Body Help Needed in Dallas

[jdiesel33]

All,
I am in need of getting floor and trunk pans replaced in my '68. Does anyone know of any reputable/reasonable people/body shops in or near Dallas that I could go to?

Thanks

[mikepmcs]

I would contact some of these guys/gals to see what they say or resto.

http://www.carestoration.com/texas.htm

v/r
Mike

[68RRFlyer]

Sent you a PM.  If you run out of options in Dallas, I'm right down the road in Houston.

Cheers 

Dave

[Skued]

I'm curious if you found a good shop in Dallas or not? 

[jdiesel33]

Sure havent. Found a few individuals, but they both stopped flaked out. Still looking unfortunately.

[jaak]

That is the hardest thing is finding someone to work on your car. You read on here all the time "Im taking my car to a body shop" or "my car is back from paint". Where do folks find these people?? I have asked dang near every body shop in my area (Northwest Alabama) and its always the same thing they say they'll come look at it (and of course they never do) or they simply say no, because all they do is insurance jobs. The one guy that said he would and quoted me a price, I took it to him and he welded in a trunk floor (half-ass) and epoxy-primed it. He kept it 2 years, until I finally had enough and went and got it back. So I decided to do it myself, granted its taking me forever, because after a couple hours of sanding, Im shot, lol (I give all you body guys your props. I dont see how you do that shit for a living!)
Good luck on your search, my only advise is, if you still cant find anyone... take that money and buy a welder, and all the materials and the tools you need, then start learning!
Here's a couple of sites with a wealth of information....
http://autobodystore.com/forum/index.php         http://www.autobody101.com/forums/

Jason

[jdiesel33]

I appreciate the advice. I feel your pain. Not sure why this is so difficult to find. I have defintely thought about doing it myself, but with a full time and part time job, plus a wife and 3 kids, it is so hard to find the time to work on the car, let alone have to learn how to weld first, then work on the car. I havent totally ruled out that possibility yet though. However, I was driving down a street yesterday and caught out of the corner of my eye what looked to be the front bumper and grill of an early 70's GTX or Road Runner. I circled back and sure enough it was. Looks like it may be a state of restoration. I didnt get out and examine it or anything. I am going to stop by there today and talk to the folks that own it. Maybe they know how to do the work or know someone who can. I'll keep you posted. Good luck with your project. Keep us posted.

Jimmy

[superbirdtom]

you need to take your project to a restoration shop. We are a crash shop and have done a few restorations here. but when these last two cars go out the door thats it no restorations except our own. and between us guys at the shop we have enough old cars for restoring to last 10 years.

I can't stand restoring someone elses car as mine rot. many restoration shops WILL do your car in stages. just do work that dosen't require you taking your engine out . When I worked at rich's street rods in maltby wa. we had two metal fab old timers , three guys in the paint shop and three in mechanical. every two weeks the owner of the car had to pay up or it was shoved outside. Theres guys too that hide away in the boonies to avoid all the epa crap. and work out of a shop next to their house , these are the guys you want to find as their labor rate is sometimes half of what big shops want. it all boils down to how much people think a body and paint tech should make. I myself would not be doing what I am doing if I didn't make 80 grand a year. that is what a good Journeyman should be making at a comission crash shop. if you go to work at a resto shop you might make 50 grand a year , this is why people can't find anyone to do the specialized resto work. the guys out in the boonie shops are happy to stay home and not have to go to some body shop and deal with all the buffoonery that goes on there.

I know one guy near seattle that restores cars for one person exclusivly. as this car collector trader knows he has a good guy and will keep him busy.  anyway keep searching but stay away from the crash shops  it never works out as the person trying to get his muscle car done sometimes begs so much that the shop reluctantly takes it on and it turns into a disaster. I have been there done that too many times. I had a guy stop in last week practically in tears begging me to do his chevelle  after hearing his horror stories of three shops his car went through in canada etc. I said Sorry I am finishing my last resto for a customer right now. and its my cars next. you need to do some detective work not drive around looking  you won't find one that way. 

