The short answer
A Daily Driver restoration of a sound 1970s–80s classic (W123, R107, XJ Series, MGB) in Europe in 2026 lands between €15,000 and €30,000. A Show Driver restoration of a mid-tier classic (190SL, Pagoda, E-Type Series 1) runs €55,000 to €110,000 ground-up. A Concours restoration of a flagship (190SL Concours, E-Type 4.2, long-case 911 S) starts at €95,000 and regularly exceeds €180,000 with heavy bodywork and NOS-only sourcing.
Anyone quoting a full Concours ground-up on a Mercedes, Jaguar or Porsche under €95,000 is either cutting scope or underpricing parts they'll ask you for later.
What you're paying for
A restoration invoice has five main cost buckets, in descending order of typical share:
- Labour (35–45%): hours on the clock, spread across bodywork, mechanical, electrical, and interior disciplines.
- Parts (25–40%): the cost of everything you bolt back on the car. NOS-only Concours builds swing this above 50%.
- Paint & bodywork consumables (8–12%): strip, sealer, primer, paint, clear, polishing compounds.
- Upholstery & interior (5–10%): leather, carpet, soft-top, headliner, wood veneer.
- Transport, storage and overhead (3–8%): collection, secure storage during the build, project management.
Parts sourcing strategy moves the total more than anything else. A Concours build insists on NOS (new old stock). A Show Driver build accepts quality reproductions from reputable suppliers. A Daily Driver build accepts serviceable used parts where authenticity doesn't matter.
Tier-by-tier ranges
| Tier | Typical project | 2026 range (EUR) |
|---|---|---|
| Daily Driver | W123, R107, XJ6 Series 2, MGB | 15,000 – 30,000 |
| Daily Driver | 944, 928 S4, later 911 (964, 993) | 25,000 – 55,000 |
| Show Driver | 190SL, Pagoda SL, E-Type Series 2/3 | 45,000 – 95,000 |
| Show Driver | early 911 (long-case), 930 Turbo | 70,000 – 120,000 |
| Concours | 190SL (Concours spec) | 95,000 – 150,000 |
| Concours | E-Type Series 1 4.2, Mark 2 3.8 | 110,000 – 180,000 |
| Concours | 911 S long-case, Carrera RS | 140,000 – 220,000 |
| Concours | 300SL, 356 Speedster, short-case 911 S | 200,000+ |
Numbers assume a "sound but needs work" starting car. Barn-find or flood-damaged starting condition adds 15–30% across any tier.
Why Romanian workshops matter for European collectors
A high-quality restoration workshop in Germany, Switzerland, or the UK charges €85–€130 per labour hour in 2026. The same workmanship delivered by an established Romanian workshop lands around €60 per hour (all rates before VAT). On a 1,200-hour Concours E-Type that is €72,000 of labour instead of €102,000–€156,000, a €30,000–€84,000 saving for the same metalwork quality. That's why Rotterdam–Bucharest transport routes exist for classics. Cars that leave the EU again afterwards (UK, Switzerland, US) are normally invoiced without Romanian VAT.
Parts sourcing for UK cars can take a little longer, because we order through networks in Germany and the Netherlands rather than having SNG Barratt next door. We budget for that in timelines.
Hidden costs to plan for
- Paint prep rework when the original body reveals more corrosion than expected. Usually €2,000–€8,000 of additional bodywork on a mid-tier project. We flag it as soon as sandblasting exposes it.
- Interior re-trim materials when you want period-correct cloth or Connolly leather. Adds €3,000–€10,000 on a Show Driver or Concours build.
- Re-chroming: a specialist external cost we don't mark up. Expect €2,500–€5,000 on a fully-chromed 50s/60s car.
- Road registration and insurance post-restoration vary wildly by country. Romanian historic-vehicle registration is ~€400 all-in. UK/DE historic-vehicle registration is significantly more.
- Storage during the build: €150–€300/month in our climate-controlled hall. Most clients factor in 12 months minimum.
How to pay for it sensibly
Pay monthly against a signed contract, so you see line-item hours and parts each month and there is no surprise at the end. We agree terms with each client: monthly billing against actual hours and parts is available, with an upfront payment to secure the restoration.
When not to restore
- A late-model car whose restoration cost exceeds the post-restoration market value by more than 40% is an emotional decision, not a financial one. Make sure everyone involved knows that.
- A car with chassis rot that requires complete fabrication is almost always better replaced with a sounder starting example of the same model.
- A chassis-number-mismatched flagship (e.g. a non-matching-numbers Concours E-Type) is worth restoring only if you want the driving experience. Market value ceiling is typically half of matching-numbers.
We tell you which category your project falls in during the assessment.