So my car is at the muffler shop still and someone with a few MGB's noticed the V6 swap and everything going on. He was pretty excited about doing the swap as well but asked if we would do all the work for him.

Considering all parts were already stocked for a V6 swap into a MGB, what would be a fair price to charge for all the work? Or what would be a guess for the amount of hours to do:
Pull engine, prep, drop V6, wiring, bugs, ect...... Anything else would be an addition to the price based on normal rates.

I have the garage for it, tools, and anything else I would need. I know there is a lot of variables! However this is just a guess as well.

$50/hour. Can't tell you how long it would take. I never kept track on my conversion. I think I'm still working on it and it's being on the road for 6 seasons.

The rate/hour comes from the amount that was charged to the owner of a Rover V8 conversion I helped on last year. I think there was about 100 hours of labour into it. Keep in mind this project started from a bare, late-model shell, not a completed car waiting for a transplant.

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"Speed costs........how fast you want to spend?"

You are getting into a can of worms, that is why I do not do customers cars.

But if you want to do it. For long projects in Ca the hour rate is $75 to 95.
How many hours? it all depends how proficient you become doing the swaps.

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It is our attitude that will determine the outcome

Thanks gentlemen, there is so many variables to consider on a swap of this nature.

Ain't that the truth!

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"Speed costs........how fast you want to spend?"

Beware the responsibility of doing this. Both from a civil suit point should anything go wrong or the more likely scenario of :"I am not happy with the way X turned out, feels or sounds".

As to what to charge? As much as the market will bear. And I see more than 100 hours here.

Very good point Peter! I would definitely write up a small contract to protect me. I don't see 100 hours though in just swapping an engine and installing JUST the necessary parts to make it all come together.
This in no way is a rebuild/resto project. I see ABOUT 20-30 hours tops. This is on a 1980 MGB

This is a can of worms for sure and depends a lot on your time, skill, tooling and workplace (which includes Good lighting, a Real air compressor, etc) and access to parts stores and salvage parts as required.

If your offering a cookie cutter conversion with all parts delivered to you vs. rounding everything up yourself on a motor that has been well documented, the costs are completely different.

Lets NOT count the cost of gathering all the bits and pieces yourself and say that you have a driveline that is COMPLETELY ready to install and you have pulled the MGB motors hundreds of times and installed conversions very often like we have- pull one out, install another. About 40 hours.

Now, hunt down all the bits yourself rather than purchase from a known source, 100 plus hours plus driving expenses plus tooling expenses to alter items to fit the MGB.

Hourly wage- considering you probably do not have shopkeepers insurance or much overhead, you need a Minimum of $35 Anywhere, USA. That does not include the tools your going to need to add to your stall.

Can we do a swap in 40 hours? Yes with the shop, skill and equipment we have. This does not include assembly of the driveline, gauges or additional work on the car. I do not suspect most people who actually Truthfully track their time can do it in this. If I was doing it for myself, I would not keep track- matter fact, my time placed into the white MGBV6 I have intentionally Not kept track of. This is a project that is be a bit beyond the standard conversion.

I would also agree with simon and say 100 hours and that does not include any paint or vehicle repair. Generally when you get into a conversion there are so many other items that happen to a car or the project is changed and the end numbers move upward.

-BMC.

Thanks Brian, I always count on a detailed answer from you.

I'm a little hesitant to go skinny dipping with you guys, but one more opinion shouldn't hurt.

I am not known to be the least expensive guy around, but I pride myself on being the most thorough and attentive place in these parts to take your MG for rehabilitation.

That said, when I am confronted with the question of "how much" I start by explaining that the car is forty years old and The Lord only knows what has been done to it over that time and I don't have a crystal ball, or that custom work by its very nature is an unknown. Either of these answers fall into the bucket labeled, "It costs what it costs". I then explain some of the variables and, if the customer seems to be a reasonable person, offer to verify the time spent in fifteen minute increments and send a billing every week until the job is completed. That way he has control over the expense and can turn the spigot on or off as he sees fit.

I also offer the option of identifying the larger parts that will be needed, identification research being billable time, and giving that information to him so that he can buy the stuff and have it delivered to me without me having to mark the prices up. This immediately involves the customer in the overall effort and gives him a sense of control besides saving him money.

I am about to embark on a 3.4 conversion starting with a bare shell and an "as yanked" engine and transmission, and I still don't know how long it is going to take or how much money it is going to cost. A hundred hours doesn't seem too outrageous to me though if you value and charge for some of the thinking time and a bit more for running to the NAPA store for fifty trips over the course of the effort.

Jack

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---------------------------------------------------- Services to Interesting British Automobiles-- www.jackscars.net ----------------------------------------------------------------
-------------I like to think that I don't service automobiles so much as I provide entertainment, fulfill dreams and revive wonderful memories --------------

I am in the northwestern North Carolina mountains, right up against the Blue Ridge Parkway. Lawn chairs are in the shop and always time to talk. Drop in any time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2011 04:21PM by twigworker.

Besides the actual time working on the conversion there is alot of researching your choices, parts sourcing, painting the engine compartment etc. You need to get a speedometer cable, temp sensor adapter, have a drive shaft made, exhaust system, possible radiator mods etc. All these things take time and as Peter said the customer may not have in mind exactly the way you did it. I have done two for myself, both different from eash other and turned down a person just two weeks ago that wanted to know if I would do one for him. If I were to do another for myself It would be an injected 3.4 with the S10 bell housing and a "C" 3.07 rear. Others would have other choices, but that is why we have apple pie and cherry pie. I think a minimum of 100 hrs is reasonable.
John

Here is another take on this:

I enjoy working on these cars and overcomming the endless obstacles that present themselves. I DO NOT enjoy maintaining the inevitalbe car that results. One MGB is enough.

My strategy has evolved to where I work on other peoples cars for beer money and materials. I like to find people with a budget and interest and help them spend their money. I have met some nice people and honed a lot of skills at someone elses expense.

Another thing I have learned about myself is that I would never want to do this for a living.

I work for food, beer and ...

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It is our attitude that will determine the outcome

Right there with you Jack. Anyone think this is just an MG thing or a British car exclusive issue does not realize that it does not matter what it s, if your looking for cosmetic and mechanical precision, everything is suspect and you will know the cost when it is complete. New cars are relatively inexpensive because they are production line, kit cars are not too bad as everything is new, just hand assembled and old cars are torn apart- diagnosed-cleaned-piece by piece restored-reassembled. Bringing classics back to operating order is nothing short of time consuming, difficult, messy and often costly.


50 trips to the counter man at the parts store who does not understand what is being done, only the information you give them. I know of a few products we sell for under $10 that quite a number of people do not order from us because they think they can find it for less. Those few that have reported back later told me that just one of the many items they did not purchase from us to save money- they spent hours searching for and several trips at 5 plus miles to the parts store. One hours time worth $2 difference for one part? What about many parts like that. Waste of a few weeks when you only have so many hours to work on a given project. Worst part is that 5 miles there means 5 miles back- wear and tear on a vehicle at 50¢ per mile means that 10 mile round trip cost $5! Penny wise, Pound Foolish.

When our Shop restores Any vehicle, we order new parts first from those who specialize in them- even when we can fabricate them in house with some exception. If we are unsatisfied with the products, we then (re)manufacture our own. Moss is one of our many friends! (What- bumper didn't meet our needs- send out the original AFTER you check out the new one unless under orders from the owner.

-BMC.