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05-23-2024, 11:05 AM | #1 |
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn
Posts: 3,028
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Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
Lately I've been calling around to local body shops about getting some rust repair done, rocker panel/rear quarter panel areas. Not rusted through but paint bubbling and surface rust showing through. I'm not a body man so I just want to get it stopped correctly before it turns into a gaping hole. In my small town of about 6,000 people there are 6 or 7 body shops. Only one local shop will touch any type of rust repair, all the others locally only deal with collision and panel replacement/insurance claims. Anyone else experienced this? Its frustrating and hate to let my truck rot away just because its not a bumper, fender or hood that can be sprayed and bolted on.
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'51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com |
05-23-2024, 01:00 PM | #2 |
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Location: TN.
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
It's the same way in my area.
All the one's that Owned their own shop have pasted away or retired. I think there is only 2 around that will do it , But they are always Booked up.
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________________________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________ 84 Chevy K-20 63 Impala (my high school car) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...Crew Cab Build |
05-23-2024, 01:20 PM | #3 |
Robert Olson Transport
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: recent transplant to NC USA
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
this is precisely why i found a class at my community college that taught me.. i took a series of classes that allowed me to actually bring my truck to school and work on it. I actually made my own parts out of flat sheet metal and welded them on
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Bob 1951 International running on a squarebody chassis "If a man's worth is judged by the people he associates himself with, then i am the richest man in the world knowing some of the fine people of this board" http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/a...t.php?f=25&a=9 (you can review the site rules here!) PM Me for your vehicle/parts hauling needs in the North East US or see my Facebook page Robert Olson Transport Live each day to the fullest.. you never know when fate is going to pull the rug out from under you... I hate cancer!! |
05-23-2024, 01:37 PM | #4 |
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Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
I'm all for learning a new skill and doing things myself but unfortunately taking a course at the closest CC that offers a class like that isn't in the cards at this time. Between working full time, a growing family and keeping up with all the things around home (still cleaning up the yard from our latest storms yet) I barely have time for my current projects let alone taking on new ones. I'm also not going to experiment or learn to do body work on this truck, even if repair panels are readily available. I understand these things sound like excuses but so be it- this is a job best done by the people that do this day in and day out.
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'51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com |
05-23-2024, 02:35 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Elkhart, Texas
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
I live in a very small town (pop.1300) in east Texas.. Nearest sizeable town is over 50 miles away.. Palestine (County Seat), population 16,000 is about 10 miles away.. Only 2 - 3 body shops.. One of them "advertises" restoration services.. Like all body shops, their main source of income is insurance jobs. Based on the amount of work required on any particular job, the insurance company requires the job be finished in a very specific time period.. This particular body shop will take in a restoration job, and when an insurance job comes in, the restoration job gets pushed back in a corner.. There it sits for months and months..
In Palestine, there is a pick-&-pull salvage yard that can source parts for old cars.. The owner also offers transmission rebuilding services.. As part of the business, his son runs a "one man operation" body shop.. Complete with modern paint booth.. He works primarily on "customer pay" projects with insurance jobs taking a back seat.. He is always busy with work that comes from miles around.. If he happens to be contacted about an insurance job, if he's busy at the time, that job is rejected.. He does excellent work and has worked on my stuff a few times and I came away totally satisfied.. My advice to the OP is step outside the box and ask around.. Locate a small one-man operation who's not interested in dealing with insurance companies.. You'll probably find someone.. |
05-23-2024, 03:15 PM | #6 |
Post Whore
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Portland Oregon
Posts: 11,220
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
This trend has been exacerbated by the insurance companies putting pressure on the body shops not to have restoration work in their shop. The pressure is expressed by the insurance companies that they will discourage insurance claims from using the shop. As most collision shops aren't willing to lose their bread and butter insurance claim work the number of available shops for rust repair has dropped to almost zero. And without those shops training the technicians there is no next generation of qualified people for the work. There is a guy local to me who has started a shop that only does sheet metal replacement. No paint or putty work. I'm thinking of using him for my next project. And hopefully I can get a straight forward no metal work paint job from a collision shop.
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Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help. RIP Bob Parks. 1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377 |
05-24-2024, 02:28 PM | #7 | |
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Location: Catskill Mountains,NY
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
Quote:
We had a sign in the shop stating that under NY State insurance law you have the right to have your car repaired at the shop of your choice .
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05-24-2024, 10:15 PM | #8 |
Post Whore
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Portland Oregon
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
That's correct. Same law here in Oregon. But when I was working at the body shop at l heard at least a dozen long time customers relate to us how an insurance company adjuster would make comments that were degrading about shop after the customer expressed a desire to have our shop do the work. Like "Oh the last vehicle they did for us took way too long to finish" or "Their paint work always seems to need to be re-painted before the paint is right".
Adjusters denigrate shops in way that discourages as many people as possible to go to their approved shops. It's all hearsay and very hard to prove in court. And many times it's not the whole story. Like the "Oh the last vehicle they did for us took way too long to finish". The real reason the car took extra time was the vehicle's owner demanded only new OE parts to repair the vehicle, which is their right. The adjuster hated that we respected the owners desires and waited to receive new factory suspension parts instead installing the wrecking yard parts the adjuster brought us. They only relate the negative parts of the repairs, (Negative from their point of view) and not the whole story of the repair process.
