hey gang,
i am working on getting a hold of one of my dream cars. i have a line on an all original, one owner, numbers matching 1969 firebird. it is not really anythign special as far as options. 350/4barrell, auto, power steering, 4 wheel drums.
since it is a numbers matching car i woudl liek to get it properly restored. does anyone have a shop that they coudl suggest? i woudl liek to see a 100pt resto done on it.
i hate to say tht money is no object since i am not a rich man. however, teh cost of a particular shop will nto be the deciding factor on where it goes to be restored. i am looking for the best here.

thanks guys

tim

 

To complete a 100 point restoration on any late 60's auto is going to run you over $50,000. (restoration shop). If you are serious about building a car to that level, I would recommend choosing a more rare and in demand car to start with. You would probably never sell a base 69 firebird for that kind of money. Good
luck - JOLT

 

Tim, my 69 Z28 JL8 car is at PRC in Bridgewater and he is meticulous about his restorations. It takes time though. He's a 2 man shop and he has cars in there all the time. If you're just looking for someone to do the body/paint, I would check out Gary Betsy's place in Yardville. I forget the name of the shop so I'll have to check my old emails when I get home. Also, go to the Hemmings website and search for shops in our area. I would plan on it costing at least $15-20K at the minimum depending on how intense the restoration is.

 

Island Musclecars in Amityville, NY (Long Island) does almost nothing but GM restorations. Top notch work, ain't cheap and he is busy. He painted a car for me and has done lots of other smaller jobs as well. Chris is his name, 631-842-0858.

 

No it won't, you've obviously never done one. I just completed the restoration of my 72 4-4-2 convertible. Muholands Restoration in Vineland, NJ. He recently sold a 69 SS 396 Chevelle to Jay Leno.

http://tiger.towson.edu/~jklein3/442Pics/

Here are a few pics I took before I put it away for the winter. I've got about 30k into it including the cost of the car. Complete frame off restoration and every nut and bolt replaced with brand new OEM.

 

There's a big difference between a 72 442 and a 69 F-body. An NOS 69 Rosewood wheel in mint condition just sold for over $2000 and a pair of NOS 69 Camaro taillight lenses just sold for $547 so you're not going to restore a 69 F-body with NOS parts for a reasonable price. I've got over $25K into parts and work on my 69 Z28 so far and it's not even close to being finished.

 

I think the costs are pretty similar. Each OEM fender/quarter panel was between 1200-1500. The hood was 2200, air cleaner 1300.

At any rate, its not cheap by any stretch. Hate to say it, my 99.9999999% of the people out here would not be able to tell the difference between a 25,000 restored 69 Z28 and the 125,000 one which was completely dissassembled and put on a rotisserie. Not to say I couldn't, and I love to see them, it just ends up being little things like the crayon marks on the firewall, the right threaded nuts on the rear shocks, etc.

*EDIT*
Thats gotta be a gorgeous car Jeff, I want some pics. Me and my dad have been looking for a 69 Z-11 for a while now to restore.

 

I'll agree that 95% of the people at a car show won't know what is correct and original vs incorrect or reproduction, but the real buyers and collectors of the rare high performance cars will in a heartbeat so you can't cut corners. My car will probably have around $60-65K total invested in the car and restoration by time it's done, but a documented, frame off restored JL8, crossram car is worth $70-$75K right now so I won't lose money on it. I'm not having it restored as an investment, I'm having it restored like this because I want to have something different when I go to car shows.

 

I was in Camaro Specialities in East Aurora NY a couple of years ago and he had just finished a "concours" Firebird. Said the bill was around 25k but I don't know its condition before the restoration.
You may want to check out their website.

 

In response to Blue89bird.... Your car is super nice! It looks mint in the pics. No disrespect intended but a frame -off restoration does not mean that a car is now a "100 point" concours automobile. I am sure your car is gorgeous and this is not meant to be taken as anything negative.
I did take a little offense to "you obviously have not done one".
Although I have not owned one, I have been involved with a few upper level concours cars . I can not afford to build a "100 point" car. I tend to agree with Jeff H.
The cost involved will obviously depend on who does what work
and the parts used. I watched a man turn down $60K for a near perfect 69 Z. He knew he could not replace it for that.
Frame -off cars are beautiful and I have tons of respect for anyone that pays to have one done or does it themselves.
a 100 point concours car is the very top of that level. It is kind of like saying " any F-1 driver can hang with M. Schumacher because they are all F-1 drivers".
This is just my experience. I could be wrong.
My main point was a base firebird may not be the best choice of car to spend that kind of money on .
-JOLT

 

As of now, my car is 100 pt show quality, it will stay that way (undriven) until the Olds Nationals, after it wins, it will be driven, as once you drive it, it will never be a concours again.
I could easily sell this car for 35-40k and make quite a profit on it, but it wont happen, I will be buried in the car before it gets another owner.

 

Interesting conversation here.

And that 72 Olds is just beautiful!!! Those pictures I am sure don't do it justice. Does the car have the stock 455 in it?
I would give my left ....... , nahhhh, I wouldn't. But I would give a finger for it. LOL

Heavy

 

My 69 Z28 cost $25K just for the car because it's so rare and documented. I've already turned down numerous offers above what I have into it so far. There aren't a lot of body work guys that can do quarter panels, wheel houses and tailpanels properly on first gen F-body's. So it gets real expensive real fast if you need to have any work done that involves cutting or welding on those panels. If you can get the car for $500 then it might be worth doing. But then again, a $500 Firebird probably doesn't have much metal left on it. If you need to have the body sent to the stripper to be dipped and baked, that's at least $1700 and that doesn't include getting it to and from the stripper. Just don't underestimate the cost or it will never get done because you'll go broke or give up on it.

ps - Blue89Bird, that Olds looks sweet, nice job.