FMV on my old MGB GT shell...

Ok, it's unlikely this car will see the challenge, but I think it might show up in a year or two.

It IS the next major project I'm going to roll into the shop.

1974 mgb-gt. 

I bought it in 2004ish, and have now owned it half my life. Drove in high school and then tried my first engine rebuild in college. Didn't go well, on many counts. I did a bunch of thrashing right before my wedding 7 years ago, and got a worn out motor to carry my wife and I from the church to the party, but since I have only torn out the engine and trans and sold basically everything related to MGB drivetrains.

Mostly rust free, but there are some spots where you can see something ugly lurking under the maaco paint job that was applied right before I bought it (oh my old dumb self).

Also at one point I lost a wheel while on the highway and dented the fender. (Oh my old dumb self).

So, old, dirty, engine and transmission less MGB-GT. Plan is to 1.6l miata swap, for a nice driver. I also have some 15inch triumph steel wheels I plan to use instead of the MGB 14s. It has been conterved to tube shocks all around before I bought it.

Is $500 fair? There are tons of MGB projects around, but this one is mostly rust free and has a passable interior.

As someone who has played in the MGB parts world for  over 40 years, $500 is the most I would pay for a  non running parts car, so yeah, that seems plenty fair.

The 1.6 will make for a nice driver, but it wont set the world on fire performance wise. Guessing this is challenge focused and you have the Miata drivetrain bits?

Yeah, I (maybe over-) spent $1000 on the entire drivetrain from a 1.6l miata. Engine, trans, driveshaft, entire wiring harness for full car (I think there are 4), ECU, gauges, fuel tank, pump, all ancillaries, etc. That is separate from this "FMV of $500". The budget process would be roughly 500 car + 1000 drivetrain + 500 to refresh worn out suspension/brake stuff.  

I already have f-dat as the planned challenge car for next year, and this would be a 'challenge budget' themed build that could maybe enter and compete if I were to drive down one year without the support truck and trailer. Maybe if I were driving down to help out a fellow challenger's effort or to do a parking lot build or something like that I'd love to have the GT 'eligible' without needing to be 'competitive'. 

But really I want to get driving this GT again and that means getting an engine installed. Goal is a very reliable street car that could show up to an autox or rallyx and have fun. 

I wouldn't pay $500 for that so I'm good at your requested FMV.

Stampie (FS) said:

I wouldn't pay $500 for that so I'm good at your requested FMV.

uh, thanks? LOL

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

I would check the conditions of the kingpins. If they need to be redone, I would lower my purchase price by the cost of the Kit to re-bush the front suspension. That being about 155 dineros americanos

Apparently i am not as cheap as stampie, or not as spoiler by southern sheetmetal like he is.  

I'm fine with $500 seems fair for a non-running MGB that most of the Drivetrain/suspension won't be used on a challenge car.

As a side hyjack question?

Have we ever considered making a FMV database based on old Challenge budgets(similar to the LeMons/Chump car value lists).  Would work for common parts and cars?  Obviously some aspect of the challenge is haggling and luck of the deal but it would seem once 1 challenger buys something for a certain price, items in similar condition should be available to any challenger at that price.  Meaning the ultimate assignment of FMV should come from challenge builds. 

I realize it could get out of hand but a perfect example is rims.  The value of rims vary's greatly around the country and depending on how hard you try to market them.  I've seen Porsche wheels trade hands on the GRM forum for $150 that you would struggle to buy anywhere else for <$900.    

You could simply say rims are FMV by width and weight ($ increase with Width and Increase with lower Weight),  so all challengers could have similar rim availability.   

Something like Base rim cost <7" $25.  Add .1 multiplier for ever " above 7".   <15lbs X 1.3, 15-20lbs X 1.2, 20-25 lbs X 1.1, 25+ X 1.0  So used 15x10 15lb Miata wheels would be $25*1.3*1.3 = 42.25 each, 17*12 Steel wheels would be $25*1.5*1.0 = $37.50.   

I'm not sure how available the previous budget sheets are for something like this nor am I hard over thinking it's required.  It's just a thing I thought about especially as I start to build the budget for my challenge build.    

