That aint jewelry she's talkin 'bout, it really don't cost that much.
Serious matter in my life right now, i need some car restoration help.
- Thread starter Robert871
- Start Date
hate to say it but, Welcome to the world of auto restoration. where it takes twice as long and costs twice as much as estimated.
Sorry to hear about the problems Robert. Sounds like they've been using your stated 20K budget as their own little stimulus program. I'd sure consider taking it somewhere else to finish and making sure that costs are reconciled and agreed before I paid one more dime.
I had dreams of restoring my Dad's old car once and your story brought back similar memories of all the good times I remember about that car too. In the end, it I decided it was just too far gone and would take far too much time & money to restore it than I had at the time. I still have the memories. The car would have been nice to stimulate those memories, but in the end it wasn't the actual car that mattered. Sounds like you're hoping the car will help you build some more experiences and memories with your Dad and Grandpa and that's worth whatever you're able to afford, but realize that you can also build those things without the car being absolutely perfect too.
Hope it works out where you can get some peace over it all.
I had dreams of restoring my Dad's old car once and your story brought back similar memories of all the good times I remember about that car too. In the end, it I decided it was just too far gone and would take far too much time & money to restore it than I had at the time. I still have the memories. The car would have been nice to stimulate those memories, but in the end it wasn't the actual car that mattered. Sounds like you're hoping the car will help you build some more experiences and memories with your Dad and Grandpa and that's worth whatever you're able to afford, but realize that you can also build those things without the car being absolutely perfect too.
Hope it works out where you can get some peace over it all.
Damn Robert ... I'm not even into cars (their for Point A to Point B) however GC is and I'd be plenty upset if anyone had done him that way. I don't have any advice (except try not to shoot the SOBs when you go get the car) but I'll pray for you and your dad.
The first problem was telling them how much you had to spend before they gave you a realistic price. Some shops charge more than they should, which is what it sounds like has been done to you. If you have new doors, a fender and a few other body panels, there is no realistic reason to charge 20k for body work and light mechanical.
Case in point- I am currently doing a full resto for a good friend. This is '67 Corvette that was in nice shape before we started. Then he had a working on it who absolutely RUINED the body by having it sandblasted. You don't sandblast a fiberglass blody. I own a Sodablasting company too, I should know. Problem is, I was just getting started when he had the other working on this vette. Anyways, 3 years ago I helped him with the chassis- new performance suspension, LS1 install, rack and pinion, etc. Now he has hired me to finish the car. TONS of body work, mostly fixing what the other guy screwed up. Once it comes back from paint, I have to wire it and get running/driving. He will be handling the interior details. Long story short, its a 15-20k job, including paint. You Mustang would have to have been in horrible shape to be worse than this corvette.
My shop is booked until January, but I can help with that Mustang. Get it out of that shop before you spend another 10k on primer. Without seeing any pics, I can say what it will take to finish it, I don't want to talk numbers until I can see the car and talk to you about the details. Call me (my number is in th PM) and you can send me the pics and we will go from there.
Case in point- I am currently doing a full resto for a good friend. This is '67 Corvette that was in nice shape before we started. Then he had a working on it who absolutely RUINED the body by having it sandblasted. You don't sandblast a fiberglass blody. I own a Sodablasting company too, I should know. Problem is, I was just getting started when he had the other working on this vette. Anyways, 3 years ago I helped him with the chassis- new performance suspension, LS1 install, rack and pinion, etc. Now he has hired me to finish the car. TONS of body work, mostly fixing what the other guy screwed up. Once it comes back from paint, I have to wire it and get running/driving. He will be handling the interior details. Long story short, its a 15-20k job, including paint. You Mustang would have to have been in horrible shape to be worse than this corvette.
My shop is booked until January, but I can help with that Mustang. Get it out of that shop before you spend another 10k on primer. Without seeing any pics, I can say what it will take to finish it, I don't want to talk numbers until I can see the car and talk to you about the details. Call me (my number is in th PM) and you can send me the pics and we will go from there.
First off sorry your having this issue
But as mentioned welcome to car building,not much different then home builders.
I build custom cars,metal fab, etc. I like to document all my hrs for said projects,for this exact reason. Post up some pics when you go see it. The car looked like a decent survivior but defiantly not in the 20k paint job ball park. Meaning no disrespect, but a car that gets a 20 k paint job is allot nicer. So the shop may have figured to go farther on the other mentioned stuff,as you keep adding a few more grand on chrome motor stuff and such. Sometimes we as builders get a bigger idea of what your budget can afford, alott of times, when a customer comes in and sees his car and ideas start flowing, so does budgets. It's kinda of like going to buy a stock glock for 500, butbthen in the same case you see one done up with a trigger job,sights,and new grip for 700, more then you wanted to spend but that's what you really wanted all along.
