I wouldn't be so hot to pull the trigger on a car that will only be sold unless the shop does the work in addition to a 1-2 year wait just to get started then a 2 year if not longer restoration (I looked at the car & the shops web site) That car needs everything..Your looking at least 4 years till you see it done..In that time frame lots of things can happen..For the money your going to spend I guarantee you a car will come along thats already done or needs a lot less work in that 4 year time frame..The only way I would do this type of deal is everything & mean everything has be put down on paper the most critical being start date & provisions to allow you to pull the car if any of the project time frame dates are not met within a 2 week window..As a shop owner myself I'm not keen on this type of deal..Why is it so critical he do the work ? If he has a 2 year backlog.. I can't stress enough how important a written contract with escape clauses allowing you to pull the car should things go sour or your not happy..Nothing against the shop looks like they do nice work but step back a moment clear your head & really think this through.. If you want the car that bad just ask how much it would take to buy the car with out the work..Your gonna be 50k or better into that car when all is said & done,,Give me 50k to work with & I will find a pristine one in 1 year or less !!
Thanks for the advice and I hear what you are saying.
I look at it this way, how many Canadian Sprints am I likely to find. There were only 495 of them ever shipped here and only 6 are listed on the registry which includes this one. There is another guy in Quebec who has been searching for a second car for 4 years now. I'm not getting any younger and if it takes 4 or 5 years to find one and then restore it I might be too old to enjoy it. His time frame fits with my financial plan and retirement plan too. If all goes well the car will be ready at the same time I plan to sell my business and retire. The time frame we discussed and I stated here are worst case expectations. He may be able to start earlier than that.
I won't get into specifics regarding the cost of the job but his initial ball park is much lower that you figured.
I looked at the cars currently for sale and unless I can lay eyes on them and be provided proof the work was done right I would be hesitant to spend big bucks on a car. Of the 8 for sale now on CL, 2 are basket cases, 2 have been butchered, and the last 4 claim to be restored. So lets say I buy one of the basket cases or the butchered ones. Now I need to get it shipped here and then find the time to restore it myself. Keep in mind I have one car on the go right now and three trailers waiting to be done. I'm lucky to get 20 hrs a week into a project for 6 months of the year. That's about 500 hrs a year towards each project. My current car will probably be 2 years before it's done and then the trailers will take another 4 years to complete. So if I buy one and do it myself it would be 8 years before I could start it. 10 years from now the car will be on the road.
Sure I can spend big bucks on a "restored" car but I will have to take my chances that the job is done right. I don't want a Gas Monkey car. Can I really be sure the car is restored properly without seeing photographic proof and seeing the car in person. NO and I am unable to fly all over to see cars in person.
So on to your second point about the contract. Of course there will be a contract. I'm in business myself and always get everything set out on paper with any vendor I use. If there is no contract it boils down to a he said she said situation and that is useless in court.
I still need to see this car in person and meet with the shop owner and discuss the plan. If that doesn't go well I will walk.
