1962 Triumph TR4 RUSToration Project. Restoration Cost.....

[@cheftush]

@robertmorales I believe he had the closest guess at $ 5549.38 US

[@corylwillrise]

$60,000 in labor 😂, luckily it’s a labor of love

[@iceman9678]

Looking forward to the pics from the show. It's been a fun journey watch your and Elin's videos.

[@dougmcleod4279]

Great overview Dave!! It was a pleasure having the opportunity to chat with you yesterday and see the results up close of the labour both you and Elin put into this project. Good luck to both of you on your journey to the show down south.

[@cheftush]

Thank You Doug, much appreciated!

[@jokersaddiction]

I just recently came across your and Elins videos. I have been enjoying them and learning as well. Today my wife and I will be picking up a1963 Triumph TR4 that she inherited from her father. It has been sitting in a garage for the last 50 plus years and hasn't been started in over 40 plus yrs. It ran when it was parked. It is a project now in need of lots of love. But hopefully one day she will be back on the road.

[@cheftush]

They are great fun. Good Luck in getting it back on the road. Cheers, Tush

[@stewartpalmer7039]

Like here in Australia the exchange rate hurts. Thoroughly enjoyed the series, thanks to you and Elin.

[@cheftush]

The shipping must be a killer as well?

[@stewartpalmer7039]

@@cheftush sure is. It's also a nightmare with duties and taxes. But sometimes its worth breaking an order into two, and paying more in freight to keep each shipment below $AUD1000, as above that figure then customs duties and courier surcharges apply and then 10% GST on the total of goods, duties surcharges and freight. If a company does more than a certain value in business with Australia then they have to apply GST at point of sale.

[@kge420]

My pre video guess was $7500 US. Carb kits were crazy costly! Fun series and safe travels.

[@cheftush]

Yeah, I was shocked at them too…I’ll know better for next time to shop around a bit and maybe get the non official SU stuff…

[@jerryhouck2708]

It is "amazing" how these restoration costs can add up. I have a folder and have kept every receipt since I bought my TR6 7 years ago. There is no way that you can keep track of every nut and bolt and can of spray paint that you purchase and that is where the "shop costs" come in with a big old "?" gues-t-amint. I have not totaled up all the receipts yet and to tell the truth I am not sure that I want to (and I am not sure that I want my wife to know). And Dave, your right, you can never add up the labor costs for a "home restoration" I have been watching all your videos for several years now as you know , and always find them interesting and informative. So keep up the good work and I am looking forward to the next project. Jerry😎👍

[@cheftush]

Thanks Jerry…I agree, don’t add them up…stay happy 😉

[@pubu2010]

Hi Chef, nice job. See you at the show tomorrow. Good lick!

[@cheftush]

Thanks Don! See you there. Cheers, Tush

[@pucman1]

What a bargain, I love it and you won’t have to worry about door dings, drive it like you stole it Elin

[@cheftush]

Hey, don’t tell him that 😉

[@rickdaniel8478]

Wow, Enjoy the driver. Admiring the white Triumph engine bay kept me distracted. Lol Zoom zoom

[@cheftush]

Thanks Rick, it’s a bit of a challenge keeping a white engine bay clean!

[@wtbm123]

Still much better and cheaper than a new car . And looks better too.

[@cheftush]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

[@georgeryan603]

Love love your white TR . Such a classic beauty. I know it’s not the subject of todays video but just wanted to give you a shout out ….

[@cheftush]

Thanks George…she’s still looking good even though it was restored about 15 years and quite a few miles ago….

[@derekmcallister2848]

I truthfully estimated $7k CAD before I started to watch the video . I did watch all of the others, so I was probably doing mental math all along ;o) It was good to see and hear the car today - looking forward to looking at it again (and you guys) tomorrow :)

[@cheftush]

It’s not a good thing that you know how much stuff costs Derek 😉

[@stevebrannon69]

David, thanks for all of your videos. This makes me want to get started on my ‘62 TR 4 or my ‘67 TR 4A. Restoring older cars is not cheap unless you can do a lot of the work yourself. Thanks again to you and Elin.

[@cheftush]

Absolutely, I couldn’t do this if I had to pay someone. Cheers, Tush

[@skipgould1780]

I found this recap quite interesting. Thanks for sharing!

[@philtucker1224]

Hi Dave, thank you for a guide to general costs on the parts you purchased for the 62. This is a beautiful hobby and I fully appreciate why totalling the man hours consumed is not really relevant. Benefit to the soul and friendship towards other like minded people is what good hobbies are all about in my humble opinion. God bless you and all of your comrades. 🙏

[@cheftush]

Agreed Phil, I think I enjoy working on them as much as I enjoy driving them.

