Thoughts on Body Work

[Steve]

From time to time, we get posts about getting body work done...how long, how much, and stuff like that. Well, I got my car back from the blaster on Friday and I've spent the last 5 days filling, grinding, filling, grinding....blowing out, filling, grinding....you get the point. Like a lot of other guys on the board, I'm just trying to get a nice job that will last. This isn't a concourse restoration. My point is that if you want a job done really well, you either have to work your tail off or pay a lot of money. Guys like Rusty and Mike T can vouch for this.

None of this should be a shock to anyone, but those thinking about or just starting a restoration project should get a realistic preview of what they're in for!

[Carlwalski]

They should, but they should also get a preview of the outcome. Outways the cons. 
Keep at it Steve, I'm sure you look back at this post and go, yes!! Been through that, now where's my keys!!

Good things come to those that wait.....

[RusTy/SE]

  Thanks, Steve. It's all very much appreciated I recently found a pic of an R/T SE that shows how mine looked when new (color/stripe wise). I soooo know what i'm in for but like NZ mentioned it's a preview of the outcome and the many posts and pictures here help fill in what needs to take place in between "before" and "after"
Please keep the pictures coming

Russ

[71340RT]

I know what your saying as my Cuda got restored in my 2 car garage and when I picked it up it came home in the back of a 26 foot Penski truck. I had everything including the doors and the front end off and on 6 times before I was happy with the way it fit. Quality control must have really been lacking when they build these cars. I primed and block sanded most of my Cuda's body panels 4 time just so I knew it would be straight. I even made a make shift paint booth in my garage and sprayed 4 coats of base on it. Then I let it dry 2 weeks and then blocked it with 1500 grit sand paper. I found 2 small dings that I had missed by doing this and got them fixed before the Cuda got loaded on the trailer and taken in for it's weekend paint job which consisted of washing it on friday evening. Then masking it up which took up the rest of the evening. I then got up at 6:00 am started mixing paint and 7:00 am. Sprayed 3 more coats of base on it and then 3 heavy coats of clear. Car was painted by 11:00 am. and related items such as side mirrors, side marker bezels, tail light bezels, and trunk lid were painted around 1:00 pm. after the car was demasked and taken out of the paint booth. Took about 2 hours to paint all the small items. This was a very long weekend but the Cuda turned out great and I can't wait to get it completed so I can start driving it. It takes along time to put one back together when you have them this far apart.

[cudaaah]

I've previously written about my new 71 Cuda project( 1st total restoration)... :1zhelp:the car was sold to me as a car w/ a good body( no rust) ...When I stripped the car, I was enlightened to what a good body was.  I'm guessing $10-15k worth of metal work.

I'm in the Sacremento Area, just starting a welding class @ the community college, the car is @ the media blaster, who's bill went from 1200 to 2200 after he had the car. 

Either I have "sucker" tattooed on my head, or I'm getting a taste of the car industry.  Although I'm taking the welding class, I don't want this car to be my first attempt at metal repair.  I think I've found a body shop, but am nervous as hell as to what to expect. It should be out of the blasters by 2/1/2006.

I'll be paying for the media blaster, I've completely disassembled the car, I've purchased all replacement metal from Shermans, ( entire trunk area, including trunk extensions, trunk supports, 1/4s, rear valance, 4 spd hump, as well as some repair needed below the corner of the windshield area where fenders attach)  I'll be delivering the car to the body shop, ready to go.  Any insight on what a repair of this extent should cost.  I also have a couple of spots of rust on the frame that will need small metal repairs.  Obviously there will be some block sanding needed.  I'll leave out the fender repair, as I've talked w/ aloha motorcars for an estimate.  I really want the fenders preserved if possible.( no gill patches )  On a good note, floor pans are good!

Any feedback would be appreciated   if anyone in the Sac area knows of a good body shop just in case I get jerked on an estimate. I've talked w/several B-shops, and feel somewhat comfortable w/ this one.

Cudaaah

P.S. Be careful of mopars being sold out of Los Angeles by Big name guys!!!

[Steve]

Cudaaah,

I think you might be selling yourself short! The metal work isn't that tough. there are some tricks to learn and it takes some time to figure certain things right, but if you take your time, do your research, and find someone (maybe from the college?) to tutor you, you can do this! Start with the trunk pan repair that way your learning curve is hidden from view. Whose to say that the body shop will do any better? Unless you take it to a shop that has a guy that does this stuff all the time, you're gambling. By the way, trunk pans will take about 25 hours (if you know what you are doing). Let's see, 25 x $40/hr = 1000 for the trunk pans! (just a guesstimate)

[cudaaah]

Thanks,

I'm considering that option, I'm sure once I finish my welding class, I'll be more comfortable w/ the work.  These cars aren't cheap and I am building it for myself, so I want it to be perfect.  I just bought a 2x2x4ft media blaster for my home shop, I'm going through every part, stripping re-painting and detailing or replacing if not repairable.  I'm really enjoying the work.  I'll keep posting as I progress.

Thanks for the advice
Cudaaah

[RUSTY Cuda]

Yep being a "first timer" to metal & body work it sure does take a lot of time, I'm lucky I started on a clone, because it will be far from perfect, but you gotta learn somewhere, I tend to just dive in & do it, again, and again, sooner or later I get it close enough!
I'm more nervous now , in going through the junk I have a lot more pieces needed & I have no idea how to put some of it back together, took a lot of pics, most are useless, 17 bags of hardware maked dash, DOH, been test fitting pieces & gussing what clips/hardware go where???
Manuel has no real breakdown of the dash, so it's jigsaw time!
I can see why a lot of projects go unfinished, it is a ton of work, a ton of money, I have more time than most folks to work on it & I'm pushing 5 years, with probably 2 more to go, if the money starts flowing again!  Rich.

[Mt.St.BigBlock]

Hi Cudaaah,  You'll do great if you're taking a class. Get a messed up early 70's
C-body fender to practice on. They are cheap and the metalergy will be the same
as your 71. That way if you mess up a few times it won't matter. One of the
down sides to the "Barrett-Jackson Effect" is the fact that body shops see you
come along with a collectable muscle car the $$$ go up for the same work! I think
the satisfaction of doing the job yourself, at least the metal and primer/surfacer
part of it, plus the $$$ you save will make the schooling and practice, time well
spent!  Jeff