I'm not by any means defending this shop.
Hate to sound like a ****,but sometimes or vision is richer then our wallet.
Maybe tell them, we are out if money,prepare a contract to finish the car with every detail stated and the value of said work.
If you do decide to pull it,I have a very solid body shop in the Joplin area that has build many mustangs.they have a shell of the 65 I'm building right now.
But as mentioned welcome to car building,not much different then home builders.
I build custom cars,metal fab, etc. I like to document all my hrs for said projects,for this exact reason. Post up some pics when you go see it. The car looked like a decent survivior but defiantly not in the 20k paint job ball park. Meaning no disrespect, but a car that gets a 20 k paint job is allot nicer. So the shop may have figured to go farther on the other mentioned stuff,as you keep adding a few more grand on chrome motor stuff and such. Sometimes we as builders get a bigger idea of what your budget can afford, alott of times, when a customer comes in and sees his car and ideas start flowing, so does budgets. It's kinda of like going to buy a stock glock for 500, butbthen in the same case you see one done up with a trigger job,sights,and new grip for 700, more then you wanted to spend but that's what you really wanted all along.
I'm not by any means defending this shop.
Hate to sound like a ****,but sometimes or vision is richer then our wallet.
Maybe tell them, we are out if money,prepare a contract to finish the car with every detail stated and the value of said work.
If you do decide to pull it,I have a very solid body shop in the Joplin area that has build many mustangs.they have a shell of the 65 I'm building right now.
I looked at the before pics and I just don't see 20K considering that you already had the engine, trans, interior, etc.
That car looked like a great "builder". I've seen many that were far, far, far worse and those would cost 20K+. That said you are only 5% over your budget. That would've been pretty good had they not taken you "for a ride" on the body/paint work in the first place. Like I said before, provided they did actually do good body work, I don't see finishing the paint costing near what it sounds like you are thinking it might. I just hope the work done is as good as you state, because to a novice a bondo'd repair always looks good before you lay the paint on it.
Go load that rod up and get it to someone honest.
That car looked like a great "builder". I've seen many that were far, far, far worse and those would cost 20K+. That said you are only 5% over your budget. That would've been pretty good had they not taken you "for a ride" on the body/paint work in the first place. Like I said before, provided they did actually do good body work, I don't see finishing the paint costing near what it sounds like you are thinking it might. I just hope the work done is as good as you state, because to a novice a bondo'd repair always looks good before you lay the paint on it.
Go load that rod up and get it to someone honest.
I am well over $40,000 on my 54 convertible Belair, adn this is the 3d build......THis is an expensive hobby, there are a lot of "restoorers" who arent and do take advatage of people who just arent in the know on parts and labor.
There are TONS of NOS parts out there on the net for the Mustang.
Hell if I can find an ORIGINAL NOS never installed hood halve for a 54 chevey, than you, or they, can find that original NOS fender without paying outrageous parts.
My advice, get wiht a reputable MUSTANG club, and yes they ARE ON THE NET and seake out their advice and help.
Trust me, there are local mustang groups that wont take you to the cleaner and will stear you towards GOOD shops that are intrested in making aliving not a fortune.
Hang in there, its a ruff road with lots of pot holes but your not alone and it can be done.
69 mUstang, piece of cake bro, piece of cake...........
There are TONS of NOS parts out there on the net for the Mustang.
Hell if I can find an ORIGINAL NOS never installed hood halve for a 54 chevey, than you, or they, can find that original NOS fender without paying outrageous parts.
My advice, get wiht a reputable MUSTANG club, and yes they ARE ON THE NET and seake out their advice and help.
Trust me, there are local mustang groups that wont take you to the cleaner and will stear you towards GOOD shops that are intrested in making aliving not a fortune.
Hang in there, its a ruff road with lots of pot holes but your not alone and it can be done.
69 mUstang, piece of cake bro, piece of cake...........
I looked at the pics. I don't see 21k in work there getting to the point that you wanted to be, not even close.
with out seeing the car before and after it's stripped of the bad body parts it's hard to put a price on a project auto. we did a 67 camaro for a guy said it just needed new rear quarter panels and when we pulled to old one's off the whole thing was rotted out from some really bad body work. it took us a while to get the car back in nice shape but it was very expensive and way over budget! there are some guy's that make a very good living off people that aren't car smart. that's my two cent's . ( I'm not sticking up for the auto shop just making a statement about some times it's a bad can of worms to open up
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