I'm very new to cars and restorations. I am very interested in restoring a Camaro, but my father is worried about the cost of a restoration.
I know this is very general and imprecise, but about how much would a Camaro project car cost? I'm looking for a 67, 68, 69 that has an engine and transmission, basically. With those very general guidelines, how much do you think a project would cost?
Also, considering the car does have an engine and transmission, about how much would a restoration cost.
Again, I am very sorry that I am being so general, but I'm new to all of this and would like to know a ball park estimate.

Thanks

 

There are too many factors to even guess on the price of a restoration. Depends on the condition of the car and all of it's individual components. Also, it varies based on how extensive of a restoration that you are willing to do. In general, it will be cheaper to buy one that is already done. But again, that depends on what you and the seller consider a "restored" car is.

 

ditto!

 

I'll throw some ball park figures out there and you either accept it or come up with your own.

Let's say the shell is in decent shape, body rot and rust around the front fenders doors and quarters. Maybe the trunk needs new metal and so does the floor boards.
• Sheet metal can be estimated buy picking up a Camaro supplier. If you can weld and do body work you will save a ton of cash there.

• Suspension is expensive if you want to upgrade, so you might want to just replace worn or broken components. This could be anywhere between $200 - $1500.

• Paint is expensive these days just to buy the supplies. A painter will cost you hundreds if not thousands to get it sprayed.

• Rebuilding a motor or buying a crate motor will also set you back a few grand. If you can rebuild it yourself... I'd say $800 -1200. A shop will charge you thousands to do it for you. If you go exotic like a blower or turbo, then triple the expense.

• Tires and wheels, depending on your taste and whether or not you tub the car, $800 - 3000.

• Tub the car you say? Well, $2000 for that too. IF you can do it yourself?

• Interior... we'll unless you can do upholstery, that'll cost you around $3000.

• Glass is another $1000 if it needs replacing.

All these estimates are influenced by so many factors: can you do the work yourself? What state do you live in and what are the restrictions for painting How expansive are the shops in your area? How extensive is the damage to your car? How far do you want to take it?

What I did was to decide what EXACTLY I wanted to do to my Camaro. All the items I listed above. Then dig into the catalogs to get fairly accurate prices. DON"T LEAVE OUT ALL THE MINOR THINGS ! These add up quickly, brake lines, fuel lines, hoses, brackets, shocks, clips, bolts, connectors, wires, light lens, and so on. Once you add up as much as possible, add 10% for stuff you missed or didn't expect. If you can't do the work yourself... well, call around for estimates.
Once I came up with a complete number, I made some changes to my direction to cut costs or shift some expenses to a more important area of the car.

Hope this helps. It really is impossible for one of us to figure it out accurately for you.

 

at minimum, you are looking at tens of thousands of dollars to get a restoration done right, that will last.

this does all depend on the original condition of the car though

 

Def where we started. We did open up a line of credit and have a reserve sitting there. Hopefully we guesstimated enough. Although when we were at the car rally a while back and talked to some that had restored camaros, one guyhad over $50 grand in his car. He thinks that's where its at and it was very depressing to talk to him. My car is a base and know it will not take and does not need that kind of money thrown into it.

 

Don't let that guy scare you. I've seen guys buy chrome plated bolts for inside their engine and undercarriage that nobody's ever gonna see.
What have you decide to do to your car... exactly?

 

ok I will ask a question before I tell you. If you had the chance to put afairly new 346 CU LS1--- 498lb all-aluminum v8 corvette engine with tremec t56 6sp transmission for $3500 would you do it....or would you restore the 350 that's in it? Along with the new engine I would have to change out the rear suspension. Right now it has a stock solid rear axle with a single leaf. Plus this means shifting and I wanted to keep it an automatic.

Not sure if this will happen. A friend of my husbands posted this for sale a few months ago and don't know if he still has it or not.

We sat and had a major pow wow on what to do with the transmission. In think the one in my car is toast. Will tear it apart tomorrow morning. Had to work till 3 today and soon after I got home we got majorly rained out.

 

well, a real restoration consists of more than just an engine, tranny and rear. it entails pulling the body off the frame, gutting the interior, stripping the body, etc, etc.

doesn't sound like you are looking for a restoration, but more like a restification. one of those can be done for cheap but I wouldn't go around saying that you restored the car just because you did a drivetrain swap. hell, I spent hundreds just on my new wiring on my car, and I did it all myself, and yes I'm one of those people that spent a lot on bolts that no one will ever see unless they are looking to see if it was a full resto or not. all or nothing for me

 

I would drop in the new motor if it's in running condition. But that's if you don't want to do a true restoration... just have fun with the car. After it's all said and done, do you want to show your car as an original or just a real cool car?

Sure the rear will need some work as well, but so will the shocks and rubbers and wiring for the computerized motor.