randall977 Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Hi, just registered on this forum to hopefully gleeen some useful information if that's ok... I would like to buy a TR4 to restore and have seen two partial restorations (which I'm sure some of you are aware of - one primed yellow one purple!). My dad bought a TR4 back in 1978 (just after I was born) and restored it, let it go and then I restored it again (badly) in 1995 (we then sold it). See picture below. I've restored quite a few cars but welding and painting are the two areas I stay clear of (well maybe a bit of painting!). One car I'm looking at has been off the road for 30 years but is solid, good interior, new hood but engine condition is unknown! It has no hard top or whire wheels £5K. The other has been partially restored, rebuilt and primed ready for painting. It has wire wheels and hard top and the engine has been partially rebuilt - interior is poor £6K. I'm hoping to look at both cars within the next few weeks. My aim is to restore and have ready for summer - any advice? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Smokey Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Which summer ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Hi, just registered on this forum to hopefully gleeen some useful information if that's ok... I would like to buy a TR4 to restore and have seen two partial restorations (which I'm sure some of you are aware of - one primed yellow one purple!). My dad bought a TR4 back in 1978 (just after I was born) and restored it, let it go and then I restored it again (badly) in 1995 (we then sold it). See picture below. I've restored quite a few cars but welding and painting are the two areas I stay clear of (well maybe a bit of painting!). One car I'm looking at has been off the road for 30 years but is solid, good interior, new hood but engine condition is unknown! It has no hard top or whire wheels £5K. The other has been partially restored, rebuilt and primed ready for painting. It has wire wheels and hard top and the engine has been partially rebuilt - interior is poor £6K. I'm hoping to look at both cars within the next few weeks. My aim is to restore and have ready for summer - any advice? Hi there and welcome. If you can find a car that looks like the one in the photo you should be good for this summer but it sounds like you have some experience in the family and you probably know that these projects take longer and cost more to complete than you might first assume and that any body that needs sorting is always harder than the mechanical bits so I would be looking for the one that has the best tub and outer panels and is otherwise the most complete otherwise be thinking of summer 2012 or buy a finished car or perhaps a rolling restoration project. Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Thanks for the replies. It will take longer and cost more but you have to start off optomistically - I'm pretty driven when it comes to projects - no rest until it's done! I would appreciate any thoughts on these two cars - though I know the info is limited. I only have £7K to play with right now - should I wait for a rolling project instead? 'This car has been fully stripped, the chassis has been rebuilt, body work has had sections fitted and they have been leaded in. The shell is in primer ready for prep and paint. Engine stripped and the head has been rebuilt. Lots of new parts, everything here to finish. Sitting on wire wheels. Overdrive model - £5995. 'This 1963 uk car has been dry stored for many years,it is all complete,(parts removed are boxed up),but it has the benefit of having been fitted (properly) with new inner and outer sills and amazingly had all four wings replaced with the original stanpart items, also had replacement doors (not skins) has an excellent bootlid and bonnet,original colour appears to have been light blue, later repainted BRG, then finally finished in the very 70's magenta you see now, all floors including bootfloor are excellent as are the inner wings all round,the cxhassis is very good and untouched, panel fit is very good, car is complete but partially dismantled, ie carbs off,rad removed, wood dash removed ,etc, all interior is there with recovered seats new door cards, correct rear cover, new hood,very good ally cockpit finishers,orig steering wheel, orig overdrive gearbox,really i cant see any welding needed, this is a straight forward rebuild on a straight car, needs a capable enthusiast to return it to the road, a very worthwhile winter project as these cars are really esculating in value , only selling as I have one to many projects ,I've seen many rotten running cars with fibreglass panels etc (check the price of wings today) for over £6000 and you still have to strip them down buy the panels and take the next few months welding the tub up and trying to get everything to fit!!, this car is for sale at £4995' Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Buy the one with the surrey and sell the surrey on to finance the repaint Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Good idea but what a shame to loose the hardtop! Initially the primed one looks a much more tempting prospect but really until I see it in the flesh I can't tell how well it has been done. Would I be right in saying that a new loom is about £160? New carpets?? Wouldn't be a big deal to rewire would it? Maybe pop over tomorrow...only 130 miles! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Good idea but what a shame to loose the hardtop! Initially the primed one looks a much more tempting prospect but really until I see it in the flesh I can't tell how well it has been done. Would I be right in saying that a new loom is about £160? New carpets?? Wouldn't be a big deal to rewire would it? Maybe pop over tomorrow...only 130 miles! About right for a standard loom with carpets around £100 and dead easy to rewire. You do have to be prepared to travel and if the primered one has had leaded repairs then he most likely has done a better job than most that just use filler. Stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 I have spoken to the seller a few times and he is selling on behalf of a customer who sadly blinded himself in one eye while restoring the car! The leaded bit does sound appealing but I notice the front wing / sill deosn't look very well aligned...could be photo or not bolted back properly yet... So if it were well done with all the parts etc is the asking too much? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 29, 2010 Report Share Posted January 29, 2010 Sad to hear that, but if the shell has been done ok(gaps/fit can be tinkered with before painting)then I would have said yes thats a reasonable enough price. Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Thanks Stuart! I will see if I can view tomorrow... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Go for the surrey top - and don't sell it. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 One difficulty with a car that has been stripped and not completely re-built: do the boxes contain ALL the bits you require in order to complete the job? If not, you can spend a small (?!) fortune and a great deal of time trying to replace any missing items. Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
