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Doing Restoration Right
It is axiomatic in the collector car field that it is always cheaper to buy a car that's already been restored than to buy a "beater" (as in "beat up nasty old car") and do or have the work done yourself. This site, which (big surprise) chronicles the restoration of a 1960 Alfa Rome Guilia Spider, graphically shows why this is so very true. To do it right requires an amazing amount of work, all billed at ~$40-$80 per hour depending on where you live in the US.
The car in question is particularly rare and hand built in ways that would become uncommon less than ten years after its manufacture, so there's a bit more to it than restoring, say, a 1970 Chevelle SS, but it's a difference only in magnitude, not in kind.
The Chevelle actually ends up being a whole lot easier to restore. For one thing, you can find or have built a lot of the parts you need much eaiser than with an Alfa, for another thing, it's a Chevy, which was designed for the average guy to jump under the hood of (the Chevy was, after all, the poor man's Cadillac).
I was involved in restoring a '69 Chevelle SS. It was a fun project.... someday I'm going to do it again, for myself.
The Chevelle's a better car than the Alfa anyway.
Posted by: Jim S on January 8, 2003 10:56 AM:P :P :P :P :P
Posted by: scott on January 8, 2003 11:49 AMThe Chevelle is much "less expensive" to restore and when you're finished you have a car you can actually drive. I think the whole purpose of restoring an Alfa is to put it in a garage and admire it.
We owned a 1969 Canary Yellow Chevelle with a black leather interior. Bought it when Scott was a year old and I was pregnant with Jeff. The Austin Healy Sprite was not practical anymore! Their dad was in mourning for quite a long period of time. LOL
Posted by: Pat on January 8, 2003 11:59 AMActually, it was a Chevy Nova, and was the first car I can remember. I distinctly remember dad letting us shift the car while he was driving it. Apparently it was quite a hot rod.
I love driving my Alfa, and now that I'm able to do most of my own work I'll be able to get it on the road more consistently than before.
Posted by: scott on January 8, 2003 12:03 PMWas it a Nova? I do remember it was yellow with a black leather interior. You were too young sit on his lap and drive it while we were in Fla. I don't remember when we sold it, must have been after we moved back to Ar. I don't think it was any kind of hot rod. We bought it to replace the Sprite after you guys were born. Little red bug eyed sprite.
Posted by: Pat on January 8, 2003 04:21 PMMore consistently means more than one drive every year, right? LOL
Posted by: Pat on January 8, 2003 04:23 PMI've never really liked Alfas, but they are "cute" cars, where the Chevelle (and most old Chevys, come to think of it....) are beefy, MANLY type hot-rods.
I am, of course, biased to the nth degree.... my dad is a lifelong Chevy man and he passed that on to me.
Posted by: Jim S on January 8, 2003 05:19 PMHeh. All depends on what yer lookin' for. My brother and I came to terms with it long ago. His Trans Am is a clydesdale, my Alfa is a thoroughbred. Both have their purposes, both serve them well, and we both appreciate them for what they are.
I'd wager you've probably never driven an Alfa.
Posted by: scott on January 8, 2003 07:59 PM