What's a fair price?

[Spankey the magic chimp]

That's right mate. Best beaches!
Living 2 minute walk onto the sands of Scarborough beach. Surf can be a bit messy down there, but always good for a dip. Was watching the whales spouting out in the deep water this morning.
NOICE!!

[crewcabconnection]

Stuff like that a few years ago was worth the price of a tow tops. Now on eGay, they are apparently worth $2000.00. To me that $2000.00 is mearly a gesture of payment, and in no way represents any real tangible value.

Let's be honest about a 'decent' fix for something like that - assuming your getting a professional VW specialist to fix it.

Please feel free to amend guys and gals if these seems way off.

1. Body - the lower nose inner and outer repairs. The sills inner and outer, 'repair' the rear corners, battery boxes. Replace the drivers floor area, passenger a foot or so in. Replace the innder floors, a foot or so either side and outriggers. Repair the door skin bottoms. - I am talking steel fixes to a decent condition - not absolute 'show' condition. General and usual stuff for a bus that looks like that I guess.

Budget $10-$15k

2. replace the rubbers and seals in the doors windows etc, with German or WCM ones - $1k

3. new master cylinder, wheel cylinders, hoses etc., $1k

4. Half decent secondhand motor $700-$1000

5. Electrical work $500.00

6. Paint preparation work - $5k

7. High Fill and Top Coat in 2 pac inside and out $6k

8. Assorted crap that happens 3k.

9. Retrim the interior $2k

10. BRMS, Radar type rims and rubber $2k

---------------

Anyway, I'd say that that kind of money would get you a decent bus that looks good - but running on stock suspension, reduction boxes and running gear these days.

I think if you're budget tops at say $12k, then go buy a 12k bus off the bat, running with rego. If you've got $10-20k then consider a build up, but be prepared not to have everything you want off the bat. If you've got $20-$30k, then you're being realistic about what a 2k eGay bus will burn you. If you're willing to spend $30-$40k, then you're gonna get into something pretty special and get to give it more personal details.

BUT if you are skilled, have experience, access to the right gear and advice, then you are gonna save a lot on those figures of course. I don't, but having seen where the money goes and how a 40 year old spot welded car was put together in the first place then hammered on the roads - I now appreciate the time and skill it takes to get them sorted out.

The other option of course is to think about a Low Light Bay - these are fast becomming the 'next' thing, and prices are rising...but you can still get a great car with all the best ride bits and cool look for less money...

Don't wanna pizz on yer parade, and hope this helps, but dude, the price they go for on eGay has absolutely no relation to the price they cost to fix.

Recently there's crap on eGay for 5,6,7,8k which is no better than stuff that opened at a few hundered bucks. If you just want one, then buy something now regardless, they are going up fast, and there are fewer and fewer viable projects around now than 5 years ago - it's just the same as happened in the the US and UK...it' sort of happened faster here in the last few years due to the fewer numbers on offer...you can always just hang onto it for later.

[Spankey the magic chimp]

Taken on board. And thanks. This is exactly the sort of thing I want to know, and it puts the up-front price into some perspective. And you're absolutely right, one can always just hang onto it and stop it from rusting right away. A peculiar investment, but probably resonably sound none the less.

[kroozzn62]

deano that should be archived for all newbies .
Spank heres a good example of wat i goy for $900 plus $440 towing

[kroozzn62]

and love it as is, im a poor simple man that is stupid enough to like old rusty cars..
oneday ill finish one before i sell it ha ha