Ok guys I need your insight. I found a shop to do the body on Loryane. Here's whats getting done maybe......
1. total body restore (strip to bear metal, repair rust spots in the front lower quarter panels both sides, repair rust hole through the rear driver side quarter panel into the trunk, minor rust spots throughout the body, polish the chrome, Paint )
2. Pull and "refresh" the engine and engine bay (pull, clean and paint the engine)

Here's whats not getting done.
1. Bumpers
2. Top
3. Interior

All for a quoted 5K what do you guys think? Deal or not?

 

I have to say that 5K for all that sounds a bit TOO low!
Be sure and lay out all the detail, of how each area will be fixed, what materials will be used and how. How long will it take them? Having all this in writing will be best.
If the engine will be pulled, will it be resealed? I would add extra for that it it may need it.
This sounds like too good a deal in my mind...

 

Sounds like a good deal to me, but Rob has a good point. Make sure they tell you exactly what they are going to do.

 

Way too low for quality work

 

x 2

 

Thanks guys,
I'll get a itemized estimate and report back. I do know they were planning on welding. Its a small 2 man operation, they originally quoted me 8K and I backed off then they wanted to deal. I also have to buy miscellaneous parts like weather striping. They do plan to pull and clean the engine and are willing to allow me to come by while its out to reseal ;-)

 

I say no deal, but not for a better price, for better work. It will cost you more to have all that done well.

 

Ask for a list of customers with telephone numbers or e-mail that you can contact and go look at their work. Itemize list of the work to be down is a must. No bondo only repair must use metal replacement for the rusted areas. As the others say appears to cheap to me. but a small 2 man shop may need the filler work, in this economy who knows. Good luck

 

Good idea on references, I don't know why I didn't think of that. They came out to my house to look at Loryane before they gave me a quote. Then were instant that I come over to the shop to see their works in progress. The ones they had were beautiful. One was about 90% complete, a 58 chevy I think it was, another 80-ish caddie, a scout and an s2000. They all looked pretty good to me.

 

There is a lot of difference from a Looks great at 20', Looks great at 10', Looks great up close. What are you looking for?

 

If you take a completely stripped car with minimal rust to a shop and pay $5000.00 you might get OK work. Good matierials alone can cost over 3000.00 when you go from metal up. If they are taking it apart themselves pulling the motor ect there is no way for them to make any money.

 

You could care less about wants in the shop now. You want to see the ones that have accually made it out of there preferably a year or two or longer ago.

 

It's a real deal if they know what they're doing.

I would figure $1500 at the very most for materials, unless you want some sort of fancy paint paint job.
My paint is quality Spies-Hecker, the car is huge and it was only 850 bucks for the base and clear.
The primer, sandpaper and filler isn't expensive, labor is the major cost.
If you start buying replacement panels it can get up there.

Sounds like the work you saw was good?
Does the estimate break it down into time/hourly rate and type and brand materials?
Did they say how long it would take or is this one of those open ended "We'll work on it when we get time between insurance jobs." deals??
Are they going to do all the jambs and inside the doors and front fenders?
At that price I wouldn't figure more than a couple of weeks for two guys with decent materials and the shop isn't making anything but wages and covering overhead.

Pulling the engine and painting it and doing the chrome/stainless shouldn't take more than a few days at the most.
That leaves most of the cost for the paint and bodywork. The price is lower than normal but normal was too high to begin with IMO, it was a supply and demand deal when the economy was okay, whatever the market would bear, engine builders are the worse.
A lot of body shops are taking work like that on material costs and lowered hourly rates around here just to keep their guys going, been very slow.

Check it out good, may be a gift horse you don't want to look in the mouth.
Are they ex-military giving a deal to a brethren or from south of the border?
Those Hispanic guys do some beautiful jobs and work like dogs, some of the nicest paint jobs and interior work I've ever seen are on and in the Donks. I don't agree with what they do to cars sometimes but you have to admit it's very good craftsmanship.
People probably said the same thing about early hot rodders and customizers.

 

Both
A little of both...

Yup yup Have to still check references...
I'll make sure they include the type and brand of materials. They didn't give me hours just a flat 5K
60-90 days which is good no rush.
yup yup.

 

To use an old expression, don't buy a pig in a poke! As others have noted get details...be **** about it.

 

So update..
They are welding all the rust holes after stripping Lorayne to bear metal.
References checked out and so did past work. So moving forward and I'll post up some pictures as we go.

Questions:
Where is a good place to get weather striping? For the doors and trunk as well as things like door stops? most of the pieces on her are dry rotted.

Will a 442 bumper set fit right on a non 442? My bumpers need to be re-bent & re-chromed to the tune of around $600 I can buy a new set for about the same price, that have the the dual exhaust cut outs I want, as I plan to go duals some time over the course of this project.

Whats a good place to get the grill filler panel? lorayne's is busted and dont feel like having it repaired if i can get it new or used. Again, will a 442's filler panel fit a non 442?

 

Steele Rubber or Soff Seal are two good distributors for weather stripping.

 

Hey guys me again. Where is a good place to get the front finish panel. The piece between grills?

 

I don't think that is a piece that is reproduced aftermarket. Ask 2blu442. He is one of our members that is a parts guru. He might have one for you.

 

I have a NOS front filler panel available, and the Parts Place, and several other Olds vendors sell this part.

 

Shows you how much I know about A bodies.

 

Hey guys,
So I've decided to do a 442 clone with loryane and need help with what all I need to get with the new hood. She has the 350 2 brl in her but I want to swap out for a 4 brl. I assume I'll need to change out the intake manifold but I'm not 100% sure. As well as what I need to go dual exhaust on her?
Tall order i know but where best to ask right?

Also, where can I get a replacement frame for the convertible top?

 

You will need to get a 4-bbl intake manifold to use a 4-bbl carburetor.

Sounds like you have a good plan for your car.

Post pictures of the progress on your car as things go along.

 

dual exhaust shouldnt be too much. maybe a replacement rear bumper due to the grooves in it (not sure if 71 has it) and then brackets for the frame? not a pro just my opinion and what i think. not sure how a single exhaust looks from underneath

 

Thanks guys I'm putting an album on her progress. DO you guys have some insight on where I can get a cloth top? similar to:
http://www.fquick.com/garages/viewga...ewimg&id=24568

Also I searched the CO forum and found a listing for the 4 BRL conversion I'm looking into doing the conversion but I'm not sure what do you guys think?

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...tml#post152061

 

The link to the gallery for the project is in my signature.
OR CLICK HERE ;-)

 

Wow, it looks like this going along real nice!

 

where is a good place to order paint? I want to do two colors and need to know how much to order.