In reply to nocones :

part of what makes it a challenge is that there are not unlimited sweet deals out there.  Just because i scored an ls1 intake for $10 in 2003 when they were worthless and have documentation to prove it doesn't mean anyone should be able to fmv a now $300 intake for $10 because i was lucky enough to go back on the internet archive and find the posts on ls1tech.  
 

I don't have the available cheap drag parts the nelsons have access to.  They don't have stuff i have access to, but we're both willing to be the first one there with cash and a trailer if something pops up.  Everyone brings something else to the table based on their skillsets or regional parts availability.  

I just think it sounds complicated. The challenge already gets enough crap for "but that wasn't really $2k!"

Plus I think that a good deal should always be different than FMV. That's sort of the definition of "good deal", right? You win by getting good deals, not by buying race parts at FMV. 

Yeah that's why it was just a thought.   I get that a big portion of the challenge is getting "good deals" or having the ability to fabricate stuff that should costs thousands of dollars for pennies out of scrap.  There is no way to "levelize" it and there is no way to make people not look at things and think what it would cost to have a shop build it.   I'm fine with things the way they are now and have no actual complaints.  I was just thinking we establish FMV for cars several times a year and that there are existing budget sheets out there so I was just wondering if some simple things could be established for more universal parts.  

I think it's not the kind of event for a level starting point.  Most people playing along at home don't have your ability to build a chassis from a pile of tubes, and that's not a bad thing. Most of the people who show up don't have that ability either, but they have other superpowers, like being an extreme cheapskate like Stampie.  He accomplished more for under $1000 with his q45 than a lot of people do for $5000.  

Yeah, I see where you're coming from. And we do have some general guidelines like "sheet metal from old appliances and filing cabinets is fmv free" because we all accept that you can easily find these things in the trash.

I also realized that I've owned this car a long time and may have started this exact same thread before. If so, oooops.

To the op’s original question.... I can support a FMV of $500 for a drivetrain-less shell.

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

I think it's not the kind of event for a level starting point.  Most people playing along at home don't have your ability to build a chassis from a pile of tubes, and that's not a bad thing. Most of the people who show up don't have that ability either, but they have other superpowers, like being an extreme cheapskate like Stampie.  He accomplished more for under $1000 with his q45 than a lot of people do for $5000.  

Awww ... I love you too.

Can I have it for $500? I promise to never get it running again. 

Andy Neuman said:

Can I have it for $500? I promise to never get it running again. 

Be careful what you wish for!

In reply to Robbie (Forum Supporter) :

Luckily for you, I'm far enough away my wife would notice I'm gone and I couldn't hide it.

I still remember my uncle spilling the beans on me buying the spitfire at a family gathering. 

That's your ex-favorite uncle?

Robbie (Forum Supporter) said:

Andy Neuman said:

Can I have it for $500? I promise to never get it running again. 

Be careful what you wish for!

We have FREE Loti running around and this is worth a lot less than Lotus gizzards.

NOHOME said:

We have FREE Loti running around and this is worth a lot less than Lotus gizzards.

Well, they're not exactly running around, are they?

BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) said:

NOHOME said:

We have FREE Loti running around and this is worth a lot less than Lotus gizzards.

Well, they're not exactly running around, are they?

Seem to get from one place to the next somehow. Figure the GRM Free Lotus has more travel miles than most of the ones that served their lifespan as transportation.

Patrick (Forum Supporter) said:

I think it's not the kind of event for a level starting point.  Most people playing along at home don't have your ability to build a chassis from a pile of tubes, and that's not a bad thing. Most of the people who show up don't have that ability either, but they have other superpowers, like being an extreme cheapskate like Stampie.  He accomplished more for under $1000 with his q45 than a lot of people do for $5000.  

I am the embodiment of this statment.

And if you are considering going all in on Miata power might I suggest something that weighs nearly the same and will make twice the torque?

Get a $1000 1998 and newer Mustang V6 stick parts donor.

They fit B's well and make gobs of power for what they are.

QuasiMofo (John Brown) Forum Supporter said:

And if you are considering going all in on Miata power might I suggest something that weighs nearly the same and will make twice the torque?

Get a $1000 1998 and newer Mustang V6 stick parts donor.

They fit B's well and make gobs of power for what they are.

I like where your head's at but I've already made the powertrain decision.