Resto gone bad!

[BADPURPLE70CHEVY]

Originally Posted by 71 super

I understand where you are coming from, I did the same thing with my bb truck, after threats of lawyers and unnessary bs, they finally finished the truck (paint only) I did all prep, reassembly etc. my self- to give you an idea it got so bad they ended up giving me a key to the shop so that I could work and not show up at the owners home at all hours wanting in- 3 years later. Then the cock------ had the nerve to ask for more money over the contracted price and I supplied all of the materials! Good luck it is hard to find another shop to work on one after someone else has started...

Wow..is that a local shop 71 super?

[Sinisterspeed]

Oh my... this sounds like de ja vu (sp?) Mine went through 4 body shops. 2 complete bodies and twice I spent either all or a portion up front. This last time it took 367 days to complete my truck, I bought new cab (with litterally no body work to be done other then the shaved firewall) the original deal was for new rockers and a few other things on my previous cab. New fenders, new hood, I did all the tear down and I am putting it all back together. All this after they asked me to make it run and drive before i brought it in. Once i did then they wanted it back off the frame. ... oh well... I can do that in a couple hours so I came in and did it. Took home the chassis and other unnecessary parts. Original price was for 3500-4500. I agreed and said sure when do you want it. 8200 + front clip + new cab + all new glass seals and paid glass installer to come put in WS and Back glass.... I finally got my truck back alittle over a year later!!!! so.. this one just strikes a nerve with me.

I didnt want to ***** to much and get a crappy hurried job but when it just sits for months and you ask em, is this a free time project then? If so why Im I paying you twice what the other two clients paid I sent in? They explained mine took more work..

I about lost it.
I took it apart.
I located parts new or perfect
I am putting it back together
I am paying double what I was quoted
you bid it with real body work to be done (not just prime and blocking)
you had to disassemble and reassemble at least 3 more completes while mines been waiting.
You told me 2 months
and YOU took over 12 months... I don't see how my truck took more work!

I have 2 more trucks waiting to get painted.... do you think ill take them back there?

GRRRRR!!

[hotrod 80]

Coming up on 6 years (that's right 6) for the 49' I still owe them $15K . They will not get the last draw until it is finished . I will be into it for $35K . I have a 68' Camaro . I have quotes for a repaint , but i keep getting moved back . It will take another year before it's finished . The 67' i am putting the best parts i can round up together and not worrying about paint .

[ace of shades]

Originally Posted by hotrod 80

Coming up on 6 years (that's right 6) for the 49' I still owe them $15K . They will not get the last draw until it is finished . I will be into it for $35K . I have a 68' Camaro . I have quotes for a repaint , but i keep getting moved back . It will take another year before it's finished . The 67' i am putting the best parts i can round up together and not worrying about paint .

One thing I have noticed working in a body shop is that most people don't have the slightest idea what stuff costs. I would say a good repaint, not a color change, with minor dings and a standard color would run around 7K. You would be surprised how many people all but go into shock when they find out a bumper cover, fender and hood (deer hit) will run into 1500 to 2 thousand dollars. most of them think it would only be like 500 or so

[wwotr]

Originally Posted by ace of shades

One thing I have noticed working in a body shop is that most people don't have the slightest idea what stuff costs. I would say a good repaint, not a color change, with minor dings and a standard color would run around 7K. You would be surprised how many people all but go into shock when they find out a bumper cover, fender and hood (deer hit) will run into 1500 to 2 thousand dollars. most of them think it would only be like 500 or so

I hit 4 Shops for my quotes.
I wanted all Body Work (not a Resto) and Single Color paint on the Outside, SS Stripes on the Hood and the Interior painted.

1st Shop-2 Months=$7000.00
2nd Shop-3 Months=$7500.00
3rd Shop- 2 Months=$9500.00 (Guarentee Paint/Body Work for Life of Truck)
4th Shop-2 Months=$8500.00

I went with Shop #4 and it took them 11-12 weeks/$4500.00 to just the Body Work Only. So doing the Math (on their original estimate), if I bring it BACK to them in the Summer for paint, it should only cost me $4K.

