Restoration cost questions.

[FridgeBrilliance]

So I am madly and retardedly in love with my M1009 after a month of ownership. Seriously, I will own this thing until I die. So, I have a few questions. I am pretty handy, but the fine art of body repair and electrical things are beyond me. There is zero rust on the thing, and I don't care about dents and paint, and it is mechanically sound.

What am I looking at cost wise for a restoration along the lines of:

COMPLETE rewire of the entire vehicle with all brand new electrical components.

All rubber and nuts and bolts on the body and frame replaced with new.

Frame and undercarriage cleaned and repainted.

I realize there are parts availability issues, and nobody is going to give me a real number due to not having looked at the truck, I am just looking to put a ballpark number in my head as I am totally unfamiliar with this stuff.

 

[maddawg308]

What's wrong with the bolts on your truck? Are they all bad? If they are good, leave them. No need to bankrupt yourself for that.

Let's just say, get a good estimate, and multiply by three. That will be the cost of the restoration. Restos are killer, very few can do it right and still make money on the vehicle.

 

[Sharecropper]

I would suggest that you first determine just how far you want to take it. The more in-depth and extensive the project scope, the more it will cost. The process will take one of two paths - either the budget will determine the project, or the project will determine the budget. If you have a specific amount you can spend, then maybe you should consider setting that amount as your budget and then design the project scope to fit the budget. Obviously, you would want to list the important items first, such as brakes, tires, etc. and save the cosmetic items until last.

I am fortunate that I have been successful in business over the years and have the financial means to afford the toys most men desire. So when I decided that I wanted to rebuild a CUCV, I took my time and found an outstanding rust-free M1028 in Arizona with 12,338 miles. A dealer in Tucson had it listed on Ebay and I bought it for $3,975. Another $600 got it transported to Kentucky, and I pulled it into my shop in June 2010. Over the past 27 months I have rebuilt just about everything with the exception of the engine, tranny, alternators and front hubs, and I am starting on the hubs next week. The entire process has been documented in my rebuild thread. To date, I have spent over $24,000 in parts and labor, not counting the original cost of the truck. When I add that to the sum, my total outlay is well north of $30 grand. Would I do it again? You betcha. But I hope I don't ever have to.

Hope this helps.