Body resto costs

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wrenchmaster

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Hi,

I have a solid body from my 1969 Swinger 340 with all metal replacement performed.
This was done using all salvage solid materials refastened at factory points.

What I'm considering now is to see what it may cost to deliver all body components to a shop and have
all body and paint work performed.

I'm sure this is a wide range but what would be a sensible range for this car?
 
IF you can find a shop to do it...5-20k, and don't expect to get your car back this decade.
 
wrenchmaster said:
Hi,

I have a solid body from my 1969 Swinger 340 with all metal replacement performed.
This was done using all salvage solid materials refastened at factory points.

What I'm considering now is to see what it may cost to deliver all body components to a shop and have
all body and paint work performed.

I'm sure this is a wide range but what would be a sensible range for this car?
Click to expand...
I did mine, so don't have a $ answer...
The biggest thing is the hours prepping for and completing paint. Big variables are how well the body work was done, paint choice and what your expectations are for the finished product. I'm sure there are guys on here who have done similar and could hazard a guess. Pics and more info would help a lot.
 
wrenchmaster said:
Hi,

I have a solid body from my 1969 Swinger 340 with all metal replacement performed.
This was done using all salvage solid materials refastened at factory points.

What I'm considering now is to see what it may cost to deliver all body components to a shop and have
all body and paint work performed.

I'm sure this is a wide range but what would be a sensible range for this car?
Click to expand...
Just to give you an idea, I was quoted 6500 just to paint mine, base/clear and that's if I had all sanding and and prep work done.
 
dukeboy_318 said:
Just to give you an idea, I was quoted 6500 just to paint mine, base/clear and that's if I had all sanding and and prep work done.
Click to expand...
Even if you were to do all the work yourself, (hundreds of hours) you would probably be looking at $2000.00
in material, primer, catalyst, sand paper, masking paper and last, but not least paint. A solid color could be single stage.
A metallic color, a base coat, clear coat and even more expense. $10,000 for a good quality paint job is not unreasonable.
Many high quality shops would probably be more. What do you think you would go out the door for at Grave Yard Cars?
 
Lee Robinson said:
Even if you were to do all the work yourself, (hundreds of hours) you would probably be looking at $2000.00
in material, primer, catalyst, sand paper, masking paper and last, but not least paint. A solid color could be single stage.
A metallic color, a base coat, clear coat and even more expense. $10,000 for a good quality paint job is not unreasonable.
Many high quality shops would probably be more. What do you think you would go out the door for at Grave Yard Cars?
Click to expand...
Minimum I've seen quoted form graveyard cars was 30 grand plus another 20 grand if you wanted the car on the show.
 
The biggest expense is labor but you already know this . My paint and body cost me $12,000 which included : blasting , undercarriage prep, paint and clear , doors , trunk and fenders painted off car and assembled , metallic single stage with clear and dual stripes buried in clear . Never take your car to a crash body shop . You don't want production work . You want superior work . Oh , mine included etch prime and sealer . Expect to pay between $10k-$20k , imo
 
Stay hard on a good reputable shop with a limited budget and I would expect a 2 year turn around @20k. Seems there are lots of folks that will pay more for a quicker turn and you get bumped. If you have the means and talent to do it yourself who knows! If you want quality think about all the rest you have in front of you! Took me close to 2 years to get the rest all ready but the last few months of waiting on a finished body were trying! In my case it was worth it!
 
Last edited:
post some pictures and tell us what you plan for color and level of paint you're after.
metallic....solid colour...nice paint ... very nice and lazer straight...cut and polished ...show quality?
 
Sorry for the short reply earlier. The truth is that the vast majority of body shops nowadays are high volume peel-and-stick insurance shops. They lack the time and skills to take on a real project. The real craftsman have mostly died off.

You may find somebody who agrees to take your project, but you're probably going to regret it. They will most likely take the job because they are on their ***. You will leave a deposit and keep getting hit up for more installments whenever they need a meth fix. After your patience and wallet runs dry you'll have your car hauled out worse than when you sent it there. Their are of course exceptions, but this will be the outcome 99% of the time.

Do it yourself. I absolutely hate bodywork, but I do it because I have to. I learned long ago that even money can't buy decent bodywork in a reasonable amount of time.
 
zkx14 said:
I did mine, so don't have a $ answer...
The biggest thing is the hours prepping for and completing paint. Big variables are how well the body work was done, paint choice and what your expectations are for the finished product. I'm sure there are guys on here who have done similar and could hazard a guess. Pics and more info would help a lot.
Click to expand...
I agree with at LEAST 10K, and that is if you did a REAL good job with what you did. I also think you will have trouble finding place that will do it; specially in a timely manner. Unless you have absolutely NO body work skills at all, do your own work. Slinging and sanding body filler is not all that difficult. It just takes time and a LOT of patience. You will need some good sanding blocks (hard to beat the $65 set of Dura Block blocks) and rolls of sticky back dry sandpaper in 80, 120, 220, 320, and 400 grits. There is really no sense in paying $50 per hour (or whatever) to have someone else do body filler work on your car. Oh, and by the way, don't use cheap body filler (like Bondo). I like Evercoat Rage. Do a google or You Tube search on how to mix and spread filler. You need to be careful not to incorporate air bubbles. Then you can probably figure out a way to spray primer on it. Then block sand it (with guide coat) ending up with 400 dry, and wet sand it with 320, 400 and 600. It's a lot of work, but you an save a lot of money. Then, if you don't feel comfortable spraying it yourself, you can probably find someone to spray it. You could probably find someone locally who would be happy to come over and give you some pointers.
 
harrisonm said:
I agree with at LEAST 10K, and that is if you did a REAL good job with what you did. I also think you will have trouble finding place that will do it; specially in a timely manner. Unless you have absolutely NO body work skills at all, do your own work. Slinging and sanding body filler is not all that difficult. It just takes time and a LOT of patience. You will need some good sanding blocks (hard to beat the $65 set of Dura Block blocks) and rolls of sticky back dry sandpaper in 80, 120, 220, 320, and 400 grits. There is really no sense in paying $50 per hour (or whatever) to have someone else do body filler work on your car. Oh, and by the way, don't use cheap body filler (like Bondo). I like Evercoat Rage. Do a google or You Tube search on how to mix and spread filler. You need to be careful not to incorporate air bubbles. Then you can probably figure out a way to spray primer on it. Then block sand it (with guide coat) ending up with 400 dry, and wet sand it with 320, 400 and 600. It's a lot of work, but you an save a lot of money. Then, if you don't feel comfortable spraying it yourself, you can probably find someone to spray it. You could probably find someone locally who would be happy to come over and give you some pointers.
Click to expand...
Probably
 
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