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  #1  
Old 03-17-2022, 09:19 AM
1_Car_Guy 1_Car_Guy is offline
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Default How many Labor Hours

I posted this in the paint and body section but I just noticed that there hasn't been a post in there since December 5th, 2021. So in order to get views on this I'll post it here. Moderators, feel free to delete if necessary and I apologize in advance.

Trying to get some opinions/approximations about how many labor hours I should expect for some work I'm about to have done by a professional restoration shop.

I know that's a super difficult thing to ask even if you were to see the car in person. It's even more difficult via just photos on the internet.

But, that's what I have to work with so here goes:

I'm about to drop this car off to the restoration/body shop to have the following things done:

1) Reassemble car
----a. I'm asking the shop to reassemble the body properly. I want every panel perfectly aligned, all door gaps correctly shimmed etc. I'm not hesitant to spend money on their time to get this 100% correct. I've seen cars 'restored' before where panel gap is absolutely atrocious.
----b. As you can see from the photos, the car has a new DSE front sub frame. So there are really no reference points to begin reassembly, so it won't be easy.
----c. The fenders, hood, front end, doors, bumpers are all off the car right now

2) DA sand body down to bare metal (doors, hood, fenders, roof, trunk, quarters, bumpers etc.) down to bare metal.
----a. This car HAS BEEN painted once before in the mid 80's so I have to assume there's the original paint on the car as well to get through

2) Repair any significant rust issues
----a. I'm pretty certain this really won't be an issue. So for the purposes of the thread lets assume there's NO RUST to repair

3) Smooth fire wall
----a. I want the firewall smoothed. I don't need the shop to worry about a/c, heater core, steering column. I just want them to cut out the factory firewall and smooth it.

4) Cut out damaged drivers side cowl door section and replace with OEM part

5) Spray car in epoxy primer
----a. I'm NOT HAVING the shop get it 'paint ready'.
----b. Bondo work, filler, seem coat, all of that type stuff is going to be MUCH further down the road when I get it painted.
----c. I just want it reassembled, gaps corrected, sanded, and put in epoxy primer so I can store this thing in my garage while I do what I need to over the next few years

Some things to point out:
----I have all of the factory sheet metal from this car (including rust free inner fender walls).
----I have a perfect OEM front core support and new door hinges for the car
----I'm NOT HAVING them put the wheel fares on the car
----All the parts to the car are already properly labeled and marked which should help them out a little bit

Attached are photos of the car in the shape they will receive it.

Can you give me an idea of how many labor hours you think they'll quote?
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  #2  
Old 03-17-2022, 10:24 AM
RDuke RDuke is offline
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Not sure why you wouldn't have them media blast or dip the car. Do you want them to address the floors/strip them too manually? Jams? This would likely be chemical strip if by hand.

Last year I had my '56 full media blasted. I provided it on my rotisserie all ready for blasting. I was about $2,500. For a shop to prep it for this, transport and return it, you are probably $3,500-4K all in. If you want manual strip I would guess 4-6 weeks with floors/jams/trunk and probably 180+ hrs. With materials assume probably 15-18K to manually strip it.

Firewall is probably a week or 25-40hrs of work depending on condition. Likely another 20-40hrs of no rust/issues for small repair areas. So 6-8K here.

Prep and epoxy coat: Probably 2K in materials plus another 2-3 weeks of prep/spray time. When I did mine it was a full week and several booth sessions to get all sides, etc. 40-60hrs in labor would be my guess. So 6-8K for epoxy spray out.

Panel assembly and jam adjustments is a big one depending on how bad the panels are. Lots of cutting/welding likely to get them perfect. You are probably 4-6 weeks in a shop to get this done or 150-200 labor hours would be my guess. You also have to re-spray the weld/grind areas post fix so add another 1-2K for epoxy touch ups. You are probably 12-15K here depending on conditions.

My guess:
Low est: 22K
High est: 38K
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  #3  
Old 03-17-2022, 10:43 AM
1_Car_Guy 1_Car_Guy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RDuke View Post
Not sure why you wouldn't have them media blast or dip the car. Do you want them to address the floors/strip them too manually? Jams? This would likely be chemical strip if by hand.

Last year I had my '56 full media blasted. I provided it on my rotisserie all ready for blasting. I was about $2,500. For a shop to prep it for this, transport and return it, you are probably $3,500-4K all in. If you want manual strip I would guess 4-6 weeks with floors/jams/trunk and probably 180+ hrs. With materials assume probably 15-18K to manually strip it.

Firewall is probably a week or 25-40hrs of work depending on condition. Likely another 20-40hrs of no rust/issues for small repair areas. So 6-8K here.

Prep and epoxy coat: Probably 2K in materials plus another 2-3 weeks of prep/spray time. When I did mine it was a full week and several booth sessions to get all sides, etc. 40-60hrs in labor would be my guess. So 6-8K for epoxy spray out.

Panel assembly and jam adjustments is a big one depending on how bad the panels are. Lots of cutting/welding likely to get them perfect. You are probably 4-6 weeks in a shop to get this done or 150-200 labor hours would be my guess. You also have to re-spray the weld/grind areas post fix so add another 1-2K for epoxy touch ups. You are probably 12-15K here depending on conditions.

My guess:
Low est: 22K
High est: 38K
The entire bottom of the car, interior, trunk, cowl section and tail section has already been media blasted and painted by me. Those jobs are already done and good enough to eat off of.

The car has an 8 point cage cut through the floor and welded right to the frame rails, welded sub frame connectors, new DSE front sub frame, ladder bars, mini tubs, Strange rear end as it is. This thing isn't coming apart without lots of cutting and new parts.

Why on earth would I pay a shop to dissemble all of my work just to complete body work? I'm not following you.

I asked the shop if they would chemically strip the car but they told me DA would be the way to go. I would prefer them to chemically strip it but they are the 'experts'.

Car was straight as an arrow and 100% rust free when I ripped the thing apart before I did all the chassis work. It has been in the family its entire life and garage kept with less than 32,000 miles on it.

Last edited by 1_Car_Guy; 03-17-2022 at 10:48 AM.
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Old 03-18-2022, 11:34 AM
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Are you not confident in the estimate the shop is giving?
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Old 03-18-2022, 12:00 PM
1_Car_Guy 1_Car_Guy is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ketzer View Post
Are you not confident in the estimate the shop is giving?
I've talked to the shop a few times already. They come highly recommended and from what I can personally defer - are stand up guys. That said, they are backed up until May/June and have yet to see the car in person. I have sent them over 30 photos of the caI haven't actually received a quote yet (and I haven't asked for one since they haven't seen the car in person). I just want an idea from some experts on this forum to give me a ballpark idea of labor hours.

I have about $28,000 cash in hand to throw around. That's my absolute max right now. Hoping (and not expecting the above to-do list to rack up anything even close to that amount).
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Old 03-19-2022, 10:20 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RDuke View Post

My guess:
Low est: 22K
High est: 38K
Don't want to spoil anything for you and be a pessimist, but always go with the higher estimate. It is exactly like it says...it's an ESTIMATE. More often than not, something happens or some unexpected thing comes along that'll be 3-4 more hours here and there that drives the bill up. That can be the difference in a few thousand dollars. And hey, if everything comes in under the estimate great. But, that rarely happens. Just my $.02.
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