Hello, I live in MN and have a 1966 Mk1a Tiger in need of a total chassis/body restoration. There is X-chassis rust and collision damage on the whole front end, along with what I presume is "hidden" rust, although the car was pretty nice prior to the accident. Can you please point me in the direction of a quality shop that can do a proper job on a Tiger. I am looking to make a few simple improvements and period correct mods but will end up with a stock outward appearance aside from wheels and tires. The car will be a driver so a full 100 point, factory correct restoration is not what I am after. Thanks and have a great day.
Looking for a Tiger restoration shop.
- Thread starter cleandan
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Moondoggie
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You might want to post some pictures as there are a number of tiger
restoration shops that visit this site. Also you should indicate your budget amount.
Moondoggie
restoration shops that visit this site. Also you should indicate your budget amount.
Moondoggie
Thanks for the reply Moondoggie. At this point I think listing a budget and posting photos is putting the cart before the horse. If a shop is legitimate, honest, and well versed in Tigers my needs will be something they have dealt with before.
Do you know of a shop that you would recommend?
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Rootes Uni-body Enigma
You are smart to look for a shop that has rusted Tiger experience. Those wee uni-bodies behave quite differently than the average gutted rescue. Structural needs are often skipped over in favor of cosmetics, and the baby V-8 torque finds the weakness fast. Certain dimensions are critical to the end product fitting as it should. Above all, it should be fun!
You are smart to look for a shop that has rusted Tiger experience. Those wee uni-bodies behave quite differently than the average gutted rescue. Structural needs are often skipped over in favor of cosmetics, and the baby V-8 torque finds the weakness fast. Certain dimensions are critical to the end product fitting as it should. Above all, it should be fun!
Moondoggie
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Rick,
That is a very reasonable figure for a driver. The body and paint work on my car came in at just a bit over $36k for a rust free California car. Add rebuilding the driveline and every single part that came off the car plus interior and two tops can easily top another $40k. Researching what is period correct can take years and you still might not know if carpet or vinyl is correct for some applications.
Dog.....
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Ouch Money
I noticed quite a rate difference between us Nor'east resto shops and the southern Cali crowd. But, it still remains that, until the rust is found and gone & the historical damage is corrected, the money number is fairly unpredictable and usually a wild ride $$$$$.
I noticed quite a rate difference between us Nor'east resto shops and the southern Cali crowd. But, it still remains that, until the rust is found and gone & the historical damage is corrected, the money number is fairly unpredictable and usually a wild ride $$$$$.
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Ouch Money
I noticed quite a rate difference between us Nor'east resto shops and the southern Cali crowd. But, it still remains that, until the rust is found and gone & the historical damage is corrected, the money number is fairly unpredictable and usually a wild ride $$$$$.
I noticed quite a rate difference between us Nor'east resto shops and the southern Cali crowd. But, it still remains that, until the rust is found and gone & the historical damage is corrected, the money number is fairly unpredictable and usually a wild ride $$$$$.
Moondoggie
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Randy,
It's all just a matter of hours to get it right. Here on the west coast GOOD
body shops that can fab parts and do show finish paint jobs get anywhere
from $80/hour on up.........Just to get the body straight on my car and the car
was in nice condition still took $25k and that does not count paint work. As you know it's all about paying attention to details and getting the panels to line up with the correct gaps...Perfection isn't cheap !!!
Moondoggie
It's all just a matter of hours to get it right. Here on the west coast GOOD
body shops that can fab parts and do show finish paint jobs get anywhere
from $80/hour on up.........Just to get the body straight on my car and the car
was in nice condition still took $25k and that does not count paint work. As you know it's all about paying attention to details and getting the panels to line up with the correct gaps...Perfection isn't cheap !!!
