Restoration cost routinely exceeds the finished car's value

A full restoration is described as brutally expensive and labor-intensive: thousands of man-hours, four-figure single fenders, and panels that all need extensive soldering because nothing fits off the shelf. Estimates for a proper job range from $75-100k up toward $200k, often more than the completed car is worth, which is why buyers are steered toward already-done or genuinely solid cars.