This is why I do Everything myself except for machine work and upholstery. Even my own paint. I could never afford to do it this way. Congratulations to the people who can.
Same here, I leave machine work to the dedicated shops, however, I do a bit of upholstery. Recently I restored my 63 MGB, completely trashed, original steering wheel.. 40 bucks in supplies and about 10 hrs work over a few weeks.. Mean time I just helped my friend removing the engine and gearbox in his 59 TR 3, and am now into my 5th month helping a friend in a complete ground up stripped body restoration of a 71 MG Midget round arch with a tricked 1275 and a Datsun 5 speed gearbox. We are finally down to finishing the wiring, should be done by Feb or March. There is a joy and a feeling of accomplishment that is the true reward in messing about with cars; over 60 years as of Jan 2024. Add to that the education and meeting many like minded folks over the years.
I miss this show! The one thing I always loved was Dan's honesty and straightforwardness. Never sugar coated anything. Told you what was wrong with the vehicle and was honest when the cost of repairs/restoration exceeded the value of the vehicle. Shows he's not in it to just make money....trust and reputation is worth way more than making a quick buck on every car. Trust and reputation will result in more business in the long run. It may be a bit pricey to get your ride done at Dan's, but it's worth every cent knowing you can trust him and it's being done right. Cheers Dan and Fantomworks!!
It's all complete nonsense, I know I have spent most of life working on these cars, little to nothing he said is factual. Reality shows have nothing to do with reality, he is just reading a script. It is like wrestling, take it for it's entertainment value only. The only reason I even watched this video was the guys on the MG Experience forums were picking this video part and rightfully so. First off, Dan acts like getting parts for a MGB is near impossible, when it is one few classic cars in the world you can buy almost everything for, and for the most part, parts are cheap, just not found at your local parts store. Dan had to know MG people would know this video is pure nonsense.
the thing is - and this is why the tv show was so sucessful and unique - every car owner wants and needs this kind of slightly dominating trust/guidance relationship with his restorer and even with the normal repair-shop owner. Even to the point in which it means: i'm gonna tell you how to do this. My way. And i'm gonna lay it all out totally honest. Then you decide. which is simply the best - in case of the ideal shop. always loved that. can't wait for the new episodes.
Having been in the car racket for many years, some folks really appreciate the honesty up front about the project. As opposed to being sucked in little by little till the costs are so outragious that it gets stopped. Then the owners are so upset they give up with the partially finished vehicle. A Great Video, Thanks Dan and the crew.
Yup when i had my first B restored, my mechanic gave me the same speech. I did it in stages, over a few years. Safety (brakes etc), then front suspension, rear suspension, engine, then cosmetics
As a mechanic , I had a following of customers and it was because of the honesty . I wouldn't put lipstick on a pig and would tell my customers right from the start the good and bad and what was what . They appreciated that the most . I never had a problem with a customer after being honest and they would come back time and time again whenever they had a problem because they knew I wouldn't just take money from them . Great job Dan !
yup. when I got my first B. My mechanic (MG mechanic for 60+ years) told me to return it and buy the restored one in his shop for $25k (25 years ago!). THAT would have been the best money spent! But he told me what I was up against. I spent far more than that restoring my first MGB. I wouldn't do it any other way! I get what this owner is doing. Literally did the exact same thing. This owner is starting off with a far better car than I did!
You can tell Doc really loves that car. It is not an investment project. Its totally his. If you spend so much more than the car is actually worth, it shows you have a special spot for it. :)
Having bought and sold several MGB's and currently own a very original chrome bumper car....this is a labor of love. The best rubber bumper MGB in the world will be lucky to return 40% of what the owner is willing to spend. But with Dan's quality of work it will be very nice.