Moondoggie
RESTORATOIN SHOPS
DEPENDENT ON WHERE YOU ARE IN MN (DEEP SNOW STORM TODAY?) YOU MIGHT CONSIDER SKUNK RIVER RESTORATIONS IN AMES IOWA. DAD ALAN HAS A TIGER, STEVE HAS 2 TIGERS , PLUS HALF A DOZEN ALPINES, AND WHOLE BUNCH IF MGS AND BRITISH CARS. GO TO "SKUNK RIVER RESTORATIONS.COM"
TO VIEW THEIR LAIR GO TO "fordmustang.us
roger
DEPENDENT ON WHERE YOU ARE IN MN (DEEP SNOW STORM TODAY?) YOU MIGHT CONSIDER SKUNK RIVER RESTORATIONS IN AMES IOWA. DAD ALAN HAS A TIGER, STEVE HAS 2 TIGERS , PLUS HALF A DOZEN ALPINES, AND WHOLE BUNCH IF MGS AND BRITISH CARS. GO TO "SKUNK RIVER RESTORATIONS.COM"
TO VIEW THEIR LAIR GO TO "fordmustang.us
roger
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tigerracer
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$80.00 an hour........I need to raise my rates.....lol
Dale
Dale
Moondoggie
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I was just giving Randy what the prevailing rate is for good body work....
My Tiger which you have never seen other than pictures is laser straight with no bondo anywhere....If you work at the trade for another 30 years you might get to that level if you are lucky. You make some nice parts but you are not the best at everything.....
Dog
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Very Good People
I'm lucky in having a life long association with very good tin & paint Gurus. These guys can hand form and color with the best of them! But, what really supports the shop is the available day work from a community who can only support what their income will bear. Very few owners can afford to drive in and tell us "just do it". . . . . .
But it sure is prideful fun when it happens.
I'm lucky in having a life long association with very good tin & paint Gurus. These guys can hand form and color with the best of them! But, what really supports the shop is the available day work from a community who can only support what their income will bear. Very few owners can afford to drive in and tell us "just do it". . . . . .
But it sure is prideful fun when it happens.tigerracer
Silver forum user
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My work speaks for itself, nation level concour wins at Lime Rock, Palo Alto and a 2 cars on the grass at the Quale.
Dale
Dale
Moondoggie, I do not know you nor do I know Dale other than by what I have been party to on this very website.
I am, however, getting a less than great feeling about you based on your comments to my opening post, your responses to other members who have tried to help and what is beginning to sound like general grumpieness from you toward a fellow CAT member.
To this point you have not even hinted about any high quality, or even less so, shops that may help me in my quest.
Again, do you know of a shop that you are willing to recommend?
So far your "answers" are a bunch of figures and general information you are willing to give that is basic knowledge to anyone who has played the car game for more than a few years. From other posts you seem better versed than your current answers reveal.
Now you are calling Dale out, for lack of a better description, concerning the quality of his work and his attitude. Why do you feel the need to tell Dale he is "not the best" and infer his work is substandard?
Is his work poor?
Are his work ethics to be questioned?
If so then stand up like a man and say so. If it is the truth then you have nothing to worry about for it is the truth. If, however, it is opinion you are entitled to your opinion but please let us know you are spouting your opinion and give reasons why you are being negative. Otherwise you just sound like a poor sport who is choking on sour grapes.
I like this forum and I hope you do not turn my general inquiry for a good shop into a personal sounding board for your issues.
Thank you and have a great day.
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Thanks for the lead Roger.
My 2 cents
I wish I could help you with your quest. I will say that shops that dont have Sunbeam experence, WILL make mistakes, that could ruin your car. That being said, the few "experts" out their are VERY expensive. Also over the years I have spoken to many of those experts, and I will tell you, expert 1, will not always agree with expert 2, and #3 thinks the other 2 are completely wrong. There seems to be personallity conflicts amongst them. Good luck with your car, post some pics so we can see its condition.
I wish I could help you with your quest. I will say that shops that dont have Sunbeam experence, WILL make mistakes, that could ruin your car. That being said, the few "experts" out their are VERY expensive. Also over the years I have spoken to many of those experts, and I will tell you, expert 1, will not always agree with expert 2, and #3 thinks the other 2 are completely wrong. There seems to be personallity conflicts amongst them. Good luck with your car, post some pics so we can see its condition.
Thanks for the post. Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I own a few somewhat odd vehicles and am never at a loss for "experts" to tell me what should or should not be. The tough part is when it comes time to choose. Unfortunately in the past I did ALL the proper legwork vetting a certain shop only to be cheated by the owner who let his 16 and 18 yr old sons do my car as "practice". How does one ensure against that sort of judgement?
That happened to me in 1989 with my 1966 7-LITRE Galaxie. They caused about 10 times more damage than if the car had been left alone. I have been very afraid of body/restoration shops ever since. It is a fear I will probably never get past.