Labour Hours need for a N&B restoration of an Interceptor?

[Martin B]

Do members have a view on how many labour hours it takes to do a full restoration on a MK3 Interceptor? I know that is a bit like asking how long is a piece of string, condition of the vehicle, but generally is there an estimated figure?

[AlistairT]

Hi there, fuzz did a article in classic car weekly a couple of weeks ago and said it was around 1100 hours to do a car at £40 per hour that’s 44 grand plus parts ect.. you might be able to find the information on line..try asking Dave at oily rag classics he should be able to give you a better idea
Cheers
Alistair

[Martin B]

Thanks Alistair.

[Mark1Stu]

I was once told by a respected specialist who has restored a number of Jensen Interceptors that a properly restored Interceptor (and many aren't) can eat up 2000 hours.

I think it would be fair to say this figure is more relevant to the later, more complicated examples - and assumes the car is complete.

[Dion]

Realise that an Interceptor is no ordinary mass produced car. This has its advantages, there are many ways and options to get everything right. However the negative is that it also means it needs many hours to get everything right.

Just to give an example, I was gobsmacked how many hours went into just the building up, aligning and fitting of all parts on a door. I have a fair amount of experience of working on (classic) cars, but these were always mass made and not hand built like the Interceptor.
My blue Int has had new, never used doors while the PO "restored" the car 20+ years ago. He never really finished the car and with hindsight I can understand why. I bought the car with ill fitting door frames and no fitted interior door panels (they were with the car though). Aligning the door to the front and rear wings, getting the electric windows to work properly, align the door frames and rubbers to the car, aligning and fitting the door locks, aligning, drilling holes in the correct places (making sure these were not where a double skin exist) for the four chrome end pieces, etc etc makes for many many MANY hours. When I started I thought I could have a door ready in a weekend. In reality it took weeks! just for one door. The joys of a hand built car.

It makes you to respect a properly restored Interceptor. There are not too many about and I now know the reason why.

[Toby]

Mine was 2972 hrs with just a partial re-trim of the carpets and hoop, the rest of the trim had been done in the preceding 8 years by Cropredy. The rear tailgate is another monster to get sorted.

[John Staddon]

Don't forget VAT. Most specialist restorers will quote an hourly rate, and £40 an hour could be at the low end of a range of rates you will be given, and then add VAT to the bill when you get it, after all it's not the specialist that is charging VAT it's HM Revenue and Customs. VAT adds 20% to the total. Parts will add 10% to the total, plus VAT, and parts doesn't mean just a new wing section for example, it means every nut bolt and screw and every welding rod and sheet of sandpaper, every panel wipe and every drop of paint and then every flatting disc and bottle of cutting compound and every polishing pad and it all adds up (+VAT).

When these cars were new they could cost as much as a house, and in certain areas of the country at least the same is true of the cost of restoration today.

The best advice on here is to do as much as you can yourself as your time is free, and take your time as drip feeding funds into a project lessens the pain.

Head over to Early Cars Tech and the restoration of early Interceptor No 88 to find out how I know this!

John

[Grant]

If you can't do much of the work yourself to these cars..ie it's not your hobby, then my advice is to buy one already restored and enjoy it, a proper nut and bolt full restoration will be circa £150K, you can buy a stunner for half of that, there was chap on here a few years ago that had the best FF you could ever wished to see, I believe from my calcs that he spend over £200K having it done by one of the leading restorers, it was stunning, he then sold it for £150k and it was on the market for a good while too, you couldn't have restored one for that amount of money to this standard..I love working on these cars for a hobby, but if you can't do that and want a company to restore one for you to top standard including everything with the VAT as John says.. then I believe you won't have any change out of £150k..I am sure others may say different, but that is my belief
I know you were asking hours but converted into ££'s this is what I think you will be spending on a N&B full top scale resto of an Interceptor

[Martin B]

Thank you everyone for your replies. My Jensen is scheduled to come in at £90-100,000 which judging by peoples remarks will be a result. Just got the other one to do after that

[toonkojak]

I have sent you a PM, Martin.