I love customers like this, some end up being friends. Business first though! I do things one way and if they don't want to do it there's a ton of other shops around. Like you, safety first and foremost as well as reliability. I even pick the parts that I know are reliable and will last, for the most part at least. I remember one customer almost passing out at the final bill, he paid and didn't see him for 5 or 6 years. When he came back I asked how the car was doing, he replied with "I haven't needed to do anything but plugs and oil changes". I replied with "Now you understand the cost" and he said "Absolutely yes"! He wasn't dropping off his car as it was still working great, he was picking up his friend that he recommended to us.
Having been around shops most of my life, This has to be one of the most honest out there. You have no idea how many times I have seen people drop off a car and 10-15,000 dollars only to be called three months later and told we need more money, when the customer showed up the only work done was taking it completely apart and maybe some sand blasting. Boy the yelling and yelling!!!!!!
This was fun to watch, Dan 👍. Customers may have good intentions, but often don’t know the questions to ask, which puts them at risk. It’s really great when a shop walks them through the problems they see, also the opportunities and realistic costs. This creates realistic expectations and trust between both parties.
Good for you Dan that’s exactly the way it should always be done I used to do that with painting cars. They want to paint a car and put an expensive paint job and I say it’s only worth this much when it’s done and a lot of people wouldn’t go for it but there were a couple that said they didn’t care they wanted the expensive paint job, I love how you run your shop and I like all your people that you hire and thanks for all your videos !!
I have been working on these exact cars for 20+ years and I have yet to meet a customer who will throw that kind of money at one for that much work. I don’t know how he gets away with charging that much for just those parts as well as the labor. I couldn’t live with myself if I was him.
Yes. I have an a 60s Buick and I have done most of this myself plus a bunch of other stuff. No paint. I started with safety stuff and reliability. I have fixed the seats and radio. What good is a shiny car that won’t go. This story is the truth….
Abe Lincoln's original axe, but we've replaced the handle twice and the head once. Love FantomWorks. He lays it on the line: you need very deep pockets ir you want it done right, even if the vehicle isn't worth a portion of the expense.
being honest with your customers is the right thing to do , never lie or bullshit them , i have been a mechanic for over 30 years , and never lied to a customer , complete transparancy, they will be more willing to do the work and return for future service , and refer more customers ,
I’d have a hard time sinking $40k into a car that’s going to be worth $5k-$8k. Even if it’s a car that I have a lifelong attachment to, I’d rather do it a little at a time. I remember they also don’t like to get C3 Corvettes because they aren’t worth restoring unless they are some rare model.
I have a C5 Corvette, and the entry price generally equals the resale valve, regardless of upgrades and mods. We love these cars and enjoy the journey, so to speak, knowing full well we will never get our money out of it. Still, I appreciate not everyone shares our defect, lol.
I once heard that there are so many newly produced spare parts for the MG (1960s to 1980s) and the original Mini (roughly the same decades) that its possible to build a new car if you were so inclined...unless you needed a break master cylinder! Glad the Works is back online...I missed the show since it finished. Best wishes from the UK in these troubled times.
the car has overdrive. that is the OD switch (it is electric) that is the only shift he can use uless the relocate the OD switch. Can get a new one , but it will be the same, if available. I just painted mine (I have the same)
From what I've gathered 12-18 months on average waiting and 18-24 months for ground up frame up restoration. 36 if you want to engineer something that never existed before. Idk current but generally you are looking at 25\30‰ above (wholesale) cost on parts. Shop rate during the series was $75 per hour. The price was in the hundreds of thousands up to a few million. Even at that cost Dan has a wait list, and turns down 99% of requests. Rule of thumb. Crunch the numbers parts plus labour. Then throw it away and double the cost of parts and triple the hours.
All lenses in MG’s are glass except the speedo one is plastic because there’s a hole in it to reset the miles. I got a class one out of a tag and drill the hole in it so I don’t have a plastic they all turn yellow.
Apparently they just installed the wire harness and did not detail the Engine bay. It does not look like it but it would be a big task. Usually removing the engine.
