What it's like to be F@#$% by a bodyshop - Rant/warning/advice

[cdr]

Saw an ad on the Denver CL. Body shop will work on cars for $55 per hour. Okay. They had a bunch of photos, so I emailed them. I have a 66 Charger that needs two quarters installed. Have quarters cut off another car, no rust repair, just a replacement.
They responded 22 to 26 hours, ready for paint.  @ $1,200?

Maybe each 

[hemi-hampton]

There is a big gray area in paint & bodywork. Some will weld a 1/4 on & call it done, Painter wants to just scuff & paint Blow & Go. BUT, Who's the guy that grinds the welds, body fills the welds, Primes it, Blocks it & then primes again & blocks again, now it's ready for paint. after another 8 hours (maybe 16 hrs depending) spent on it. unless your a professional Tig welder & then it needs very little filler or priming & blocking. Any one that has primed & blocked a car then primed & blocked again because they wanted it straight knows you can spend just 22 hrs priming & blocking 2 entire 1/4 panels end to end top to bottom to get ready for paint. Just my opinion, I'm sure some will say I'm crazy they can do all that in a couple of hours & it will be mint.

[greycharger]

 
Their reasonable estimate would suggest they've done one before. The weld points on a Gen 1 Charger are all mostly behind trim, doors, or down low, so they aren't readily visible. Being able to cover the welds saves time; not a lot of grinding needed. Could use a spot welder for a great share of them, but I will use a mig welder. Filling the holes from the drilled out spot welds will make for good penetration and a flat puddle.

[nchrome]

l know what a few are talking about. l for one want a driver not a trailer queen. lf she looks that good to where l don't want to drive it then l will sell it cause its worthless to me. l'm proud of my car and am willing to show it off flaws and all. lf ya got to nit-pick her then do so but at least ya can touch and look but ya can't drive her she's mine.

[darbgnik]

       

Yeah, pretty much.  "I don't want a show car, I just want a car without any flaws."  

Hahaha. Truth! 

[ACUDANUT]

 Too many haters here. Why do you own a 50 year old car and tell everyone else it's not worth restoring. ?
Better yet, why are you even a member here ?

[AKcharger]

Glad to see the thread "evolving"..please carry on!

[AKcharger]

Oh!  I just left everyone hanging for the past two years, didn't I??

- The guy? completely off the hook, no way to prove damages...I can only hope he burns in Hell and he has to look up to talk to Hitler

- Car? it took about 3 months working in my driveway to finish the body work and paint on My own (Clear coat kicked my butt, had shop do that) luckily we were still deep in COVID® so it wasn't a big deal. It's been the best MOPAR I've owned, even took it to Carlise in July, so all worked out!




Now it's time to bring the '72 down for paint, I was gonna do it myself, but I found this guy who lives in a van down by the river that said he can do it fast and super cheap!  

[b5blue]

This is gonna be GOOD! 

[AKcharger]

This is gonna be GOOD! 

Well actually this time I think I made the right choice. He only had it 2 days and he has it stripped, media blasted!!! I'm guessing he's working the doors/hood/truck separately off the car. Plus is he's storing the parts (somewhere) so my garage isn't messy!

I wish he would answer my calls though...and his vans gone?   

[70 sublime]

Your buddy called me and said he had to move to a different parking lot and asked if I could swing by with my trailer and pick up the rest of the car so he can work on it after hours to not disturb you 

[b5blue]

 

[hemi-hampton]

Was it this guy???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv2VIEY9-A8

[AKcharger]

Was it this guy???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv2VIEY9-A8

ah! you've delt with him too huh? He told me he did body work, didn't say anything about being a motivational speaker?

[cdr]

I did not need a body shop to %^&%$ up my car, I ^%&*&% it all up on my own LOL, I knew I would never get my car back & if I did get it back I would be un happy with the results for the money spent, SO now when I look at all the flaws my car has I just say to myself ,I did the best I could but at least I did not pay someone else to F&*&*C* it all up LOL     

[RJS]

I'm confused, isn't that Blue 72 forsale on here as we speak???
Ron

[Mopar Nut]

This is gonna be GOOD! 

Well actually this time I think I made the right choice. He only had it 2 days and he has it stripped, media blasted!!!

When I lived near Washington D.C., this would've been stripped in two hours sitting on cinder blocks. Glad to hear it's working out for you.

[AKcharger]

I'm confused, isn't that Blue 72 forsale on here as we speak???
Ron

Hi RMS sale is suspended, since I'm keeping it doing another restoration

[6PakBee]

I did not need a body shop to %^&%$ up my car, I ^%&*&% it all up on my own LOL, I knew I would never get my car back & if I did get it back I would be un happy with the results for the money spent, SO now when I look at all the flaws my car has I just say to myself ,I did the best I could but at least I did not pay someone else to F&*&*C* it all up LOL     

I'm with you.