#21  
Old 02-03-2022, 04:05 PM
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Originally Posted by HWYSTR455 View Post
This may sound like I'm going against the general consensus, but, you don't always want to just strip a car to metal. In many cases, it's the thing you DON'T do.

I see so many think they are going to save money by doing some of the 'simple labor' only to make a mess and a much larger job than it should have been to begin with.

I see the look on the faces of body guys that 'come to take a look' at something someone has attacked, and it's of complete disgust most times.

Grinders, wheels, etc, can shink/stretch/heat metal/panels, and once that happens, it's hammer and dolly time, which can be a massive undertaking, and takes skill.

Leave the approach to the body guy, which he's most comfortable with, based on the level of job you want.

And there is a wide variety of 'levels' of body & paint. You can't just say 'Well I don't want a show car', because it's just like saying 'I never will race it'.

Some shops or body guys won't accept rollers, either, you need to talk to them BEFORE you even touch the car.

'Restoration' work is straight time and material, so reputable or not, it can take one person 20 hours to do an area when it can take another 200 hours, and you sign to pay for whatever it takes. Quotes don't mean jack.


.
X two!

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  #22  
Old 02-03-2022, 08:38 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HWYSTR455 View Post
This may sound like I'm going against the general consensus, but, you don't always want to just strip a car to metal. In many cases, it's the thing you DON'T do.

I see so many think they are going to save money by doing some of the 'simple labor' only to make a mess and a much larger job than it should have been to begin with.

I see the look on the faces of body guys that 'come to take a look' at something someone has attacked, and it's of complete disgust most times.

Grinders, wheels, etc, can shink/stretch/heat metal/panels, and once that happens, it's hammer and dolly time, which can be a massive undertaking, and takes skill.

Leave the approach to the body guy, which he's most comfortable with, based on the level of job you want.

And there is a wide variety of 'levels' of body & paint. You can't just say 'Well I don't want a show car', because it's just like saying 'I never will race it'.

Some shops or body guys won't accept rollers, either, you need to talk to them BEFORE you even touch the car.

'Restoration' work is straight time and material, so reputable or not, it can take one person 20 hours to do an area when it can take another 200 hours, and you sign to pay for whatever it takes. Quotes don't mean jack.


.
I guess your opinion holds water with those that don't know much at all, and or have a big wallet.
1. If you are stupid enough to bring a whole running car to a "body shop" you Will get "straight time", which is more or less saying there is a "Hidden damage clause" because the body guy cant see the bare car.
2. So you want to strip the car. You should bag and tag all the trim / handles etc. You CAN strip the body WITHOUT warping. The SCT was designed to reduce the heat that a disc can easily give. ( I dont work for eastwood).
3. Most "body" guys will not give you a menu of prices because their NAME is on it. Most want to SEE the Metal, or primer on it.
N0NE will guarantee their work unless THEY start at the metal.
4. IF you strip to have others finish and paint, you are saving them a VERY messy job, and about 20 hours of Labor at say $100/hr.
There is $2,000 you can pay the block sanding guy to make the panels flat and nice.
5. Good resto/Body shops do One thing WELL. Its body work and paint.
Never have them re assemble a car You took apart. Do that at home with friends.
6. Rollers; I have "shopped" Rollers at many Resto shops, and body shops.
On a Trailer that the estimate can be done and car completely seen has
Always been acceptable and you Never get any hidden costs.. BUT, There
IS a way to PREP a ROLLER for an estimate.
Everything MUST FiT. Redo the hinges ( doors and hood), ALIGN the panels REAR to FRont. ALL Panels MUST be on car. Get the gaps as good as possible.
This finished Roller is called a PROOF OF CONCEPT.. Same as a Clay mock up
when the car was in design. You have Proved to the Body guy that this is NOT a pile of Parts, and they all fit as good as original. ( even if it needs a skin) .
When they know they dont have to do anything else, they can give a more honest estimate of time.
7. What you pay for
I have said this for years, have worked in a body shop as well.
You Spend 70% of your hard earned dollars on SANDING, HAND / BLOCK SANDING.
IF you Present a Aligned, assembled Rolling Shell, likely you'll spend Less and get a better job done, and faster, but You will be doing the grunt work, and alignment. An example.
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  #23  
Old 02-03-2022, 09:36 PM
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Thank you for the denigrating opening remarks. It is possible you may have posted worthwhile information but I didnt get past the opening. It good to know nothing has changed here.

