In a message dated 6/15/99 5:30:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
faulkner@redshift.com writes:
<< 1. What you paid. Was it too much?
2. General condition of the car. How much body work was necessary? Did you
do it yourself or hire someone to do it?
3. How long did it take you to finish the project?
4. How much space did you need/have for the project was it enough? Were
there any tools that you would not do the job without?
5. If you were doing it again, what would you look for in a car in boxes?
6. Would you do it again? >>
My foray into the LBC world began with a 1967 Sprite which I paid $400 for.
She was not disassembled but had rust in the usual places and then some. I
am in the process of restoring her--an ongoing 4 year process now. How much
to pay?? I wouldnt pay a lot more than this for a non-running Spridget,
especially one that has been disassembled. There are just too many like this
around. A bit more for a runner that needs some work. Case in point: I now
have four Spridgets. The 1967 Sprite, as I mentioned, I picked up for $400.
My 1973 Midget had been totally disassesmbled except for the rolling
mechanicals by a 17 year old kid who then turned his interest
elsewhere--$300. And only last Friday, I was offered, by a complete
stranger, a 1967 MGB GT for FREE! Just to take it off his hands and into the
hands of someone he was convinced would use the parts or restore it. My 4th
one, my 1979 Midget, was in totally restored condition when I bought it--runs
good, looks great, new interior, etc, I paid $3200 for.
I agree that the air compressor is a good investment, and it seems that I
used the air chisel a lot to break spot welds out once I had drilled them
out. But I think prior to that, of course, a good, complete set of sockets
and combination wrenches and an electric drill are crucial. I bought a MIG
welder once I had a welder look at the job and pronounce that "You have
several thousand dollars worth of welding to do there. I would suggest you
buy yourself a little, easy to use MIG welder and learn to do it yourself!"
So I did. Still learning. My Spot welds WILL NOT hold! (Any advice would be
gratefully accepted) But I am learning, and my seams aren't bad nowadays!!
Would I do it again??? Hell--I keep doing it for some stupid reason. I keep
thinking I gotta quit this stuff, then I run across another sad looking
Spridget that I just cant let go to the rust bin. 8^)
---David (I gotta quit this stuff)
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