@devryndrives6623 hehe, that is how most of it is! Taking a closer look, everything looks tidy and proper. A lot of incorrect stuff, but wiring and hoses ran properly
Moss Motors, British Parts Northwest or Northwest Import Parts will have ANY MGB part you need. I own a 74 MGB in Canada and luckily I have Penninsula Imports for all my parts needs
A good amount of inaccurate comments, 90% accurate (the face vents are fresh air only, no air come from the fan, for example). This DOES show what it takes to restore a B. I did 2 MGBs. I can almost guarantee the fuel tank needs to be replaced as well. But the budget seems dead on balls though. if he does the heater.. dan will not be happy. MANY times the head has to come off to get the heater core out!! He MIGHT get lucky, but there is usually not enough room to get it out.. Getting it in WITH the insulation.. I would pay to watch his mechanic try that... THEN hook up the flap door!! No way is the guy getting out of it less than 50k + paint job (12-15k at least) and a top.. assuming there is no rust! HAHA yea.. no rust on a B! I sure hope this car does not need sills! Add at least another 100 hours
Your bumpers will crush or smash apart?? Does he not know that behind that rubber is a big heavy piece of steel?? Also, there are no springs in an MGB seat! This is why you have to go to a mechanic that actually knows MGs. After seeing this video I wouldn’t trust a word that Dan says.
Just an opinion. The RBB MGB is not worth restoring. That should have been the first discussion not the discussion after Umpteen dollars spent. For $20 K to $25 K he could have bought an absolutely mint RBB with less than 20K miles . If I were the shop manager/owner I would have strongly suggested NOT refurbishing this car. Single SU instead of a pair with manifold. Stoopid. This car had 62 HP largely because of the carbs and manifold. Real MGBs pre 1974 1/2 had 95-98 HP. Mostly because of carburetion. Parts sources..easy to find, modestly priced. Moss Motors Roadster Factory Rimmer Bors Brown and Gammons in England BPNorthwest in Corvalis Or Importpartsnorthwest in Portland Or. And Many more. As much as I love Fantom Works.... Should have, could have, referred the gentleman to a dedicated MG shop at the outset.
it is what is worth to the owner. 10 years ago , top RB Bs were going for 25-30k. I personally sold one 10 years ago for 25k (for my mechanic who restored it). Yes, that would be the best money he could spend. You can't put a price tag on quality workmanship. This owner will have 50k into it, but I suspect he does not care. I have more than that into my Bs, I plan on being buried in one of them! Cost does not matter. I would put that money into a B all day long, twice on Sunday, than putting it into a 69 Camaro RS. The heart wants what it wants. Yes there is a TON of quality parts out there for a B. Don't know why Dan is having a tough time. it is FAR easier to get parts for my Bs than my 2001 Honda or 2001 Audi! My mechanic likely has all the parts Dan needs in stock. Many NOS and quality used. More valuable than that, any knowledge transfer he can give from being in the business over 60 years exclusively on MGs Yea, I saw the single SU and was not impressed. Either 2 early HS-4 SUs or a properly tuned weber downdraft (90% of owners never take the time to have them tuned, which is why the bad reputation) and early exhaust manifold. But the single SU has GOT to be better than the Zenith it replaced. Dan DID tell the owner what he was up against. I sure hope this car does not need sills.. that will double the budget! I am glad they are keeping another B on the road.. I am happy with this story! My mechanic has a turn key car in his shop that would have been a far better candidate to buy. Rust free and mechanically done, but needs paint. Good 15k paint job and that car would be done! But taking the time, effort and love to keep another B running.. priceless! My hats off to the owner and Dan. The owner will be proud of the car once it is sorted and will need surgery to remove the smile from his face
@@phanttomracer I like Dan and admire his achievements, straight shooter. And I do realize that the owner of the B is well funded and does not care. But an RBB in that condition makes no sense. RBB cars are cheap, example: a 5K mile mint condition one owner came up for sale recently for $12k. Still, to me, not worth the price. Aside from not particularly attractive, we all know the down side, weight , height, smog, low power, vinyl seats, etc. Cost to undo all that is high. I am fortunate to have the experience of working for a BMC dealer in the 60s and 70s and have owned 30 Brit cars since 1964 to include 7 MGs, currently a 63 MGB. Total of 25 years in the car biz... 11years retail dealerships, 14 as a factory rep for High Line Euro car makers. I don't count dollars when restoring a car. Where I keep costs down is doing the majority of work myself. I want things right and in a timely fashion. That is not the way the world works today; poor workmanship and high prices. Dan is an exception.. excellent workmanship justifies the price. I see no up side to restoring that particular MGB and there was no mention of sentimental value, just a fat wallet. His money, likely well earned, but on that car,,, not in my world. As the trite phrase goes, " his car, he can do what he wants".