[AKcharger]

  Here here! (interesting to see it from a body shop workers perspective)

In my experience there are 2 types of shops: repair shops and restoration shops. Repair shops as mentioned above only care about quick parts swaps and paint. Restoration shops are few and far between and good ones are EXPENSIVE. depending what you are having done expect around $50,000...yes that's right. After being literally laughed at by 3 shops here in Anchorage I decided to do it myself with the help of:
- Friend #1 VERY good welder (never worked on cars though)
- Friend #2 retired body guy who was happy to show friend #1and I what to do
- Friend #3 Windshild guy and general helper
- THIS SITE

It ain't rocket science it's just time. I had never touched any body work projects before and mine came out great. I've never sparayed a whole car though..that's the next project. Please let me give you some encouragement from a rank amatur, the '70 was done in my garage in Alaska the '72 under a shade tree in Va...YOU CAN DO IT

[jdiesel33]

Thanks for the encouragement. That may be the route I end up going with. I would definitely love to have those skills at my disposal.

Very nice cars. You guys did a great job.

[vancamp]

theres a shop just to the east of Austin texas called Jeffs Ressurections that I have been told does real nice work and is a resto only shop.

[superbirdtom]

Here here! (interesting to see it from a body shop workers perspective)

In my experience there are 2 types of shops: repair shops and restoration shops. Repair shops as mentioned above only care about quick parts swaps and paint. Restoration shops are few and far between and good ones are EXPENSIVE. depending what you are having done expect around $50,000...yes that's right. After being literally laughed at by 3 shops here in Anchorage I decided to do it myself with the help of:
- Friend #1 VERY good welder (never worked on cars though)
- Friend #2 retired body guy who was happy to show friend #1and I what to do
- Friend #3 Windshild guy and general helper
- THIS SITE

It ain't rocket science it's just time. I had never touched any body work projects before and mine came out great. I've never sparayed a whole car though..that's the next project. Please let me give you some encouragement from a rank amatur, the '70 was done in my garage in Alaska the '72 under a shade tree in Va...YOU CAN DO IT

YOU KNOW THATS WHAT ITS ABOUT ANYWAY DOING MOST OF THE WORK YOURSELF  .THAT TROPHY MEANS A LOT MORE WHEN YOU DO THE WORK, ITS NOT THAT THE CRASH SHOPS DON'T CARE , THEY ARE SET UP TO DO CRASH JOBS AND A RESTORATION JUST CLOGS THE SHOP UP, AND THE SPACE THAT THE MUSCLECAR TAKES UP BY THE TIME ITS ALL SAID AND DONE ACTUALLY COSTS THE SHOP MONEY AS THE SHOP COULD HAVE CRANKED TEN TIMES THE MONEY OUT OF THAT VALUEABLE SPACE. UNLESS THE SHOP IS SO HUGE IT CAN HAVE PROJECTS SITTING AROUND FOR MONTHS OR YEARS. AND THE COMISSION GUYS WON'T WANT TO WORK ON IT AS THEY ARE LOSING MONEY WORKING BY THE HOUR.

THERE ARE SHOPS THAT DO BOTH BUT ARE VERY RARE. CRASH SHOPS WANT TO SEE LATE MODEL CARS THAT HAVE 1500 TO 5 GRAND JOBS COMING IN TO MAKE THE MOST PROFIT. AND LOTS OF THE GUYS THAT HAVE 15 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DO FINE WORK ITS NO BIG DEAL FOR THEM TO DO A MUSCLE CAR AS THEY HAVE TO SATISFY A LEXUS OWNER OR OTHER HIGH END CARS THAT HAVE VERY NICE FINISHES AND CLOSE TOLLERANCES. MANY SHOP OWNERS IN THEIR 50,S AND BEYOND STARTED OUT DOING ALL THE OLD 70'S CARS AND DOING RESTOS AND JUST SCRATCHED ALONG UNTIL THEY FINALLY FIGURED OUT INSURANCE CRASH JOBS IS WHERE YOU MAKE THE MOST MONEY. THERE ARE GUYS OUT IN THE BOONIES THAT DO VERY GOOD WORK AT THEIR HOME SHOPS. AGAIN THEY CAN DO IT FOR A REASONABLE PRICE AS THEIR OVERHEAD IS MUCH MUCH CHEAPER.  SO SEARCH IT OUT. I UNDERSTAND BOTH SIDES  AS I HAVE PRETTY MUCH SEEN IT ALL.

