Why does it take so damn long!!!!!!!
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Donny
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First off, Body shops are not Restoration shops. Two completely different animals. Body shops work for the Insurance company; they get payed for a fender repair; 4 hours. So, the Body shop hustles and does it in 1 hour, they pocket the rest. So, you can get crappy fixes. I see crappy fixes all the time from 70s and 80s body shops; they filled the problem with Bondo. Restoration shops will take 8 hours to fix that fender, but, charge you 4 or 5. THAT's why it takes so long. Personally, I've had a 49 Chevrolet since Jan 2012 that came in for a Media Blast and metal fix. I had to completely disassemble it (part of the agreed upon contract), figure out a method to mount a non-uni body on a Rotisserie, then, evaluating the body I determined we need to find another car, this one was too far gone to even mess with it. 5 months later, I find one on CL, a same year Texas car in far better shape. Owner funded its purchase, I then retrieved it, disassembled it, mounted it in the same Rotisserie the other was in and started going to work. The main factor has been, and will remain the owner's budget, usually no more than $1500.00 a month to fund this project. And, that equals like 20 hrs billable work, and some supplies. The equation is more money = more time spent on the project = faster completion. To sum it up, I'd certainly like to finish this faster, but, I'm primarily a Media Blasting operation with that on the side, owner understands this. Good luck!
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Yeah :iamwithstupid: , I go a little over the top sometimes :angryfire: , it's completely warranted sometime too... But unfortunately, I see way too many of these type threads lately, mostly all because of really bad business practices... Body/Restoration shop owners already spent the money & lose motivation, put good paying customers cars on the back burner, for the sake of the quick easy insurance money or sometimes it's the car owners fault too, the body shop more than not from all the post I've been reading, instead of the car owner not having enough money to fund the project in a timely manner too... Way too many were paid upfront or way too much before a draw/payment is warranted, didn't get a performance clause or let alone a written contract... They are sometimes trying to motivate the Body/Restoration shop owners with a money as enticement, that's just like throwing money in a well, it rarely ever works... IMHFO for the most part I see it as BS & really bad business practices... If they're into the easy insurance money, shabby work, quick pass thru jobs & then they probably shouldn't be into restorations at all or they shouldn't even take the job on, in the 1st place, if they can't finish the job in a timely manner... Or at-least be honest with the customer/car owner, that the car will only be worked on, only when they don't have the "easy money, quick insurance jobs", that come in after them... I know that's not the way, I have ever ran any of my businesses, I expect others to have the same ethics as I do... Most people don't thou & usually make way too many BS excuses for it... I'm sorry if that ruffles some feathers, but if they are in that type category or think like that, I don't really care & I know, I won't be using them ever anyway...
kb73rr
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No offense intended 65 but 9 months isn't all that bad. The guy working on my car has been at it since April 1st, 2004 and it's STILL NOT DONE. What a lazy azz. I could write the book on excuses why not. In fact I should write the book. That would give me another excuse not to work on it.
okiemopar
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I made a deal with a guy to do the body work on my RoadRunner and he never touched it in a year. And I didn't get any money for all my extra parts he kept either. He was a slime ball.
Shelly's Auto Body on Mountain Road in Danielsville, Pa is a slime ball too. Mine was a color change back to original. Glass out, door pins, engine out to detail compartment. On year and poor job. I think he got a lot of runs in it, and only resprayed the roof and rear. It now has a higher gloss than the hood, doors, and front fenders. Obvious to anyone. He lied. If there is a next time, it willl be at a Mopar-only shop. It's that important. Got the shaft from a Chevy guy.
kb73rr
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You might be able to buff the car to equalize the gloss. Meguiars has a pretty nice DIY kit.
ga66mopar
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The car looks great. That is a good color for that car.
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I LMFAO... yeah but it's good color thou...
65NUTCASE
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Well here we are just cleaned all the overspray and rust off the front suspension. Had to restore the job I had done before. The car must have been left outside rust stains everywhere. BUT I DIGRESS.
eagleone1983
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Yep sounds about right. Mine was was left outside at a few shops apparently during the fall since I found a bunch of leaves in the car. Bastards!
I too LMFAO . . . had to type this after picking myself up off the floor . . .
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Looks pretty damn nice in that photo, love that silver & black contrast too in the wheel wells/nice slotted & drilled brakes too... Hope the rest of the project goes better for ya !!
I've been up and down this road more times than I'd like to admit to. Hang in there!!!
I was very picky on the shop I hired to do body and paint on my car. I chose a collision shop that had a rep for a few good classic car jobs per year. Took me a year to select them after talking to a half dozen shops both collision and restoration. They did good work for a fair but not cheap price. 100 hrs of labor for a rust free car. They told me the car would be finished in 4 months. They had it 10 months. I was going crazy at first. After 6 months I finally accepted it would get done when the time was right. Got free storage of the car while I went through a home move and short sale so it all worked out. Sometimes ya gotta let go of a little control. Glad your car is finally back. It looks killer.
Sonny Black
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the older we get the more impatient we get....:thinker:
looks great!
Happy Columbus Day!
looks great!
Happy Columbus Day!
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