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You've got a nerve posting this !

I've already had a clip around the ear just opening the auction and a curt instruction ..."get off that, I 'd rather you carry on rebuilding the TR4" ! .

I agree with my better half, much too much work for anybody not skilled AND experienced in Italias I'd suggest, wonder if Stuart thinks £70k might rebuild it ?

Mick Richards 

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It’s a bit battered. But you could make it a nice car. Take the roof off and make it a convertible would be a cheap option. 
:ph34r:

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Barring only some of the damage its no more rotten than the one Im doing and FWIW Mick no that wouldnt cover the resto ;)

This has been floating round for a while and was going to be restored by a shop in the US but they obviously chickened out and sold it on, though they have at least re-installed the correct engine which was out of the car and installed in a TR3 that came as part of the original deal and fitted new wheels and tyres. It had been languishing in a field in Minnesota for many years. Luckily pretty much all the difficult to find parts are there so thats a help.

Stuart.

Edited by stuart
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5 hours ago, stuart said:

" ... was going to be restored by a shop in the US but they obviously chickened out and sold it on ..."

Stuart.

US shop had done three prior Italia restorations, and purchased #55 with the intent of finding a deep-pockets buyer to fund a full restoration. They declined a prior approach to sell as-is, so this is a new opportunity.

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13 minutes ago, Italia 227 said:

US shop had done three prior Italia restorations, and purchased #55 with the intent of finding a deep-pockets buyer to fund a full restoration. They declined a prior approach to sell as-is, so this is a new opportunity.

TBH If it went to someone who didnt have too high an overheads then its eminently doable for the current retail value of them, Im surprised the guys at San Louis Obispo havent snapped it up though I reckon it`ll possibly be headed back this side of the water.

Stuart.

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It really would take a brave person to tackle that one ! As Stuart says maybe a bit more metal on this one ,compared to the one he is currently working on , but a lot of the unobtainable parts are there , but then again there are still several item missing that would have to be made . A convertible well there is an idea .

Graham

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Seems like a current Italia owner with a straight (but not numbers-matching) car could donate itself to this vehicle, and then make one high-end example and one mongrel with the repaired body and replacement chassis/mill.  Is that kosher? Or would it be better to restore this by itself?

Dan

PS. A convertible is fine, but the roofline of the Italia is one of the prettiest parts of the car!

Edited by 2long
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Buy it, keep it the way it is and you will be a star on every exhibition.

There is a Mercedes 280SL around at the big exhibitions at Germany every year in a much worse condition.

 

edit, its a 230 SL see here

 

.

Edited by Z320
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3 hours ago, 2long said:

Seems like a current Italia owner with a straight (but not numbers-matching) car could donate itself to this vehicle, and then make one high-end example and one mongrel with the repaired body and replacement chassis/mill.  Is that kosher? Or would it be better to restore this by itself?

Dan

 

I'd argue half the $16k Buy-It-Now price would be covered by acquiring this car's identity. The original body, engine, and associated bits are worth at least the other half. Shifting parts to another car is probably not the best route.

While completeness used to be the number one concern, better Italia parts knowledge and availability have eased those concerns. Looking at Italias offered for sale over the last two years, originality has become a much greater determinate of buyers' willingness to pay.

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12 hours ago, tr graham said:

Just to add it can be done below is proof and where you start 

AE672846-D395-455A-9E3A-3CA70E5007BE.jpeg

Yes yours was definitely a bit rough to start! ;):lol:

Stuart.

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12 hours ago, Pridewood said:

Hello,

She will certainly be a beautiful vehicle, but in my opinion it will always be a recreation of the original. Unfortunalety too little of the original substance can be saved.

John

Cobblers, there no reason to think that at all, Italias are made of thicker steel than TR`s OK your going to have to replace the lower 9" front to back and make a new"A" pillar but the rest is do-able.

Stuart.

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Well I have seen cars in worse condition than this that have been restored and with Italis fetching serious money these days I'm beginning to regret selling my own example.  Now that really was a rust bucket! It was only the windscreen that stopped the roof caving in. which of course it did when I took the screen out! 

 

italia screen.jpg

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1 hour ago, Paul Hogan said:

Well I have seen cars in worse condition than this that have been restored and with Italis fetching serious money these days I'm beginning to regret selling my own example.  Now that really was a rust bucket! It was only the windscreen that stopped the roof caving in. which of course it did when I took the screen out! 

 

italia screen.jpg

They do rot well when left outside!

Stuart.

 

IMG_5159 - Copy.JPG

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16 hours ago, iain said:

Neat little overdrive switch on there Stuart :D

Iain

There was more insulating tape holding it on than enough!

Stuart.

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On the bright side looking at the car on ebay the shipping charges would be low, just brush  up all the rust,stick it in an envelope and send it by us mail :rolleyes:.

(Ducks, runs for cover and hides for the next 5 years from all the Italia owners and lovers)

cheers

Alan

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16 hours ago, Italia 227 said:

SOLD !!

image.png.b8906907b8181b437714b6b001b50359.png

 

 

 

Do you know who bought it? Private or resto company?

Stuart.

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