Thoughts on FantomWorks
#3273705
12/02/24 06:27 PM
12/02/24 06:27 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,558
delivering your oil
nutso suave
OP
I Live Here
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OP
I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,558
delivering your oil
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I was watching a few episodes of FantomWorks and I realized that it is the most realistic restoration show in one way…they really detail how much of a pain it is to find parts, the parts don’t always fit right, and they have to take the car apart 4 times to fix something.
I was watching an episode featuring an old slant six dart. They’re trying to rebuild the front end and overhaul the brakes. The new parts are faulty, don’t really fit, requiring them to replace a new brake cylinder. They also have to find a different spindle as the first replacement is too sloppy in the taper. This seems a lot more like my experience, rather than some restoration shows where the hosts open a bunch of boxes and everything is magically assembled in a montage. It all seems to fit perfectly, they never forget anything, and they never go over the cost of the parts.
FantomWorks isn’t my favorite show but they do highlight how difficult, tedious, and expensive repairing and restoring an old car can be, especially if you pay for any labor (paint, engine machine work, complex assembly, etc.).
Edit: I’m watching these shows from the perspective of someone that’s looking for an old mopar. Do you just buy a finished car and enjoy driving it? Do you buy someone else‘s stalled project? Do you buy a total fixer upper and do it yourself? I am not a body man so i would have to farm that out. There is a lot of satisfaction and pride in doing the work yourself. It’s also nice to be able to use it. Looking at how much it costs on these shows to pay a quality shop to do the work is pretty sobering.
Last edited by nutso suave; 12/02/24 06:48 PM.
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: nutso suave]
#3273724
12/02/24 07:02 PM
12/02/24 07:02 PM
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,653
Rittman Ohio
fourgearsavoy
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 10,653
Rittman Ohio
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I do some drivetrain work for a restoration shop and there is some stress involved dealing with good correct looking parts. I'm doing a 4-speed for him now and I make sure all the fasteners are correct for the year trans I'm working on. It's hard to find good repo parts that you can be proud to install. Gus 
64 Plymouth Savoy
493 Indy EZ's by Nick at Compu-Flow
5-Speed Richmond faceplate Liberty box
Dana 60
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: redraptor]
#3273828
12/03/24 11:14 AM
12/03/24 11:14 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,655
north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,655
north of coder
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i have watched most of those episodes, and despite the tv "drama", it wasn't a bad show. however, didn't they go out of business for some reason ? as to an average person realistically restoring something, these days it almost pays one to buy a finished [or almost finished] vehicle of his/her choice just because of the extensive tools needed, the skill to use those tools, the space needed to disassemble an entire vehicle, and the obscene cost of paint and materials, not to mention the bodywork cost if needed to be farmed out. and this doesn't even get into the mechanical side of the restoration. then there is the time necessary to restore said vehicle to the owner's satisfaction. certain vehicles command big dollars just because, an example would be my 69 charger. if i hadn't owned this car since 1970, [and worked in a body shop at the time of purchase, that allowed me the opportunity to repair the car from being a total] i wouldn't be able to afford this car today, and it is just as beat as i am today, battle scars and all. i would hate to even try to figure out the [replacement, or even my true] cost of all the tools i have acquired over the almost 60+ years i have been playing with the "full size toys". not counting the one off tools and equipment i have fabricated over the years, using my machinist and fabrication skills developed over an almost 50 year working career as such.[continuing to this day after retirement] then there is the storage of said tools. one can only imagine the space that is taken up, just properly storing tools so one knows where any specific tool is at any one time. this does not include the storage of "junkyard boxes" of tools one doesn't really care if something gets lost going to such places, the "take on the road tools" [or the ones one normally takes with him/herself in the every day rides "just in case"], or the "extra ones/broken ones" a person [such as myself] keeps around to be used to make tools for a "one time use"..............[and it goes on and on.....] with this said, in no way am i trying to dissuade anyone from learning or investing in a vehicle one is extremely passionate about. i'm just trying to relay what to expect in the long term experience of "playing with cars" [which i have been doing since birth. not kidding about the birth statement ! that's a story for another time, however....] just my personal life experience "playing with cars". your mileage will vary.
