[Chrysler300] karping on karps, and old cars resto costs in general?

[christopher beilby <thelastbestgenius@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dennis talks of the possible higher than expected costs of playing with his 300C - bringing it back to new.  A rather long post re restoration costs nowadays follows, so warning, hit delete now if uninterested.
 
Sadly playing with old cars sees two common scenarios - (1) it is a part you cannot now get, or (2) if it is available, it is usually priced as if for a new car - ie at today's prices, not say 1957 era prices.
 
Back when the old car movement really got going, say around the late 50s early 60s, most people then first collected/saved vintage cars - ones from between WWI and the early 30s - like 1928-31 A Model Fords, '20s Dodge 4s, etc.  Early on, tyres were still available, then into the early 70s they were difficult, then they became available again, but usually just using one mould, no choices, price no negotiating, pay it, or go without.
 
Today, you can virtually buy/build an A Model Ford new, totally from now available again new parts. And brand new 67 Camaro convertible body shells, and I think early series Mustang Fastback shells.
 
And like Dennis, we may often bemoan what is asked, but reality is, if we think it easier to find an original that doesn't (we hope?!) need rebuilding, we still can do that ?!
My dad owned a 100/6 1958 Austin Healey, that soon after he died I left unused as I had bought the 10th last AC Cobra.  It was last registered in 1967, and about 14 years ago I thought I should restore it, spent about $10,000 and about another $10,000 worth of time then (months and months) helping getting it back to reassembled 'ready for painting' stage.
 
Lately it has been annoying me, it often being in way of more easily working on other cars (my 300Cs eventualy/hopefully), so I thought I would/should maybe finish it, and in buying still needed few new things, suprised at prices like Dennis has mentioned he was, in last weeks I worked out what it likely would owe to do it all now.  And the figure is approx a stunning/mind boggling to me, $100,000 (and this confirmed by one of world's most reputable Healey resto businesses who know how/where to save) - if one did every single part back to brand new.
 
So Dennis and all 300 lovers - lament not too loudly nor long, 'the world is/has a changing'.  Playing with any old car today is expensive, most likely bloody vert expensive !!? - like to rebuild any (common most east/basic) 60s Pontiac V8 may run $5000 plus, never mind what a '57 392 hemi ?!
The good news is though, with early 300s, at the end, you have a real car, not just an expensive (ie expensive meaning one that has cost way more than it likely ever will be worth) car.
 
Moral/lesson?!
The biggest single thing one should do before buying any old car, 300s included, is write down what it will cost you to restore one - that nowadays is a real eye opener.  If your love for it is still strong enough, you may go ahead.
 
Karps price for a rebuilt booster is likely cheap versus many other rare collector car boosters, and as others have said, you will have huge 'peace of mind', re knowing this key piece of safety related part should not fail.  Now can we all please wish for say original 300C aircleaners new at a near similar $350 each - I think not quite yet/ever ?!
 
Christopher in Australia
 
ps  - another thought for those that think 300s are difficult to restore  - Question?  - how many bits/parts in a simple common '70-71 one piece rear bumper/bar assembly?? Give up?? - counting nuts and spring washers - over 70 parts in the complete ready to bolt on bar.
So your/our (way so rarer, more desirable) 300 is not so bad after all maybe? 
And further, I am often pleased at how simple a 300 is to work on/restore versus other supposed way more ordinary/lowly cars.  300s generally do not require totally restoring/replacing every single part - get say a '57-61 300, and if you get a car without rust, you might get the car restored for an amount way below what say a full resto on a 57 Chevy 4 door sedan might owe many unwary buyers of such. And surely no arguments re who has the real winner 'fun driver 'quality built/designed car' out of those two ?!



To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx: dennis57300@xxxxxxxxxxx: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:08:12 -0400Subject: [Chrysler300] karps




ok. i dont want anyone to get the wrong idea. i dont mean to chastise the companys workmanship or service. im saying they leave no option other than full purchase price. no break for the little guy thats trying to keep the costs as minimal as he can. car collecting and restoration shouldnt be just for people with more money than brains it should be like it always has been if you have the brains you dont have to have the big money. it just seems to me like they lost the love for what theyre doing and are consumed by the money making is all. but if theyre a good company then they deserve to get paid for what they do. im over it now.**************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. (http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)[Non-text portions of this message have been removed] 





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