Body shop jail
#1
Body shop jail
I am so frustrated. Sent my car to the body shop 05/15/2013 with the thought it would be ready in 30 days but 60 days at the longest. It is now Oct and car is still not in paint. I am happy with the attention to detail and quality of work but pardon my pun it is like watching paint dry waiting to get this thing back. Any body else going thru this?
#2
I am so frustrated. Sent my car to the body shop 05/15/2013 with the thought it would be ready in 30 days but 60 days at the longest. It is now Oct and car is still not in paint. I am happy with the attention to detail and quality of work but pardon my pun it is like watching paint dry waiting to get this thing back. Any body else going thru this?
#4
I had the same problem when I had the interior redone on my 71 98. I had to contiually call the guy for updates. I felt like a looser calling more than once a week though. I think if you don't call or stop by at least once a week then they will just sit on their laurels until doomsday.
#5
I am so frustrated. Sent my car to the body shop 05/15/2013 with the thought it would be ready in 30 days but 60 days at the longest. It is now Oct and car is still not in paint. I am happy with the attention to detail and quality of work but pardon my pun it is like watching paint dry waiting to get this thing back. Any body else going thru this?
seems putting my own coffee cup in the smoko room did the trick
Now after a fire in the engine its back at the same shop, guess which panels got burnt hmmmm here we go again..
#7
I get this at work too with parts I order and need. If there is no need-by date, it'll never happen. Like the TV shows.... "we got an auction this week, need that car done by tomorrow!" Pick a car show date. Gotta have her done by then. Stop in frequently and ck on the progress. Expect SOME progress each time.
#8
I can relate in the other direction. I've been working on a 1929 Model A Ford for about a year and a half. Just when I think I'm getting close to being done, they want me to do more. I work on it a bit, then I lose my motivation and work on something else for awhile. It also doesn't help when I ask them to get me parts for it and they take weeks to get them. It also doesn't help that someone else did some of the body work on it and I can see it's going to crack if it gets stressed at all. And I'm sure I'll take the blame for it. I just want to get it done and out of my garage.
#10
That would make sense. But that was not our original agreement. He told me in and out in 30 days but if we found any issues it could be 60. The guy is doing good work and communicates well with me. I have paid up front when he reaches certain stages of the job and bought many parts myself so he doesn't have to upfront cash. I rushed my end of getting the body back on the frame so I could get it to him because he had a spot to fit me in. If I had known it was going to be like this I could have kept the car longer and completed some of the other work that needs to be done. .......sorry for the rant.......just venting
#11
Sorry to hear that your having problems. I work closely with a local dealer body shop, they discount me $10/hr and did my Cutlass and a Grand Prix both body and complete paint jobs. I tell them take your time, call me when it's done!
But I also stop by once a week to see how things are going. Max time frame was 5 weeks for either car. With show quality results!
Pat
But I also stop by once a week to see how things are going. Max time frame was 5 weeks for either car. With show quality results!
Pat
#13
I have no tolerance for shops that don't honor their commitment. Being off by such a large amount either means that he is not good at running his business, or, that he just deceived you to get the business. Either way, I'd be worried. I bet the cost comes in more than you expect as well.
#17
Actually there have been no surprises except we found a bonding issue with the previous paint that prompted us to strip the car to bare metal and start over instead of prepping on top of the existing paint.. It is at a restoration shop that has a good reputation.
#18
I painted my car myself, Why?
Supposedly back in the 70's, guys used to paint car in their garages and buff them to a showroom finish. Start to finish took me 2 months.
Keep in mind it was raining like hell that day.
Supposedly back in the 70's, guys used to paint car in their garages and buff them to a showroom finish. Start to finish took me 2 months.
Keep in mind it was raining like hell that day.
#19
Thought I would give a little update. Went in last week expecting a lot of progress after a lot of promises the week before. Nothing Crickets
Told the owner to figure the bill. Calmly told him that I wanted my car back. He made a couple of excuses and told me it was going into paint by the end of the week which is what he had told me the week before. And the month before and month before that. I told him that was an old story I had heard before. Anyway I agreed to leave it one more week. Went by today and body was painted and looking good. His crew was working feverishly prepping the rest of the panels! . I don' t want to get my hopes too high but hoping it will be back in my garage sometime next week.
Told the owner to figure the bill. Calmly told him that I wanted my car back. He made a couple of excuses and told me it was going into paint by the end of the week which is what he had told me the week before. And the month before and month before that. I told him that was an old story I had heard before. Anyway I agreed to leave it one more week. Went by today and body was painted and looking good. His crew was working feverishly prepping the rest of the panels! . I don' t want to get my hopes too high but hoping it will be back in my garage sometime next week.
#20
#25
I painted my car myself
Went by today and body was painted and looking good.
#26
You're seeing the result of many basecoats/sands/repaints.
Finally i threw out my crappy top loader HVLP garbage guns and used a 40 year old cambell hausfeld. it made a HUGE difference.
Old car, old paint, great results
The hardest part for me was painting the hood/roof because condensation from an old gun will make water drip/drop.
Anyway, i still need to cut and buff the clearcoat, i laid down about 5 coats on that bad-boy
#27
Baby is coming home
Well I got the call I have been waiting for today. My baby is being released from jail. We really ran into issues with the hood. (Glastek from The Parts Place) This put him behind since my last post and really was not his fault. I would not recommend this hood and will start a separate post to detail that experience. Just happy to be getting it back. I will post some pics after I get it home.
