Frame Off Restoration Cost?

HammerDown

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Just wondering, approximately what do you feel it would cost to preform a frame-off complete resto job. My truck doesn't need paint at all but, to make everything else right? Engine rebuild, trany rebuild, freshen-up the rear, sand blast and epoxy coat the frame, new body bushings, eplace all the fuel lines etc and any questionable wiring outside the cab, rebuild the drivers seat and on and on.
Think it would cost more that what my truck sold for new > $20K out the door.
 

Diesel_brad

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Is that with you doing the work or some one else?

You could do(All but the machine work) for about 8k

Paying someone else? About 50-75 per hour, you are looking at 15k
 

HammerDown

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Is that with you doing the work or some one else?

You could do(All but the machine work) for about 8k

Paying someone else? About 50-75 per hour, you are looking at 15k

Unfortunately I don't have the required shop to do it, nor the time.
Except the freshen-up on the engine and trany...some corners could be cut like > instead of purchasing "new" front springs, a good add-a-leaf would do however, all bushings would need to be replaced.
Another, something like my PSP is fine however the gear-box would require a reman.
 

lotzagoodstuff

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Just my opinion, but I've resto'd a bunch of stuff and I've gotta say I was never happier than I was with a less than perfect "preventive resto-mod driver". You don't need to completely disassemble everything to get the big chunks off the frame and prevent future rust. As for the mechanical stuff: fix is as time permits, in the order that it makes sense and and fits in your budget. I appreciate show cars, but probably not in my garage.

These trucks were made to drive: give it a quick once over and keep driving it ;Sweet
 

Agnem

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Ray, if your not going to do it, I'd certainly contact a body shop that specializes in complete restorations and get a quote from them. The problem that I generally have with anything from a paint job on up, is that you end up paying more for the work than the truck is worth, and if you get clobbered by some drunken idiot, your insurance will be worthless and you will need lawyers, guns and money to get your resto out of it. If your intent is to trailer it, and show it, then by all means, I think it is a safe investment.
 

Diesel_brad

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Just to give you an idea.

I restored my buddys 79 F150 for him. Frame off, new(used) cab, New(used) bed, original fenders, doors and hood. the truck just had a crate engine, front/rear axle,and t-case trans all rebuilt before he bought the truck, so they just got paint. So no real mechanical work was done, bet EVERYTHING was taken apart, sandblasted , painted and reassembled

I charged his $25 an hour. Labor came out to $7500. He has total of about 22k into the truck, including his 5k purchase price. It is a SHOW truck, and has the trophys to prove it, or a VERY nice sunday driver

here is the build http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/856933-joshs-79-f150.html
 

Optikalillushun

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I seen that truck, its very nice...and with the license plate some ****** actually thought thats what he had under the hood @ Bloom.
 

Exekiel69

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Just to give you an idea.

I restored my buddys 79 F150 for him. Frame off, new(used) cab, New(used) bed, original fenders, doors and hood. the truck just had a crate engine, front/rear axle,and t-case trans all rebuilt before he bought the truck, so they just got paint. So no real mechanical work was done, bet EVERYTHING was taken apart, sandblasted , painted and reassembled

I charged his $25 an hour. Labor came out to $7500. He has total of about 22k into the truck, including his 5k purchase price. It is a SHOW truck, and has the trophys to prove it, or a VERY nice sunday driver

here is the build http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/856933-joshs-79-f150.html

Man, You do good work.
 

subway

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there seems to be a real love-hate relationship going on with this truck:D
 

HammerDown

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I know. One day he(hammerdown) wants it gone, the next he is asking about restoring it

Easy there DB...you're within distance of me dropping this thing on your lap for a frame-off :D
Love/Hate...true.
Hey, I bought her new and she's never let me down.
All the time I'm so sick of paying the premium for diesel fuel...especially when this truck is my local, daily driver. Don't need the "big heavy" F250 expensive to run diesel anymore...unless I'm on I-95 it's no fun driving this thing around my area :frustrate
But then there's the side of me that thinks...(if) for a reasonable cost I could get her freshened-up to where she was way back when, I'd fall in love all over.:love:

When visiting my first and unfortunately only BOOB Rally 2003 other owners were blown away at the condition of my truck AND that it was kept in original condition. I've always had a lot of pride trying to keep my stuff in good order. Heck, in 8 years I've only put 40,000 miles on her.
At that Rally I believe it was brother Daren Tosh that commented (at that time) my truck should fetch and easy $7500 or more.
Today, I probably spend more in fuel in one year than it's worth.

Difficult to sell because they're worth so little (even my creep puff) and difficult to keep because it's so old and like a senior citizen somewhat needy.

Trust me...if my property had land and this truck could sit in a nice garage to only be used for locally towing the boat...we'd die together.
 
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Diesel JD

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Hey HammerDown how about biodiesel or a WVO conversion? I can only afford my truck because I make my own fuel. Heck I probably would have a hard time keeping gas in a civic let alone diesel in an IDI or PSD.
 

HammerDown

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Hey HammerDown how about biodiesel or a WVO conversion? I can only afford my truck because I make my own fuel. Heck I probably would have a hard time keeping gas in a civic let alone diesel in an IDI or PSD.
Well, to paint a picture I live in a Town House, Vetts in the Garage, Harley's in the basement and BBC Jet Boat's in the back yard. I have absolutely no room.
When I purchased the truck (1988) I set myself up with a huge oil tank in the nose of the garage to run heating oil. That never happened, heck, back then diesel was only .55 a gallon and heating oil was maybe .30cents?
Years passed the tanks been long gone and other things have filled that area.
 

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