16 replies to this topic

[Mr Thirty]

I'm looking at getting a fair bit of bodywork sorted on the mini and i'd like some advice about prices and what my best options are.

The panels that need replacing include wings, front panel, a panels, scuttle, both a posts/door steps, front floors and sills.
I got a quote recently and wondered what you guys thought to the price.
The quote was about 5 or 6 grand to do the work and paint the full car. Thats with me stripping the car, supplying the panels and rebuilding it from a painted shell. Is this a reasonable price? Seems quite steep.

By the looks of some minis going on ebay etc you can get a mint painted shell for 4k or a decent car for 5k+ which I could put my engine in and mix and match parts to get best of both worlds.

Doing the work myself isnt really an option as I dont have the time to learn how to weld or the facilities. Im heading off to uni in september and need it finished by then.

What are my best options here?
I live in Hull, east yorkshire and have looked into everyone trust worthy in the area who can fit my time frame. Im willing to send it out of town but not too far if possible (any recommendations?). Sorry for the rant, all advice is much appreciated

Edited by Mr Thirty, 26 March 2017 - 01:05 PM.

[Steve220]

That quote sounds good if you're including the price of panels in that. I've had them from 4k-8k to do the work on mine. Going to give some of it a go myself though as i'm trying to keep costs low.

[Mr Thirty]

Sorry forgot to include thats with me supplying all the panels

[dyshipfakta]

Ditch it or break it and buy one that's alright in a better state. It's going to be big big money

[Mr Thirty]

Yeah its maybe looking that way unfortunately

[ClassicAsh]

I

 

I'm looking at getting a fair bit of bodywork sorted on the mini and i'd like some advice about prices and what my best options are.

The panels that need replacing include wings, front panel, a panels, scuttle, both a posts/door steps, front floors and sills.
I got a quote recently and wondered what you guys thought to the price.
The quote was about 5 or 6 grand to do the work and paint the full car. Thats with me stripping the car and rebuilding it from a painted shell. Is this a reasonable price? Seems quite steep.

By the looks of some minis going on ebay etc you can get a mint painted shell for 4k or a decent car for 5k+ which I could put my engine in and mix and match parts to get best of both worlds.

Doing the work myself isnt really an option as I dont have the time to learn how to weld or the facilities. Im heading off to uni in september and need it finished by then.

What are my best options here?
I live in Hull, east yorkshire and have looked into everyone trust worthy in the area who can fit my time frame. Im willing to send it out of town but not too far if possible (any recommendations?). Sorry for the rant, all advice is much appreciated

 

I think that's a fair price for the amount of work needed and including paint etc. even at a lowish hourly rate you can soon rack up the cost, the local garage near me said it was approx.£ 2000 to prep a repaired shell and paint it.its amazing how many hours are involved in replacing panels etc and always more hidden one you start chopping. Unless you can do welding yourself its an expensive hobby restoring cars. even more expensive when you get others to do it for you. but good luck whichever route you take.

[Mr Thirty]

I realise it was going to be expensive but i think the price is high consindering i'm supplying the parts and the job wouldnt be a priority in the workshop, said they'd fit it in anongst other jobs. Im not sure, am i being cheap? Im looking at a total of about 7 or 8 grand maybe even more to get it on the road.

[Ben_O]

That price seems reasonable.

 

It's higher than my charges but i am only assuming that you are needing a front end, sills, a posts and front floors. Quite often, the case is that many other panels will need replacing or repairing.

 

As has been said, the time needed to carry out these repairs is quite high and if the repairs are to be carried out to a high standard, then you must expect to pay the price.

 

For instance, a quality respray takes around 40 hours including prep and that is assuming that there are minimal rectifications required to the body work.

At £40 per hour, thats £1600 and then with VAT you are looking at £1920 and that's just the labour.

 

So it's not difficult to imagine what sort of costs are associated with restoration work.

 

There will be cheaper places around but it all comes down to what you want out of it.

 

You pays your money, you takes your choice.

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[sledgehammer]

for 5 - 6 grand you should be able to find a solid car in V good condition

 

or even a new shell would be close to that price

 

but I will say the quote is about right if you want it good / not bodged ,

 

but that isn't to say the work would be done correctly - it's easy to get an expensive bodge

 

always pay in stages - if you go down that route - we have heard so many horror stories

 

best of luck

 

http://www.bmh-ltd.com/minishell.htm

 

they have gone up a bit 

Edited by sledgehammer, 26 March 2017 - 04:08 PM.

[sonikk4]

The big problem with any quote is what you are starting with. If the shell is needing minor panel work like wings A panel, front panel, rear valance then thats expensive, however if you are doing all of that plus scuttle inner and outer sills etc then reasonable.

 

So going by what you have said then not a bad price. Knowing how much time and effort goes into panel work and paint then not horrendous. HOWEVER like Ben has said a lot depends on your expectations as well.

 

Believe me there are people out there who will say they can do it cheaper but to what standard. There have been quite a few people on TMF and other forums etc who have been bitten by the "its too good a price to be true" to have a car returned as completed that has been truly horrendous. Have a good look at other work they have done. use the best panels you can afford. Do not be fobbed off by them saying oversills are ok to fit, they are not. Do have a contingency fund as i will bet on my lads life there will be more things found as they go along. There is no such thing as a straight fwd resto job. They do not exist.

[FlyingScot]

I'm afraid that's the reality; you either learn and equip yourself to do it, or it's going to be expensive.
It's one of the reasons I sold one of my SPis - I didn't have the time (I have the equipment and the skill). I bought a Japanese import so I "bought" myself a few more years before I would need to weld it up. by the way it cost about what you have estimated it's going to cost to restore yours.
Minis rust, all you can do is slow the process. When they get to the stage of needing major surgery you need to pay for the skills needed.
Plenty of stories of trying to do it cheap that have backfired; a skilled craftsman will cost.

FS

[STG95F]

Give Jason a ring 

 

http://www.theminire...ncompany.co.uk/

[Mr Thirty]

Thanks for all the replies. The guy does quality work, no bodging. I know someone with a mini restored by them its pretty flawless, ill have to have a think about my options, i dont think i can afford 7k+ its just too much atm.

[Cooperman]

With classic cars of all types/makes, you either need to be prepared and able to pay a lot for the work or, as most of us do, do the work yourself.  It's not just Minis, it's all classics.

A comprehensive body re-build will take a lot of man-hours if done properly and at £40 to £60 per hour it soon adds up. Paint is expensive too.

If you can't do the work yourself it is going to be very expensive.

[Mito]

Are you certain there aren't other areas requiring attention? Such as the shock absorber mounts and the boot corners?

Where do you get the quote from? I'll be looking to get mine resprayed in a few months.