[@davidwarr8600]

Well thank you for doing all these videos. I love your enthusiasm. It is wonderful that you get back to your viewers in the comment section. I originally guessed $4500 but I didn’t realize you had a base of $1000 so I suppose my estimate wasn’t too far off. Your car is well worth what you spent. Restorations can really nickel and dime you to death. You and Elin did well.

[@cheftush]

Thanks David…yes you were pretty close! We had fun today at the car show.. It was nice to follow the TR4 with Elin driving while I was driving my 6…the 4 looks great driving down the road!

[@davidwarr8600]

@@cheftush i wish that I could attend these events and visit the two of you but I live in Newfoundland at the moment. I do belong to The British Automobile Touring Association of Nova Scotia and the British Car Club of Cape Breton but it isn’t cheap to go over there just for the weekend. There are few British cars here where I live. It is a lonely old place. The internet is a great help.

[@scottdrysdale9903]

Have a great day tomorrow … looking forward to seeing the video. Thanks for the recap on the rustoration project … my guess was pretty close 😊

[@cheftush]

Thanks Scott!

[@indyme2]

Enjoyed the series, Tush. The expenses sting but we are used to that kind of thing here at the Rust Ranch.

[@cheftush]

Agreed, if we were smart we’d buy one already done 😉

[@soup1448]

Thanks for sharing the cost breakdown … more than I would have guessed. Loved the series btw and the car came out great!

[@cheftush]

Glad you liked it!

[@markaluge]

David, have a Great day at the Trials tomorrow. Including the purchase and import costs, I budgeted £26,000 for my US TR3A, suffice to say it came in well above that which doesn’t include the 1,600-1,800 hours I spent on it. It’s a good job we don’t try to make a living from doing this work! Mark

[@cheftush]

Exactly!

[@MrMikeyspfx]

As I am in the middle of my tr4a restoration not sure if I want to know the cost so far. Enjoy your videos David, thanks for doing them.

[@cheftush]

Well, it’s definitely easier if you can stretch the costs out over a longer period of time…

[@cheftush]

Well, it’s definitely easier if you can stretch the costs out over a longer period of time…

[@TheShadeTreeFixitMan]

Interesting price breakdowns Dave. Always an education in watching your work.

[@cheftush]

Thanks George. I don’t think I’ll be adding up invoices ever again 😉

[@jimconklin8040]

I probably spent way more than that on my beloved TR6 that I have been working on for about 10 years. I am afraid to even try to figure out what I have in it so far... I am a long way from completing this project. It is nice to see both you and Elin getting it done so fast. (except body repairs) She still looks great, but not as great when parked at the show with TR's in near concourse condition.

[@pda49184]

Well David, I'm glad I didn't have a guess at the total costs. I was thinking in terms of about half of the total ! I'm living in the past 😅... I remember in 1966 (the only year England won the football World Cup ), that I went into our local Standard-Triumph dealers parts department and bought a pair of new front wings for my 1954 long door TR-2 which cost me a total of £ 22- 6s -3d. (more than a weeks wages back then) so I suppose it's all relative and a great illustration of how inflation since then has robbed the value of our currencies .

[@cheftush]

Yes, restorations ( even partial ones) are expensive…so much so, that you may never get the money out that you’ve invested in the car. I understand that, and I’m ok with it…it doesn’t work out so well for people wanting to actually make money 😉

[@davidwarr8600]

The world Cup game in 1966 with Germany vs. England was the only time I have ever watched a full game of soccer. I was forced by my British family. LOL

[@pda49184]

😅😅⚽@@davidwarr8600

[@MJD496]

Great and entertaining series. As usual, I take away a lot of tips and materials info. Thanks for the effort!

[@cheftush]

Thanks for watching and commenting. Cheers, Tush

[@GraphicMill]

Wow, this is where the passion for these cars really blows all logic out the window. Lol I know this because just my overdrive & clutch alone cost that much. Can you imagine adding in 300-400 hours of labour? It sends the cost of this car far beyond it’s worth…. Yet, it’s priceless in so many ways. I can’t wait to see it tomorrow.

[@cheftush]

Absolutely Dave, not in it to make money that’s for sure. I guess as long as you get into a restoration knowing this, you are not too bad off. Remember, this “ restoration” wasn’t even done correctly as far as body work/paint were concerned. If this car was properly body worked/ painted, you are looking at a minimum of another $10-12000 in material costs and labour.

[@72TR6Tim]

Hi David, It was interesting to see this cost breakdown at the end if your "mini series". It shows just how much the small parts affect the picture. I've also noticed that occasionally something seems relatively pricey: ie seat foam relative to replacement vinyl seat covers, I aim to do mine over the Winter and it looks like my foam might still be OK, so will attempt to improve this, we will have to see once the vinyls off...

