Re:Body restorations

[Stan Barnett <S.A.Barnett@domain.elided>]

   Graham,
          Thanks very much for the information, which I will follow up
in due course. I had been looking for a restoration company
close to me because the engine is coming out shortly for overhaul
and I had thought it would have been a good idea to have the body
restored with it out. Now I think I will get the car running and MOT'ed
so I can run it into one or two restorers for a quotation. Distance then
becomes less of a problem. Like you, though, I am finding it difficult
to justify spending £10,000 when I see what I could buy for that -- a
Mk 2 Jag, MGA, Triumph Roadster etc.,
                                                          Stan Barnett.

On Wed, 17 Jun 1998 17:38:49 +0100 (BST) "K.G. Nicholson" 
<kgn@domain.elided> wrote:
>
>Stan 
>
>Sorry to hear of your experiences with Faversham Classics. It sounds 
most
>unsatisfactory.  I have mainly dealt with Abinger Hammer Motors in 
Surrey. 
>(Tel 01306 730427) Roger Morrish is the owner and has been a top 
stag
>specialist for 20 years or so having previously been trained by 
Jaguar. He is
>not cheap however - but his quality is absolutely first class and I 
would
>guarantee that you would not have had a similar response from him 
regarding
>your valves. He always stands by his work.
>
>When I was looking to restore my first stag I was quoted around 6000 
pounds by
>Faversham for a complete rebuild and paint - excluding all mechanical 
work
>which I was prepared to do myself.  Roger wanted around 10,000 
pounds for a
>complete rebuild excluding mechanical.  He always seems have a car 
in the
>workshops being restored so there are people prepared to pay for a 
quality job
>on a stag.  I found it very difficult to accept that it was better to buy
>another car having owned the first one for 10 years or so but the 
financial
>side of professional restoration just does not add up.  Only when stags 
are
>valued at 15000 will it be financially justifiable or worth it. 
>
>Another company that I have had contact with is David Carter in 
Slinfold West
>Sussex (not East Kent I know!) He advertises in the back of the SOC 
magazine
>and might be worth contacting - he does not charge VAT but I cannot 
vouch for
>his quality other than to say his restored cars seem to win quite a 
number of
>concours awards.
>
>Good luck and let us know how you get on. 
>
>Regards 
>
>Graham Nicholson
>
>


S.A.Barnett,
Deputy Director of Estates,
Estates Department,
University of Kent,
Canterbury,
Kent, CT2 7NN.

Tel: 01227 823612
Fax: 761404