[Tigers] Mercum Tiger - $80k Question?

[Steve Laifman]

/Everyone want's to have his $ 0.02 counted. And it seems everybody has.

I may be one of the few that has a rust-free California car, including a 
bunch of LAT items (and the original parts that were replaced by LAT) in 
the factory paint job.

I remember they used to say in the old "//Used Car for Sale" of the 
classified Sunday Newspapers section. The sales are usually by private 
parties (no dealers/restorers). They stated "never raced or wrecked"!

These were truly "WSIWYG".

Now that our cars are becoming "collectible", there are all sorts of 
for-profit car sellers.  When I first got it I insured it for "$50,000 - 
Agreed Value", I thought I was on sound ground.  Looks like I may have 
to up it, not only because the value of the car has increased, but so 
have the repair costs.

Now it's "What You Don't See" is very important.

I found Theo's comments were well within order.

I'll only second his observations, and add the observation - "Value is 
in the Eyes of the Beholder"

Steve
/

/Steve Laifman/

/Editor - *TigersUnited.com* <http://www.tigersunited.com>/



On 2/6/11 4:15 PM, Smit, Theo wrote:
> /As Tiger owners we ought to know about fools, right? It's not about the
> money.
>
> But if it is, then someone ought to figure out what a full-on restoration
> costs, and then determine whether or not the $80k is a foolish amount to spend
> on a car that was just done. You can argue all day about whether this
> restoration has the same je-ne-sais-quoi that a Dale's or Reisentz (just to
> pick two names, no dissing) effort would, and the value of having your car
> done the same as all the others by one of the guys that do them all.
>
> These prices are just WAGs. I mostly do my own work so I have no idea what
> bodywork and mechanical labor costs, other than to use the prep and paint of
> my hardtop last summer as a yardstick. Labor, loaded, is going to come in at
> about $60 to $80 an hour, I figure, unless you're getting your highschool to
> do it for you.
>
> Tiger: $12000 (ballpark price for a questionably rusty car that otherwise has
> no problems - dunno what the original price was for the one in question)
> Sacrificial Alpine: $1000 (gotta find one whose floor and sills are worth
> using) or handmade replacement panels: $3000
> Strip the Tiger: $1500
> Strip the Alpine: $1500
> Take the good parts off the 'Pine: $2000 - gotta make sure the parts that come
> off are off in usable condition and that takes time.
> Remainder of the bodywork and paint: $10000
> Chroming everything: $2000? I have NO idea what this costs.
> Engine, trans, diff rebuild: $5000
> New interior stuff and rubber parts from Rick: Dunno what it adds up to ...
> need to sum up his entire catalog. $2000
> Upholstering the seats: $1000
> Wiring: $1500
> Suspension rebuild: $2500 - includes all new replaceable parts.
> Brake rebuild: $500
>
> ----
> I'm at 42500 now. While I'm sure I'm over on some items, I've left other stuff
> altogether, and I may be under on some things. So while the owner of this
> black Tiger may have paid a premium, he's not totally out in left field, and
> he gets to enjoy his car NOW.
>
> Cheers all - yet another snowfall warning here!
>
> Theo/