LOL! i owned and ran a body shop for almost 4 years one time - like 1972-76. back then, PPG paint was around $20/gallon and lacquer or enamel thinner was about $3.50/gallon. masking tape was like .50 cents a roll and Dupont lacquer primer was about $12.00/gallon - and that stuff was so thick that a gallon lasted several months. when i restored one of my 68 Barracudas 6 years ago, i paid $325/gallon for lacquer paint from TCP Global out in San Diego, California and that was the BEST price i could find for that paint. with primer, glaze, bondo, sandpaper and other misc. items, i had about $1500 in the repaint of my car. if you just wanted to do some minor and basic body work on a car, prime it and paint it - and you did it YOURSELF - you would still be looking at at least $1000.00 in materials. AMD just discontinued their quarter panels for 67-69 Barracudas and the regular price was $625/each. AMD sold what they had left for around $345.00/ea. i sent one of my Barracudas to AMD (a 69 M-Code 440 Cuda) to have the entire OEM floor pan reinstalled as the car had been cut up into a drag car. i provided an additional "donor car" shell that was rust free, but AMD still had to use several of their manufactured pieces. they had the car for a little over a year and my final bill was close to $12,000. so any guy that would be "concerned" over a $3000 body shop repair bill including all the work the above bodyman would have to do - that's a customer YOU DON'T WANT!! here in Pittsburgh, PA, all the body shops i know are at least $100/hr. with a few charging $125/hr.
