Thread: Expensive Metal Work!!

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You guys remember that this happened to me when we were trying to get my T and Don's T painted. My "buddy" a bodyman promised the cars back in two weeks. Three weeks later I stopped by and they were sitting in the same spot all dusty. They got "busy" with cars that came in well after ours did. I wasn't even looking for a deal pricewise, just a good job. I loaded up both of them and took them to a body shop that got them done in 10 days each.

Sometimes dealing with friends is not such a good idea. The only worse idea I know of is bartering work for work................that almost NEVER works out, someone almost always gets the short end of that stick.

Don

Best Advice I've Herd In A While. You Tell No Lies There !!!

The price for body work can be backed up by a flat rate manual most anywhere. One way to save on this is to have your car worked on in a trade school or college. You check them out the same way as any other shop,ask for examples of their work. Where I think you got soaked was when you anteed up 10k for a car that needed that much to begin with. If the quarters,rockers and wheelwells are in need of replacement,you had better take a long look at the floors ,cowl,window seams,etc. Hank

Rust repair & body panel replacement will eat a budget to the bone.
Always start w/ the best shape body you can afford.
I'd be asking tons of questions. Are they planning a quickie body shop job- like flanging panels & welding the overlapped seam & then smearing gallons of bondo over it or are they planning to butt weld everything- hammering the welds, shrinking the metal, grinding until flat & as little filler as possible?
Guess which one will cost more?
Are they planning to just wack out the metal to match the repair panel size or are they planning to only replace areas that are bad & cut panel to match?
Friends are the worst candidate for repair work. By the time it's over, you won't be friends. Ask me how I know this.
I try & do all my own body work. That way- I know it's done right.
Hot tip- stay away from door jams! Repair panels do a piss-poor job of re-creating the bends in the jam.

Well 67 Camaro- how much does it cost to look for some more quotes? Stay away from big time shops and ask people where that small shop is with less overhead and skilled body guys.