I've "hinted" to them but I feel it will be more like $5K, and I'm OK with that.
I like the Shop, the employees. They've been fair/up front with me.
I also like the fact that my Money is staying in my County,
instead of the "Big City"

[72Levi]

For the money do it yourself. I live outside the city and heard too many horror stories about body shops. DIY basecoat/clearcoat and you may surprise yourself. $5k-8k-10k for a paint job is crazy. You can even build your own booth with pvc, plastic, etc... Yes you may not have a place to paint it but look around you may be able to rent a booth. Paint prices are crazy, I've painted a '70 Corvette, 67 Firebird Convertible and they came out pretty good. The bc/cc is very easy to shoot and buffed out looks like a mirror. Sorry to hear about your body shop horrors, I have also heard many from friends.

[wwotr]

Originally Posted by 72Levi

For the money do it yourself. I live outside the city and heard too many horror stories about body shops. DIY basecoat/clearcoat and you may surprise yourself. $5k-8k-10k for a paint job is crazy. You can even build your own booth with pvc, plastic, etc... Yes you may not have a place to paint it but look around you may be able to rent a booth. Paint prices are crazy, I've painted a '70 Corvette, 67 Firebird Convertible and they came out pretty good. The bc/cc is very easy to shoot and buffed out looks like a mirror. Sorry to hear about your body shop horrors, I have also heard many from friends.

For my paticular case, 7 Shoulder & Wrist operations in 3 years has left me unable to do anything CLOSE to Body Work.
Thats why God created "Body Shops".
I (personally) would much rather pay someone to do it right , then for me to try and save some$$ and have to explain to people why there's ripples in the panels and paint flaking off my Truck.
On top of all that...I DON'T HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR IT!

[Brad]

I just noticed this thread and have to mention my own experience. FWIW, I was lucky and found a FANTASTIC body & paint guy who is also a fine outstanding member of this board! His name is Mark aka LIVRAT and he built my 68SWB in his shop based on my specs. I fronted him the money and paid for the truck that he had sitting in his shop before the work had started and although I was a bit nervous about doing that, it worked out really well for me. While it wasn't cheap, I got a killer ride that has garnered many, many compliments since I've been driving it. I literally get a compliment every time I drive it. I won't hesitate to mention him for folks living in the PNW that are able to travel to Seattle.
I guess what I want to say is that while there are some really dishonest people out there as described above, there are still a lot of good solid people with ethics that do really, really good work.

[tim21391]

body shop i work at we are doing a 67 camero rs/ss and the owner is the sherriff in town and hes got about 30 grand invested into it.....

[Brad]

Originally Posted by tim21391

body shop i work at we are doing a 67 camero rs/ss and the owner is the sherriff in town and hes got about 30 grand invested into it.....

If I were him, I'd arrest you and put you in the clink for that E in Camaro!!!

[wwotr]

Originally Posted by Brad

If I were him, I'd arrest you and put you in the clink for that E in Camaro!!!

I LOVE to see Newspapers with Spell Check.
They ALWAYS list Camaro as "Camero".

[bsm78]

Originally Posted by 72freak

There are thousands of paint and body shop horror stories to be heard and most sound very similar to yours.....quite a few links about it here on the forum. The short version of how I have avoided body shop horrors is...........

Look around the lot.....if there are more than 4 unfinished vehicles there go somewhere else.

Have them sign or ask them to sign a document stating they cannot put a mechanics lien on the vehicle. If they flat out refuse, get grumpy or don't try to meet you in the middle on the verbiage....GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!

In the same document make sure the price is agreed on, signed off on and it states it cannot exceed the agreed upon price or TIME FRAME and the vehicle MUST be finished and approved for that price in that time frame or you can remove it without a lien.

You always get popped with the ...."but I need to buy materials".......If he cant front the materials....you don't need to be there.

