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my problem is the guys I get to work on it either do really lousy work that has to be redone by another or that it takes too long to get the work done.....is there anyone out there that will work for a fair price? get the job done in a timely manner? and do a good job....dont need show quality job just a GOOD DRIVER QUALITY CAR when completed.....

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I too have the same problem. I have a really nice 68 Charger RT that has been to THREE diffrent body men, One was really fair and did great work but ended up really sick and the doctors told him his body work days were done! So, it went to the next guy that had it about two weeks and said "SORRY, I dont have time for your car! Again, go get the car and take it to another guy who has it like three months at $1000.00 a month and says he's done. I go to get it and its only in primer and the lines are soooooooo wavey!! I just about cried!! SO, now it sits in the corner of the shop collecting dust waiting for decent respectable guy to fix the F-UP's of the other guys and what make me sick is the $3000.00 I gave the last guy to have everything he did get stripped off to start all over!

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Exactly...had 1 guy replace both quarters and trunk pan....he charged 2500,not including the 800 in parts!!! had it for 6 months did the work in about 2 weeks...go figure. when I inspected it more found he covered up alot of rust, quarters were not lined up and when I put the rear valence up to the rear quarters wre about a FOOT off!!!
The guy that has it now is good...dating my brothers daughter...doing it at a fair price but slow.....so it cost me the price of more parts and more labor to have it redone....I figure I am out 3500 that I have to chaulk up to learning experience!!!!

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IMHO the cost of a restoration is too often based on the value of the car being restored and this is just wrong! I wouldn't even consider using a shop like this! Body work is body work, paint is paint and materials are Materials! I have my guys and as long and they are doing cars they will do anything I have! Everything is the same price to them a Hemi Cuda costs no more than a 65 Mustang coupe to restore! I love them!!
KID

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I have a car being restored....lost my job but still have some cash to put towards it, the car,72 Challenger(nothing special originally a 318 car), my problem is the guys I get to work on it either do really lousy work that has to be redone by another or that it takes too long to get the work done.....is there anyone out there that will work for a fair price? get the job done in a timely manner? and do a good job....dont need show quality job just a GOOD DRIVER QUALITY CAR when completed.....
What are reasonable rates to restore a NICE DRIVER 72 Challenger???

Thanks

By The Way.....car is in PA. about 30 miles from Carlisle....

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my problem is the guys I get to work on it either do really lousy work that has to be redone by another or that it takes too long to get the work done.....is there anyone out there that will work for a fair price? get the job done in a timely manner? and do a good job....dont need show quality job just a GOOD DRIVER QUALITY CAR when completed.....

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I too have the same problem. I have a really nice 68 Charger RT that has been to THREE diffrent body men, One was really fair and did great work but ended up really sick and the doctors told him his body work days were done! So, it went to the next guy that had it about two weeks and said "SORRY, I dont have time for your car! Again, go get the car and take it to another guy who has it like three months at $1000.00 a month and says he's done. I go to get it and its only in primer and the lines are soooooooo wavey!! I just about cried!! SO, now it sits in the corner of the shop collecting dust waiting for decent respectable guy to fix the F-UP's of the other guys and what make me sick is the $3000.00 I gave the last guy to have everything he did get stripped off to start all over!

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Exactly...had 1 guy replace both quarters and trunk pan....he charged 2500,not including the 800 in parts!!! had it for 6 months did the work in about 2 weeks...go figure. when I inspected it more found he covered up alot of rust, quarters were not lined up and when I put the rear valence up to the rear quarters wre about a FOOT off!!!
The guy that has it now is good...dating my brothers daughter...doing it at a fair price but slow.....so it cost me the price of more parts and more labor to have it redone....I figure I am out 3500 that I have to chaulk up to learning experience!!!!

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We have a '68 Charger R/T in the shop right now. It was also "fixed" and painted by two others prior to coming here. We have had to completely strip it back to bare steel and redo metal and filler work and replace complete panels that should not have been saved before. This is the fourth car in two years that we have inherited from others. Some of the things I've uncovered are an insult to reputable restoration shops. We photograph every step of our work, along with the prior bad repairs that we uncover. To avoid these pitfalls, my advise is to research the shops you consider and ask for references. If at all possible visit the shops and look over cars in progress. Ask lots of questions and insist on photo documentation of repairs. At our shop customers are encouraged to drop in to see what they are paying for.
Bottom line is pay for quality work the first time. The "deals" are always a compromise in quality. Why pay twice to get one good job?

