Expensive Metal Work!!

I just got new quarter skins, outer wheel well patches, and new rocker arms to be installed on my '67 camaro. I spoke to two seperate people and both of them quoted me around $4k to cut out the old and weld in the new patches. This is the first car I'm restoring and it's becoming a headache with a new baby in the house. Does that price seem steep to you guys or should I keep shopping around? I don't want to tackle the project myself in fear of making it look horrible. I'm just concerned cause I bought the car for 10 and have put 6k into the motor and front end. I still need probably 5k in wheels and tires, and all the other accessories inside the car plus paint and body work after this metal work. It feels like i'm gonna have 50k into the car when I could have bought a pretty clean one for about 30. Let me know what you guys think about the metal work and what you feel would be a fair price for it.

-Stessing out in Ca-:(

In California, that sounds about right. Here in PA, I would have quoted you around $2,900 for the same work, not including rocker arms as that is a mechanical issue not a structural one (unless of course your terminology is off and you meant "ROCKERS").........


Bill S.

I meant to type rocker panels, under the doors. The bummers is the qoutes are for side work from two guys I know(but not good friends). I told them that I'm not in a rush and they would be able to do the work when they are available and have down time.

Welcome to our world!

That price probably is pretty much in line. You bring up a very important point....sometimes it's better to buy a very clean car initially rather than spend the money later on repairing a rusty one. You know "you can pay me now or you can pay me later." :)

I think the only way buying a real challenge makes any sense is if you are able to do all or the majority of the work yourself, because once you start farming it out.......:eek:

Don

I'm starting to think I should have done the engine last!

The bummers is the qoutes are for side work from two guys I know(but not good friends). I told them that I'm not in a rush and they would be able to do the work when they are available and have down time.


Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooh, this is the most dangerous statement you can ever make to anyone doing work on your car. :eek: Been there, done that. It almost always gets interpreted as " I don't care if I don't get it back for a very long time." They usually start out like gangbusters then push it aside and never seem to get back on it again. When you finally start leaning on them, they always say "but you said you were in no hurry??" :mad:

Everytime I utter that statement to someone now I always regret it.

Don

Seems a bit high, but for your area it's probably about in line.... As for doing the engine last, that's the way I choose to do all of mine. Never have figured out why everyone things the engine should be done and installed first then gather dust, sparks, overspray and all the other crud flying around as the rest of the build progresses.....

Personally I don't think that price is awful........................if the work is done really well. And what Pops just said it VERY apropos.

Here's the reality lost on a lot of folks. You mess up on the wheels/tires? Easy change and you can sell the take offs, you lose some dough, but not the whole enchilada. You mess up on the engine specs? Not too big a problem to change out a few parts most of the time, or, sell the complete engine to someone that it fits better and put in what you should have.

Mess up on body work? BIG problem, because it's there to see forever..........or until you throw everything way (parts, labor, time)with no way to recoup your loses, and if it's done by some hacks they can cause more damage than you had to start with! You can't shop on price alone for this stuff. You need to know ABSOLUTELY that whoever you hire will do the work the way you want it (I would hope correctly) and in a time frame that you can live with, THEN work on price. Old phrase; "The bitter taste of poor quality lasts much longer than the sweet taste of a low price". Have I beat that horse enough?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Old phrase; "The bitter taste of poor quality lasts much longer than the sweet taste of a low price". Have I beat that horse enough?

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That one will never go out of style.

I think for the most part you can always find a car cheaper than you can build. The problem becomes is it what you really want?
Not being able to do your own work will cost you a fortune. We just did a '41 Chevy truck for a guy and he ended up having $46k in it an dthe truck is only worth about $30k**)

Thanks for all the thoughts.... I guess I'll just have to pony up the dough, but I'll make sure it's not done as a side work job. I understand that the metal work is important, and I would rather pay for quality then to be upset with the way it turns out and always seeing blemishes that I know are there. Appreciate the advice, it got me back on track!

Sounds about right even to myself being this far north (canada).A good friend was qouted almost the same for a 68 fire bird in my home town by a shop with 40 years exp in the field of body work who is working at this time on a 57 chrysler for my big bro..welcome to the world of sweet cars and headaches they cost. good luck though.:toocool:

It almost always gets interpreted as " I don't care if I don't get it back for a very long time." They usually start out like gangbusters then push it aside and never seem to get back on it again

Been there, done that. A "friend" quoted me a price on chopping a top. A decent price. He was just beginning to build. I agreed, BUT he kept getting other jobs where he could make more money..."no problem, go ahead". He did the job about halfway through and quit. After 7 years he decides to get serious and start and 'oh!, by the way, I don't work for that'. I paid him what he wanted and took it to the house.

Does'nt sound good to me. buisness is buisness.. i'd shop around and get references ie pics of past jobs and talk to past customers.. everyone i do sheetmetal work for i give reffs and ask my customers if they would mind if i gave their # to potential customers.imho

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.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL22/...61/9570104.jpg

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.