Any thoughts on how much it'd cost to restore this rig?

[mtnbbud]

Moderator: I'm not sure the best place to post this. Feel free to move it.

Any thoughts on how much it'd cost to restore a rig like this? Craigslist Post
PROJECT 4X4 FORD 1 TON ALL FIBERGLASS, 23FT - $1500.

I don't have the tools or facilities to take on a project like this, but I keep thinking how fun this project could be and how cool it'd be when completed. I'm estimating it'd take years to complete for someone like me who wasn't retired.

[77rollalong]

well the 460 will stop for nothing but a gas station....

[30sweeds]

I love it!! That thing is worth more than you think.The fiber glass shell combined with the interior gutted probably means no water issues. 460's and C6 transmissions are cheap to work on.It's a project I personally would love to tackle.Does it make sense? Will you eventually get most of your money back? Does it get good gas mileage?(LOL) Are you gonna winter in Arizona in it? The answer is NO to those and most other questions.Is it super cool? Yes!! What else do you need? If you have the Mechanical ability and aren't afraid of work,know how and have the patience to dig out cheap parts,what are you waiting for?

[pyoung47]

Restoration of this is possible, and can be done relatively inexpensively if you just want something to camp out in with a bathroom. If you want to restore it to like new or (wife acceptable) condition, it would be quite a bit. I don't think you will find too many four wheel drive class B or C for sale, so that makes this a bit more attractive. That mileage is relatively low for a 460 Ford, but those engines are notorious fuel hogs.

You can actually find tons of old serviceable motor homes out there in the 5-10 thousand range, and that would likely be a much better investment.

[toedtoes]

Nice job!

[77rollalong]

Any thing is possable, this was done over last winter form sept to may..
Before

After

[whizbang]

mtnbud,

Dude. You have me seriously concerned for your welfare. Cold weather winter camping is seriously do-do. The hazards are too many to list. Personally, I have slide off icy trails/roads twice. You can also find yourself miles off the beaten path and have the road get snowed in. And that is with a 100% reliable vehicle.

Because of it's age, the vehicle you are considering is suspect, even after you "fix" everything. What is your plan if you are 20 miles deep in the woods on a FS road and a 19 degree morning when it starts snowing and your engine, transmission, transfer case, locking hubs, furnace or whatever ***** out on you?
Wait for a hiker to find you next May?

This is nuts. Forget about it.

[Bordercollie]

People start projects like this and never complete them due to financial, health and/or family issues. Do you really want to spend a year or more working on this old rig or do you want to buy and start using an RV. Is your mate in favor of you spending a lot of time on the project and patient enough to wait for the outcome and finally enjoy RV'ing in the rig?

[nodepositnoretu]

I would suggest getting a 4x4 pick up truck and a truck camper. It will do all that you have mentioned.
That old 460 motor will kill you on fuel too.if you want the fun of a build? Bu a old Fed Ex truck or Bread Truck ,they will have been fleet serviced their whole lives,you have a aluminum body and great diesel to get you there,many have Allison tyranny’s too.

[77rollalong]

I rebuilt our 1977 rollalong last year and I figured it was around $4000 to just rebuild the exterior and roof with some interior work, replacing the floor covering, and redesigning the dining area. the big thing is how much work you can do yourself and if the chassis is in fair shape and how mush time you have as well

[Ralph_Cramden]

Chum lee wrote:
IMO, the current owner should pay you to come and get it before it gets impounded and crushed for scrap value of about $.03/lb. which, IMO, probably wouldn't cover the towing/storage fees at the scrap yard.

That said, I admire your courage.

100% agree and also admire his courage....for starting this thread..... and getting comments from people of which probably 80% do not know which end of a nail is the business end LOL.

I would probably have to pay the scrapyards around here more than $.03 a pound to take that thing off my hands.

[tatest]

Restore to what condition?

It has been gutted, no RV furnishings. To just get it on the road as an empty shell, it could easily be $2000-5000 for good tires, brakes, suspension parts. At least it runs.

It could take $2000-3000 to furnish it minimally for use as some sort of a camping van, 50 to 200 hours work. Cost beyond that will depend on your standards of camping comfort, decisions about whether you need air conditioning, a generator for running the 120V AC systems (including air conditioning) when not hooked up, and so on, as the difference between a minimalist camping unit and full home comfort in a RV represents $10,000 to $15,000 worth of equipment. This is from experience building campers into van shells.

If you are talking about restoration to original configuration, museum quality or sale as a classic (there is some potential for this model) you might be looking at $50,000 to $200,000, and thousands of hours work, tracking down and buying OEM parts for a fairly rare vehicle, or having replica parts fabricated. This model is rare enough that the restoration task is closer to the restoration of a wrecked hulk of a limited production racing car, than it is to restoration of a 1950s-1980s mass production sedan or pony car.

"Restore" might be the wrong word, but if it is the right word, then lots of money and lots of time, the original purchase just a drop in a very large bucket.

[Chum_lee]

IMO, the current owner should pay you to come and get it before it gets impounded and crushed for scrap value of about $.03/lb. which, IMO, probably wouldn't cover the towing/breaking/storage costs at the scrap yard.

That said, I admire your courage and if you want to start another thread like this one: (in Class A Motorhomes)

"Anyone interested in 83 Pace Arrow Tear down and Rebuild?" buy it and get started. The thread is currently at +-3,262 posts and 327 pages. You can't be the first . . . but, . . . you could be next!


Chum lee

[klutchdust]

Having restored muscle cars and installed living quarters in my cargo gooseneck trailer I can say with all honesty that this isn't a project worth anything. You are starting at the wrong point.
You could find a vehicle that you like at a higher price then add on and refurbish what is there. Restoring and going through the drive train alone is going to cost 10K. The engine/trans and chassis needs to be gone through, new tires and most likely radiator, batteries and all new suspension parts.
If this was a one of a kind vehicle and you had unlimited resources i say go for it. To have to pay someone to do the work for you, the cost would be staggering. Basically this vehicle is a piece of junk.

[valhalla360]

If you just want a project and don't care about cost or usability...go for it.

If you want to get out camping, look for a small lightweight truck camper to go into your Tacoma. You can probably find an old used one in serviceable condition for far less than you would put into this thing to get it even marginally functional.