[superbirdtom]

one other little story out of thousands I have. A guy comes to my crash shop in a pickup truck unloads 2  doors  off of a 55 chevy p.u. into the office. and says can you shoot these I already did the work. I notice blisters and other stuff. I replied 500 dollars each. he looked at me like I pinched his wifes butt, and piped up thats too much!!!! in a huff scurried outta the shop and mumbled  this is  only a hobby ya know!. 

this huffy incident happened because he thought he had done all the work all I had to do was shoot it. these same doors I saw 2 years later on his lowered 55 chev at a local car show bursting with rust. I knew better and am glad my name wasn't on it.

Another thing about some people and their restos .Had a guy drag in a 66 mustang and he wanted it made into a shelby roadracer clone he said the bodywork was 95% done. it was on a cobbled together rotisserie made from two engine stands and a bunch of wobbly metal it was horrible bad sign.
First we proceeded to cut off the frame rail connectors the previous guy tacked on, we welded it with continuous bead. then we notice cracks start to develop in sail panel where this other guy welded on new quarters. so we dug out the all metal. he just tacked the quarters on bad sign 3. after welding the quarters on and fixing a load of other crap, he comes in with a huge pile of billet this billet that an 600 hp stroked  engine etc  about 20 grand in parts.

we want to get paid for the 2 weeks labor, he goes nuts and said the body work was 95% done and we shoulda had it painted by now. he gives us 500 bucks. then starts a divorce he says put it on hold. so it sits in our nice dry shop for 2 years, we then tell him to please just come get it and pay his bill. which was 5 grand. still only 80% done and he freaks out, says he will be by in a week with a car hauler. when he gets it on the flatbed he says I didn't bring the money Ill Be back. we said pay up now or come back with the money  the car goes nowhere.  he argues for an hour that he dosen't have the money right now. we said do you have a credit card , he did we ran it and he went away, we only charged him 1500 dollars in the end . we got totally burned  no even a thank you and to this day he badmouths us. I could tell a a few worse ones .

But the moral is some people who want to get their cars restored hand you a hulking pile. and keep whinning about how much it is costing. but keep ordering palletloads of budnik wheels and billet steering columns new interiors this that . and blurt out HEY! IVE GOT 35 GRAND INTO THIS SINCE I BROUGHT THIS CAR TO YOUR SHOP ( hes yelling this as his truck is still sitting there a pile of heaping rust) and we haven't even seen a dime.

the lesson is to get the bodywork and paint done first in most cases ,before you start buying goodies and your budget goes to hell . the most important people are the body and paint artists and you want to keep them happy .

[TexasStroker]

I'm a big fan of doing it yourself and essentially being as self-sufficient as possible...When that applies to a car, you will not only learn more, but have a greater appreciation for the car itself...And if you happen to be horrible, you will have hopefully made some forward progress which will hopefully lower your bill 

That said, I have been working on and off on just a simple trunk floor since November 06...Keep in mind there has been everything imaginable to curtail progress.  Class, work, gfs, other obligations, waiting on parts/products that should have already been in etc...If you only get a free 1/2 Saturday every weekend, things will go slow.

I see the magazine articles that talk about replacing the trunk floor in a weekend and still having time to catch a movie...Maybe I'm just excessively meticulous, but I can't see one guy doing a good job in 48 hrs.  I have a ton of time just in the "weekend" trunk floor.  I'm sure I could cut it out Saturday and set it in Sunday, but I just can't bring myself to half-a** something that bad...I want to take all the time necessary to get it to come out as best I can.

Essentially what I am getting at is with your outside obligations you could very well wind up like myself and have the car on stands for months/years...Although it is very enjoyable to do the work yourself and be proud of the end result, ask yourself whether you would enjoy the car being on stands and getting worked on once every "X" in a while, or if you'd like it to be down a week or two and back to where you get to drive it every "y" in a while.  Also, if you don't plan on doing any other serious body work, the specialty tools you'll need should be factored into the "me" vs "shop" budget scenario.  Personally I can always justify tools as they should never be completely useless, lol.

