how much for frame/trunk/floor replacement at a shop

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racerkilla

racerkilla

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me and my dad run a average repair shop and work on anything.. mainly all late model cars, tires brakes, engines motors, brake lines etc etc

well were redoing a 70 charger for a customer
so far
got original 318 running so it can be moved had to take gas tank out and clean it and clean carb etc..
welded in both front t cap (the cap style)
new 1/2 back frame rails from above the axle to the back bumper, replaced the metal bracket/plate that holds bumper and gas tank straps,
replaced the trunk floor and extensions... (who ever tried to fix the trunk had so many zip screws and tar and just a mess)
subframe connectors
and other stuff here and there

what do you guys think labor should be for doing all that, plus the welding wire and argon.... ill tell you how much he thinks he should pay.. he thinks 500. our shop rate is 45 an hour. so think we only had 10 hours plus some on this car... For you that have done this.. its takes forever to fix someones mess and to get new metal in nicely.

he wants front floors put in it, 4 speed hump, the pedals put in, the white interior changed to black the 318 pulled out and a 440 with 871 is going in with a hemi 4 speed, torsion bars, disk brakes, 8 3/4 on super stock springs, torque boxes.....

what do you guys think... i think im gonna tell him to go else where... i know its a mopar but if i'm gonna lose on it i rather keep working on my own cuda.

i'm getting a 18x21 car port so i can tear down my 73 cuda apart and be out of the weather when i'm using shop for normal work.... hes like oh nice when u get your car port my charger will be out of the weather... yea right i'm gonna buy a car port for my car to sit outside......yea right
 
I'd say that you have about $2k in it already. $500 sounds cheap for all that you've listed. And for everything else he wants done, he'd be looking at another two to three thousand minimum, if I was doing the work.
 
Got a sign up that says we charge "$45.00 an hour calculated by flat rate repair manual?" I can give you the flat rate times on all that if you can give me a little time to dig out the old crash books. It's at the shop and I'm at home. Truthfully, for $500? That might be the trunk floor itself and that's going by $45 an hour. Frame rails, etc? That's a good $2-$3 worth of work. Not including paint or covering it with material of choice. Last time I checked insurance companies were giving between $20-$25 an hour material rate per refinish time.

If it was me and he wanted all that work done on a low ball, you'd be better off cutting bait, working on the 'Cuda, and tell him to find someone who's willing to do it out of his home garage for beer money or to supplement unenjoyment.
 
thanks guys.... ill give him the bill one day this week. i figured 500 for the trunk floor took forever... wouldn't been to bad but someone played patch maker by wheelhouses...and everywhere

as for getting it running ...and t caps that was just welding pretty simple...

have to set prices i don't mind giving him good deal but yea... hes got the money to and i know it
 
How bout this, bud. I'll get you the hours out of the crash book, then you figure out what kind of deal you want to give him from there.
 
racerkilla said:
hes got the money to and i know it
Click to expand...

Shouldn't make any difference in pricing a job. You are running a business, and have to eat. You should quote the job and then if you wish to help someone out, you can barter from there. I have a customer, that has several cars. I charge normal rate for the "regular" cars. On his old Mopars, I cut him a break, as he will bring me the car, and it may sit for several weeks, as it is a "fill in" job. Saves him some money, and I have work on a slow day.
 
This reminds me of working at my friends restoration shop years ago, customers just couldnt comprehend that their 1500. car needed 5000. worth of work to look like the car on the calender hanging behind his desk. i myself have paid close to 500. just to have the frame around the rear spring shackles replaced on my challenger, and that was back in 1991. good luck to you as some people just cant understand no matter how well it is explained to them as to the amount of work involved. i would suggest to the guy to get a couple estimates from other places if he feels the price is unfair.
 
Hell, this is simple. You have an hourly shop rate. Give him a ball park figure and let him know that it can run "more or less". If he's afraid your going to stand around and drink coffee on his time then he needs to go else where. $500 wont touch that car by your explanation of its condition. If he cant afford the chips, he dont need to be playing. $500 wont buy the parts to do the job. Dont come to the end of the week with no money in YOUR pocket. It aint no fun and the good feeling dont really last that long.
Small Block
 
thanks guys, he bought all the parts... he had a cuda done like 10 years ago and hes like it wasn't to bad for price... but 10 years ago everything was a lot cheaper and his cuda was alot cleaner.

i didn't mean hes got the money and i know it so i can charge him more. i do same this as stated abouve, its when were slow its a car to fill in free time and cut him a break. I like working on old cars. i just mean i saw him buy a 871 supercharger, saw him buy a a 4 speed etc etc.. i tell him a bill and its 100 here or there.

He knows were redoing the car and say 2 months went by he should of been saving so when i told him the bill its no problem

Its like people needing snow tires. 2 months before they say they need to get them soon.. come time and they didn't save one penny for them.
 
and were not type to sit around, i bust my a$$.. my hands are black and calused really bad.
 
just tell him there is nothing wrong with his car that time and money can't fix, lol. I know how you feel, trying to take care of your customers, but it is a business, and you need to be fair to yourself.
 
My buddy's shop does restorations also. $45hr like you. They clock in on each job and charge per hour. Bill by the month and no pay no work. He has a waiting list and usually has 3 jobs going. They don't estimate restoration work just to many variables.
Bill him a fair amount for your time and keep the car till he pays.
 
When I get work done I ask how much per hour and we go with a "possible bill" - sometimes it's close...... sometimes its not. Just because a person has money, does not mean they want to waste it frivolously - but it is fair for them to try to get the best price that they can.
But so should you - you're working for a living and a profit - profit is not a dirty word. There is a difference between being thrifty with your money and being a cheapskate. This guy is a cheapskate. Kick him to the curb and don't release his car to him until the bill is paid in cash.......... in full.
But then again.....maybe it's your brother........what do I know........LOL
Daryl
 
nope not my brother... my brother is cheap cause he's flat broke and i stopped helping him when hes never gonna change him self.. he drives around a 86 nissan 200 sx.


instead of putting hours in on his charger tonight i spend 5 hours of my free time running 3inch pipe on my project cuda... so much more satisfying
 
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