American restorations

[jadewombat]

I never watch that show, but I saw one last night. Some guy brought in an old beat up battery charger. When it got complicated sorting all that funky wiring inside, AR took the easy way out and just took a small new battery charger inside of the old one, cleaned up the glass, and repainted the new shell on the outside. Pretty cheesy work.

We all know these shows are fake, but as long as people keep watching, well there you go. My friend knew a welder whose job it was one of those car "build" shows to come in at night and redo all of the welding.

I agree though, promoting work with ridiculous prices leaves the other 98% having to deal with the consequences. Just look on the ebays, people selling rusty old pedal cars for insane amounts of money in the hundreds of $$$. A rusty old pedal car from the 70s is worth, well, not much in reality. Barrett-Jackson auctions have really hyped up older car prices, too. Just because a (1) old VW split-window bus sold for a 1/4 $1M at auction, or a Dodge Superbird, etc. doesn't mean these cars are actually worth that.

 

[heartlandcruisers]

well, i will chime in on this topic since i restore a lot of old stuff.
first thing i do is determine the value of it as it sits.
and the value it will be after it is restored.
then i figure out a comfortable medium with the difference.
before i restore anything or give a quote, i research the item and see how hard it will be to find the parts.
then ,if i cannot find the original parts, i will talk with the client and see if they want me to either make the parts or add newer parts to it at which case the item drops in value drastically.
3500 to restore a bicycle is extreme highway robbery but that is partly because people watch this garbage on tv and think "hey that guy just sold a wooden bicycle wheel for 200 dollars, i got a wheel from 1960 it is worth the same price" and there u go.
i see it all the time and i tell people to come to reality.
this all affects the price on a restoration, but i try to work within the value of the item then it is worth it.
that American restorations guy is a total rip off artist and once the camera gets on these bozos they become so called celebrities so they feel their worth big bucks because a camera showed their arm for 2 seconds.
i just finished restoring a 1930' chain drive tricycle for 300 bucks parts and labor and the client was extremely happy with that
when the TV show dies out and these bozos are collecting unemployment or are broke i will still be around doing what they wish they could do
this has been an official burrkrayecycles rant and rave
Sean

 

[mikeeebikey]

Bringing this back because of an episode of American Restorations I just saw. They were commisioned to restore a Vietnam fliers helmet. The helmet was used by several different soldiers and ended in the hands of one such soldier. They redid the helmet in original color and replicated all stickers and lettering placed by all soldiers that used it. The kicker: It will be presented to the final owner, who likely knew many of the soldiers that previously added their personal touches. I think the final resto ended at around the $1800 range, but why trade original patina and hand lettering placed by people you knew and trusted, and even shared a brotherhood with, for freshly applied simulations and brand new replicated stickers or decals?

I should have read all the posts, but had to say something to your post.
My Dad was a helicopter pilot in Nam, he kept his helmet. In no way shape or form was it to be messed with. No restoration lest the soldier would come out of him!
So regardless how good Rick is, he should have refused that job!

 

[jadewombat]

That's very true burr, I've done that also and even been halfway honest with people when I'm looking to buy a project I tell them how much it is going to cost me to dump into it by the time I finish. My 1918 Gendron trike was $10 used, but took another $350 to finish it.

Perception is reality, unfortunately. I've rarely seen prices go down with more popularity, the only example I can think of is meteorites. They "used" to be pretty expensive before 10 years ago at about $1000/lb. depending upon the size of the rock when it hit the ground. They have a really cool cross-hatching pattern when you cut them on a band saw. Anyhoo, someone got the idea that EVERYONE should have a piece of space rock and started cutting up a lot of these rocks to move them faster in smaller quantities. The price per pound went down to about 1/2. Yeah, supply and demand, but this was artificially creating a demand where it didn't really exist before.

I thought Jesse James was acted like a real ass-clown back a few years ago doing ads for AutoZone, etc. The guy has talent of course, but no morals and just looks like he's just in it for the money when he does ads like that.

