[FLYNLOW]

Well, after nearly 29 months I got my car back. Bit of work done, had the trunk pan replaced, both lower quarters, had the roof replaced (yay, no more sunroof!) and some misc rust patches at the lower cowl plenum patched. The car originally had a timeline of a couple months but as happens kept getting pushed to the back of the line. The work is very good though not show quality.What do you guys think a full paint job like this should/would have cost?

[MUSLCAH]

Did the shop take it all apart and put it back together ? New glass installed ? Jambs and under hood and trunk painted ? Wet sanded and buffed ? All these steps take hours ....and it gets ugly real fast ....Don’t know what Cali labor rates are...but I bet they are the highest in the land. Hard to guess without knowing ,what was done.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

I'm thinking probably at least 5k in all labors with paint.
Plus parts
Plus materials

BC/CC
No Jambs
No wet sand / buff - other than maybe a few nibs on hood or trunk
Minimal disassembly

That's all pretty minimal baseline on costs.
Any less was a complete bargain.

[grandam1979]

I could see that being 20-30 grand if they did it all.

[MUSLCAH]

Change a roof and trunk pan........How many hours you guys think....@ say 75.00 per hour

[FLYNLOW]

New windshield, r&r rear glass. Jambs painted yes, trunk lid and all. Taken apart and reassembled. Dropped the car off with the interior gutted. Nice paint job. Wet sanded and buffed, not to flawless but definitely very presentable. Underside of formula hood painted trim black. Am I wrong for thinking that with an original MUCH shorter timeline and at least a dozen “older” cars with paint jobs being done in front of mine essentially treating the car as busy work that there should be a break in costs? The car finished at 2.5 times what was originally estimated and more than 2 years behind schedule. I’ve got a bill here for 29k... and never a “hey, these costs are well beyond what was expected...’’

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by FLYNLOW

New windshield, r&r rear glass. Jambs painted yes, trunk lid and all. Taken apart and reassembled. Dropped the car off with the interior gutted. Nice paint job. Wet sanded and buffed, not to flawless but definitely very presentable. Underside of formula hood painted trim black. Am I wrong for thinking that with an original MUCH shorter timeline and at least a dozen “older” cars with paint jobs being done in front of mine essentially treating the car as busy work that there should be a break in costs? The car finished at 2.5 times what was originally estimated and more than 2 years behind schedule. I’ve got a bill here for 29k... and never a “hey, these costs are well beyond what was expected...’’

You should have had Baron Von Zep do that for yah @ 5,000.00 ...oh wait ,that was 1970’s estimate....lol ...just messing with yah Baron.

[Baron Von Zeppelin]

I know man, haha

$40 an hour cash in hand

I'd do roof on a gutted interior for 1k
Trunk pan 1k
Lower Qtrs 1k
Misc metal 500
BC/CC 1600

5100 plus parts and materials
Usually another 500+ in incidentals is in range on top of those.

But you had more than that done.

Still was WAY over acceptable
You can only allocate so much before you are just a plain crook.

You should have been out for under 10k unless you missed a lot of labor items.
Like whole car to metal and coming back up from there.
Full blow apart
Etc

[A Schab]

I just bought a gallon of red PPG base for my son’s 35’th anniversary Camaro and it was 1200.00 for the gallon of base.

[ponchjoe]

Materials have gotten crazy but $1200 for a gallon of paint??!
OP, I’m curious how many labor hours were involved. That sounds really high to me. I posted a question about how to pay a body shop to keep them working on your car and some said a list with agreed prices paid every couple of weeks is the way to go.

[ponchjoe]

Originally Posted by Baron Von Zeppelin

I know man, haha

$40 an hour cash in hand

I'd do roof on a gutted interior for 1k
Trunk pan 1k
Lower Qtrs 1k
Misc metal 500
BC/CC 1600

5100 plus parts and materials
Usually another 500+ in incidentals is in range on top of those.

But you had more than that done.

Still was WAY over acceptable
You can only allocate so much before you are just a plain crook.

You should have been out for under 10k unless you missed a lot of labor items.
Like whole car to metal and coming back up from there.
Full blow apart
Etc

Wish you were closer!

[FLYNLOW]

Here’s my breakdown. And here’s my questions.

2.5 hours bumper/grille assembly. Overhaul? What overhaul?
10 hours for front bumper repair? What repair?
1.5 hours to r&r front spoiler?
3 hours to repair cowl/dash plenum panel? Reasonable for a few square inch patch?
1.5 hours to refinish?
1.5 hours to repair left rocker? What repair?
1.5 hours to repair right rocker? What repair?
6 hours for right door repairs? These were down to metal and “straight”
6 hours for left door repairs? Same.
2.5 Hours right mirror repair?
2.5 hours left mirror repair?
1.2 hours to r&r right window? Not aligned.
1.2 hours left window? Not aligned.
15 hours to patch left outer quarter?
15 hours to patch right outer quarter?
4hours to repair trunk lid? What repair?
18 hours to repair rear body panel? $200 new!
Modify trans am hood? 8 hours? This was a brand new hood, had to be replaced after my original TA hood was all warped from sandblasting. Plus 3 hours to refinish? Already charged 3.3 hours under “hood” section.
10 hours to round corners on roof?!
3 hours to repair trunk floor? Replaced with body panel replacement.
2.5 hours to refinish trunk floor?


I’m going to upload some pics here.

[FLYNLOW]

Misc pics

[A Schab]

That price was for DBC base and nothing else but tax.

[FLYNLOW]

More

[FLYNLOW]

More pics

[FLYNLOW]

Anyone know what book time would have been to replace the rear tail panel?

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by A Schab

That price was for DBC base and nothing else but tax.

I use DBC and can vouch for that kind of price for base.

[MD79TA]

I have to ask the question I think a lot of us want to, know , How often were you talking to this shop?How often did you visit and review the work and make payment ? I understand the sticker shock but didn't you know this long before you got the final bill? I and not trying to be a jerk but don't understand how you drop off a car and 2 years later are surprised at cost. You should have know every thing they did step by step and the cost associated with it. Maybe it's me , but yes you got screwed , but unless you were on top of them every step you only got yourself to blame . I am sorry for being blunt but I call it like I see . Best luck Doug

[olds]

Around here - central Texas. $100 an hour plus materials.
My dad is probably 10K into metal work on his TATA. Floors, rear qtrs, doors, tail panel, and other. Still not painted and paint quote is 10-12K. There is very few shops that will even touch these cars and short of a collision shop/maaco you were lucky to find a shop to do the car. Another fella was in the shop before my dad as we were waiting on motor and was a slow payer....dad’s car moved in....other car no longer in the shop. Money talks