Can it be done?

[superbird77]

Hello all, i am just getting some of your thoughts on the remaining time line of my 69 RR restoration. I had the car picked up by a friend of mine who owns a restoration shop last July with the arrangement of it being fully completed buy this July. The car itself needed quarters, trunk pan, inner fenders replaced and fully painted. Add to that restoring pretty much everything else on the car, interior, front end, rear end, brakes, wiring, etc. I am doing a lot of work myself and have no concerns about having my parts ready, engine & trans included.

My concern is the car still isn't painted and there is lots of work to be done. For some reason its taken 8 months to get the metal work done. I keep getting the run around on the progress and i am getting worried it wont be anywhere near ready by July. I probably would of pulled the car from the shop by now but its my friend and also not a rolling chassis currently. Also, there is a wait list for the other shop i would use if i did decide to pull it. So i am trying to prepare and brace myself for it not to be done on time. Whats your thoughts?

 

[idrivemopar]

That sounds familiar. Pretty common with independent body shop guys especially if they have multiple projects and are also doing collision work. My car was at the shop for 7 months, didn't need nearly the work you are having done, and when I got it back the paint was crap, a bunch of stuff wasn't fixed, and I was pretty pissed off about it and the body guy was a complete *** about the entire project and didn't care because he got his money. I ended up taking it to another shop for a re-spray, which turned out awesome. So, if you are not happy, either get on the guys *** about it or pull it and take it somewhere else. Never good to do business with friends that can ruin friendships.

 

[superbird77]

Yeah, doing business with a friend was a major concern to me as well. I tried to avoid it by providing a detailed written outline and having three in depth conversations about my expectations before he took the job. I told him he didn't have to take it on if he felt it was too much. I keep in touch with him but i know how much work is to be done and i am very skeptical it will be ready.

 

[super-bee_ski]

LOL
I was promised "completion dates repeatedly!"
4.5 years later I pulled it out of the shop.

 

[eagleone1983]

I think I'm having deja vu. I got the same story and mine took about 3 years. I'd plan on driving your car July of 2016. If you really want it done faster money talks for some shops and you may be able to bump the line at the other shop you were referring to.

 

[Jonnyuma]

The conventional wisdom says "Never do business with a friend" but I think it really depends on who your friend is. I've done paint and body work for several friends, motorcycles and cars as well as some residential paint jobs for friends/acquaintances and have never had a complaint...at least not one that I couldn't easily (and quickly) rectify. Under promise and over deliver is the way to keep the jobs coming in. Sorry you're having trouble with you friend's shop, but that seems more a product of his shop rather than simply the fact that you two are friends.

 

[superbird77]

The most frustrating part is not getting any progress reports or pics, when i do call i am not getting strait answers i feel. I know he has had some employee issues but my patience is running thin. I feel i have been very patient and understanding on this. Like i had mentioned, i gave him the option to refuse and was very clear on my timeline and expectations. I know the work they do is great but i also know it shouldn't take a professional shop 8 months to be at this stage. Seems like lots of people have the same type of issues i am experiencing.

 

[Jonnyuma]

It seems like body-shop purgatory has become the rule rather than the exception anymore. I don't know if its always been this way or if its a relatively new phenomena, but I can't think of any other business that could regularly get away with that kind of stuff. Cost overruns and delays are part of any type of construction job, cars, buildings, roads, etc. But being unresponsive to the party that's footing the bill is unacceptable.

 

[belvedere 67]

I had a similar situation with a "friend". We agreed on a price to do so much work. He kepted dragging his feet on the project so I told his only to do the rear quarter panels which was about 20% of the total project. When he finally did it done he got pissed off when I felt the labor billed should have gone down because I took away 80% of the work. Some friend huh?

 

[63RedFury]

Go get the car.....

 

[Bruzilla]

I've been having the same problem, and I get pissed when I to check on my car and constantly see new cars I haven't seen before being worked on. Bottom line is when someone with deep pockets comes in and says "I need this done, and done now, and I don't care what it costs", they're going to get as much time and attention as the shop can offer and you're off to the back burner.

 

[sleepar]

It takes no time to paint a car.... 20 minutes a coat 2hours per coat... years prep. If he said a year wait till the year is up then bug. The car is going to look like **** till the last hours and the masking tape is pulled.

 

[Donny]

Funny word; Cost Overruns! In this line of work, if a 'cost' was established, then, you the customer and the shop are starting off wrong foot imho! The only really hard costs is Labor, Media Blasting, Supplies, time to do the above is just that; time, not exactly sure how long it'll take is the reality of this profession. HOWEVER, some guys think this is 'easy' work, and get into it and 'hustle' desirous customers for a nice ride for cheap, and promise they can do everything all the while thinking they can just make money. It's a mix for sure finding a shop that has the skill sets you need for your car, and of course hoping they are honest and upright! Also, I think perhaps a reminder that these shops are not an assembly line mass producing these cars. Also, from my observations Body shops (Insurance collision meisters) do NOT translate at all into Restoration shops. They 'can', but, maybe the Body shop does some Saturday work on some part time Resto jobs, but, the real Bread and Butter is made off Insurance Jobs. Good luck in sorting out this problem! Hope my words just serve to clarify a bit, not confuse or anger anyone.

 

[Bruzilla]

I've been very frustrated with my shop guy, but in all honesty I can't say the delay has been a totally bad thing. Every time a deep pockets Mopar guy comes in and says "I don't care what it costs", they usually also don't care what the shop does with the parts they replace on the car, so I've been able to score some pretty nice, and expensive, parts for free since the PO didn't want them and told the shop owner to do whatever he wanted with them, and the owner puts them in the parts tote for my car.

 

[furyus]

Have you paid all the fees for the restoration already? If so, he has no motivation to finish the job. Tell him you are pulling the car at the agreed date. Plan on it being at another shop for a while.

 

[bbcharger71]

I feel ya buddy. My car was in the shop for 2.5 years. When I took it to him, he said he would only have it for 6 months at most. It seems to be the norm at these small body shops. That's why they stay small........

 

[BIGSHCLUNK]

I've had a friend do body work for me a few times. I'm always involved (hands on) with the project and money NEVER changes hands till completion. Granted we've been known to go to lunch/tip a few/ hang out here and there. Outside of any business dealings. There's friends, bud's, and associates, its not all the same.

 

[superbird77]

I have been paying as i go on this project. What is most insulting is getting a bill and i haven't seen or heard an update since the last time i called and requested something. I've told my guy to get it buttoned up and bring it back to me along with all my parts ASAP. I run a business myself and if i treated my customers like this i wouldn't have any left. I don't feel it matters to him if he finished the job since they are so busy with other projects. He took in another Mopar 6 months after my car and its had just as much work done to it as mine. Like Kenny Rogers said, you gotta know when to fold em and walk away.

Have you paid all the fees for the restoration already? If so, he has no motivation to finish the job. Tell him you are pulling the car at the agreed date. Plan on it being at another shop for a while.

 

[flypaper]

you guys listed all the reasons why i do it myself..

 

[Cornpatch MO]

It's the squeeky wheel that gets the grease.Without getting him P.O.ed, call or stop by the shop every so often. Get him to tell you what work will be done by what date. When that date comes , remind him of what he told you. Keep the pressure up. When a customer doesn't complain, they are the first to be skipped over.................................MO