And that is the point Dan made to the owner - very clearly, this is not an investment. But this is important to him, and he understands what it going into it. And Dan respects that.
That is exactly why Dan was honest with him - while the expense is there with the work Doc wants done, it only makes sense for him if he MUST have this car. And that makes sense for him.
@@Fantomworks when i got my first B, it is was worse than this car. worth every dime I put into it (probably over 50k in 25 years. Although some MGB specific was incorrect., the overall budget was very accurate.
@phanttomracer I have no complaints. It's just a gem to see fixed up and running on the road. That poor car needed all that repair was shocking. I heard stories of people buying the M.G.B. without engines and restomoded the cars with a V8 engine, B.C. COILOVERS, roll cage, 5 speed tremic transmissions, a larger rear end, WILWOOD braking system, and a new Nut behind the steering wheel.
I'm Afraid this Program is Just A Money Making process for one Guy 🙈 With a Open Cheque Book 😂 Most of the work could have been done by the owner, Which is the Problem🙈 But they Don't have A clue and this guy is Laughing all the way too the Bank 🤣
Agree. Price is too low for all that work! That is a tremendous amount of work in only 100 hours. Also not everyone has the skill to do the work. You don't hire a plumber $1000 to do tap on a pipe, you pay him $1000 to know where to tap on it!
@@user-t2l6h parts are likely half of that. Mechanics here are about $140+ an hour fwiw. What Dan did in this video would be a lot more than 19k here (boston area)
This is why I do Everything myself except for machine work and upholstery. Even my own paint. I could never afford to do it this way. Congratulations to the people who can.
Same here plus upholstery. For the last 47 years the build is more fun for me than anything else. Still out in the shop everyday and enjoying life.
Same here, I leave machine work to the dedicated shops, however, I do a bit of upholstery. Recently I restored my 63 MGB, completely trashed, original steering wheel.. 40 bucks in supplies and about 10 hrs work over a few weeks.. Mean time I just helped my friend removing the engine and gearbox in his 59 TR 3, and am now into my 5th month helping a friend in a complete ground up stripped body restoration of a 71 MG Midget round arch with a tricked 1275 and a Datsun 5 speed gearbox. We are finally down to finishing the wiring, should be done by Feb or March.
There is a joy and a feeling of accomplishment that is the true reward in messing about with cars; over 60 years as of Jan 2024.
Add to that the education and meeting many like minded folks over the years.
I miss this show! The one thing I always loved was Dan's honesty and straightforwardness. Never sugar coated anything. Told you what was wrong with the vehicle and was honest when the cost of repairs/restoration exceeded the value of the vehicle. Shows he's not in it to just make money....trust and reputation is worth way more than making a quick buck on every car. Trust and reputation will result in more business in the long run. It may be a bit pricey to get your ride done at Dan's, but it's worth every cent knowing you can trust him and it's being done right. Cheers Dan and Fantomworks!!
