230sl Automatic, awaiting major restoration

[Lg]

Bought this car in Ohio and shipped it back in this state in 1989. Been stored in a garage 24 years! As the resoration cost and market value narrows, is it worth proceeding with
this ambitious and expensive project? Will post more pictures when we get the car on a ramp. It was produced in December 1966, and imported and sold in Ipswich in 1967. It
was later exported to ohio by a US Airforce officer ...
Lg

[Jkalplus1]

If you enjoy the journey of restoring cars, it is like any hobby, therefore worth it for the pleasure it provides you. My dad did this, and it was a long, expensive process, but in the end he was happy and proud, rightly so.  I thought I would want to restore a car one day but watching him do it made me realize I would not.

If you want to own and drive/show a Pagoda I think you are better off selling this one, and buying another in the condition you are looking for. Unless you own a bodyshop.
Good luck.
J

[Garry]

As one of the British suppliers on this site said once, bring me 100,000 pounds and I will start the restoration and be prepared for more to follow.

I agree with jkalpus, sell it and go buy the best you can afford, it will be a lot cheaper than doing the restoration, unless of course you own a body and mechanical shop.

Garry

[Bonnyboy]

I don't know your experience and knowledge level but assume that your are just learning about Pagodas. 

If that were in my garage, I would vacuum out as much as I could, clean it up as much as you can, wire wheel and steel wool (0000 only) all the fittings - take them apart - clean them - put them back - wash everything, take off broken items and put them in a box in the trunk and make it presentable as possible and sell it.   

By taking things apart and seeing how they are coroded and understanding how things fit and where rust happens you will have a very good understanding of what to look for in your next car.   

My Dad bought a 1971 BMW 2002 at an auction, nursed it home and had me do exactly that (it was in better shape than yours but very green) - I spent two weeks after school taking the car apart piece by piece and cleaning things up and after two weeks I had what looked like a real car and we were able to determine why it was being sold as is at auction (bent frame blowing the donut) - I cleaned it up, steraightened the frame, and drove that thing for 2 years before selling it and doing the same to two more 2002s and parting out a couple more.   I even practiced welding on 1 and was able to sell it for 3X what I paid for it. 

I didn't try to hide anything but a good cleaning could add $$$ to your car and you will have priceless knowleged of how a pagoda goes together.

 

[GGR]

Current market being what it is, I think restoring this car will still be way more expensive than what its market value will be once restored. So I second previous comments by other Group Members.

But I'm a bit uncomfortable: What if Lg sells the car and new owner comes on this forum (quite likely) asking what to do with the car?

What if prospective buyer comes here asking if it's a good deal?

[Lg]

Thank you  ... Bonnboy, Garry, and Jkaplus1 .... for having taken the time to view the few pictures I posted, and submitting your honest opinion. Experience, especially at  the required level of restoration is limited ....however.....I will continue to research this project, as I not only have this site as a reference point, I do have friends involved in restoring Jaguars ( XK 140 & a 120),  ..... Its daunting to think, of the time and effort this project is going to take. Thanks again, all of you , for your opionion and advice. Its not falling on deaf ears!!

[Pentui]

Hello LG
I must give you some advice as a Pagoda owner and a Jaguar XK 120 and 150 owner.
If you want to restore something get rid of that Pagoda and get a Jag. The Pagoda is a lovely car but technically complicated and the parts, if you can get them, are very very expensive.
Jag XKs  on the other hand are easy to restore, there are loads of specialist workshops and parts are abundant and cheap.
Otherwise buy a restored Pagoda that has cost someone else a fortune to restore and now needs to sell, they are about.
Meanwhile, whichever road you take, clean up that money pit and sell it for spares