#28
It seems a worldwide problem, by far the biggest complaint about body shops over here is work not being done on time. I asked a few people I know who run or work in body shops and they all told me to prepare a car (or anything else) for paint takes time, and lots of it. To paint a new car is easy, clean metal makes prep a breeze.
But to paint a car to original standards can mean hundreds of man hours dealing with corrosion, dents etc.
One guy who paints formula one cars - they are stripped to bare metal and repainted between races - told me his shop charges by the hour for all the time the car is in the shop, of course it is an intensive process with these jobs but the bills are eye wateringly high. Want a perfect paint job in a week?, certainly sir, that will be $40k please.
Roger.
But to paint a car to original standards can mean hundreds of man hours dealing with corrosion, dents etc.
One guy who paints formula one cars - they are stripped to bare metal and repainted between races - told me his shop charges by the hour for all the time the car is in the shop, of course it is an intensive process with these jobs but the bills are eye wateringly high. Want a perfect paint job in a week?, certainly sir, that will be $40k please.
Roger.
#29
Body shop jail
Took mine to the garage for a full body off restoration. Three years later it was done. No matter how much I prodded the guy, he just didn't work too fast. Of course it was in my garage and I was doing it.
Alb
Alb
#30
That's is too funny! I am sure the work was done to the owners satisfaction though.
#31
When I had my 70 442 convertible restore about 10 years ago the body shop held it hostage for over a year. The owner refused to let anyone touch the car but him and would only work on it when he felt inspired. I use to get so angry with him, but in the end it was worth it, the first 3 shows I entered I won best paint and body. So remember the olds saying - good things come to those who wait
#32
It seems a worldwide problem, by far the biggest complaint about body shops over here is work not being done on time. I asked a few people I know who run or work in body shops and they all told me to prepare a car (or anything else) for paint takes time, and lots of it. To paint a new car is easy, clean metal makes prep a breeze.
But to paint a car to original standards can mean hundreds of man hours dealing with corrosion, dents etc.
One guy who paints formula one cars - they are stripped to bare metal and repainted between races - told me his shop charges by the hour for all the time the car is in the shop, of course it is an intensive process with these jobs but the bills are eye wateringly high. Want a perfect paint job in a week?, certainly sir, that will be $40k please.
Roger.
But to paint a car to original standards can mean hundreds of man hours dealing with corrosion, dents etc.
One guy who paints formula one cars - they are stripped to bare metal and repainted between races - told me his shop charges by the hour for all the time the car is in the shop, of course it is an intensive process with these jobs but the bills are eye wateringly high. Want a perfect paint job in a week?, certainly sir, that will be $40k please.
Roger.
#33
Glad it finally coming home. don't forget for future reference sometimes you uncover past body repair that needs fixing right,I have uncovered many large dents simply filled with fiberglass then bongo on top and man you really have to work to get fiberglass !!!
#34
Hey Roger, what part of England are you in. I spent some time in Lakenheath in the 70's. I get the Rusty part of your Rusty Roger. I bought a very nice looking 60's something Anglica from an older Bloke while I was there. No apparent rust issues showing any where. I had a flat one day and put the jack under the front frame. I kept jacking but the car wasn't going up. Looked inside and the jack had pumped through the frame right up to about the brake pedal inside the car
Margate is in the south east corner on the coast. Nearer to France than London in fact.
Nowhere in England is more than 72 miles from the sea, I used to earn most of my living repairing rust damage to keep cars much over 3-4 years old on the road. It's fair to say it's much less of an issue now.
Roger.
#35
http://s1310.photobucket.com/user/St...tml?sort=3&o=0
Finally got my girl out of jail yesterday. She is wearing her new red coat! Now it is time to get back to work!
Finally got my girl out of jail yesterday. She is wearing her new red coat! Now it is time to get back to work!
#37
I had a buddy spray mine; the first time. It had a bonding issue and didn't settle well.
After he sprayed it the third time, I just did it myself.
Cost about $400 and a week of time to spray it 4 times. I did the body work by hand and it took months.
Still turned out awful; rear quarters have blistered. Oh well, I think I did okay for a 15 year old at the time.
After he sprayed it the third time, I just did it myself.
Cost about $400 and a week of time to spray it 4 times. I did the body work by hand and it took months.
Still turned out awful; rear quarters have blistered. Oh well, I think I did okay for a 15 year old at the time.
#38
I had a buddy spray mine; the first time. It had a bonding issue and didn't settle well.
After he sprayed it the third time, I just did it myself.
Cost about $400 and a week of time to spray it 4 times. I did the body work by hand and it took months.
Still turned out awful; rear quarters have blistered. Oh well, I think I did okay for a 15 year old at the time.
After he sprayed it the third time, I just did it myself.
Cost about $400 and a week of time to spray it 4 times. I did the body work by hand and it took months.
Still turned out awful; rear quarters have blistered. Oh well, I think I did okay for a 15 year old at the time.
#40
What I don't understand is the math. My rusty vert I just had done took 325 hours to complete. The painter had the car for 18 months. I brought the completely stripped shell in on the frame with fenders and hood already off - no disassembly required. There was no waiting on parts, no waiting on money. That works out to less than 20 hours a month devoted to my car on average - or less than three full work days per month. I saw plenty of other cars come and go in the meantime. I must be missing something about the logic painters use. If let's say 50% of the time was devoted to my car it should have been been done in approx. 4 months.
All that being said, it came out great and am happy with the results. I just don't understand why it works like this.
All that being said, it came out great and am happy with the results. I just don't understand why it works like this.
Last edited by costpenn; November 28th, 2013 at 09:48 AM.