andrew suffolk

Uggeshall, near Southwold

I went to see work in progress today and a bare metal respray is £7k. Probably worth doing because I'll be long dead before it needs doing again!

Thanks for the reply. It seems reasonable- just wanted to make sure I wasn't being overcharged

Hi, I have finally bitten the bullet and have taken my 1969 Vitesse Convertible to a local restorer to try and bring it back to its former glory. So far they have stripped the chassis and welded new plates where it had gone rotten, replaced 2 floorpans and sprayed it all with Schultz. They have also tackled all of the rot on the body, again welding plates where necessary. It is now almost ready for the actual respray. I have seen examples of their work on other cars and it looks very good. My question is this: Is £5,000 a reasonable price for a full respray? (Not bare metal). They charge £40 an hour which sounds reasonable. I just have a nagging feeling that £5k seems excessive. Opinions/experiences welcome!

Hi, I'm now on my 4th Vitesse convertible and it's approaching restoration time. Specifically, the engine is on its way out and will need replacing/ rebuilding. I recall from my youth that Moss offered a wide range of tuning parts for the Vitesse but these days they only seem to do Spitfires. My question is: If I am to get a new engine, is it worth getting one that is stage 2 tuned? What are the unknown unknowns? Will I need to upgrade the carbs, exhaust, suspension etc? Is it worth getting a triple Weber conversion? Is there a specific order in which to replaced parts if the restoration is spread out over a year or two? Any advice or recommendations gratefully received. Thanks Andrew