I know a good body guy up here, but that is a considerable drive/expense for you.  If you haven't checked out Dave's work (68RRFlyer) do it.  He is as critical as it comes with a body guy, and puts the same effort into customer's cars as he does his own.  His advice over the internet has been very beneficail to my progress.

I can't tell you how excited I am for New Year's Day...not to be off work, or party...Just to go sand/paint frame rails   If that doesn't sound like something you'd get excited about, consider the drive to Houston well worth it...

Sorry for rambling, but hope that helps a little!  The trunk floor is simple enough, but so many little things come up that eat-up time...Ie: when else do you have that good of access to the outer rear frame rails, and you'll never have that access to the inner rear frame rails...What about all that nasty old undercoating in the wheel wells, and inevitably you'll find little rust pockets on the extensions or behind seam sealer that will require attention...It is amazing how much stuff comes up!  If the details matter to you, dont' say you weren't warned, haha :p

[AKcharger]

Sure hope we're not scareing you away, just arming you witht he facts. My story is I visited a resto shop here in Anchorage. My window pal had put the glass in a '70 Charger the shop was restoring the same time I was doing mine. I stopped in to say hi and they were very nice to show me around. What I remember most was they did the same work I had; floors/trunk/1/4's ect but they owner had racked up $24,000...IN LABOR ONLY! that was in 2003 too.

...Tom understand about doing an "almost completed car" once you touch it...you're reputation goes with it along with anything done UNDER that primer

[superbirdtom]

I have the best reputation in my town, that is why people still seek me outfor their harley davidson customs , I hate toturn dowm people but they have in theirmind that it should cost 600 dollars to paint a tank feners and side covers for 600 buks , ha i got news for them the smaller the objet themore perfect it has to be and since a good journeyman can make 15 hours in a 8 hour work day its hard to do a 600ollar paint on a harley where it takes 25 hours to do and yo make 600dollars and that includs expensive radience paint. so by taking on that job i make 0.

THe guy who ruined it ll was earl scheib Ill paint any car $99.98, ow you got 99 dollar paint job the thing was that people would hear of a 800 dollar job and freak out and 2 grand to 5 was just blasphmey. ause hell 99 dollas was justfine, I worked at scheib for a day and couldn't take it.

[AutoRust]

My turn to chime in here.
I run http://www.autorust.com/index.html, its a small company located in Rhode Island. As our name imply, all we do is rust repair. We are NOT a restoration shop, nor are we a collision shop. Rust is all we do. I dont sell chrome bumpers, I dont sell engine parts. I have no interest in painting cars, nor installing Legendary interiors. All we do is rust repairs.
We charge by the hour to do repairs, and have found that is the best way for everyone involved. We have been doing this for 31 years. We have over 10000 cars under our belt and have had magazines articles written about us and our Safe-T-Cap products.

Its a real challenge to get these cars done, for anyone. High end restoration shops will do it, but they will hand out a bill that could be $100000 by the time there done. Body shops will offer to do them as "fill-in" work, but that means it can sit there for years while they do the profitable stuff.

I use a bonded carrier to transport stuff, and have had cars here from Texas, Indiana, California, Michigan, South Carolina, the list goes on and on.

Look at some of our project pictures in the gallery. You can see how we do it and what it takes.

Dave

[mikepmcs]

Dave, cool site and great links to show parts etc...but.... when I go to link one it gives me the page 404 error deal and I see nothing.. So I would like a printed catalog.  Site is a little confusing I guess to me.  I'll spend more time and try to negotiate it later, but, I'm not that patient when I can't see something immediately, and i'm sure a ton more people out there are like me, or worse, if you get my drift.  $$$$$ money lost IMHO.
I need some 74 Duster and 73 Coronet rust repair frame stuff.  I'd really like to see what you offer and what the cost is, so make that dang site user friendly or else.

Oh, and I'd like a bigger picture of your avatar displayed on the home page as well.
v/r
Mike

[AutoRust]

Mike, you might be the first person that ever told me the site isn't user friendly.


