[CastIron]

I think the biggest trick to saving money while still doing things the right way is finding the right people to help you. There is a lot of good auto body & repair technicians out there who love doing work on the side. If you're lucky enough to find somebody like that it is a great way to save money on labor.

There's a couple things about professional shops that people may not realize. Just because they are expensive and have a good reputation doesn't mean they always do good work. There's always some guys that will take any shortcut they think they can get away with. And a lot of shops will employ people without any formal training. You might be spending $100+ per hour to get your vehicle worked on but the person doing the actual work may only be getting paid $10 per hour.

And just for the record, my pickup is a mostly original, unrestored '69 C1500. I've had it 15 years and have about $5000 into it, including the purchase price. I really only bought it to haul things and have put about 7k miles on since I bought it. It has spent 99% of its like under cover and while the paint is in decent original shape there is a little surface rust on the frame and suspension. I don't really have plans for a full restoration. My plans are to make it safer, more efficient, and more fun to drive.