Classic Car Restoration Cost
Auto Art
Get a straight answer before you ever pick up the phone.
Every restoration at Auto Art is billed at a flat rate of $100 per hour — no markup on labor, no surprise fees, no vague estimates that balloon once the car is torn apart.
Parts are sourced and billed separately at cost, and we'll always discuss those with you before ordering.
In our experience, most restorations run somewhere between 300 and 1,000 hours of labor depending on the scope and condition of the car — which puts most complete projects in the $30,000 to $100,000 range before parts.
A full concours-level restoration on a car with significant rust or fabrication needs can exceed that. A paint-only or partial project can come in well under it. We publish these numbers because we think you deserve to know what you're getting into before you ever call us — and because the kind of client we work best with is one who's already done their homework.
The basics:
Typical Ranges:
Rust and structural damage are the biggest variable in any restoration budget. Surface rust is manageable. Rust that has eaten through floor pans, frame rails, rocker panels, or structural sections means fabrication — and fabrication takes time. A car that looks rough on the outside but is solid underneath will almost always come in under estimate. A car that looks fine until it's on the lift is a different story entirely.
What Drives Cost Up:
Parts that no longer exist are the second major cost driver. When a part can't be bought, it has to be made. Custom metal fabrication is skilled, time-intensive work — and on European classics especially, there are components that simply aren't reproduced anywhere. The older and rarer the car, the more likely we are to be manufacturing things that haven't been made since the factory closed.
Finish level has an enormous impact on hours. A driver-quality restoration — one that looks great, drives great, and holds up to real use — takes significantly less time than a show-quality finish where every panel gap, every paint depth reading, and every surface reflection has to be perfect. Concours-level work, where period-correct materials and factory specifications are strictly observed, is the most demanding and time-intensive finish level we offer.
Scope changes mid-project are one of the most common reasons a restoration exceeds its original estimate. When a client changes direction — different paint color, added fabrication, upgraded components — it costs time. We work hard to define scope clearly upfront for exactly this reason.
A structurally solid, rust-free car is the single biggest factor in keeping a project on budget. If the metal is good, we're doing restoration work — not recovery work. Cars that have been properly stored, kept dry, and maintained structurally give us a clean foundation to build from. If you are still in the buying process- we're happy to check the car with you before you buy.
What Drives Cost down:
Parts sourced by the owner can meaningfully reduce project cost, particularly on well-documented models where the owner has done their homework. If you arrive with a verified, correct parts inventory ready to go, we're spending our hours on the work — not the sourcing.
A clear, decided vision from day one keeps a project moving efficiently. Clients who know what they want — finish level, scope, priorities — allow us to plan accurately and execute without interruption. Indecision mid-project is expensive. Clarity upfront isn't.
Limiting scope to what actually matters is something we'll always be honest with you about. Not every car needs a full restoration. Sometimes the right answer is targeted metalwork, a quality respray, and leaving the rest alone. We'll tell you that if it's true — because a well-scoped partial project that gets done right is better for everyone than an over-ambitious full restoration that stalls halfway through.
At Auto Art we firmly believe that hiding our pricing does nothing but waste time and energy for both of us. We don't want you to make the drive from Louisville, Nashville or even further and then leave with a nasty case of sticker shock.
I publish our rate and our typical ranges because I think you deserve to know what you're getting into before you ever pick up the phone. A classic restoration is not a small decision. For most people, it's one of the largest discretionary purchases they'll ever make — and it happens over the course of a year or more, on a car that means something to them. You should go into that with your eyes open.
The other reason is simpler: I only want to work with clients who are ready for what this actually costs. Not because I don't value every car that comes through the door — I do — but I don't want to start off on a bad foot.
When a client understands the investment upfront and still says yes, that's the beginning of a good working relationship. That's the kind of project I do my best work on.
At $100 an hour, we are not the cheapest option in Western Kentucky. We're not trying to be. What I can tell you is that every hour on your invoice reflects real, skilled work — and that when your car leaves this shop, it's going to show it.
If the numbers make sense for what your car means to you, I'd like to talk.
— Cecil Henry, Founder