It's all complete nonsense, I know I have spent most of life working on these cars, little to nothing he said is factual. Reality shows have nothing to do with reality, he is just reading a script. It is like wrestling, take it for it's entertainment value only. The only reason I even watched this video was the guys on the MG Experience forums were picking this video part and rightfully so. First off, Dan acts like getting parts for a MGB is near impossible, when it is one few classic cars in the world you can buy almost everything for, and for the most part, parts are cheap, just not found at your local parts store. Dan had to know MG people would know this video is pure nonsense.
the thing is - and this is why the tv show was so sucessful and unique - every car owner wants and needs this kind of slightly dominating trust/guidance relationship with his restorer and even with the normal repair-shop owner. Even to the point in which it means: i'm gonna tell you how to do this. My way. And i'm gonna lay it all out totally honest. Then you decide. which is simply the best - in case of the ideal shop. always loved that. can't wait for the new episodes.
The heart wants what the heart wants… Hope Doc gets many years of enjoyment with the vehicle when he gets it back!
Having been in the car racket for many years, some folks really appreciate the honesty up front about the project. As opposed to being sucked in little by little till the costs are so outragious that it gets stopped. Then the owners are so upset they give up with the partially finished vehicle. A Great Video, Thanks Dan and the crew.
Yup when i had my first B restored, my mechanic gave me the same speech. I did it in stages, over a few years. Safety (brakes etc), then front suspension, rear suspension, engine, then cosmetics
As a mechanic , I had a following of customers and it was because of the honesty . I wouldn't put lipstick on a pig and would tell my customers right from the start the good and bad and what was what . They appreciated that the most . I never had a problem with a customer after being honest and they would come back time and time again whenever they had a problem because they knew I wouldn't just take money from them .
Great job Dan !
yup. when I got my first B. My mechanic (MG mechanic for 60+ years) told me to return it and buy the restored one in his shop for $25k (25 years ago!). THAT would have been the best money spent! But he told me what I was up against. I spent far more than that restoring my first MGB. I wouldn't do it any other way! I get what this owner is doing. Literally did the exact same thing. This owner is starting off with a far better car than I did!
Integrity is fundamental, you are completly right!
A mint low miles restored late 70's MGB is 10-15K. Spending 40K is crazy! God bless the Doc for doing it
You can tell Doc really loves that car. It is not an investment project. Its totally his. If you spend so much more than the car is actually worth, it shows you have a special spot for it. :)
Having bought and sold several MGB's and currently own a very original chrome bumper car....this is a labor of love. The best rubber bumper MGB in the world will be lucky to return 40% of what the owner is willing to spend. But with Dan's quality of work it will be very nice.
I love customers like this, some end up being friends. Business first though! I do things one way and if they don't want to do it there's a ton of other shops around. Like you, safety first and foremost as well as reliability. I even pick the parts that I know are reliable and will last, for the most part at least. I remember one customer almost passing out at the final bill, he paid and didn't see him for 5 or 6 years. When he came back I asked how the car was doing, he replied with "I haven't needed to do anything but plugs and oil changes". I replied with "Now you understand the cost" and he said "Absolutely yes"! He wasn't dropping off his car as it was still working great, he was picking up his friend that he recommended to us.
Somebody give Dan a new shirt. We already know he’s the hardest working person there. He doesn’t have to prove it. ❤😂
😂 which one os more worn, the car or Dan's shirt?
I am so glad seeing another MGB kept o the road. given the respect it deserves!
Having been around shops most of my life, This has to be one of the most honest out there. You have no idea how many times I have seen people drop off a car and 10-15,000 dollars only to be called three months later and told we need more money, when the customer showed up the only work done was taking it completely apart and maybe some sand blasting. Boy the yelling and yelling!!!!!!
This was fun to watch, Dan 👍. Customers may have good intentions, but often don’t know the questions to ask, which puts them at risk. It’s really great when a shop walks them through the problems they see, also the opportunities and realistic costs. This creates realistic expectations and trust between both parties.
I miss this show !
Lordy! I’m impressed for all that in three months!