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: moparx]
#3273830
12/03/24 11:28 AM
12/03/24 11:28 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,005
North Dakota
6PakBee
I Live Here
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I Live Here
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 11,005
North Dakota
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i have watched most of those episodes, and despite the tv "drama", it wasn't a bad show. however, didn't they go out of business for some reason ? as to an average person realistically restoring something, these days it almost pays one to buy a finished [or almost finished] vehicle of his/her choice just because of the extensive tools needed, the skill to use those tools, the space needed to disassemble an entire vehicle, and the obscene cost of paint and materials, not to mention the bodywork cost if needed to be farmed out. and this doesn't even get into the mechanical side of the restoration. then there is the time necessary to restore said vehicle to the owner's satisfaction. certain vehicles command big dollars just because, an example would be my 69 charger. if i hadn't owned this car since 1970, [and worked in a body shop at the time of purchase, that allowed me the opportunity to repair the car from being a total] i wouldn't be able to afford this car today, and it is just as beat as i am today, battle scars and all. i would hate to even try to figure out the [replacement, or even my true] cost of all the tools i have acquired over the almost 60+ years i have been playing with the "full size toys". not counting the one off tools and equipment i have fabricated over the years, using my machinist and fabrication skills developed over an almost 50 year working career as such.[continuing to this day after retirement] then there is the storage of said tools. one can only imagine the space that is taken up, just properly storing tools so one knows where any specific tool is at any one time. this does not include the storage of "junkyard boxes" of tools one doesn't really care if something gets lost going to such places, the "take on the road tools" [or the ones one normally takes with him/herself in the every day rides "just in case"], or the "extra ones/broken ones" a person [such as myself] keeps around to be used to make tools for a "one time use"..............[and it goes on and on.....] with this said, in no way am i trying to dissuade anyone from learning or investing in a vehicle one is extremely passionate about. i'm just trying to relay what to expect in the long term experience of "playing with cars" [which i have been doing since birth. not kidding about the birth statement ! that's a story for another time, however....] just my personal life experience "playing with cars". your mileage will vary. Your post struck a cord with me. I am in a similar boat with project cars, tools, parts up the wazoo..... I just read an article on a book regarding planning for your demise, "I'm Dead, Now What?" It appears to be a guide to have a path forward for everything you have so you 1) aren't a burden to those who survive you and 2) those who survive you aren't taken advantage of by the unscrupulous. As an example I have a full '69 Six-Pack setup, manifold, repop carbs, linkage, fuel lines, air cleaner, and filter. If I croaked tomorrow I could see someone offering my wife $100 for the whole thing to "take it off her hands". How would she know any different? I fear that I am going to have to inventory everything in the next couple years to prepare for the inevitable.
"We live in a time when intelligent people are being silenced so that stupid people won't be offended".
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: moparx]
#3273831
12/03/24 11:30 AM
12/03/24 11:30 AM
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Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 20,492
Puttin' on the foil in Charles...
not_a_charger
Mr. Big Shot Moparts Moderator
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Mr. Big Shot Moparts Moderator
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 20,492
Puttin' on the foil in Charles...
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I believe they are still open, but Dan said that the show caused financial troubles for the shop. Filming was disruptive, hard to retain staff, etc.
I've never seen their work in person, but 2 people who have told me that their work is good.
Earning every penny of that moderator paycheck.
DBAP
"They don't think it be like it is, but it do."