foster461 Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I would find it hard to resist the primered car with the surrey assuming the work looks ok and there are no critical bits missing and I would not sell the surrey top !. Sorry to hear the circumstances that are causing it to be for sale. Stan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Well I'm off to look at it tomorrow... I'm told all the parts are there, I'll have a good check. If all is as it should be then the plan is to get it transported and straight into the paint shop. I had been considering doing this on the cheap but it's not a car to cut corners on. After that; engine, brakes, electrics (or some other order!). It's a bit of a risk and I wonder why no one else has taken up the challenge but it's the best way of giving myself a project to keep me out of trouble and a better car than I can afford (in theory!). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR 2100 Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 (edited) I would find it hard to resist the primered car with the surrey assuming the work looks ok and there are no critical bits missing and I would not sell the surrey top !. This represents far better value than the Magenta car, and you'll end up with a far better car, one you can be happy with, even if it goes a bit beyond over your initial budget. OK, so you could get the Magenta car on the road perhaps a bit more quickly, and perhaps more cheaply, but I'm not convinced yu would ever be satisfied. Only question is - does the primered car fit in with your plans and budget? If there are any bits missing, you can get most things at reasonab;e cost though eBay. Surrey top? Very nice extra, though I have to confess I prefer full open air motoring, despite having a surrey on my TR4 (second TR4, being put on the road again) will be soft top. Good hunting tomorrow. AlanR Edited January 30, 2010 by TR 2100 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Very good points. Yes it could be more work, but then the magenta car has a big question mark over the engine and the body may not be that great after 30 years off the road. The hard top is a great extra, the wire wheels are a bonus and the number plate is good, the engine has been converted for unleaded and the bodywork is all done. Are there any parts which are particularly rare / expensive which if missing could be a real problem - I'm thinking small easily mislaid parts? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Very good points. Yes it could be more work, but then the magenta car has a big question mark over the engine and the body may not be that great after 30 years off the road. The hard top is a great extra, the wire wheels are a bonus and the number plate is good, the engine has been converted for unleaded and the bodywork is all done. Are there any parts which are particularly rare / expensive which if missing could be a real problem - I'm thinking small easily mislaid parts? Glove box hinges on original white dash are difficult and sunvisor stalks can be dear. But all the bits are out there somewhere. Stuart Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Tony Millward Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Only question is - does the primered car fit in with your plans and budget? AlanR Had a good chuckle there Alan...When ever did a restoration car EVER fit with ones plans and budget?... The primed car seems to be the better choice all round. If that was in Australia, I would have bought it.. Cheers Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Well I'm off to look at it tomorrow... I'm told all the parts are there, I'll have a good check. If all is as it should be then the plan is to get it transported and straight into the paint shop. I had been considering doing this on the cheap but it's not a car to cut corners on. After that; engine, brakes, electrics (or some other order!). It's a bit of a risk and I wonder why no one else has taken up the challenge but it's the best way of giving myself a project to keep me out of trouble and a better car than I can afford (in theory!). Well if you do not buy it can you PM me Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 (edited) I will take photos, get information etc and let you know if I don't buy... Any thoughts on the brake servo upgrade? Edited January 30, 2010 by randall977 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I will take photos, get information etc and let you know if I don't buy... Any thoughts on the brake servo upgrade? Thank you Pm only please Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) 77 JPP is now mine! Sorry no photos at present but the basics are this; body is good, ready for paint just requires some minor finishing. Chassis is A1 amazing - new everything - the previous owner did a fantiastic body off restoration renewing everything - poly bushes etc - totally unused! Car was on the road until 1984. Milage 38K....could be 138K - no signs of wear on the bore but could be new liners. Has unleaded head - engine and gearbox are at least very clean (apparently were running fine). Many many spares, extra wire wheels! Sadly no original steering wheel, no sign of soft tops...but there are a lot of boxes! Take delivery next w/e. Edited January 31, 2010 by randall977 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stuart Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Well done chap. Now the fun starts Stuart. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RAHTR4 Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Andy, Congratulations. Absolutely the right car. Regards, Richard. P.S. I have a spare new I.D. plaque of the type for your car - bought in error as my is a late TR4 and thus is different. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
randall977 Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 (edited) A new ID plaque could be good - I assume it's blank...how much? Thanks Christian (Randall) Edited January 31, 2010 by randall977 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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