[64speed]

The body shop that I am working with does beautiful work I mean flawless but he WILL NOT give you an estimate just tells you the hourly rate and how many hours he worked that week. With that being said I pretty much know what I'm in for quarter panel etc wise but I have a unique project that needs to be handled. The previous owner cut the dash to install a CD player. I have a patch panel from franks Pontiac parts that is just a section of original dash cut out and ready to be welded back in. About how many hours should I expect this to take? I know it's detailed work but I don't want to end up with more in the radio panel than I do the quarters.

[poncho447]

http://forums.maxperformanceinc.com/...d.php?t=805183

[abefromen]

[400 4spd.]

Let me see if I can help.

[dataway]

Hehehe... it's like the movie Groundhog Day

[My442]

A guy that I worked with got into a deal like that.....$30,000 later the car is still not done.

From a psychology standpoint, it's called "Escalation of Commitment".....you stay with the job because you have already committed a lot of money to it.

DON'T DO IT!

['ol Pinion head]

Originally Posted by 64speed

The body shop that I am working with does beautiful work I mean flawless but he WILL NOT give you an estimate just tells you the hourly rate and how many hours he worked that week. With that being said I pretty much know what I'm in for quarter panel etc wise but I have a unique project that needs to be handled. The previous owner cut the dash to install a CD player. I have a patch panel from franks Pontiac parts that is just a section of original dash cut out and ready to be welded back in. About how many hours should I expect this to take? I know it's detailed work but I don't want to end up with more in the radio panel than I do the quarters.

Dont blame the fellow. Have experience with many bodymen, & with such specialized repair, it doesnt work that way. You were told this by an expert in this field (400 4spd) in your previous thread, but chose to disregard & ask the question again. Do you think the answer is going to be any different? PY is not the only Bulletin Board that seems to be getting more & more of these type of repetitive posts

In closing, will mention, am not a bodyman by trade, but have taken on many speciality repairs involving metal repair over the years. Have dealt with, & still deal with many production body shops where restoration body & paint work is taken in on the side, & in most, the proprietor uses a COST PLUS method to bill out work performed. With nearly all of these shops, customers received the utmost respect & their projects were properly billed & customers were kept abreast of progress.

[Goatracer1]

I was in the automotive trade for 35 years and you have to remember that Most auto repairs both body and mechanical are charged by the flat rate hour. A "book" tells you how long a repair should take and you are billed that many hours. However restoration work CAN'T work that way. There are too many variables so you will be billed "time plus". Don't blame the shop because they can't tell what problems they will run into on a 50 year old car.

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by 400 4spd.

Let me see if I can help.

Nice one !

[64speed]

I am not trying to be a stooge and I hate to come off that way. I am a disabled vet and have memory problems.

[dataway]

I've got into the habit of taking a lot of notes. Long as I don't forget where I left the notes I'm in good shape.

[Jeffs64Cat]

Originally Posted by 64speed

I am not trying to be a stooge and I hate to come off that way. I am a disabled vet and have memory problems.

Not meaning any harm here 64speed but you can search posts that you posted and find everything that people have told you before. I'm a disabled person with memory lost too. I respect you for fighting for our great country.