The True Cost Of Restoring A Vintage Car

         $1.20    Purchase weekend newspaper to read 'For Sale' advertisements
  $1,500.00    The actual purchase of a ton of rust on four wheels
       $25.00    Flowers for wife to break the news
       $70.00    Dinner at restaurant after argument with wife
  $8,000.00    Restoration costs - engine reconditioning and chassis rebuild
  $1,250.00    Parts and endless trips to 'Swap Meets'
  $2,800.00    New lounge suite to balance ledger and keep wife happy
  $5,900.00    Restoration costs - new upholstery and hood
       $25.00    Flowers for wife to save buying a new kitchen suite
       $75.00    Dinner at restaurant after argument with wife
  $2,000.00    Family trip to Movieland to compensate for the 1000 hours spent in the garage
  $4,500.00    Restoration costs - panel beating and spray painting
     $225.00    New outfit for wife to save another argument
       $70.00    Dinner at restaurant after argument with wife
  $1,000.00    Registration, other on-road costs and stamp duty
       $70.00    Dinner at restaurant to celebrate finished project
       $35.00    Visit to hairdresser after wife's first ride in open tourer
       $50.00    BBQ to invite neighbours in to see the finished project
       $75.00    Repairs to paintwork after neighbour's son drew a crayon picture
     $450.00    Settled out of court for clobbering neighbour's son
     $290.00    New slacks and cardigan for wife to go rallying in
       $75.00    New shoes to go with slacks and cardigan
       $45.00    New handbag to go with shoes, slacks and cardigan
       $70.00    Dinner at restaurant with wife after asking her to economise
     $250.00    New clutch after teaching wife to drive vintage car
       $70.00    Dinner at restaurant after shouting at wife to release clutch slowly
     $290.00    Repairs to mudguard after wife's second driving lesson
       $70.00    Dinner at restaurant after shouting at wife to look where she's going
     $135.00    Speeding fine after wife drag raced young lad at the lights
         $5.00    Candlelight dinner at home, can no longer afford restaurant
       $14.00    Advertisement in weekend paper "Vintage Car For Sale"
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$29,435.20    TOTAL
$12,000.00    Proceeds from sale of vintage car, due to downturn in market
$17,435.20    Balance - outstanding loan added to mortgage payments

Reproduced from the 'Vintage Austin Magazine' Spring 1996 No. 43