If you were to build a car from "scratch" - like Henry Ford did with his quad - a shaper might have some utility.
Most cars from the 1910s onward are pretty standard in format - and your need is more for things already "improved" to purpose. I.e. flattening cylinder & heads, brake lathes, a lathe (for spindles), cylindrical grinders (Crankshafts) possibly a MIG for body-work.
Most work of this nature is done by "experts." You may be one of these for certain things you do in your shop. I expect your Dad or grandfather already uses these experts if they are not one themself.
For years I thought I would develop the capability to rebuild a Model A engine. Pursuing this thought, the last Model A engine I did "supervise" a piece by bit engine restoration: Crankshaft to a crank grinder, block to a re-babbiter/line borer, block to a cylinder bore grinder who also inserted the valve seats. camshaft core exchanged. There is no savings this way and my experience is that a Model A block is best left in the hands of a "specialist." The nice part of this is a specialist block usually comes with a guarantee.
And this is pretty much the way of automobile restoration. A corollary to this is a car is only worth what it initially costs as a core PLUS the cost of restoration. Savings, if any exists, is in developing your own "capability" and using it - but any capability development usually has an "overhead cost." Painting, bodywork, finish is all mostly "man-hours" and you may save something in these areas. The rest has a pretty standard cost.
For a few years at the beginning, I kept very detailed "costs" of the restoration of my Model A - in the hopes of keeping to that "core plus restoration." My objective was to at least not to "lose money" on my hobby.
But after a few years I set aside the cost ledger. If you enjoy something, then ENJOY it and don't worry about the cost. At what cost do you price your pleasure?
And this is where I am today. I work on and improve the Model A to PLEASE ME. Some things need doing and I take pleasure in solving problems. Some things don't need doing so much, but it still pleases me to have "improved."
I do see ads in Craigslist and other places for such things as a Kwik-Way line bore, a Sunnen hone, or a set of molds and arbor for pouring bearings - but I think should I own these I might use the setups twice more in my life remaining. Meanwhile there is a very talented man down in Amesbury MA (about half an hour drive) who can do all of this for one motor for the price of the tooling for me to do a dozen.
I don't want to do a dozen Model A engines. It's not my "thing."
Life is short - do with it what gives you the most pleasure so when you get to the end you don't have any regrets.
Best for the shaper would be to get it in the hands of someone who would APPRECIATE it and possibly even use it. It may be his "raison-d'etre" and it's absence in his life might be his regret.
Joe in NH
1929 CC Model A Pickup.