Agree to ONLY pay in thirds.....figure out final price, split it three ways and pay one third when YOU approve the body work, one third after primer and one third when its is finished and YOU approve. (or something like that)

It works! You easily weed out the shops that take in restoration work just to get the money ahead of time and will get to the car when they have no collision work to do. These people in my book are corrupt, lying thieves that use "mechanic lien laws" as a method to steal!

have them sign something saying you can come get your truck at any time and also they have to buy the parts up front and start working on it?

wow what a deal. i think all body shops should do that then i can just get the work done and go pick up my vehicle without paying and have free parts.

this will not work.

any resto project you want to do you will have to be involved. take baby steps and make arrangements to get the job done and what price to pay. if you get one part done and take the vehicle home for 2 months and dont get your head knocked off with some silly fees you will be better off. you should be ready to furnish your parts so that doesnt leave the shop with an excuse as that they could not find the right stuff for the job.

[big_al_71]

This is the main reason why I dont want to deal with body shops, I am lucky that the owner of my company owns two body shops but I rather buy a roller with a finished body work and painted that have to go thru that brain of dealing with body shops. Even when I had the firewall smoothed, painted the hood, roof, cowl panel, radiator support,inside of the cab and inner fenders it still took six weeks and I thought I was dreaming because of how quick it was done we did all the dissasembly and re assembly....

[wwotr]

Originally Posted by bsm78

have them sign something saying you can come get your truck at any time and also they have to buy the parts up front and start working on it?

wow what a deal. i think all body shops should do that then i can just get the work done and go pick up my vehicle without paying and have free parts.

this will not work.

any resto project you want to do you will have to be involved. take baby steps and make arrangements to get the job done and what price to pay. if you get one part done and take the vehicle home for 2 months and dont get your head knocked off with some silly fees you will be better off. you should be ready to furnish your parts so that doesnt leave the shop with an excuse as that they could not find the right stuff for the job.

When I took my Truck into the Body Shop, my Quote/Estimate was $3500.00.
3 Weeks into it, that was rasised another $500.00. Then 5 weeks in, the Shop owner told me it was "Gonna be No More Than $4500.00"
It was at that point that I said..."Fine, but I'm gonna let you know up front, that was MORE than I had and the only way I can pay off that Balance is to make Monthly Payments".
He agreed. I had already given him $3200.00 Cash 1/2 way through and another $200.00 when I picked up my Truck. I called him the day I was to pick it up and asked him to have all the receipts done and a "contract" for the remaing balance to be written up and signed by him.
When I went in to pick up my Truck, they explained the Receipt paperwork and had the Contract for payments, written up on another sheet of Paper, already signed by the Shop Owner and I signed a copy.
No mention of any Leins whatsoever.

Couldn't be happier!

[ChevLoRay]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

...but I rather buy a roller with a finished body work and painted that have to go thru that brain of dealing with body shops. Even when I had the firewall smoothed, painted the hood, roof, cowl panel, radiator support,inside of the cab and inner fenders it still took six weeks and I thought I was dreaming because of how quick it was done we did all the dissasembly and re assembly....

I bought my truck 10 years ago, drove it daily for 3 years and then less and less until my dad died in '07. Took it to a young guy who had impressed me with is work, body, paint and metalfab. So, 2 years and $4500 later, and after he has been treated for Lymphoma, I am still waiting. He did the disassembly....bed off and front cap. I pulled the engine, radiator support, all the wiring, dismantled the interior, Y3, Y3, Y3. I took it back to him and have told him all I want is the body and paint work done, as we agreed. Oh, I also had everything soda-blasted except the cab. There will be a smoothed firewall, too.

When I get it back, it will be a body in black with black painted interior. It was black when it was new, too. So, it will be that roller that needs to be finished that you alluded to.

[jbristo67]

Originally Posted by sickred72

My 68 swb started out as a 43,000 original mile truck. I have restored several of these but the body shop really screwed me! Take my advice DONT pay in advance....its been in the shop for a year until last week when we showed up with a roll back! Just incase anyone from the local body shop is lookin.....A STORMS COMIN!!!

Yeah I made that mistake too. At least yours turned out ok with what they did. Mine had my truck for a year an now I am going to have to pay 800 just to undo what he did.