket case but still took a couple of months to do it right.

I'd say, at the moment MK1's aren't worth enough to make a business out of shells if you cost things up realistically. Mk1/Mk2 Mini's yes, especially Cooper/Cooper S's, because their price has gone through the roof in recent years so if you wanted to make a living out of it those would make more sense, although they done come up that often and you have to buy as soon as you see the ad, no time to think about it or they'll be gone. Even MK2 S's are being advertised for upwards of ?20K now, MK1 S's a good deal more.

I agree they'll be heading towards the 3k mark after all the posts and prices for dipping etc, and true my shell is good for a mk1 lol

so it wont really be viable til the average scratty mk1 becomes worth 2.5k before restoration as per an mga with mot.

I'm sure in the future it'll be worth doing and it is interesting to have read all the mixed views on it. funny thing is is a lot of the other forums havent bothered to rant about the price, they just keep repeating "built not bought" which did get annoying!!!

Jon.

It isn't viable. There are too many variations in shells to cope with and replacement panels are either not available, poor quality or one size fits all. If someone is spending a lot of money on a shell they want it done right or they might as well have bought a decent shell to start with. That is the difference between having an original or properly restored concours car or a cringe worthy polished patchwork quilt.

making panels is only as hard as you make it.

I know people who perform ,miracles with just a hammer and a bean bag lol


Jon.

For sure, but what is the cost, timing and quality of these miracles? That's the issue.

cost is steel and tools, time, depends how good you are lol

I agree that for a long time yet it isn't quite viable.
I'm sure it will be eventually.

Jon.

Crowson_punk said

making panels is only as hard as you make it.

I know people who perform ,miracles with just a hammer and a bean bag lol


Jon.

Those guys have spent years learning their trade and won't take kindly to be expected to work for ?100 per day!

A good panel beater is a rare commodity and can charge a good rate.

The going rate is about 8 quid an hour (taxable). plently of out of work panel beaters out there willing to work for less.

golf1 said

The going rate is about 8 quid an hour (taxable). plently of out of work panel beaters out there willing to work for less.

Do they have:

Hand Tools
Compressor
Welder
Premises
Jigs
Liability insurance
Patience
References / proof of quality of work they have carried out before

If they do then can you get one of them to contact me as I have this project I am going to do when I get quiet.

http://www.vwgolfmk1.org.uk/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=47201&highlight=bblb

 but why wait if I can get someone to do it for ?8 ph gross 8)