Good for you Dan that’s exactly the way it should always be done I used to do that with painting cars. They want to paint a car and put an expensive paint job and I say it’s only worth this much when it’s done and a lot of people wouldn’t go for it but there were a couple that said they didn’t care they wanted the expensive paint job, I love how you run your shop and I like all your people that you hire and thanks for all your videos !!
Just built a 76 Special Edition Trans AM myself. Replaced all those parts and many more. Yep this is really how it goes.
It's good to know what you're getting into up front!
Good to see you again Dan
Straight talk with a fantastic customer...love this!!
Dan is an American hero, an honest man with integrity.
I have been working on these exact cars for 20+ years and I have yet to meet a customer who will throw that kind of money at one for that much work. I don’t know how he gets away with charging that much for just those parts as well as the labor. I couldn’t live with myself if I was him.
Yes. I have an a 60s Buick and I have done most of this myself plus a bunch of other stuff. No paint. I started with safety stuff and reliability. I have fixed the seats and radio. What good is a shiny car that won’t go. This story is the truth….
Abe Lincoln's original axe, but we've replaced the handle twice and the head once. Love FantomWorks. He lays it on the line: you need very deep pockets ir you want it done right, even if the vehicle isn't worth a portion of the expense.
Love that analogy 😂😂😂
Great video Dan! However I was constantly distracted by that sweet 67 Ford 7--Litre behind ya. That's my dream car!
being honest with your customers is the right thing to do , never lie or bullshit them , i have been a mechanic for over 30 years , and never lied to a customer , complete transparancy, they will be more willing to do the work and return for future service , and refer more customers ,
I’d have a hard time sinking $40k into a car that’s going to be worth $5k-$8k. Even if it’s a car that I have a lifelong attachment to, I’d rather do it a little at a time. I remember they also don’t like to get C3 Corvettes because they aren’t worth restoring unless they are some rare model.
Done, properly, the MGBS are getting 30k now. You restore a B (I Have done 2) for the love of the car, not the value in the end
I have a C5 Corvette, and the entry price generally equals the resale valve, regardless of upgrades and mods. We love these cars and enjoy the journey, so to speak, knowing full well we will never get our money out of it. Still, I appreciate not everyone shares our defect, lol.
I have a saying, do it right or don't bother.
You forgot to mention the Partridge in a Pear tree. LOL
I once heard that there are so many newly produced spare parts for the MG (1960s to 1980s) and the original Mini (roughly the same decades) that its possible to build a new car if you were so inclined...unless you needed a break master cylinder! Glad the Works is back online...I missed the show since it finished. Best wishes from the UK in these troubled times.
If i wasn't so far away id definitely bring my IROC Z-28 in for you to at least look over and test drive.
Obsessed with the shift knob!
the car has overdrive. that is the OD switch (it is electric) that is the only shift he can use uless the relocate the OD switch. Can get a new one , but it will be the same, if available. I just painted mine (I have the same)
The Doc definitely wants it done right. Gonna be a great retirement ride.
And worth every penny he goes into it
Straightforward and honest
I hope we see the finished product
Now you have shown us this project, please show us a before and after video.
Thank you
did they test the overdrive? HUGE bonus for the car!
He must love that car, a rubber bumper MG is worth 10K in good shape tops
The speedo lens is plastic, the rest are glass, which is why it yellowed. The speedo has a hole for the reset button, which is why it is plastic
Thank you!
Doc brought in his car approximately three months before, but how long was he on a “waiting list” to bring it in?
From what I've gathered 12-18 months on average waiting and 18-24 months for ground up frame up restoration.
36 if you want to engineer something that never existed before.
Idk current but generally you are looking at 25\30‰ above (wholesale) cost on parts.
Shop rate during the series was $75 per hour. The price was in the hundreds of thousands up to a few million.
Even at that cost Dan has a wait list, and turns down 99% of requests.
Rule of thumb.
Crunch the numbers parts plus labour.
Then throw it away and double the cost of parts and triple the hours.
Rosann Rosanadana would say, "Mister, your car's a wreck!"
