Srt-68 Barracuda

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jeffneal66 said:
The grills look fantastic. Who did the work for you?
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They were banged up and split around the headlamps, had those areas welded and then I filed and sanded them down to a smooth finish, knocked out various other dents, then polished the whole piece. Anodising didnt take properly as the welded areas were a different grade aluminum. So I had them chromed instead by a highly regarded shop over here. I admit, they came out great, near perfect. Cheap too, I have about $250 in them counting the cost of the botched anodising- far from the $1300 or so being charged by specialist repairers over in your neck of the woods.
 
Why dont you start your own business restoring them?

I have a set of 69's I'd like done......$300.00 for the set seem fair?

I'm sure you must have have a few dozen hours of labor into them eh?

I mean 40 hours of work at 22.5o/hr + your $250+ in parts then shipping and packaging = 1300.00

I always love it when people discount the labor 100%
 
We give ourselves little credit. Do the math. Or do it yerself. Fact is, most people can't. That's why we pay for others to do the things we can't. I can't chrome. Might seem expensive, but I know what he's got into it. He gets paid, or you get nothing. As it should be.

A guy recently offered me $100K for my Dart. I told him that I appreciated that, but that he could keep walking. You break even on these cars at $150K, and those with a good rep command more than that--as well they should.

If you give away your labor you give away your being.
 
momoparman said:
Why dont you start your own business restoring them?

I have a set of 69's I'd like done......$300.00 for the set seem fair?

I'm sure you must have have a few dozen hours of labor into them eh?

I mean 40 hours of work at 22.5o/hr + your $250+ in parts then shipping and packaging = 1300.00

I always love it when people discount the labor 100%
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Thanks for the suggestion, but you misunderstood me. I fully understand the expense involved in employing somebody else's labour. If I was intending to make any point it was that with some time and effort on oneself's part you can get these things done for far less than shelling out $1300 or so for somebody else to do them. I wasn't discounting or ignoring the fact that my own labour was involved but then again I dont bill my labour to myself, it's irrelevant. After all, we work on our cars for the love of it, not money, dont we? So to me the cost was $250 plus countless hours of enjoyment.

But if I did yours, Mop, it wouldn't be for the love of it, and my professional hourly rate is considerably higher than $22.50.

Cheers.
 
That's all I meant.....you could have told us how much time you have into them just so the average guy could know what it really takes.

I always try to do my own work as well....saving money by spending time.

So how long did they take?

Sometimes paying someone else to do something so you have more time to do something else is the goal.

No disrespect intended.8)

And 22.50 was a simple number to use to illustrate my point......your work shows that you are well worth more as a skilled technician.:-D
 
No problems, Mop. To be honest I cant say how many hours I have in them, I did them over time a little here and there. My best guess would be, say, 10-12 hours all up. The thing I took out of this is that many things that seem daunting (ie.in this case working with delicate, banged up, aluminium) to the uninitiated (ie. me) arent that difficult when you give it a go.
 
I agree.....I fixed almost all of my own trim...the stainless trim to be precise.
I worked on the AL but it's soft and you must have a steady hand (Not for me)

Tools:
Small hammer, hand ground chisels and punches, fine files and gobs of sand paper, buffing compound and wheel and some hard wood (HeHeHe...shut up
Beavis) and a careful touch will net you some good results.

Practice on a crappy piece first.

Good Luck All.....and if you fail.....call Marcos at the King of Trim.

Mop

Here is a closeup of his work and mine.....In this pic, I did the windshield, drip moulding and restored the turn signal lights. He did the grill.

It all turned out sweet.

100_2100w.jpg
 
WOW!! That looks fabulous!! Almost exactly what I have been picturing in my mind for my '68.

What A Beauty!!
 
Thanks......and thanks for me taking over SRT8's thread.

Sorry bud.......way she goes, way she goes.

Mop:-D
 
momoparman said:
Thanks......and thanks for me taking over SRT8's thread.

Sorry bud.......way she goes, way she goes.

Mop:-D
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Don´t know, but maybe that´s the only way to see a painted car in this thread


























Sorry, just kidding, couldn´t help it. LOL
 
How's this for a brown...errr brownish paint job. Maybe he's waiting for mother nature to do the outside like mine.....only takes about 70 years. :-D

fatratatsavanah.jpg
 
The knife, the fork then the spoon....all hurt progressively worse as you are jabbed by them......c'mon back rubber duck.
 
"If you give away your labor you give away your being."

Wanted to quote that again.....love the slogan...I have lived by it my hole life...hahahahaha...funny thing is as the hole got deeper I got taller....just by living that quote.

C'mon back....

Mop
 
Finally got my modules and sensor issues solved, only to find out the tranny is no good. I've got another one on the way. Frustrated to say the very least. I will not finish the paint work or go any farther until this thing will move on it's own. I have to walk away from this thing--again....
 
Sounds like its time for ANOTHER PROJECT!!!!!

I always like to start a new project when I get stalled on the old ones......I have like 20 or so projects going on right now.

Keeps you busy for life!

Hang in there.

Mop
 
Its amazing how sometimes things go easy and when you think that everything is fine something else goes wrong. I am with you Brother. Best thing you can do is that. It will clear your mind at the same time you can then continue with calm.
 
I think that this weekend is going to help my brother out. A little sun, a lot of fun and a big ol' fire. After a little R&R, the SRT-68 may be done in no time at all! :drinkers:
 
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