- Oscar Gamble
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: 6PakBee]
#3273837
12/03/24 11:46 AM
12/03/24 11:46 AM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,655
north of coder
moparx
"Butt Crack Bob"
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"Butt Crack Bob"
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,655
north of coder
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i have watched most of those episodes, and despite the tv "drama", it wasn't a bad show. however, didn't they go out of business for some reason ? as to an average person realistically restoring something, these days it almost pays one to buy a finished [or almost finished] vehicle of his/her choice just because of the extensive tools needed, the skill to use those tools, the space needed to disassemble an entire vehicle, and the obscene cost of paint and materials, not to mention the bodywork cost if needed to be farmed out. and this doesn't even get into the mechanical side of the restoration. then there is the time necessary to restore said vehicle to the owner's satisfaction. certain vehicles command big dollars just because, an example would be my 69 charger. if i hadn't owned this car since 1970, [and worked in a body shop at the time of purchase, that allowed me the opportunity to repair the car from being a total] i wouldn't be able to afford this car today, and it is just as beat as i am today, battle scars and all. i would hate to even try to figure out the [replacement, or even my true] cost of all the tools i have acquired over the almost 60+ years i have been playing with the "full size toys". not counting the one off tools and equipment i have fabricated over the years, using my machinist and fabrication skills developed over an almost 50 year working career as such.[continuing to this day after retirement] then there is the storage of said tools. one can only imagine the space that is taken up, just properly storing tools so one knows where any specific tool is at any one time. this does not include the storage of "junkyard boxes" of tools one doesn't really care if something gets lost going to such places, the "take on the road tools" [or the ones one normally takes with him/herself in the every day rides "just in case"], or the "extra ones/broken ones" a person [such as myself] keeps around to be used to make tools for a "one time use"..............[and it goes on and on.....] with this said, in no way am i trying to dissuade anyone from learning or investing in a vehicle one is extremely passionate about. i'm just trying to relay what to expect in the long term experience of "playing with cars" [which i have been doing since birth. not kidding about the birth statement ! that's a story for another time, however....] just my personal life experience "playing with cars". your mileage will vary. Your post struck a cord with me. I am in a similar boat with project cars, tools, parts up the wazoo..... I just read an article on a book regarding planning for your demise, "I'm Dead, Now What?" It appears to be a guide to have a path forward for everything you have so you 1) aren't a burden to those who survive you and 2) those who survive you aren't taken advantage of by the unscrupulous. As an example I have a full '69 Six-Pack setup, manifold, repop carbs, linkage, fuel lines, air cleaner, and filter. If I croaked tomorrow I could see someone offering my wife $100 for the whole thing to "take it off her hands". How would she know any different? I fear that I am going to have to inventory everything in the next couple years to prepare for the inevitable. i finally made out a will this year, and all that "stuff" will be taken care of by my executor. one thing i made adamantly clear to him, as well as my brother and sister, is if i go before my wife, my wife is taken care of with the disbursement of my "stuff" at a somewhat fair market value. my chosen executor knows this market very well, and is an extremely honest person whom i have known since birth, as i ran around with his dad growing up. my wife would be so overwhelmed trying to get rid of my "stuff", it would so easy for someone to say : "i'll clean out the garage for free for ya and get rid of the "stuff", and you won't haft'a lift a finger !" and she would agree........
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: 6PakBee]
#3273844
12/03/24 12:11 PM
12/03/24 12:11 PM
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Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,032
WI
Dcuda69
master
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master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 5,032
WI
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i have watched most of those episodes, and despite the tv "drama", it wasn't a bad show. however, didn't they go out of business for some reason ? as to an average person realistically restoring something, these days it almost pays one to buy a finished [or almost finished] vehicle of his/her choice just because of the extensive tools needed, the skill to use those tools, the space needed to disassemble an entire vehicle, and the obscene cost of paint and materials, not to mention the bodywork cost if needed to be farmed out. and this doesn't even get into the mechanical side of the restoration. then there is the time necessary to restore said vehicle to the owner's satisfaction. certain vehicles command big dollars just because, an example would be my 69 charger. if i hadn't owned this car since 1970, [and worked in a body shop at the time of purchase, that allowed me the opportunity to repair the car from being a total] i wouldn't be able to afford this car today, and it is just as beat as i am today, battle scars and all. i would hate to even try to figure out the [replacement, or even my true] cost of all the tools i have acquired over the almost 60+ years i have been playing with the "full size toys". not counting the one off tools and equipment i have fabricated over the years, using my machinist and fabrication skills developed over an almost 50 year working career as such.[continuing to this day after retirement] then there is the storage of said tools. one can only imagine the space that is taken up, just properly storing tools so one knows where any specific tool is at any one time. this does not include the storage of "junkyard boxes" of tools one doesn't really care if something gets lost going to such places, the "take on the road tools" [or the ones one normally takes with him/herself in the every day rides "just in case"], or the "extra ones/broken ones" a person [such as myself] keeps around to be used to make tools for a "one time use"..............