How Much Does it Cost to Restore a Muscle Car?

This is a question that I get asked all of the time, it really has no definite answer. There are so many processes involved in the restoration of a car, people seem to think that it's like a collision repair shop and we have insurance industry standards that help us estimate a restoration.This is not true at all. There is no standard that our industry uses to estimate a car,and it would be an impossible task to provide an estimate since we can't possibly find all of the problems on the car without starting the work first.

Yes, we can do visual inspection of the car, form underneath, form the top and from the interior, but the truth of the matter is that is represents about 15% of the job. While that may be an overstatement, most classic cars have rust problems that can't be seen; problems that are hidden until we tear the car down. Also, in a lot of cases we run into old collision damage, and wiring that needs to be replaced. Therefore we can't know the full extent of the restoration project or the final cost until we tear the car down--and by this time you're best off to just keep going.

There is no doubt that it costs a lot of money to restore a car, so you're best be is to just be prepared for anything that may happen. For example, besides the rust and body work, there are also a numerous amounts of mechanical issues that can't be diagnosed without beginning the project and this can result in more costs.Remember, these are old cars, and a lot of the time there will be issues with locating parts, not to mention the cost of finding those parts. For example, I've personally paid up to $2,500 for a grille for a Dodge Charger.

On that same Dodge Charger we paid $800 a piece for upper and lower control arms; that is a $3,200 dollar purchase for all four of them, and these are common parts that need to be replaced, or repaired if possible during a classic car restoration on most cars.

In almost every case we end up replacing a lot of rusted body panels, usually but not limited to, floor boards, rocker panels, trunk floors, wheel houses, quarter panels, and in a lot of cases, fenders. We just don't know what's coming next until we begin the work on the car.

We haven't even begun to talk about the engine, suspension, brakes, rear end and a few other systems on the car, but this is never a cheap process, and you should always have at least $100,000 put aside to start a restoration project. This way you won't be caught off guard. However, I won't tell you that $100,000 is all you'll need to complete the job, because it all depends on what you plan to do with the car. For instance, is it a driver, or a show car, will it be a custom build with custom paint and engine work? You will also want to consider what your idea of the perfect car is, to help you achieve your car restoration goals.

Most auto restoration shops are pretty good at what they do, and they're not in business just to rip you off. If they have been in business for any length of time, you can bet that they are a reputable shop, however, you should always be sure to get references form their customers, and look at their build pictures. Get to know the shop, spend some time hanging out at the shop. If you don't get a comfortable feeling from them you will want to look elsewhere, and if you do your due diligence, you'll have a good experience with your classic car restoration.