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  #24  
Old 02-03-2022, 10:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VCho455 View Post
Thank you for the denigrating opening remarks. It is possible you may have posted worthwhile information but I didnt get past the opening. It good to know nothing has changed here.
No offense intended at all!
My point was that what you said ( and I Did read it all) has a market,
and it is a Real market for many folks.. I shouldnt have assumed that none are here though. I am sorry you took offense to it.

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  #25  
Old 02-04-2022, 09:20 PM
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Thank you everyone for the information...really gave me a lot to think about. I should be taking the car to the shop next week. A buddy and I did the floorpans and trunk pans over the summer so thats good to go. In speaking with the guy at the shop he said he wouldn't have a problem with me removing the trim, vinyl top and bumpers. He said if I wanted to start removing the paint, he wouldn't have a problem with me doing that. My neighbor is an old paint and body guy and I have a brother in law that use to do paint and body. I may give it a try under their watchful eye.

Now I know doing an engine compartment is a lot different than doing paint and body but I did do the engine compartment on my GTO by myself and it didn't come out too bad considering I had never done anything like this before. I guess I'll find out a little more once it goes in the the "estimate".
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  #26  
Old 02-04-2022, 09:21 PM
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Finished
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  #27  
Old 02-06-2022, 02:36 PM
tjs72lemans tjs72lemans is offline
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I just hope you don't get it all apart, eventually take it him for an estimate and find it's way more than you anticipated. Especially in todays environment as product prices and labor continue to rise. Hate to see another stalled project with good intentions. I find them for sale all the time.

  #28  
Old 02-06-2022, 04:06 PM
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tjs72lemans,

I have a pretty reasonable budget. I know it's going to be expensive to get it done right and I'm not going to half ass it. When I take it to the shop, they'll give me an idea of what I can and can't do. I certainly don't want to do anything that will make it more difficult or more expensive for me. If I have to, I'm prepared to have them do everything but if I can save a few bucks, I would like to!

Formulabruce,
Some good advice...thank you. I don't have an "unlimited" budget to get my car done. I know there are some issues with fender alignment, hood alignment and bondo on the quarters and doors. I'm not looking for a concourse restoration. The door are a little wavy and the there is some rust bubbles on the lower fender and doors. The paint and body work was done on my car over 17 years ago and it's actually holding up pretty well. Lord know what it's like under the paint but I'll soon find out. I'm not just going to hand the car over to them and tell them to have at it. I think there are some things that I can do to help lower the cost. I'm not scared to get a little dirty and certainly not scared some hard work. What I've learned since owning this car for the last 5 years is that half the fun of owning a car like this is learning and actually working on the car. I know some experienced guys that handed the keys to their car and they were ripped off by a paint and body shop. Really good advice...thanks again for taking the time to write all that!

  #29  
Old 02-07-2022, 01:33 AM
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Stripped this 68 GTO shell to metal in about six hours of work with these using an angle grinder, no warping, no problems ... just remember you aren't grinding metal you are removing paint.
I did sand blast areas like the firewall, trunk weatherstrip groove etc.

Kind of dirty work ... but it goes fast. I'd do it all day, every day for $100 an hour



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Old 02-07-2022, 02:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dataway View Post
Stripped this 68 GTO shell to metal in about six hours of work with these using an angle grinder, no warping, no problems ... just remember you aren't grinding metal you are removing paint.
I did sand blast areas like the firewall, trunk weatherstrip groove etc.

Kind of dirty work ... but it goes fast. I'd do it all day, every day for $100 an hour



Stripped area looks ready for metal work to me! Where'd you get those stripping discs?

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  #31  
Old 02-07-2022, 03:06 PM
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They are all over Amazon ... for this job I just used some of the cheap ones ... which seemed to work just as well as the expensive ones.

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  #32  
Old 02-09-2022, 08:27 PM
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I used a razor blade to get almost all of the paint off mine and followed with various abrasive type discs on a variable speed grinder for the remaining primer and filler. It's easier to get through once the paint is gone. I even used a wire cup on the grinder.

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