Need help on value of 53 4AD project

[legend95]

HI all. I Need some advice. I posted Last year I bought a 53 4AD....Things have not gone as planned.. I have the chassis all done. The frame was blasted, primed and painted. As well as all brackets, and rear end. Chassis is all put together. The engine is a rebuilt 1968 MGB engine. and 4 speed trans. Very nicely installed. Has a pierce intake, and a weber 32/36 carb. Has an aluminium radiator/ electric fan.. Clutch is new, with mgb clutch slave installed. Brakes all new. new master, rebuilt wheel cylinders, new High friction material on ft. shoes. So, chassis is done, ready to drive. All front sheet metal has been stripped and put in epoxy primer. Doors are stripped, but not yet in primer. rest of body tub, still has paint on it. I have the original speedo and gauge cluster, and Ive tested them to work. I also have the original type trafficators and they work...The only parts I dont have are bumpers and seats. ALSO this car has always been inside and has no rust holes. And the wood sections seem to be in good condition.
.... My Health has gone to hell, and I'm not going to be able to finish. What I need from you experts, Is, What do you think a fair value would be. I realize it has a different engine. But mgb's are very reliable, easy to get parts. And as a bonus, it is twice the hp, and no body mods. to get it to fit.. And I know very well, that what I have into it $....doesn't mean anything for value. I'm just looking for the boards opinion..
...Thank you in advance for your help.

[indian301]

Since no one else has replied I will put my 2 cents in. My take on this project is that it is worth around $3,500.00. Now, I know you have way more money than this into it! But, it is not a running, driving car. The interior, convertible top, and paint alone will between 10-15,000 if done professionally. Not to mention chrome plating and wiring and the car still needs to be assembled. My friend is currently having his 1966 Mustang painted, $9500.00.

Dave

[legend95]

Ouch, that hurt....LOL...Dave, Thanks for the honest opinion....careful what you ask for, right?.....Thats disappointing, I've seen totally unrestored cars go for that. Cars that need everything... I guess the Market is really bad for these things. Probably us baby boomers getting older and getting out of the market. I'll just have to throw it in the barn, and forget about it for awhile.

[ColinB]

There is much you can do yourself to achieve a reasonable restoration without paying enormous professional prices. Personally I would just assemble it to make a generally complete part-restored car before offering it for sale - it is after all just bolted together. The MG engine makes it less attractive to a purist unfortunately and in the UK that engine will only make between £500 and £1000, so I think you will get a better outcome selling the whole car.

[indian301]

My suggestion is to remount the body on the car and spray it in primer. Get it assembled as much as possible to make it look like a more complete car. Maybe someone will see the potential and buy it. If they can drive it they are more likely to buy it. Cosmetics make the car sell, the better it looks the easier it will be to sell. The MG engine in my opinion is an upgrade if you really want to drive it!

DAve

[mikeyr]

the 4AD is a super easy car to restore, its unfortunate that you don't have the right engine but I have seen some great examples with MG drivetrains, there is one in Northern California that is a Singer body sitting on a entirely MG frame/drivetrain, they just lifted the body and moved it (I am sure with many mods to frame and body). When its driving down the road it looks exactly like a Singer but as the owner once told me, any part he needs, he gets at the auto parts store. The only thing that detracts from the Singer look is the wire wheels that Singer never offered, but I prefer them and always wanted to do a 4AD with wire wheels, so I went pre-war

What I am trying to say is, keep the car and do the work yourself. Go into the pre-war section on this forum and look at the quality work that Collin is doing with brush painting his Singer, it does not have to be a expensive affair and is a true learning experience. There will be some expenses, can't avoid that if you want Chrome for example, but you could get a very unique and rare car on the road pretty inexpensively. And someday get a proper motor in it if you wanted.

[legend95]

Thanks to all who have commented...... I better clear something up here. I have been in the car restoration hobby for over 40 yrs. I worked at a body shop when I was 17. I used to do custom Painting.. It's not that I don't have the skills to do this...My problem is my back is so bad, I just can't physically do all the work anymore.. And my frustration, lies in the fact that I jumped into this singer project without doing enough research..Plus I have to admit to myself, I just can't do what I used to...I used to be hell on wheels, now not so much......I've always loved British cars..I've owned 4 xke Jaguars, And 4 Xj6's. I have a 64 xke coupe, that I've had for 37 yrs..awsome driving car. From 1990-1995 I vintage raced it. That car is a blast at 140 mph...
.....I'm Just going to put it up for sale and see what happens. I think, once some see's how nice it is,.And how well put together it is.. it will sell..Plus I have it set up to start and run. So a buyer can hear it run, and see it has 60lbs of oil preasure and runs nice and quiet. Time will tell...

[tvdwerf]

I think Indian has right, I have 2 Singer 4A's in my workshop, one for driving when ready, and the other to sell.
But that one has an original engine block who needs revision, an original gearbox, axles, and a rust free chassis.
The front is ready, it is a rolling body with complete mechanical brakes, but nobody is interested for € 2500.
So I think I make both ready as painted cars, the engine revision can wait for the next owner.

So when it is a rolling body, ready for the final paint, and maybe driving, I think 3500 is not far from the end price, sorry.

[ColinB]

That is really tough Tony. Let's hope your back improves.