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Thanks to Bob and Jeanie and everyone else at Superior Performance for all their great help. RIP Bob Parks. 1967 Burban (the WMB),1988 S10 Blazer (the Stink10 II),1969 GTO (the Goat), 1970 Javelin, 1952 F2 Ford OHC six 4X4, 29 Model A, 72 Firebird (the DBP Bird). 85 Alfa Romeo If it breaks I didn't want it in the first place The WMB repair thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=698377 |
05-25-2024, 07:53 AM | #9 | |
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Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Catskill Mountains,NY
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
Quote:
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Mark 72 c20 custom camper Husky edition, 66 SS396 Chevelle 1964 Hawk, 63 Avanti,62 lark 1969 AMX , 1968 c20 stepside ,85 K20 1977 Suburban sold 68 anniversary. |
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05-23-2024, 04:24 PM | #10 |
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Carlos MN
Posts: 2,072
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
I help at a some what local body shop a couple days a week. They do rocker/cab corner replacement on older pickups and SUV's. About $3000-$4000 depending on vehicle and level of rust. The shop owner is in his late 30's and his two shop guys are in the mid 20's. Takes one guy about two days to R and R the rocker/cab corners. Then another 2? days to do body work and paint. Keep in mind on trucks to do cab corners properly the box has to come off to get at the back of the cab. Box bolts can be a real pain since they are always rusted.
Maybe contact a local car club to see if they can recommend someone? |
05-23-2024, 05:24 PM | #11 |
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Wellington, Ks
Posts: 10,230
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
Sadly that is the world we live in now days. Wife drives a '05 Tahoe with some rust coming thru on the left rear wheel well arch. Out little town has three body shops, one does restoration work only, booked well into the future, another only does insurance work, no rust repair of any sort. Last one, same damn thing, insurance work, no rust repair at all. Really frustrating when a person wants to take care of a good vehicle and you run into that situation.
MJN, agree, start asking around, buddies, known car guys, car shows, coffee and cars meets, local Auto Zone/O'reillys, etc, just anywhere. I was lucky and found a retired guy that worked for the same company as I did who LOVES doing that rust repair/restoration but....only works on older vehicles and classics. He did my Chevelle and my '57. He learned it from an old school body guy and now he's retired like myself and runs a shop at home for side money. Keep asking around and good luck. Not much help I know but don't give up the search. Good luck to you.
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05-23-2024, 06:34 PM | #12 |
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Murray, Kentucky
Posts: 3,521
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
When a friend of my son's backed into my blazer I went to at least 10 shops in the area before I found a guy who would repair the fender. All the other shops refuse to do any rust work at all.
Now that I'm retired I'm working on my own stuff, but you couldn't pay me to work on anyone else's trucks ( believe me, I have had people beg me to but I ain't doing it). I can barely please myself let alone anyone else! I'm willing to offer advice if they want it, and I'll help as long as they are working with me but I have my own junk that needs work.
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05-23-2024, 09:13 PM | #13 |
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Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Cypress, TX
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
Time for a vacation trip to Texas and drop that truck off with the son at pick-n-pull.
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05-25-2024, 10:01 AM | #14 |
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Murray, Kentucky
Posts: 3,521
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
Most of the shops in my area only do insurance work. They wouldn't even look at my blazer because I had cash in hand to have it repaired.
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Roger '68 Short step - https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=849675 '69 ('70?) 2wd Blazer '70 GMC Jimmy 2wd '73 Firebird - https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...d.php?t=853203 |
05-25-2024, 04:40 PM | #15 |
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Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Carlos MN
Posts: 2,072
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
That has been a issue in regards to OEM parts.
Last Jan a guy center punched a big whitetail at 70 mph with 2022 3500 Silverado Duramax. Took over 6 weeks to get a new intercooler. The insurance company bugged the snot of the shop owner to use used parts. The truck owner would have no part of the used part thing. |
05-25-2024, 08:33 PM | #16 |
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Elkhart, Texas
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
I may be wrong, or it may be only a Texas law/regulation.. Replacement parts for a wrecked vehicle that is still under a factory warranty must be OEM, not used nor repops..
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05-28-2024, 12:21 PM | #17 |
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Location: Canon City, Colorado
Posts: 108
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
Usually the choice between re-pop or factory replacement parts. Is dictated by your insurance carrier and your exact policy.
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05-29-2024, 11:56 AM | #18 |
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Maquoketa, Ia/ Orr, Mn
Posts: 3,028
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Re: Difficulty finding body shops that do rust repair
I've asked around to co-workers, friends, neighbors, thats how I ended up calling the shops I did call who all referred me to the one local shop. My neighbor is president of the local car club and he gave me a few to call but again they don't do rust repair work. I was hoping to keep it local just so it was closer to home and not 40 miles away. One shop I'll be stopping at this week after work told me if it was rusted through they wouldn't touch it but would look at it if it wasn't rusted through. At least I found someone willing to look at it.
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'51 South Bend Model "9A" '56 Chevy 3600 NAPCO '74 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20-restored on 37's '72 GMC Sierra Custom K2500- in progress '08 GMC Envoy Denali '12 GMC Sierra 2500HD Denali '17 GMC Yukon XL VCCA member #58596 http://www.nohrco.com |
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