[@cheftush]

I agree Tim, it’s all the small parts that really add up…I tried to illustrate that by pointing out that only 4 items were over the $100 mark from moss..I agree, seat foam is outrageous for what it is…if you can rescue yours, you will be well ahead of the game. Cheers, Tush

[@6isenough161]

Well done. Costs are always baffling for customers and often they discard the idea that it might take time to find parts, order parts, diagnose as well as install parts. With this type of car the idea of paying for the thrill becomes difficult for customers yet they often have no problem paying boggling costs to maintain or repair their newer vehicles. It goes with the old feeling that Aircraft Mechanics went through in the past. It was the f that you should be honored for the opportunity to struggle fix and repair their toys.

[@cheftush]

Yes, I’m sure this video is an eye opener for some…I just hope it doesn’t dissuade them from Triumph ownership….

[@peteredwards9147]

Wow, what a great series, enjoyed every moment of each video. Looking at the car it's well worth every penny you put into it and much more.

[@cheftush]

You can’t put a price on adventure and enjoyment can you Peter 😀

[@redfoxclassics]

It is interesting to see the cost breakdown, and honestly that’s not too bad (it’s approx £4200 for anyone else on my side of the pond reading). I do intend to keep track of costs on my next one, and this does show I’m not completely unrealistic in being able to expect a more modest budget (my Spitfire cost ‘don’t ask, I don’t want to know’ :D )

[@cheftush]

I’m just happy that the car is back on the road and being enjoyed. I’m lucky that I’m able to afford to do it. Work hard, play hard 😉

[@robertmorales391]

Excellent, you guys got this one done quickly. Still can’t believe how well it ran at first start. The dollars go fast, think I was $5,500 ball park if I recall correctly. Most importantly you guys saved that car. I did see a TR250 very high end restoration go for $77k at mecum Monterey so our TR’s are starting to get some respect. I spent at least $12k with moss on my 1962, it just goes fast but it’s a labor of love.. look forward to seeing you guys at the upcoming car shows. Cheers

[@cheftush]

Hi Robert, take a look at the pinned comment at the top. I believe you were the closest in your guess. Congrats!

[@robertmorales391]

@@cheftushthanks Tush !!

[@johnsharonwhitaker9242]

thanks Chef for the accurate cost tracking. Less than I would have thought for a car that is now 100% mechanically. I too was surprised at the SU carb cost. John in Manitoba.

[@TR3A]

See you at BCD!

[@cheftush]

Roger that Dave!

[@jamcdona]

I know that batteries went up a lot during Covid, so I wonder how much more everything else went up? Dang. Having become a checkbook mechanic with the bulk of my Alfa minor restoration, I know how fast everything adds up even before the shop fees. It does pain me to think of how talented Elin is with tops, interiors and wiring and to compare it to what I paid a shop for. :( You guys both are a pleasure to watch bang big jobs out. If you both opened a business in the right area, it would do really well I think.

[@cheftush]

John, I paid $109.00 for case of Valvoline VR1 (6 in a case)…crazy how costs keep going up….

[@jamcdona]

NO WAY! I just put 8qrts of Redline oil in the Alfa for $118 to see if it's better than VR1. Love it after 200mi, it's still like a fresh oil change. Last I checked VR1 was still $8-$9/qt, so it's really gone up in your neck of the woods :( @@cheftush

[@cheftush]

@@jamcdona maybe I’ll stock up when I’m at the TRials 😉

[@patriceberard5574]

I was not too far David.. my guess on the previous video was 7800$ canadian. ;-)

[@cheftush]

Yes, pretty close to be sure. Honestly, I thought it would have been a little lower but stuff adds up!

[@patriceberard5574]

@@cheftush thanks David for the « guess game ».

[@robertharrison9248]

I am curious about the SU rebuilt kit, was it a special version with extra parts? Even the Moss kit at $199 us for both seems awfully high. Nice job on the mechanical work, should be a nice driver for long trips.

[@cheftush]

The moss website shows 280 US for the kit…that’s approximately $380 with the exchange and it doesn’t include the needles or a few other small seals that are required. I bought it locally here from a Moss reseller…so there was shipping and taxes and other mark up etc…

[@jamessimmons8352]

I don't know the going rate for top notch restoration labor is, but a WAG of $150 an hour x 400 hours would add $60K. I can see why these cars in pristine restored condition bring $50K plus. Thanks for this great wrap-up of a terrific video series.

[@cheftush]

Well, when I do work occasionally on other cars, I’ll charge $70 per hour….I’m not a professional though just a hobbiest.

[@jamessimmons8352]

@@cheftush if I had a "hobby" car, I'd be honored to let you or Elin get some time with it. 👍😁

[@leo2caf594]

Sometimes it's better not to know 😉

[@cheftush]

More likely “always”😎

[@pril250]

Not too bad, at the end of the day.

[@cheftush]

It’s back on the road and being enjoyed. That’s what’s important.