All lenses in MG’s are glass except the speedo one is plastic because there’s a hole in it to reset the miles. I got a class one out of a tag and drill the hole in it so I don’t have a plastic they all turn yellow.
Hey Dan, didn’t know you were still in business
The beauty of a British car. Money drain, stuff breaking on a regular basis.
This is a great example of why if you’re not a tinker owning a car like this is a financial mistake
You did all of that and the engine bay wiring and hoses look like that?
Apparently they just installed the wire harness and did not detail the Engine bay. It does not look like it but it would be a big task. Usually removing the engine.
@@phanttomracer there is that...and then there is just running stuff loose and all over the place
@devryndrives6623 hehe, that is how most of it is! Taking a closer look, everything looks tidy and proper. A lot of incorrect stuff, but wiring and hoses ran properly
Indeed. And this is a check-in, not a delivery. Work is far from complete!
Moss Motors, British Parts Northwest or Northwest Import Parts will have ANY MGB part you need. I own a 74 MGB in Canada and luckily I have Penninsula Imports for all my parts needs
🎉
A good amount of inaccurate comments, 90% accurate (the face vents are fresh air only, no air come from the fan, for example). This DOES show what it takes to restore a B. I did 2 MGBs. I can almost guarantee the fuel tank needs to be replaced as well. But the budget seems dead on balls though. if he does the heater.. dan will not be happy. MANY times the head has to come off to get the heater core out!! He MIGHT get lucky, but there is usually not enough room to get it out.. Getting it in WITH the insulation.. I would pay to watch his mechanic try that... THEN hook up the flap door!! No way is the guy getting out of it less than 50k + paint job (12-15k at least) and a top.. assuming there is no rust! HAHA yea.. no rust on a B! I sure hope this car does not need sills! Add at least another 100 hours
I am curious how much it will cost him when everything is restored?
Your bumpers will crush or smash apart?? Does he not know that behind that rubber is a big heavy piece of steel?? Also, there are no springs in an MGB seat! This is why you have to go to a mechanic that actually knows MGs. After seeing this video I wouldn’t trust a word that Dan says.
Go ahead; throw good money after bad,Doc.
What did he see in that car
❤
Just an opinion.
The RBB MGB is not worth restoring.
That should have been the first discussion not the discussion after Umpteen dollars spent.
For $20 K to $25 K he could have bought an absolutely mint RBB with less than 20K miles .
If I were the shop manager/owner I would have strongly suggested NOT refurbishing this car.
Single SU instead of a pair with manifold. Stoopid.
This car had 62 HP largely because of the carbs and manifold.
Real MGBs pre 1974 1/2 had 95-98 HP. Mostly because of carburetion.
Parts sources..easy to find, modestly priced.
Moss Motors
Roadster Factory
Rimmer Bors
Brown and Gammons in England
BPNorthwest in Corvalis Or
Importpartsnorthwest in Portland Or.
And Many more.
As much as I love Fantom Works....
Should have, could have, referred the gentleman to a dedicated MG shop at the outset.
it is what is worth to the owner. 10 years ago , top RB Bs were going for 25-30k. I personally sold one 10 years ago for 25k (for my mechanic who restored it). Yes, that would be the best money he could spend. You can't put a price tag on quality workmanship. This owner will have 50k into it, but I suspect he does not care. I have more than that into my Bs, I plan on being buried in one of them! Cost does not matter. I would put that money into a B all day long, twice on Sunday, than putting it into a 69 Camaro RS. The heart wants what it wants.
Yes there is a TON of quality parts out there for a B. Don't know why Dan is having a tough time. it is FAR easier to get parts for my Bs than my 2001 Honda or 2001 Audi! My mechanic likely has all the parts Dan needs in stock. Many NOS and quality used. More valuable than that, any knowledge transfer he can give from being in the business over 60 years exclusively on MGs
Yea, I saw the single SU and was not impressed. Either 2 early HS-4 SUs or a properly tuned weber downdraft (90% of owners never take the time to have them tuned, which is why the bad reputation) and early exhaust manifold. But the single SU has GOT to be better than the Zenith it replaced.
