Cost of body work and paint

[Tailgater]

Okay, forgive me if I am breaking any rules by having someone else do the heavy work or by asking about costs but...

As I have said in previous posts, I have had my truck since '89 and I have done a lot of work on and off through the years but haven't really touched it seriously in about 4 years. I have gotten really tired of moving it around but not getting to enjoy getting out and driving it.

Recently a guy moved in about 2 miles from my house and opened a paint and body shop. I have seen his work and it is really top notch. He has started in on my truck and has ripped out all of the old bondo and is replacing it with body panels from Classic Parts. So far two cab corners, a door bottom and both cowl sides. He has forced both door hinges into place from where they were sprung inward and has adjusted the doors.

He has given me a price on the whole enchilada. Repaint the interior, firewall, all patch panels, adjust doors and hood to fit correctly and paint a base coat, clear coat. I already have purchased all new windows, chrome and rubber so that is not included in the price. He says $25.00 per hour and material. He also says for the complete job it would be $12,000. Does that sound reasonable?

Oh yeah, the truck is a 48 Chev 3800 pickup. It is a pickup, not flatbed. The bed is 9 feet long. I don't know what it will be worth when finished but I know it will look great on the local show circuit.

This is the first time I have tried to link from here but, if the link works you can see what he is working on.
www.81x.com/Tailgater/Cars_and_Trucks

 

[Kevin's 48]

I think it depends on what you want out of your truck and what skill level you are on as far as body work goes. My truck is the first truck I have ever done any major body work to. I looked at the pics you've posted. I have replaced all of the same parts plus some on mine and have really been pleased with the outcome of it and really enjoyed working on it. But I have a big advantage, my dad is a wizard with sheet metal and body work so he is there to straighten out my mess. As far as the price of fixing your truck it doesn't sound like a bad deal to me. I stopped by the street rod shop by my work (Classic Muscle you may have heard of it) and they said an average daily driver restoration from them is a minimum of $50k. So $12k doesn't sound to bad to me. In the next to last pic it looks like the left front cab corner just below the door hinge. You should definately replace the inner AND out peice, be careful with measurements of cutting and welding at this part or your outer skin will stick out too far. Trust me I had to cut mine back out after a simple measure mis-hap. Oh well good learning experience. Also has your truck had it's first coat of primer after blasting. If not I would definately recommend him to use etching primer. This will prevent the paint from chipping and rust from ever coming back through the paint. Also check out aapsales.com. They have some really good deals on hard to find sheet metal. That is who I use and the metal is good quality stuff. Not saying Classic parts isn't good stuff because I have ordered parts from them as well. Anyway enough rambleing, it's good to see an old chevy coming back to life. Good luck and have fun with it.

 

[Kevin's 48]

This is the part I was talking about. This was mine after fixing my mis-hap.

 

[vwnate1]

?? $12K ?? jumping Jesus Christ ~ I'd expect to get an entire frame off restoration for that , including rebuilt engine & tranny , new tires and the rest .

Unless this particular truck has some sort of sentimental value (like it was dad or grandpa's) I'd say sell it now and go buy a cherry 5 ~ 10 year old restoration as you'll be WAY ahead and be able to drive & enjoy it right now too .

This is NOT a forbidden topic at all and in fact , it should be the # 1 question asked by everyone who gets an old truck/car/moto/boat/tractor whatever ! .

Me , I'm an old fart who grew up around these trucks so as long as it runs well and looks good from say , 20' away , I'm good to go as I want something I can hop in and drive , right now , not in 10 years after hasseling some paint shop over screwed up details and paint runs , etc. .

I used to restore cars for a living and I'll never do one for me , don't want to loose precious road time nor do I want to worry about dirtying up my $5,000.00 paint job , etc.

Life's too short .

 

[ccharr]

My 48, 3804 9 ft bed Registered as a 47, has quotes for paint and body work up to $7,900. Thats one reason I now want to just clear coat the rust and fadded paint and just keep the drive train in good working order. Have stop the rust from getting worst in a couple of places. Still fun to drive,
I had it up around 60mph on the 118 freeway today, did find out it smokes a lot more than I was lead to believe. Anyway paint and body work the very good stuff is very spendy.

 

[Zig]

Don't shoot me, but my paint booth has cans that rattle. I might want to throw some "stuff" in the back of mine when I'm through, or I may be feelin' kinda wore out and part in that close spot by WalMart's doors. I'd be in little pieces all over the lot if something happened to a paint job that cost that much. I'm with Nate. If anyone has anything to say about my orange peel paint job, all I have to say is, "Who's driving this, me or you?" Those neat little trigger things that fit the top of a spray can make me feel like a pro anyway.

