Planning coupe rebuild, could use advice - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

XC Coupe 78 · 08-03-2005, 20:37

hi all

Just had a look at Donny's post on the progress of his coupe and thought i'd post a few qqueries regarding such a rebuild.

I'm in the planning stages of rebuilding my XC coupe, getting storage organised, sourcing parts etc but i still havent had the time to take it around to a few bodyworks places to get a quote for a sandblast, rust and paint job. Being a novice in the whole bodywork/paint area, i thought i'd ask you guys how much i am looking at for a groundup body rebuild. The general figure ive estimated is around $8k for a full rust job, but i dont know how much paint, rubbers, etc. would cost.

Can anybody give me a detailed price range for this kind of work?

DANGERXY · 08-03-2005, 20:46

Depending On Body Condition Anywhere From 15 To 30k

Tote · 08-03-2005, 23:30

My XT ute cost me $5500 for the paint and panel work, it was reasonably straight with minimal rust. Rubbers were about $550.00 and other bits and pieces probably another $1K. That doesnt include interior or mechanical work, I stripped it myself and delivered a rolling shell to the panel beater. This was last year,
Regards,
Tote

xagt_coupe · 08-04-2005, 04:17

My Paint and Panel will cost approx 25k all up. That is some pretty major work but. I estimate that I will spend approx 5 to 10k chasing new/repo and used parts, zinc plating and chroming bars and sandblasting bits etc. Many bits were missing from my car, many hard to find, expensive and rare bits like wheel arch trims etc. and probly 10k worth of mechanicals, i.e. 2k brakes, at least 1k for suspension, check and fix if nescessary..diff and gear box, install air con and re-gas, new exhaust system etc etc
May have to allow a little money to re-tune my motor. Has been sitting around a while now. Have allready done ceramic coating on pipes.
Thats before I decide on whether to get some new wheels and tyres. If I don't get wheels, then I need new tyres.
Plus later on another 1.5k to re-cover seats and re shape buckets and re-bolster them to factory original.

Thats doing it properly, not cutting any corners. I am going for as close to original as possible, with a few personal reversable things to suit me.

Realistically this is the kind of money any major restoration will cost. Of course you can save by doing lots yourself, you can repair instead of replace body bits etc....You get the picture...

tony xa · 08-04-2005, 07:12

As xagt_coupe said alot.
My car has easly cost me around 3 times what I first thought .
Your cost will depend on how far you are wanting to go .Mine has cost this much only because I wanted it to be able to do everything from looking tough sounding tough and last but not least going tough .
My panel and paint cost me $6500 and that was for a very straight no rust car next time round I will pay around 15-20 for panel and paint .The worst part is replacing things that don't need replacing yet but you will because its easy to do now .
good luck and keep us posted

XC Coupe 78 · 08-04-2005, 15:27

Thanks for all the info. I'm just re-grouping funds right now for the rust work and organising stripping the car etc so with any luck the car should be stripped and in shop between december and march. I'll worry about the paint another day, especially as it sounds like it costs a fair amount for a decent paint job, and i dont want to half-arse on the paint on my car.

Daniel.

tony xa · 08-04-2005, 23:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by XC Coupe 78

Thanks for all the info. I'm just re-grouping funds right now for the rust work and organising stripping the car etc so with any luck the car should be stripped and in shop between december and march. I'll worry about the paint another day, especially as it sounds like it costs a fair amount for a decent paint job, and i dont want to half-arse on the paint on my car.

Daniel.

Sounds like a plan Good Luck .

cedric · 08-05-2005, 02:41

mate have a go your self if your not happy with your job sand it off and do it again some of the best tradesmen in all trades (building tiling panelbeating whatever) are self taught .just have a dig whats the worst that can happen. i am a carpenter and i restored and painted my xc cobra rep myself and no it will not win at summernats but cost under $1000 (yes its 2pk) and i don't cry like a baby when it gets a stone chip or scratch which no matter what you pay IT WILL HAPPEN

nassi · 08-05-2005, 03:33

Have to agree with Cedric, except the bit about 2 pac. I prefer acrylic myself.
Definately have a go yourself.
nassi

xagt_coupe · 08-05-2005, 04:09

Daniel, your car needs pretty major surgury, I would leave it in professional hands for shure. The trick is to find the RIGHT panel shop, with a beater and painter who has the right attitude. If u have a go yourself, and stuff it up, you would then have to pay extra to fix up the mess. Coupes have massive big panels, specially the rear quarters and if you put too much heat into em, you are likely to warp em and never get em looking right short of replacing them all together, or filling em with bog. The bulk of the work you need done isn't small stuff for an amateur to tackle. Remember the key to a good looking car is in the prep work. Get it right and it will look great. Stuff it up and the car will look crap, even with the best paint job.
For example, look at the blue xa gt coupe on the cover of the last month street machine mag. Look at the pics of the body work and paint, it is absolutely shocking. Panel gaps all wrong, doors sit wrong, blackouts don't even line up properly, look back to front and see the doors hanging out beyond the quarters. Panel profile dosen't match etc etc etc. And he had it all done by some panel shop. Obviously the wrong place....