The people I really respect are those that don't use fancy tools and basically what's laying around their shop in parts to make it work. If you have time, take a look at this. It's very long, but amazing work with no fancy tools:



Everyone wants to find a old project that isn't insanely priced to start with, right? Whether you keep it a rat or go whole hog and rebuild from the ground up, well, people should have access to these types of things to keep the in check. I don't have the answers, but I do think the enemy at this point IS American Restorations, Storage Wars (this show is also very fake), etc. because reality of these costs is so far removed from what's on TV.

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I personally believe it is all fake and staged for TV. Values and prices are inflated to make it more interesting. Who would spend $3500 to "Restore" a tandem when for $500 they could buy an original one in good condition. Then they would put up with the guy putting new grips, wheels, seats, and not finding the original parts. Which there is a lot of people in Vegas with lots of money to blow so who knows... Like they say a fool and his money are soon parted.

 

[ozzmonaut]

I never watch that show, but I saw one last night. Some guy brought in an old beat up battery charger. When it got complicated sorting all that funky wiring inside, AR took the easy way out and just took a small new battery charger inside of the old one, cleaned up the glass, and repainted the new shell on the outside. Pretty cheesy work.

We all know these shows are fake, but as long as people keep watching, well there you go. My friend knew a welder whose job it was one of those car "build" shows to come in at night and redo all of the welding.

I agree though, promoting work with ridiculous prices leaves the other 98% having to deal with the consequences. Just look on the ebays, people selling rusty old pedal cars for insane amounts of money in the hundreds of $$$. A rusty old pedal car from the 70s is worth, well, not much in reality. Barrett-Jackson auctions have really hyped up older car prices, too. Just because a (1) old VW split-window bus sold for a 1/4 $1M at auction, or a Dodge Superbird, etc. doesn't mean these cars are actually worth that.

I watched this one as well. I laughed out loud when I saw the little Walmart charger hiding behind the louvers in the top cover. And when Rick explained all of the functions the charger would be able to perform? "This thing's gonna slow charge, trickle-charge, if you're battery is dead it will jump-start it..." HAH! That's like putting a modern 4-cyl under the hood of a classic muscle car. "This thing's gonna start, move the car, if you hit the gas pedal your speed's gonna increase"

 

[outskirtscustoms]

Yes, but people forget those cars at Barret Jackson that go for huge $$$ are normally flawlessly nut and bolt restored or are original with like 3 miles ever. Also many are the first or second one off the assembly line or are connected to someone famous raising their value. For example a regular '59 Caddy would go around $70K nicely restored. Elvis Presley's '59 Caddy would go for $1,000,000+ easy.

 

[jadewombat]

Yes, but people forget those cars at Barret Jackson that go for huge $$$ are normally flawlessly nut and bolt restored or are original with like 3 miles ever. Also many are the first or second one off the assembly line or are connected to someone famous raising their value. For example a regular '59 Caddy would go around $70K nicely restored. Elvis Presley's '59 Caddy would go for $1,000,000+ easy.

So you're saying an auction "bidding war" pushes prices up to their real value? I don't think so. A non-auction 23-window VW split-bus is not going to sell for $250,000. Never. No way. We both know this. Someone with this kind of money could source a decent 23-window and have it professionally restored by the finest in the industry, replacing every single component with NOS parts and whatnot to factory standards and it is still not going to cost anywhere near $250K. I know the cars are nice on Barrett-Jackson, but still TV is not helping the average guy like you and me.



There is hope though, maybe. Saw this on the ebays this morning, not rare but a decent price. 0 bids so far:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131208876033?fe_1_2

 

[outskirtscustoms]

I agree no VW splitty should ever cost $250,000 unless it was the FIRST one ever made or had some kind of special history (belonged to a president or was customized by George Barris) I'm was only saying that the cars going through Barret Jackson are held to a much higher quality standard than your average "guy in his garage" restoration and thus demand a larger price. Also you get two guys in a room fighting over one car and they both have deep pockets sometimes ego overrides actual value of the car.