[@craigwiest772]

Scary! I’m glad I don’t keep track. Add in 300 hours labor if you had to hire it done - yikes. Did this include the transmission? Not everyone has the number of spares that you have. Great example that a car doesn’t need a full respray to be good looking. Nice work by both of you. Now have some fun.

[@cheftush]

It’s the first one I’ve ever added up 😉 with the transmission work, we are probably closer to the 400 mark than the 300.

[@craigwiest772]

Tribute to sticktoitness getting the car completed. @@cheftush

[@nigelfirth5601]

TBH I haven't watched this series yet, although I have watched many of your previous videos, so I took a wild guess at £ 10 -15000k. Pretty inaccurate huh? Enjoy the TR6 trip tomorrow.

[@cheftush]

Hi Nigel, well, it’s not the type of restoration I usually do…so, once you watch the series, you might get a better idea. Cheers, Tush

[@johnmalone407]

Dave, where do you get the triumph hood liner? I’d love to get one for my TR6 that Elin is rebuilding. Plus approx cost. Love your videos. Very well done and full of great information. Keep them coming.

[@cheftush]

Hey John, I bought mine from here…www.classic9leathershop.com/hood-liners/classic-british looks to be about $100 US depending on the options you select. Cheers, Tush

[@roboreilly2888]

Hi Dave, I heard you mention getting the electric fan off of Amazon. Could you share which one you went with, and would you also use it in a TR6?

[@cheftush]

Hi Rob, I believe this fan would be too small for a TR6 radiator application.

[@scottdrysdale9903]

Chef … I know you’ve had a day in Toronto … can wait for the video … I have a question ? I’m cleaning my gauges (75 TR6) and green lense inside my volts gauge has melted … do you have a fix or a recco for repair ? TIA

[@cheftush]

Hi Scott, unfortunately, I’ve not seen or heard of a replacement option for the green filters. You might have to try and find another gauge to scavenge. The only other option I can think of is calling the 3 big gauge repair vendors to see if they have spares on hand. These are west Valley instruments, Mo Ma and Nissonger.

[@paulfanning7059]

@@cheftushanother option is to use a green led, it will be brighter though.

[@cheftush]

@@paulfanning7059 yes, I think it might throw quite a bit of light vs the filtered, regular incandescent bulbs..

[@cdoody7464]

which car are you taking to the trials tush. I hope to see the 250 in person. see you in PA

[@cheftush]

Awww, sorry but I’m bringing the 73 TR6 to this years TRials as it is it’s anniversary year…

[@bridchvtruck568]

wow i would have guested higher

[@cheftush]

No real body and paint work though….just mechanical….

[@bradsmith9189]

I haven’t gone to British Car Day in years. It’s pretty much only MG’s and Triumphs any more. TR6’s, MGB’s by the hundreds… The awards are idiotic. Whoever gets their friends to vote for their car wins. I brought a 99 point beautifully restored 56 Jaguar XK140 and lost to two cars that wouldn’t pass safety, wouldn’t dare open their hoods…absolute complete junk. BUT, more friends… “Nice”, “special” cars stopped going years ago.

[@cheftush]

Wow! What’s the last year you went? As a matter of fact, there are so many Jaguars this year that they will take over the entire south field..the other saloon cars that normally make up half that field have been moved to the north side of the administrative building….maybe don’t worry so much about the voting and just enjoy the day…and, it is ( and has been) hosted/organized by the Toronto Triumph Club for the past 37 years, so You would expect a pretty good turn out of Triumphs…

[@davidwarr8600]

Hi Brad, often it is the guy who has the most money that wins an award.

[@bradsmith9189]

@@cheftush Last I went was about 6 years ago. There were only 2 original jaguar XK's there that year or for the previous few years. (Quite a few "newer jags though) My opinion only but judging simply by peoples choice is lazy and sadly, at times, really quite insulting. When you work your heart out, do all your research (JCNA 99 points) and restore a car yourself to a remarkable standard only to be shut down by cars that are simply horrible is every way is truly disheartening. (And I mean really awful cars) I appreciate the work the TTC does but many other nice car owners have discussed this and have the same opinion. Btw, I have a 57 small mouth TR3 and my friend completed the restoration of his VERY early TR2 in my garage over Covid. (Kingston, Ontario) His car is so early it has original aluminum panels as well as very unique items such as the early double thermostat housing and hanging leather strap rear reflectors.

[@derekt7606]

What about £££. 🇬🇧car. 😉

[@cheftush]

4259 lb sterling.

[@holger5555]

Wow very expensive for this little repair and there is no new color or bodywork with welding etc. , no restoration.

[@cheftush]

Agreed. This is only for the mechanical work. Very little money spend on body and paint. It’s not cheap!

[@davidwarr8600]

I think they did this very reasonably.