[and it goes on and on.....] with this said, in no way am i trying to dissuade anyone from learning or investing in a vehicle one is extremely passionate about. i'm just trying to relay what to expect in the long term experience of "playing with cars" [which i have been doing since birth. not kidding about the birth statement ! that's a story for another time, however....] just my personal life experience "playing with cars". your mileage will vary. Your post struck a cord with me. I am in a similar boat with project cars, tools, parts up the wazoo..... I just read an article on a book regarding planning for your demise, "I'm Dead, Now What?" It appears to be a guide to have a path forward for everything you have so you 1) aren't a burden to those who survive you and 2) those who survive you aren't taken advantage of by the unscrupulous. As an example I have a full '69 Six-Pack setup, manifold, repop carbs, linkage, fuel lines, air cleaner, and filter. If I croaked tomorrow I could see someone offering my wife $100 for the whole thing to "take it off her hands". How would she know any different? I fear that I am going to have to inventory everything in the next couple years to prepare for the inevitable. I think the sying goes something like:: I can only pray that when I die my wife doesn't sell all my stuff for what I TOLD her I paid for it. lol
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: Dcuda69]
#3273847
12/03/24 12:24 PM
12/03/24 12:24 PM
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,986
Bend,OR USA
Cab_Burge
I Win
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I Win
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 43,986
Bend,OR USA
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i have watched most of those episodes, and despite the tv "drama", it wasn't a bad show. however, didn't they go out of business for some reason ? as to an average person realistically restoring something, these days it almost pays one to buy a finished [or almost finished] vehicle of his/her choice just because of the extensive tools needed, the skill to use those tools, the space needed to disassemble an entire vehicle, and the obscene cost of paint and materials, not to mention the bodywork cost if needed to be farmed out. and this doesn't even get into the mechanical side of the restoration. then there is the time necessary to restore said vehicle to the owner's satisfaction. certain vehicles command big dollars just because, an example would be my 69 charger. if i hadn't owned this car since 1970, [and worked in a body shop at the time of purchase, that allowed me the opportunity to repair the car from being a total] i wouldn't be able to afford this car today, and it is just as beat as i am today, battle scars and all. i would hate to even try to figure out the [replacement, or even my true] cost of all the tools i have acquired over the almost 60+ years i have been playing with the "full size toys". not counting the one off tools and equipment i have fabricated over the years, using my machinist and fabrication skills developed over an almost 50 year working career as such.[continuing to this day after retirement] then there is the storage of said tools. one can only imagine the space that is taken up, just properly storing tools so one knows where any specific tool is at any one time. this does not include the storage of "junkyard boxes" of tools one doesn't really care if something gets lost going to such places, the "take on the road tools" [or the ones one normally takes with him/herself in the every day rides "just in case"], or the "extra ones/broken ones" a person [such as myself] keeps around to be used to make tools for a "one time use"..............[and it goes on and on.....] with this said, in no way am i trying to dissuade anyone from learning or investing in a vehicle one is extremely passionate about. i'm just trying to relay what to expect in the long term experience of "playing with cars" [which i have been doing since birth. not kidding about the birth statement ! that's a story for another time, however....] just my personal life experience "playing with cars". your mileage will vary. Your post struck a cord with me. I am in a similar boat with project cars, tools, parts up the wazoo..... I just read an article on a book regarding planning for your demise, "I'm Dead, Now What?" It appears to be a guide to have a path forward for everything you have so you 1) aren't a burden to those who survive you and 2) those who survive you aren't taken advantage of by the unscrupulous. As an example I have a full '69 Six-Pack setup, manifold, repop carbs, linkage, fuel lines, air cleaner, and filter. If I croaked tomorrow I could see someone offering my wife $100 for the whole thing to "take it off her hands". How would she know any different? I fear that I am going to have to inventory everything in the next couple years to prepare for the inevitable. I think the sying goes something like:: I can only pray that when I die my wife doesn't sell all my stuff for what I TOLD her I paid for it. lol   
Mr.Cab Racing and winning with Mopars since 1964. (Old F--t, Huh)
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: not_a_charger]
#3273889
12/03/24 04:32 PM
12/03/24 04:32 PM
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Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,235
Glen Burnie MD
68SportFury
master
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master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 4,235
Glen Burnie MD
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I believe they are still open, but Dan said that the show caused financial troubles for the shop. Filming was disruptive, hard to retain staff, etc.
I've never seen their work in person, but 2 people who have told me that their work is good. The Curious Yellow '71 Sport Fury they did can often be found at shows in MD and southern PA. It's really nicely done.
Paul
68 Sport Fury ragtop
67 Fury III 4-dr HT
11 Charger Rallye
17 Challenger SXT Plus
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Re: Thoughts on FantomWorks
[Re: not_a_charger]
#3274061
12/04/24 12:51 PM
12/04/24 12:51 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,006
North Pole,New York
formula_s
master
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master
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,006
North Pole,New York
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I believe they are still open, but Dan said that the show caused financial troubles for the shop. Filming was disruptive, hard to retain staff, etc.
I've never seen their work in person, but 2 people who have told me that their work is good. Dan mentioned is a radio interview he lost money on every six figure restoration.
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