Dan DID tell the owner what he was up against.
I sure hope this car does not need sills.. that will double the budget!
I am glad they are keeping another B on the road.. I am happy with this story!
My mechanic has a turn key car in his shop that would have been a far better candidate to buy. Rust free and mechanically done, but needs paint. Good 15k paint job and that car would be done! But taking the time, effort and love to keep another B running.. priceless! My hats off to the owner and Dan. The owner will be proud of the car once it is sorted and will need surgery to remove the smile from his face
@@phanttomracer I like Dan and admire his achievements, straight shooter. And I do realize that the owner of the B is well funded and does not care. But an RBB
in that condition makes no sense. RBB cars are cheap, example: a 5K mile mint condition one owner came up for sale recently for $12k. Still, to me, not worth the price.
Aside from not particularly attractive, we all know the down side, weight , height, smog, low power, vinyl seats, etc. Cost to undo all that is high.
I am fortunate to have the experience of working for a BMC dealer in the 60s and 70s and have owned 30 Brit cars since 1964 to include 7 MGs, currently a 63 MGB. Total
of 25 years in the car biz... 11years retail dealerships, 14 as a factory rep for High Line Euro car makers.
I don't count dollars when restoring a car. Where I keep costs down is doing the majority of work myself. I want things right and in a timely fashion. That is not the way the world works today; poor workmanship and high prices. Dan is an exception.. excellent workmanship justifies the price.
I see no up side to restoring that particular MGB and there was no mention of sentimental value, just a fat wallet. His money, likely well earned, but on that car,,, not in my world.
As the trite phrase goes, " his car, he can do what he wants".
And that is the point Dan made to the owner - very clearly, this is not an investment. But this is important to him, and he understands what it going into it. And Dan respects that.
He's astonished down 30 grand for this basketcase. Wow I Got to hand it to you being up front on how you're ripping his lips off. Outrageous.
I restore MG's this is a complete ripoff! The car done is only worth mid teens at best.
That is exactly why Dan was honest with him - while the expense is there with the work Doc wants done, it only makes sense for him if he MUST have this car. And that makes sense for him.
@@Fantomworks when i got my first B, it is was worse than this car. worth every dime I put into it (probably over 50k in 25 years. Although some MGB specific was incorrect., the overall budget was very accurate.
If that a minter in uk it be about 15000 pounds
But you can buy a "fully restored " MGB for 25k
in 2023 more likely 'refreshed' than properly restored. a top quality paint job will be half that budget today.
painful
PLEASE PLEASE learn how to fold the top properly!!!
Dang! That M.G. MIDGIT sounds worse than the Oak Island money pit!😮
It is a MGB. for 40 years of deferred maintenance, it is a bargain!
@phanttomracer I have no complaints. It's just a gem to see fixed up and running on the road. That poor car needed all that repair was shocking. I heard stories of people buying the M.G.B. without engines and restomoded the cars with a V8 engine, B.C. COILOVERS, roll cage, 5 speed tremic transmissions, a larger rear end, WILWOOD braking system, and a new Nut behind the steering wheel.
Money pit, find a donor car for parts?
I'm Afraid this Program is Just A Money Making process for one Guy 🙈 With a Open Cheque Book 😂 Most of the work could have been done by the owner, Which is the Problem🙈 But they Don't have A clue and this guy is Laughing all the way too the Bank 🤣
I love your work but you are not $19k good sry just my opinion this is why i do everything myself.
Agree. Price is too low for all that work! That is a tremendous amount of work in only 100 hours. Also not everyone has the skill to do the work. You don't hire a plumber $1000 to do tap on a pipe, you pay him $1000 to know where to tap on it!
@@user-t2l6h parts are likely half of that. Mechanics here are about $140+ an hour fwiw. What Dan did in this video would be a lot more than 19k here (boston area)