I have been building, restoring and racing cars for 40 years-and have put them together at the rate of more than one project a year. So you would think that I have enough experience to make me one of the world's best at estimating exactly how long it takes to restore something. At the very least I should be able …
While I have actually measured the number of beers it takes to restore a Healy, ( 1,248)I have not actually documented the number of hours to do the task. From something that I read quite a while back, the number that sticks in my head was that it takes 1000 man-hours to restore a car.
This 1000 hours is for the most part independent of what vehicle we are restoring since all cars have pretty much the same systems that have to be gone over.(body, drivetrain, suspension, interior, Trim) This number was also based on the work being done by the relevant experienced trades with the right tools, and not an amateur figuring out what the hell they were doing.
Of course, concourse quality and high end luxury cars will skew the number as high as you want to go.
I am like you, happy in the shop and in no hurry to get anywhere as long as I have a mechanical challenge in front of me.
The previous girlfriend continually started getting tired of me saying "I'll be there in 3 hours" and then showing up after 4. I finally started giving absurd timelines for things... and actually managed to meet them 
At work, we cost everything out and then proceed to double it. Works out perfect every single time.
How long does a project take? Don't ask my wife... I was serious hoping that one of the car shows would pick my project up and finish it for me , but they would most likely screw it up in my eyes. I need help,motivation and a sack of money. Wet or dry.
Beer. Drink enough of it in the shop and you either get stuff done or don't care that you didn't. It's a win either way.
At least you finish projects. I get half way through and sell to finance the next flight of fancy. Sometimes not even that far. It sucks seeing potential in everydamnthing.
I use the rule of Pi. Take the largest most conservative estimate you can come up with as to how long it will take and how much it will cost and and multiply it by 3.14.
Type Q wrote: I use the rule of Pi. Take the largest most conservative estimate you can come up with as to how long it will take and how much it will cost and and multiply it by 3.14.
Abso-frickin-lutely.
"...You know it's going to be good, so why would you need to measure and estimate how long it's going to take? Isn't a time limit kind of a mood killer?"
Well said. I tell people much the same when they explain how long projects will take. I ask them, if they were planning a backpacking trip, would they have a rigid schedule for where they'll be each day, or just enjoy the journey, stopping to investigate something further if the mood suits them.
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