 

[Tailgater]

I have balanced the situation and decided to have me more of a show than a go. I have reached the point in life where I need a hobby and this will be a nice one. My 12 year old son and I can go to car shows with this thing and make some memories. Then, when it is time I can either give it to him or cash it in and help pay his college. In the meantime the diff between the $12K and what I can get for it will just be an investment in a hobby that will hopefully keep us close.

 

[vwnate1]

The last two posts clearly show well thought out plans and should keep you both happy .

I love those snap on Foo-Foo can handles too !

 

[Kevin's 48]

My outlook on the cost is it's only money and as long as you can make more of it then why not spend it. (without putting your family in a lot of debt of course). My friends at work think I'm crazy for the amount of money I'm putting into mine but thats what I really want to do and as long as I'm paying for it then I'm going to do it. My dad even thinks I'm going a little overboard with a few things, but It's still what I want to do. I want a full custom show truck and when you build those it gets very $$$. So if you want to spend the $12k then spend it or if you just want one as a daily that you can enjoy and don't care to get a scratch on then by all means do it.

 

[vwnate1]

Kevin ;

Right on ! I too tend to dump WAY too much $ into my old rigs and none of them are show worthy much less cherries .

If you can build a full custom show truck for only $12K , my hat's off to you ! .

Don't forget to post up pix of it .

 

[brit 50]

Like Nate always says, its your truck! and I agree, paint it pink with green spots and throw a lawnmower engine in it if thats what floats your boat, I want mine to be brand new running gear with a patina'd body so no worries about it getting parking lot rash, but thats how "I" want "my" truck to be, so go and enjoy yourself and don't worry about other people telling "you" how "your" truck should be! spend the 12k if it gets you what you really want.

Four!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I tell you!
________
Pornstars Videos

 

[slugbug]

Had a rough quote of $2500 to do some bodywork on the cab (including cab-corners) and put both the interior and exterior in primer. For my truck I'm not going the show-quality route, but found I like having a new paint job. Truck has some dents, and a little rust (that wasn't fixed all that well previously) but I don't want it so nice I can't park it in the driveway or use it as a truck. I figure $6K total will probably be the final bill with paint...

$12K seems a bit high to me, tho I'm getting work done in the mid-west which is FAR cheaper than out here in Seattle. For $12K I'd be lucky to get a complete job.

Found that if you can find a collision shop that is willing to do the work and you work with them as far as a time-line, let them have the vehicle for awhile (not forever tho) so they can work it in to their schedule, and do some grunt work yourself you can save some big $$$. Most of the time collision shops won't touch it, but if they don't have alot of business (which happens when times are tough for folks) they enjoy having something to work on to keep the employees around (may not make a whole lot, but better than losing your body guys to another shop when you lay them off). They aren't resto-perfect, but neither am I.

I had a quote of $6K to just do the bodywork and primer by a fellow who does restos (in the mid-west)...

 

[vwnate1]

Engine Thoughts..

Way back when I was 18 and bought my '46 , as soon as I tuned it up so it ran on all 6 cylinders , it began to belch clouds of white smoke ~ so much for the " rebuilt " engine ! . not knowing any better , (well,maybe) I tore the head and pan off to have a looksee ~ it had THREE cracked pistons and .016" taper in the cylinders plus the usual 35# of sludge inside it....

I replaced the three pistons (hey , I was very poor) and used Chrome piston rings installed into dry bores , broken in correctly . I also replaced the rod bearing shells ~ the smoking stopped 100 % and I put over 40,000 miles on that engine in heavy commercial service .

I dunno what engine is in this truck you were killing mosquitoes out on Rt. 118 with but you may well be able to overhaul it for an affordable sum...

-Nate

My 48, Still fun to drive,
I had it up around 60mph on the 118 freeway today, did find out it smokes a lot more than I was lead to believe. Anyway paint and body work the very good stuff is very spendy.

 

[Kevin's 48]

When you guys think that $12k is a lot for all of the things he's getting done, then you guys would really think I'm crazy. For $12k I'm only going to have wheels, full air ride suspension with a four link rear end and a full disc setup all the way around, and a 408HP 350 csb crate motor. That doesn't include my interior and paint, much less the new sheet metal I have already spent in the truck. As far as labor the only thing I am paying to have done is the paint and I've got a really good friend of mine who own's his own body shop that is going to cut me a hell of a deal. This is why that my project is taking me a while. My wife says my taste is way to expensive but I tell her I could be doing a lot worse things with my money. Might as well have some good safe fun!! Oh yeah, coilover does the extended cab S-10 short wheel base frame or the regular cab short wheel base frame work better for these trucks? My father in law called tonight and asked if I wanted his truck. I know what I have to do to the reg cab to make it work but I didn't know about the extended cab frame? I know I know, this is the wrong post to be asking that question, but I thought I'd might as well ask while I was on here typing!