 

[heartlandcruisers]

I agree no VW splitty should ever cost $250,000 unless it was the FIRST one ever made or had some kind of special history (belonged to a president or was customized by George Barris) I'm was only saying that the cars going through Barret Jackson are held to a much higher quality standard than your average "guy in his garage" restoration and thus demand a larger price. Also you get two guys in a room fighting over one car and they both have deep pockets sometimes ego overrides actual value of the car.

i have a 53 split window bug i built into baja bug.
i was offered 12k for it and excitedly accepted it because it was not original but was cool.
i am failing to see the value f these bugs much more then 100k in museum quality

 

[outskirtscustoms]

A split window baja bug?!? That would be cool. And would definitely stir up a ruckus in the VW purist community. I think people forget the VW bug was the most produced car in the world and therefore the most common car in the world.

 

[heartlandcruisers]

A split window baja bug?!? That would be cool. And would definitely stir up a ruckus in the VW purist community. I think people forget the VW bug was the most produced car in the world and therefore the most common car in the world.

yeah the vw purists hated it but i got it and a 63 from a barn and neded more work then their value to restore so i baja'd it trimmed the fenders about 4 inches french curved the ends added 15 inch offload tires in the rear and sand rail wheels in the front. lifted the back 3 inches and added a dual carb setup and custom straight pipe exhaust
i then made a custom baja nose clip for it.
interior was a full cage recaro racing seat and full gauges from vdo.
it was sweet and i miss it but 12k i couldn't pass it up

 

[outskirtscustoms]

yeah the vw purists hated it but i got it and a 63 from a barn and neded more work then their value to restore so i baja'd it trimmed the fenders about 4 inches french curved the ends added 15 inch offload tires in the rear and sand rail wheels in the front. lifted the back 3 inches and added a dual carb setup and custom straight pipe exhaust
i then made a custom baja nose clip for it.
interior was a full cage recaro racing seat and full gauges from vdo.
it was sweet and i miss it but 12k i couldn't pass it up

Sounds awesome!

 

[heartlandcruisers]

it was but now i got a even cooler 1973 squareback once i get to it.
gonna rat-rod it up with flat black red wheels and 3 inch drop all around

 

[jadewombat]

i have a 53 split window bug i built into baja bug.
i was offered 12k for it and excitedly accepted it because it was not original but was cool.
i am failing to see the value f these bugs much more then 100k in museum quality

I agree, it's a friggin' car not the Holy Grail.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1613881

In a Porsche 911. This gets really interesting at 1:00,

 

[outskirtscustoms]

That's got to be embarrassing, your Porsche just got passed by a van.

 

[patman73]

i saw an epesode of american restoration where a bmx rider brought in a amv evel kenivle bike to ger restors the price was over $!000 & they had 3 guys taking it apart
kowboy, the nerdy new picker & brently .it only needs one person to take a bike apart !

 

[tanksalot]

There are lots of wrestlers I wish were still around. Andre the giant, Eddie Guerero, and Chris Benoit just to name a few. I still can't believe the way Chris Benoit ended everything, I knew the guy since he was the Michigan crippler and never thought he could do something like that. It's a crazy world ain't it?

1/3 of the Wrestlers That where in Wrestle Mainia VI I believe ,The event was in 1991 Have passed away. This does not including Miss Elizabeth who also passed away she was there but didn't wrestle in that event. That's a lot of People .. Compared to 1 NFL player that was in the Super Bowl that year.

 

[Rebel_56]

That show is scripted. I know all those guys on the vegas reality shows. The evil knievel bike my buddy did the wheels on. Every Las Vegas reality show is scripted. Trust me us vegas locals think those guys are jokes. They walk around town like they are Wayne Newton and part of the vegas elite. Half the stuff used on these vegas shows are loaned and used to make good tv.i use the term "good" loosely.

 

[gigmata]

I agree, it's a friggin' car not the Holy Grail.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1613881

In a Porsche 911. This gets really interesting at 1:00,

I wonder if the van driver also drives the school bus. Judging by the sharpness of German students they know better than to be late if he is.


- by Gigmata