1969-1984 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
[Main Saab Model 99 Bulletin Board | BBFAQ |
Prev by Date | Next by Date | Post Followup ]
Member Login / Signup - Members see fewer ads. - Latest Member Gallery Photos
What's your definition of "Restore"? Posted by Gary Stottler [Email] (#1463) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Gary Stottler) on Sun, 12 Oct 2014 05:43:47 In Reply to: 99 Restore Shops, BTG88, Mon, 6 Oct 2014 18:49:19 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Chiming in a little late, I have high regard for the shops that have been mentioned so far and would also add ConnTech in Warwick, RI (Mike Connelly - not sure I spelled his name right) to that list of experts in working on 99s.
However, I'm always uncertain what is meant when one says the want to "restore" a car, it seems like there are various definitions. Here are the ones I use:
Repair - means sort out mechanically, fix any/all operational/safety/emission issues with the result that a car can be reliable and safe to drive. (in my view, on almost any 30+ year old car, this means $2500 worth of brakes, suspension, tires at a minimum followed by cooling, fuel system and exhaust which can easily add another $1500. This is if nothing is basically wrong with the car, costs can be higher if, for example, you need to rebuild the steering rack - common on 99s. So, if you buy a car for $4,000 you at looking at a total of $8,000 to get to this level)
Refurbish - means the same as above but throw in a good repaint and work on the interior, those items can easily exceed $10,000 if done well, now your project is starting to look like $15,000 plus the purchase price of the car ($19,000 for my example with the $4,000 car).
Restore - means full tilt, strip the body down to the shell and dip it/blast it, send the entire interior to a serious trim shop, have every mechanical component rebuilt as new, have trim re-plated, etc. You basically end up with a new, or better than new, car. Not for the faint of hear, however, costs can easily run between $75,000-$100,000 or more depending on how hard it is to get parts. A huge amount of skilled labor is involved which drives the cost.
Of course you save money on the latter two categories (the first category my $4,000 estimate is mostly just getting the parts) by doing things yourself if you have the skills and hours.
If your ambition and pocketbook run to "Restore", then I highly recommend PSI in Sterling Heights, MI. They did what are, in my opinion, the finest Saab restorations ever done; the ones for the Saab USA Heritage Collection. The costs were not explicitly ever stated, but I don't think my estimates above are far off. To see examples, take a look at the 1970 99 and 1980 900 now owned by Bill Jacobson or the 1970 Sonett III and 1985 900 SPG now owned by Tom Donney.
Best,
Gary
_______________________________________ Gary Stottler
No Site Registration is Required to Post - Site Membership is optional (Member Features List), but helps to keep the site online
for all Saabers. If the site helps you, please consider helping the site by becoming a member.