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Difference between refurbish shops?

3K views 14 replies 10 participants last post by  phoenix37 
#1 ·
Hello all, very new to this forum but wanted a little expert advise and/or guidance.

I'm thinking of purchasing a "build to suit" refurbished 110. There seems to be a lot of shops, in the US and U.K., which seem to specialize in this. But places like East Coast Defender are $200,000USD, Arkonik are $125,000USD, Sear Motors are $50,000USD and the list goes on and on.

The question is why is there such a difference in price? Are Arkonik vehicles really that much better made? Would anyone recommend a place?

Thanks! Also if this is posted in the wrong place please move it.
 
#2 · (Edited)
A neighbor down the street took possession in an Atkinson 110 and I've seen it from the outside only. It's pretty sweet I must say. Fact is with the budget you're suggesting there are several solid shops here in the US I would suggest you start with. SafariHP, LRC Customs, ECR, are just a few here on the east coast and are just a quick flight away. Proximity is worth every penny in my opinion.

My 110 full build was done by LRC Customs and you can see it in their website.
 
#3 · (Edited)
It comes down to 3 things in my opinion . . . quality of parts, quality of build and profit margins.

ECR builds them to last. Galvanized chassis, Badger tops, OEM where appropriate, etc. They are quality first ALL THE WAY (except for their 20 year old website :) ). That's one reason their builds cost more . . . the quality. I am just going to speculate that profit margin is NOT one of the reasons. ECR also (almost) only does NAS trucks AFAIK.

Just make sure you are getting the quality you are paying for.

SafariHP has a good reputation, as well. They are doing LS1 conversions, among many other things, and are quite a resource for new ROW parts.

Plenty other options out there as well. I also recommend a road trip/flight to see their facilities and speak with several previous clients.
 
#5 ·
Build in the U.K. must be to original specs of vehicle according to VIN in order to clear customs, while build in the US doesn't have that hurdle to clear. If you will be happy with a faithfully restored vehicle versus a bells-and-whistles custom, LR labor and parts are generally cheaper in the U.K.
 
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