Shops, Shops and more shops

[fesler]

This about sums it all up perfect Greg...... Why you selling the bubble top

Originally Posted by GregWeld

Having done more than a few cars in my lifetime... I will add a couple thoughts that might aid someone reading this thread.

The common thing that I've found with building cars is that it takes way more money UP FRONT than most are prepared / budgeted for. I don't care if it's a home build or a pro shop.... a guy can't start to build until he has most all of the major parts in hand.

It's just too hard and cause's too many do overs to things piecemeal. You can't lay out stuff - important stuff - without the major components on site. About all a shop can do at that point is the bodywork.

IF you can't just forge ahead - then everything becomes dated. Wheels and sizes change - the newest hot motor combo changes (LT1 to LS ring any bells?) - Suspension etc. When it's too dated -- the owner changes something - that adds costs...

People wouldn't build a new house and do it this way.... You have to have the finances in place. Cars should be done the same way... get your finances in order so that you can pay for the stuff you need and KEEP IT GOING TO COMPLETION.

IMHO if you "think" it's going to cost 50K -- you'd better have 100K set aside because of project creep.

Rudy and Pam's Camaro started with a front suspension rebuild. 16 months later it was a completely new car. That's just the way it works. Nothing wrong with that. It just "goes there". Why kid yourself up front.

I've also seen many make the mistake of picking the wrong shop for their builds -- you don't take your Camaro to a "hot rod" builder... take it where the shop is FAMILIAR with all the ins and outs of the particular car. That saves time and hassle. They're familiar with the parts sources - and how things should be routed and what problems they can EXPECT to find before they even start.

So many times I've seen "repairs" end up being a "build" -- the customer nor the shop is prepared for it. It just happens and when they're in over their heads - that's when the problems start.

[GregWeld]

Originally Posted by fesler

This about sums it all up perfect Greg...... Why you selling the bubble top

Because I went to bed every night asking myself "why was I doing this"..... when it really was never a build that was on my dream list.

It's a terrific platform for Ironworks to get their frame under... but when I actually sat in the car to set up the steering and seating -- I realized that it's just a HUGE F'n car... and really just doesn't fit "me". It's an absolutely killer car and will make a killer done car.. but it just isn't "me". I'm man enough to be able to say -- uh! Stop!

The Speed '33 I'm having done at Brizio is 'me'... I'm a hot rodder. End of story. Nothing more to it than that.

[Wissing72]

You guys all make very valid points. I was searching for someone in my area to paint my el camino and could never get a solid answer. I got its going to be "filler work" or not interested. I finally found someone and he quoted a time and never followed through. In the end it took almost 3 years for him to do a paint complete paint job on a car that was apart and stripped, and no collision repair. I watched alot of other cars come after me and leave with paint before me. The final product was great, but the wait was a pain.
My chevelle is at a different shop about 6 hours from me, the owner listens and interacts with me with phone and email updates and wants my input as well.
here is a photo of the el camino I finished in july, and I will start a thread on my chevelle soon.