Steve

www.clarkclassic.com

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If you're any good, you are jammed through thick and thin.

I am not dropping my prices, booked solid.

Mike Mancini

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This guy is dead on. The bad times haven't even started yet. Wait till spring/summer 2009 and lets see how busy everybody is. Restoring cars is a discretionary expense and when things really start to crash, restorations will be the last thing on most peoples minds.

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Hello:
The old saying "How much does it cost" comes to mind here. Yes good really good restoration is very expensive. But think what your asking these
guys to do..Take a 45 year old car that is probaly only half there and make it look like the factory made it a hour ago??
First make sure what you want there is a world of difference in a daily driver and a 100 point show car. Both in the cars and the perception of builder and owner.
Decide if putting money into that paticular car is even feasible. I recently seen a 57 Chevy get a beautiful make up job on the exterior....while the owner left the entire under carrage and engine and bay untouched despite good advice from experts..complete with grease and rust...The shop rightfully charged their fees....and the owner ended up paying more than if he had bought a good car finished and ready to show.
If you think your going to increase the cars value and make a profit. Good Luck unless its a super rare car that you can get on Barette Jackson
your dreaming. If it was that easy the Resto shops would be doing that instead of working on yours.
Finally leave the stuff you can't do to the pros
don't attempt something, only to screw it up and have to pay someone to fix your mistake and then restore it right.
Expensive yes it is but if you layout a plan of action, shop around, ask questions of owners that have had cars done, how long did it take? what was done excatly? could you see the progress yourself? what other cars has the shop done?
Beware of the guy that says "Oh yeah I can do that cost you $ XXXXXX and be done in 3 weeks.
If you come across this guy run.

Maynard

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Hello:
The old saying "How much does it cost" comes to mind here. Yes good really good restoration is very expensive. But think what your asking these
guys to do..Take a 45 year old car that is probaly only half there and make it look like the factory made it a hour ago??
First make sure what you want there is a world of difference in a daily driver and a 100 point show car. Both in the cars and the perception of builder and owner.
Decide if putting money into that paticular car is even feasible. I recently seen a 57 Chevy get a beautiful make up job on the exterior....while the owner left the entire under carrage and engine and bay untouched despite good advice from experts..complete with grease and rust...The shop rightfully charged their fees....and the owner ended up paying more than if he had bought a good car finished and ready to show.
If you think your going to increase the cars value and make a profit. Good Luck unless its a super rare car that you can get on Barette Jackson
your dreaming. If it was that easy the Resto shops would be doing that instead of working on yours.
Finally leave the stuff you can't do to the pros
don't attempt something, only to screw it up and have to pay someone to fix your mistake and then restore it right.
Expensive yes it is but if you layout a plan of action, shop around, ask questions of owners that have had cars done, how long did it take? what was done excatly? could you see the progress yourself? what other cars has the shop done?
Beware of the guy that says "Oh yeah I can do that cost you $ XXXXXX and be done in 3 weeks.
If you come across this guy run.

Maynard

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Sage advice

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my body guy,doesn't even want his last name told,everybody in the hobby can tell "thats a Blair/Chuck paint job isn't it?" it is that perfect,took me years,from 2003 to last year to finish,guys only do restoration,picks up my car,asks what i had for aval.$ to spend,called when that was gone,brought car back home so i could save more,took three trips,couldn't be happier. Threw in lots of disposable camaras for guys to take what ever pics they could,got awesome step by step pics.you pay for what you get,down in prices??? not if you do quality work,my guy is booked solid,months to get in.thank you Blair and Chuck

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Finally leave the stuff you can't do to the pros
don't attempt something, only to screw it up and have to pay someone to fix your mistake and then restore it right.

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There isn't anything wrong with trying something yourself. How else will you ever learn anything.
There is very little that can't be fixed if you mess it up anyway..

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