Here is my catalog  http://www.autorust.com/2008cat.pdf with all the products we make

http://www.autorust.com/gallery.html  Thats a link to the project pictures, all the various stuff we do, not just Mopar, but a lot of brand X as well ( gotta pay the bills)

[AKcharger]

Auto rust! wow it's almost like having a celeberty on the site! I've seen you're ads and booth at Carlile a few times. I'll be a buyer of you're rear frame caps when I do the next scheduled resto on my '70...Thanks for being in the business...we need your products!!!   

[jdiesel33]

I am still going to learn how to do this myself, hopefully in the not too distant future. However, just to get his done in the short term, I found a guy who is willing to do it. Says he has about 5 years experience and has done numerous pans in Nissans. He came out to look at the car yest. The whole trunk has to be replaced, and on the floor pan only the front sections on each side (where the driver's and passenger's feet would go).  He estimated about 4-5 hours on the floor and 4-5 on the trunk. Does this sound like a reasonable estimate or should it not take him that long? He also has to cut the old pans out. He is charging $50/hour, which is the same as a couple of others told me they would charge.

Thanks

[AutoRust]

$50/hr at his place? Is he an actual business or is he doing it as a side job at night? Its a fair price if he is legitimate. If he is just a back yard guy with no overhead, its a bit steep.
I might question his estimating skills though. 4-5 hours for 2 front floors is short money. I usually look at each floor 6 hours maybe 8 hours. Old Mopars are NOT like a Nissan at all.
Is he working on a lift? Will he be welding it top and bottom? Seam sealing his repairs? Priming or painting it?

A full trunk replacement is usually 12 hours +/- in my shop. Are you doing the 2 piece sections? New tank support? Is the tail panel in good shape were is meets the trunk pan? Are the rear frames in good shape? How about the trunk extensions?

All I can suggest is cover your ass. Get as much as possible in writing, check and see if you can find someone else that has had work done by him?
I know you want to get it done, but be careful, dont need a



Dave

[jdiesel33]

$50/hr at his place? Is he an actual business or is he doing it as a side job at night? Its a fair price if he is legitimate. If he is just a back yard guy with no overhead, its a bit steep.
I might question his estimating skills though. 4-5 hours for 2 front floors is short money. I usually look at each floor 6 hours maybe 8 hours. Old Mopars are NOT like a Nissan at all.
Is he working on a lift? Will he be welding it top and bottom? Seam sealing his repairs? Priming or painting it?

A full trunk replacement is usually 12 hours +/- in my shop. Are you doing the 2 piece sections? New tank support? Is the tail panel in good shape were is meets the trunk pan? Are the rear frames in good shape? How about the trunk extensions?

All I can suggest is cover your ass. Get as much as possible in writing, check and see if you can find someone else that has had work done by him?
I know you want to get it done, but be careful, dont need a



Dave

He is actually coming to my place to do the work. No lift. Top and bottom weld.  Is going to put 415 on it after done. The frames and extensions are still in good shape. Your answer is making me nervous now. I better do some more research. I appreciate the input.

Thanks

[superbirdtom]

I wouldn't let this guy within 5 miles of my car     

[superbirdtom]

$50/hr at his place? Is he an actual business or is he doing it as a side job at night? Its a fair price if he is legitimate. If he is just a back yard guy with no overhead, its a bit steep.
I might question his estimating skills though. 4-5 hours for 2 front floors is short money. I usually look at each floor 6 hours maybe 8 hours. Old Mopars are NOT like a Nissan at all.
Is he working on a lift? Will he be welding it top and bottom? Seam sealing his repairs? Priming or painting it?

A full trunk replacement is usually 12 hours +/- in my shop. Are you doing the 2 piece sections? New tank support? Is the tail panel in good shape were is meets the trunk pan? Are the rear frames in good shape? How about the trunk extensions?

All I can suggest is cover your ass. Get as much as possible in writing, check and see if you can find someone else that has had work done by him?
I know you want to get it done, but be careful, dont need a



Dave>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Dave how are those guys at U.S. car tool ?? I see a body in white program. I am sure you have seen. and do you dip a car first so all the rust just crisps away and whatever is left you fix??

The reason I ask and forgive me all for going a bit off topic but I have a 70 cuda vert borderline basketcase. and would do it myself  but no dipping facility here. thanks SBT