Thread: hourly shop rates for street rod shop

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I am wanting to know what some of the street rod and custom shops "not body shop" around are charging an hour. thanks for any imput

$60-90 per hour, depending on their reputation, in our part of the world. Probably a bit more expensive than most places because we have such "efficient" local governments.

I have a speed shop that I like here in SUNNY FLORIDA. I learned never to ask "how much?", and never to ask "when will it be done?"

The guy ahead of me in line nagged them for about 40min and they finally said they wouldn't take his engine...because if he was asking "how much?", then he obviously couldn't afford the best.

I bring them my engine parts, any new parts I have (valves, springs,etc...), and give them my phone number. Actually, I've done so much business there, my number is on the wall by the phone!!!

Least I've ever paid: zero, to come in and use their blast cabinet on my lunch break.

Most I've paid: $3,800 for the machine work on my 351/426 stroker...they sourced and supplied all parts for the stroker crank.

I have two hourly rates. When someone want's me to restore a rusted 4 door sedan I charge $90 hr. If it's a car I like my rate is $40 hr. I never get the $90 jobs. The only other shop in the area that does specialty work charges $95 hr. He gets the customers who don't ask "how much?" There's not that many of those jobs around here so he isn't overworked. Most of his work is collision damaged sports cars. I go to him for insurance estimates.

My shop is in my back yard so I don't have much overhead. My mortgage is less than $200 a month with only two years till It's paid off.

I also have a machine shop out there. The shops I work with wan't a quote not an estimate. I figure estimates at $40 hr. Most shops add 20% for a quote but I double the estimated hours for a quote So I'm actually charging $80 hr. for machine work.

If you wan't me to build or restore a car I'm booked till spring but there's nothing on my waiting list. So I'm looking for the next project already. I charge $10 a month storage on cars waiting for work or waiting to be picked up. I don't asdvertise my shop and I even took down the sign so I wouldn't get all the rust repair work on junk cars. Most of those people have a budget of less than $100 and just waste my time.
AL

Uncle Bob...."Efficient local government". .The only thing our law makers in Olympia are efficient at is giving themselves a nice fat raise in wages each year...Oh yeah..don't forget ..that session is closed to the public....